CJOR

• By Balloonatic
• Reply 3507480
• November 1, 2012 at 6:39 pm
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Pankcaking is when the discharge is so thick (I refer to it as adobe, since I live in the southwest) that it cakes around the stoma ring instead of falling down into the bag as more comes out and has no where to go it can get under the opening around the stoma and create enough force to push out under your wafer tape. Eventually it pushes so much that the tape around the rings can not hold and you feel the fecal matter on your skin beyond the wafer. This is called at leak and is something we all have had to deal with but it is an unpleasant occurrence no matter what the circumstance. The only way to protect yourself I know of is to check your pouch soon after you feel your stoma is active and make sure this is not happening by encouraging the stool to fall. Some pouches seem to develop a vacuum and cause the pancaking to become even more of a problem. That is a very good reason that you must be sure there is some air in your pouch when you put in on.

I use a barrier ring "Eakin" and a pre-cut wafer from Convatec, the ring in very hot weather seems to melt a bit the first day after a change. It looks as if it swells up around the stoma, as long as the stoma opening is clear that is not a problem. Yes the stoma seems to be bigger at times, in my observation when the colon is gassy or about to have output the stoma grows. At quiet times the stoma seems to shrink. I hope this helps.

• By alan41241
• Reply 3508561
• November 2, 2012 at 7:33 am
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New to this what. This site or this condition (stoma after surgery)?
The defination given by Balloon is right on.
I assume by stating that you wear precut rings that your stoma has stopped shrinking post-op?
I would write more but I don't know enough about you to do that.
Blessings,
Alan

• By CJOR
• Reply 3508711 · In reply to 3507480 by Balloonatic
• November 2, 2012 at 8:43 am
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You explained it perfectly. Periodically I can feel when the ring seems to grow and feels mushy. I have had two incidents and now I know why. One incident was when we were traveling (car) and I blamed it on the seat belt hitting my stoma at wrong place. It may have been combination of both issues but who knows. I had my surgery in July so still learning the "ins & outs" of a ileostomy.

• By alan41241
• Reply 3508944
• November 2, 2012 at 10:07 am
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You'll get it after awhile. It won't take long. Sometimes, it seems overwhelming but it really isn't. Just remember, no matter how difficult it may seem, thousands have done it before you. You're not in this alone.
Blessings,
Alan

• By lilymyiley
• Reply 3509851
• November 2, 2012 at 3:18 pm
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I had my ileostomy formed in May of this year. My stoma is always changing still. It sometimes sticks out and at other times likes to be a submarine and try to hide below my skin level. I see it moving all the time when I am changing my appliance. My ET nurse put me on a convex flange with a clip on bag so that when Lily decides to be a submarine the convexity of the flange prevents stool from sneaking under the barrier. I also use an Eakin ring (not a seal). The rings are very very thin and I am able to snug it right up to the edge of my stoma as Lily often becomes like a mushroom. Without the ring I would not get a snug fit and stool would leak onto my skin. There are so many different appliances to try. I am so blessed to have an ostomy clinic near by that is staffed with a terrific bunch of WOCN nurses.

• By CJOR
• Reply 3510243
• November 2, 2012 at 5:53 pm
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I often wonder what makes it seem to grow and then a short time later it is back to normal. Any ideas? I don't necessarily have issues when it does so I am relunctant to switch to another type apparatus.

• By Kailua86 (Inactive)
• Reply 3510269
• November 2, 2012 at 6:04 pm
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I have had my colostomy for 16 months and I definatly have an outty.

I did notice this-when I am under any type of stress, my colon wants to come out through my stoma. When I am not stressed, it is damn near flush. I have anxiety problems to begin with especially when out in a crowd. So it sticks out and I lose my hour glass shape. Well, ok, its more like a vase. Ok, I am built like a linebacker except I am not as tall or muscular as one. I am squat but not that short.

Anyway, I do like pancakes. Like I said 16 months with a colostomy and only 3 leaks. I wonder what man did before the advent of duct tape.

Kailua

• By Jen1976
• Reply 3510693
• November 2, 2012 at 9:45 pm
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Kailua, do you really use duct tape to halp hold your appliance? I'm a new ostomate and looking for any suggestions to try. I had a colostomy now I have an ileostomy, wish I still had the colostomy it rarely leaked, ile wants to leak all the time. Thanks was just wondering.

• By CJOR
• Reply 3511315
• November 3, 2012 at 8:15 am
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Duct tape? Really? I have bought some Nexcare waterproof tape to use when I'm swimming in Cancun...it's blue and pretty!!! I plan to give it a test run in my shower before hand. Anyone use this product and if so did you have good results?

• By Su-Z
• Reply 3511800 · In reply to 3510693 by Jen1976
• November 3, 2012 at 11:30 am
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Jen (& Kailua),

They do sell tape for ostomies!! It's water proof and the adhesive won't be as harsh as duct tape. Kailua - a true Hawaiian! Duct tape fixes everything there!!

Or surgical tape or tape you by to hold a gauze dressing. Both work well.

LOL! Wouldn't want this type of pancake on my plate!

CPOR,
Takes time to get it down pat. You may have to try various flanges and pouches to get the right fit for you. I myself prefer to cut my own flange and ensure the fit is better than pre-cut. I've used pre-cut, uncut, closed and open pouches and pediatric pouches (my favs) but haven't used those since my resection because I haven't started irrigating again. (Irrigating is done by ostomates with colostomys - they use an appliance that looks like an IV bag with tubing and a cone-shaped apparatus on the end of the tubing; you fill the bag with a certain amount of tepid water and let it drain into your ostomy) You wear an irrigation sleeve while you do this and the sleeve is as long as your arm. The sleeve is open at the end to allow the output to flow into the toilet. It's similar to giving yourself an enema but using only water. You do this at the same time daily and generally, aftrer a couple of weeks, you have trained your ostomy to "go" at this time daily and you don't generally have much output the rest of the day - but there are always exceptions to the rule!! It just makes it easier to live an active life by taking 20-30 minutes a day to irrigate.

Su-Z

• By Kailua86 (Inactive)
• Reply 3511916
• November 3, 2012 at 12:15 pm
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I don't use duct tape for my colostomy. I just use it to wax unwanted hair.
The skin around my stoma is pretty tough.

Kailua

• By NMMark
• Reply 3513832
• November 4, 2012 at 7:49 am
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Please DON"T use "Duct Tape" on your body. I did try it a few years ago and had a bad skin reaction where it was. There is a "Pink " medical tape that is OK for the skin.
Save the Duct Tape for the air conditioner

• By Kailua86 (Inactive)
• Reply 3514043
• November 4, 2012 at 9:15 am
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NMMark,
Did you use the duct tape for your stoma equipment or to wax?

I was joking when I said I used duct tape. NMMark is right, never use it.

Kailua and the Big Kahuna