Hernia belt

• By Bana57
• Reply 3358023
• September 8, 2012 at 10:35 am
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Hello Bob100, I started wearing one about a month ago, due to my stoma kept retracting, I only wear it during the day. I am sure there are many friends out here on this site that have more experience and suggestions. Good luck and God Bless

• By dollyme (Inactive)
• Reply 3359253
• September 8, 2012 at 6:59 pm
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Hi Bob, I too wear a belt for the past 4 months, I had my surgery 11 months ago. I also wear a wrap I do not know what to call it. Just a girdle like thing that helps support my ostomy. I cannot wear it all day because when I poop it has to come off so poo can flow down the bag. But I love the wrap when I can wear it.
Good luck And God bless you
Dolly

• By seniordrake
• Reply 3359474
• September 8, 2012 at 9:01 pm
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Hello Bob100, I have use a nu-hope 6" belt for several years. A mistake I made when I first had surgery was lifting to much without a belt and then sometimes with it. I then started to develope a herina over several years and just a few months had herina repair.
I use a two piece and the belt works great with it. I will use it all the time when working outside in in the yard, woodworking and out door activity fishing and duck hunting (which is the most demanding considering the activity). I also have to be careful when playing with the grandkids. I don't wear in the house or when sleeping.
The not lifting more than 10 to 20 pounds is the hardest restrant for me to adjust to.

• By Joe-R
• Reply 3359891 · In reply to 3359253 by dollyme
• September 9, 2012 at 12:51 am
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Hi Dolly,

I've really thinking about purchasing a 'belt' to prevent
a hernia [6 mnths. in colostomy recovery] and get back
to working out on my Bowflex and teaching Martial Arts
again. I'm reading so many 'horror' stories of folks on this
site who have a 'belt' and still get the dreaded 'stoma type
hernia thing'! : {

Do they really work or not?

God Bless,
Joe-R

• By Bob100
• Reply 3360077 · In reply to 3359891 by Joe-R
• September 9, 2012 at 6:50 am
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If I had known I had a 50/50 chance of getting a hernia, I would have ordered a belt to try prevention. I haven't heard how sucessful that is. Seems like it would better the odds.

• By herbsgal70
• Reply 3360132
• September 9, 2012 at 7:51 am
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I have used the belt to secure my barrier, and it works well - it can become a little irritating after a while. I was wearing a light back brace to support a very large abdominal hernia from having all the muscles severed to clean out 5 liters of fecal matter when my colon perforated last December - resulting in an ileostomy. I look like I am about to deliver a baby - at 80 years old? LOL I recently purchased an abdominal wrap which supports it - but not diminish it much - which I put on the first thing in the morning and take it off only when I have go to the bathroom or to sleep at night. I could have very risky surgery to deal with this, and take care of the diverticulitis and massive scar tissue I have from 5-C sections and a hysterectomy when I was 35, but on the advice of my surgeon decided to just live with what I have. I am strong and in good health, but it seems like such a risk, and I can still play golf and do most of the things I used to do. Hugs from Marge

• By Hunt
• Reply 3360271
• September 9, 2012 at 8:57 am
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Where do you find abdominal wraps? I have been thinking about a belt or something for the support. Over the last 25 years things have really shifted from when I first ended up with an iliostomy. It reminds me of those little cartoons that are sent around, LOL. If you could point me in the right direction to start my search I would really appreciate it.

Thank you

• By herbsgal70
• Reply 3360396
• September 9, 2012 at 9:48 am
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Hi hunt - I have a local medical supply store where I purchased my abdominal wrap. Check your telephone Yellow Pages for "medical supplies" and call to make sure they have them. I think that some pharmacies carry them, the ones that have walkers, wheelchairs, etc. for sale. The one I got is very comfortable, and I can wear it all day, and it doesn't interfere with my ileostomy draining. It is made by a company called F.L.A. ORTHOPEDICS and is a hospitl grade Premium Series Latex-Free Three-Panel Surgical Abdominal Binder - for Men and Women, and comes in about 3 different sizes. Our cost here is about $45 after tax, and is worth every penny! This medical supply store also carries ostomy supplies if I run short, and came through when I couldn't get my Medicare supplier to get a prescription for Eakin rings in time for me to use them. Good luck - and hugs from Marge

• By Su-Z
• Reply 3360553
• September 9, 2012 at 10:46 am
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Bob,

I wear my surgical support (hernia belt) upon waking and remove when I get home in the evening (around 5-5:30) I found wearing 24/7 is too binding and too uncomfortable at night. The following is a link to the site I use to purchase my binders. Reasonably priced (one exactly like the support I left the hospital with goes for over $600 - and they say medical costs are reasonable!)http://www.3tailer.com/abdominal-binders?gclid=CIjXmv7-8qkCFYZrKgod0zskZg#s f. My husband is oln his feet all day at his job (he makes mattresses) and on Fridays, they deliver various mattress sets - said it's the best thing he ever did to support his back! Some of the larger bed sets are heavy - an electric set they make and deliver is upwards of 160#!

Right after surgery, I wore it 24/7 except when showering/bathing until my 6 week post op. Then, I wore it daytime. It really does help. Some weekend days, I might remove it as early as 3pm - but we don't usually do too much other than computer or watch DishTV.

Su-Z

• By herbsgal70
• Reply 3360614
• September 9, 2012 at 11:11 am
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Su-z - I find that my local medical supply store is much less expensive than ordering off the net, and you can try different ones on and, of course, never have to pay shipping costs. It is such an inconvience to have to bundle something up and return it if it doesn't fit or do the job you hoped it would.

Hugs from Marge

• By Su-Z
• Reply 3360630 · In reply to 3360614 by herbsgal70
• September 9, 2012 at 11:16 am
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Hi Marge,

I generally do purchase locally, but believe it or not, it was more costly! I bought 2 supports for under $70 (shipping inclusive) and locally, they ran almost $100! I even checked with my ostomy supply contact.

Trust me - I checked out many sites and compared costs before purchsing. I've been dealing with this site for over 12 years now and been highly satisfied with their product and service.

Su-Z

• By Hunt
• Reply 3360775
• September 9, 2012 at 12:05 pm
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Thank you, I will check locally and online and see which way to go. I really appreciate the information.

• By Bob100
• Reply 3361344 · In reply to 3360132 by herbsgal70
• September 9, 2012 at 4:03 pm
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Wow, Marge, you're an insperation.

• By Bob100
• Reply 3361347 · In reply to 3360271 by Hunt
• September 9, 2012 at 4:05 pm
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Nu-Hope Resources appears to be the most popular. Try: www.nu-hope.com

• By Hunt
• Reply 3361411
• September 9, 2012 at 4:44 pm
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Thank you Bob I will check there also.

• By herbsgal70
• Reply 3361539 · In reply to 3361344 by Bob100
• September 9, 2012 at 5:40 pm
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Thank you Bob - I've made it to 80 and hope to see 90! Actually my husband, Herb, still tells everyone when he met me at 70 he had to marry him because I told him I was pregnant - and that was 9 years before I got my ileostomy and bulging abdomen last December. Actually, I think I am one of the lucky ones here - I have not battled cancer, or any of the misery that so many here have had to endure. I did have a hip replaced in 2009, spacer in my back for stenosis in 2010, and last year Herb accidentally threw me out of a golf cart (my fault for not sitting right and holding on) and shattered my tibial plateau - I had a rod and 10 pins in my leg until last October when they were removed - and then in December the perforated colon which caused this mess! All that while battling polymyalgia rheumatica (similar to fibromyalgia, but attacks the muscles instead of the nerves) - still taking a small dose of Prednisone to keep that at bay. I am ready to quit all this nonsense! My husband's and my sense of humor have kept me going. Hugs from Marge

• By HOCKEY
• Reply 3362015
• September 9, 2012 at 9:07 pm
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HI, Bob I was fitted for a hernia belt before i left the hospital Mass General Hosp. In Boston Mass. That was almost 3yrs ago.
And i still got a hernia. I wore it all the time at the gym, Took it off , at night Never wore it swimming, that was probably why
i got it in the first place GOOD LUCK HOCKEY

• By HOCKEY
• Reply 3362049
• September 9, 2012 at 9:16 pm
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Bob like SUE Z said than can be expensive The one they supplied me with (Yeah) right the hospital makes it sound like it was a gift. a $650.00 (gift) I don't know where you live? But if you have a surgical supply store you probably should have them, measure you waist---HOCKEY

• By dollyme (Inactive)
• Reply 3364340 · In reply to 3359891 by Joe-R
• September 10, 2012 at 4:48 pm
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Joe, You asked me if the belt reallly works do no know for sure. I have a hernia and it does help keep it feeling bettter. The abdomen wrap is one of the best thing for me too. I just cannot wear it all the time because when i poo it smashes the poo to my stoma and if it is a a great amount at one time it will break the seal and bingo a leak.
God Bless you
Dolly

• By herbsgal70
• Reply 3364640 · In reply to 3362015 by HOCKEY
• September 10, 2012 at 6:43 pm
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Hi HOCKEY - are you a Bostonian? I was born in Everett and later graduated from Braintree High School in 1949. My grandparents settled in Nantasket Beach when they came from Italy many, many years ago. Hugs from Marge