Page 16 - OASC July 2021 Newsletter

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Ostomy Association Simcoe County
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• The best tip for changing an ileostomy is to be prepared and organized before you start, and do your change as efficiently as possible. The more you wipe and fool around with the stoma, the more opportunity it will have to produce output when you least want it to.
• To help stop ileostomy discharge during a change, delay eating a meal and eat some plain marshmallows up to 30 minutes before changing the appliance.
• Make sure your peristomal skin (the skin around the stoma) is completely dry before applying the flange. Bathrooms can be warm and humid after a bath or shower — give your skin plenty of time to dry thoroughly.
• A few drops of pouch lubricant inside the top of the appliance will help prevent ‘pancaking’ of stool around the stoma. Most of the manufacturers make such lubri- cants; ask for a sample.
• Use two hands to remove a flange – one to hold the skin down and the other to gently peel the flange off. Try to minimize how much you are stretching or pulling on the skin.
• Write the day you change your appliance in ink on the outside of the barrier itself to help you remember when it’s time to change again, or keep a calendar in the bathroom for this purpose.
• If using a hair dryer to speed up drying of the peristomal skin during a change, keep it on LOW setting. High heat can burn delicate stoma tissues.
• If your paste tube has become too hard to squeeze, put it in a glass of hot water for 20 minutes.
• If you are being admitted to hospital for tests or any other reason, take your own ostomy supplies with you! The hospital may not stock what meets your particular needs, or attending nurses may not be familiar with ostomies. Even if the hospital has what you require, it may take a bit of time to locate it.
• If shaving abdominal hair, use an empty cardboard toilet roll as a shield around the stoma. Shave in the direction of hair growth.
• Use non-alcoholic adhesive removers to get residue off peristomal skin. Limit use of alcohol to clean your skin.
• Don’t use the same flange too long. The shape and size of your stoma, body contours, and type of waste all have a bearing on the durability of the seal. It is not advisable to leave an appliance in place for more than 7 days as ‘hidden’ seepage or leakage can occur under the flange. You can extend wear time only if your skin is in very good condition, and there is no evidence of seepage on your skin. — Handbook for Ostomates
Tips & Tricks
http://www.facebook.com/Simcoe.County.Ostomy.Assoc e mail: ostomy.asc@gmail.com Phone: 1 855 678 6272
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