Several diseases such as
Crohn’s disease, ulcerous colitis, colon cancer,
urostomy, where one must divert the normal urine trajectory,
and other inflammatory disease of the intestine can
lead to the formation of an ostomy. Dealing with this
situation requires a great deal of adaptation. It’s
necessary to learn to live with this new reality. The
equipment for the ostomy, permanently on your body,
can seem bothersome, but keep in mind that it’s
an essential tool for your wellbeing. Therefore it’s
crucial to know how it works.
Ostomy pouch information
Ostomy equipment is constituted of two pieces: the
ostomy pouch which collects feces and the flange which
is used to keep the ostomy pouch in place. Various
models are available; the dimension of the pouch varies
and certain apparatus are one piece only, but the principle
remains the same.
The ostomy pouch has a limited life. It’s important
to change all the equipment every five to seven days,
varying for one individual to the next. You must empty
the pouch regularly. Normally you will empty the pouch
from five to six times a day. You carry out this task
without removing your apparatus. It is not recommended
to wash the ostomy pouch as there is an anti-odour
protection. You must not remove this protection with
frequent and useless washing.
How to Change an Ostomy Bag?
At the beginning it may seem complex to change an
ostomy pouch, but in fact it’s fairly easy. Initially
you must have handy the material recommended by your
enterostomal therapist as well as cloths. To begin
it’s recommended to sit down to feel more at
ease during the manipulations. It’s important
to protect your clothes as the flow of feces is continuous
for ostomates.
Remove the pouch and wipe of the feces on the flange.
Remove the flange from your stomach. Clean the skin
around your ostomy with a soft wet cloth. It’s
necessary to properly clean the area to be able to
attach another apparatus on clean skin, but you must
avoid excessive scrubbing as to not irritate the skin.
Apply an adhesive paste on the flange. You can find
it under many forms from various companies. The paste
must completely circle the flange. It acts as a sealer
protecting the person against leakage. Also it’s
preferable to properly protect the skin before applying
the flange.
For example you can apply a protective powder, followed
by a skin protector either tampon or aerosol (Skin-Prep,
Allkare, Medical adhesive…). These products
form a protective barrier between the skin and the
adhesive (Only when the skin is irritated and this
treatment is necessary). Allow to dry and then attach
the flange precisely around the ostomy. Finally, you
must take the pouch and apply strong pressure on the
flange so that the two pieces hold together. This last
step is useless for people using a one piece pouch.
Adapting to life after an ostomy
An ostomy is a part of your body that must be given
specific care. This piece of intestine, outside of
your stomach, is insensible but very fragile. Therefore
you must learn to live with it, love it and protect
it. This ostomy is part of your life. It’s highly
recommended to consult resources individuals in the
health field if it is required for your condition.
An enterostomal therapist remains the specialist that
can help you the most and guide you. They will give
you advice so you always have the proper equipment
that suits your needs. They will guide you regarding
particular care you may need. A person can wear an
apparatus for many years without problem. And the following
day, a problem may force them to change their apparatus.
They will have to change to an apparatus that will
be more suitable for them. Sometimes, they may even
have to change companies.
This information is on a purely personal and non-medical
basis.
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