I have pain when removing my pouch

I have pain when removing my pouch

  • Try to be as gentle as possible when removing the adhesive baseplate and when cleaning the skin.
  • Peel the baseplate off slowly, rather than ripping or tearing off.
  • Using one hand to hold the skin tight can help prevent trauma to the skin.

Using an adhesive remover may help.  Please visit Convatec.com to find a suitable product that is available in your country.

My ostomy pouch won’t stick: Possible causes and solutions

My ostomy pouch won’t stick: Possible causes and solutions

We have listed some common reasons why your ostomy pouch may not stick.

Possible causes men might have with their pouch sticking

Some men have hairy abdomens, it can be difficult to stick a pouch onto a hairy tummy. Your nurse would advise you to shave your abdominal wall. But maybe only every fortnight or every three weeks. Some people don’t like the thought of that because they feel like there is a risk of damaging the stoma if they come too close. If you use the inside of the toilet roll or a kitchen roll, put it over the stoma, and then shave the outside of the toilet or kitchen roll, you’ll have no risk of damaging the stoma. That will help your ostomy pouch to stick down to the abdomen which has much less hair on it.

The reason why we recommend you shave every 2 or 3 weeks is that if you shave any more than that there is a risk of you developing some inflammation in the hair follicles, which can cause some damage to the skin.

Possible causes women might have with their pouch sticking

It could be during your menstrual period, or it could be during menopause, some women do struggle to get their ostomy pouch to adhere well. That could be due to the warmth of your skin. What can help is if you use a non-perfumed antiperspirant roll-on. If you roll it onto the skin after you wash and dry your peristomal skin that could help the pouch adhere better.

Also, use a hairdryer on a cool setting, holding the hair dryer at arm’s length, and let the air run over the peristomal skin for a few seconds. This can could take away the moisture on your skin and improve how the peristomal skin feels, it’ll feel nice and dry, and the pouch will stick to the peristomal skin.

Skin problems

For some people who have skin problems, for example, psoriasis or eczema, you may need to use a steroid cream and when you’re first told this your automatic reaction would be “My ostomy pouch won’t stick if I have to use a cream.” See below if this is relevant to you.

Applying a steroid cream

Choose a quiet time in the day whenever your stoma is a little bit less active. Take your pouch off, wash and dry your skin, wrap some tissue around the stoma to catch any effluent coming out, and then use your steroid cream very sparingly, rubbing it into the peristomal skin where the irritation is. Lie for about 10 minutes to allow the cream to soak in, get a dry tissue, wipe it off, and then you should be able to stick your pouch onto your peristomal skin without any problems.

Tips for applying your ostomy pouch

  • The skin surrounding the stoma should be clean and dry before applying a new pouch.
  • When cleaning the skin around the stoma, cover the stoma with a tissue to prevent the output from contacting the skin.
  • Avoid using wet or baby wipes as they can interfere with adhesion.
  • Check that the hole in the stoma pouch is the right size.
  • If there is a lot of hair on the skin surrounding the stoma – shave it off – protect the stoma with a tissue to prevent causing damage to the stoma.
  • Only shave on alternate weeks to protect the skin.

See below for product recommendations.

eakin Cohesive® small

The Extra Protector. eakin Cohesive® small is our thickest seal that prevents leaks for those with looser output such as high output stomas, loose or watery output or urine. The thicker seal can also be stretched and moulded easily around irregular shaped stomas less than 50mm.

You will be redirected to our US partner’s website to fulfil your sample request.

eakin Cohesive® slims

Your Leak Preventer. eakin Cohesive® slims provide everyday skin protection and security from unexpected leaks. Ideal for use as part of a regular stoma routine for added confidence.

You will be redirected to our US partner’s website to fulfil your sample request.

eakin Cohesive® large

Greatest Coverage. eakin Cohesive® large seals are 98mm wide and are ideal for smoothing out uneven pouching surfaces including dips or creases. It can provide an even, dry pouching surface for a large area of skin.

You will be redirected to our US partner’s website to fulfil your sample request.