Flat bag leakage

Last week I met up with my stoma nurse for a sort of 6 month check up..I think. She was loooovely! I’d met her at a meeting with the local organisation Ilco, and she remembered me! She thought it was strange that I was using a convex bag as my stoma isn’t flat with my stomach or anything else to justify the convex bag so I left with a new powder to help soak up excess moisture (which I hopefully get in my delivery mid-week) and a box of the normal flat back bags. I am so happy to be trying them again as I find the convex bags make me a bit sore, and I constantly feel that I am wearing it, whereas with the flat ones I don’t really feel it and can easily forget that I even have it.

So this happened today at work… I saw the beginning of a dark line last night but thought it was just the shadow from the bag, then today at about lunchtime I felt how itchy I was around my stoma. I went to the bathroom, lifted up my girdle and saw this! It’s a bloody good job I always have my spares kit with me. I quickly took the bag off and saw that it had leaked all around my stoma. I
don’t want this to happen! I want to be able to have a flat bag! This was the reason why I started using the convex bags (the other nurse I saw told me to do that) and they have NOT been comfortable! Unfortunately I only had 3 of the flat bags, the first one I managed to wear for 2 1/2 days and then when I took it off I noticed it had leaked in under the back. I had worn it through 2 very warm days and sort of decided it was due to the heat this happened. I changed to an Aloe Vera backed bag (bottom right picture is ‘Salts’ aloe vera bag, which is good but I am not too keen on how it looks or the feel of the fabric) for a day before using a convex one for a day. Yesterday I tried the flat one again and today, roughly 28 hours later it had leaked behind it again! Aaah. I now have an aloe vera one on again and will see how it goes when I get my new pack and the powder. Maybe it’s because it is too damp around my stoma? I am hoping the powder will help as it is soooo much more comfortable with these flat ones.  I am happy I’ve had a few bad leakages as this doesn’t really bother me at all when this happens, I just get upset because it makes me feel like I can’t wear my favourite flat bag. It looks in the pictures like that bag really is sticking off a bump from my belly, I promise you however that it is not the case, it does not look like that in real life, it is some bizarre optical illusion probably from me pulling at it a bit haha.

Tomorrow I’ve got time to see the surgeon. I am so nervous. I have so many questions. I didn’t think I would be able to get a time so quick but I am so grateful for it because as soon as I found out I had a time my thoughts have become calmer. My notebook is ready, with all the pages of questions I have for him. I’m nervous, what if I forget to write down an important question? Do I have more thoughts? What will my future hold….feels like its’s all in his hands, yikes! Well ones things for certain, I am happy I am seeing the surgeon that I am, because he is the one that spoke to me before my last surgery and he is such a kind man.

As you can probably tell my head isn’t really able to communicate logically as there are just waaaay too many things and thoughts flying round in this crazy confused head of mine. Sooo I’m gonna take this emotionally nervous tired wreck of a body to have a shower, go through my questions, and try to get some sleep ready for tomorrow! I’ll update you all with my questions and answers! I cannot wait to have some sort of concrete facts and answers for my questions and I cannot wait to see my therapist after this. Wish me luck!