I love my Ostomy Support Groups for many reasons, not the least of which is learning from everyone. “Support” comes in several forms, including ways of managing our pouching systems. For those without an ostomy, the stoma is the “opening” the surgeon creates that allows waste (urine or stool) to exit the body into a fitted pouch, which is temporarily attached, and changed regularly, via adhesive to our abdomen. Obviously, the adhesive can irritate or inflame the skin around our stoma, and that can certainly ruin our day!

We never know where a meeting of our peers, caregivers and medical support will take us or what we will learn from each other. Our last one brought similar concerns for many, perhaps due to the winter dryness. Itching, beet red skin and worse around the stoma was a common complaint, and we talked about many sophisticated and perhaps complicated methods of treatment. Fortunately, Sharon Brady, an Ostomy Nurse from Pennsylvania, recommended Flonase, yes, the nasal treatment, sprayed around the extremely tender skin. It is an antihistamine and an easy way to reduce swelling and inflammation.

Sharon had other recommendations she shared with me after the meeting, including Witch Hazel, waterproof skin protectant barrier films, Marathon liquid skin protectant, 3-M Cavilon Advanced Skin Protectant and Domeboro Solution compresses which are sold over the counter. Additionally, she recommends keeping fingernails cut short to avoid trauma caused with itching and drinking plenty of water because skin gets dehydrated, too. Dove soap, for those who wash around the stoma is innocuous, but wash off well, please.

Of course, check with your physician to be sure it is acceptable to use these products if your skin is particularly sensitive, but I trust our Ostomy Nurses with all that is important for us. They spend their lives assisting long after the surgeon has done his/her job. Whether we are a few weeks or decades past our initial introduction to our unique anatomy, we need continued education, and yes, support. That is something that never changes, regardless of how many days pass.

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