Ostomy supplies should never be a concern for
anyone. Clean, sterile ostomy supplies are vital for making sure you keep your
stoma clean and bacteria-free. People with a stoma are a greater risk of
infection because of the constant open wound on their abdomen. Here are some
tips to keeping your stoma nice and clean not only during a pandemic, but
always.
Clean
Your Stoma.
A general rule of thumb is whenever you change
your ostomy bag, you should clean your stoma. Most people use a type of bag from ostomy supplies that allows the bag to be changed every four days.
Every four days is a totally acceptable time to clean your stoma, as well.
Sometimes cleaning your stoma too much can cause irritation. Especially on your
skin. The skin can get irritated and then that could irritate and infect your
stoma. Clean your stoma with a mild, unfragranced cleanser and water. Some
people even just prefer warm water and a washcloth to clean the area. Make sure
you let the area dry completely before applying any paste or adhesive.
Order
Supplies Ahead of Time.
Most of your products can be on recurring
orders every few weeks or months for your ConvaTec ostomy supplies. This is
nice because you don’t even have to think about your order, it just comes. If
you do not utilize this feature, you should look into pre-ordering your
supplies for several months. There is nothing more convenient than having
exactly the products you need every single time. There is no stress of running
out of something, especially in a time like this.
Empty
Your Bag Often.
One reason to empty your bag often is to
prevent leakage. Leakage can cause skin irritation and can infect your stoma.
If you notice your bag is getting too full (especially at night) you should set
your alarm to wake you up to empty your bag. This will also allow you to keep
the same ostomy bag longer. As mentioned above, it is best for your skin and
stoma to clean them once every few days. If you are experiencing leaks multiple
days in a row, that is multiple times you have to clean your stoma and multiple
times you have to remove and apply adhesive. That creates a lot of irritation
for your skin.
If you ever notice anything irregular about
your stoma, you should contact your doctor immediately. Do not let your stoma
become infected and then not seek medical help. That can be very dangerous and
cause major damage to not only our stoma, but your intestines.
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