I developed itching under my wafer in the fall along with the skin
breakdown. The ostomy nurse said it was a fungal infection caused by the
moist conditions under the wafer. She recommended that I use Mycostatin
powder. I put a very thin film of the powder on the area and then covered
it with a small piece of Duoderm that I cut to fit around that area of my
stoma. I put the powder on, then a small spray of barrier film and then the
Duoderm. I must be doing something right because I haven’t had any problem
with itching since and the skin breakdown is much better than it was.

I used to be able to go for 7 days without having to change my appliance.
Since I started having the problems with skin breakdown, I have found that I
have to change it every 3-4 days. Occasionally, I can get 5 but not very
often. I find I have to change mine more often in the summer but that could
be because I can’t handle the heat and have more of a moisture problem under
the wafer.

Two and a half years ago I had resection surgery to remove a large blockage.
The stitches started to loosen, I developed peritonitis and was going into
septic shock. My surgeon had to do an emergency surgery which is when I got
my first ileostomy. The next year I went back to have that reversed. The
same thing happened with the stitches and that is when he did emergency
surgery to give me the loop ileostomy. From what the surgeon told me last
week, I gather that I have my ileum, my ascending colon and most of my
descending colon. All that is missing is the part in the middle. The
reversal surgery would only be a matter of reconnecting two ends of the
small intestine.

Pat



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