The skin around my ileostomy often becomes itchy, although I use the barrier wipes. Any suggestions as to what else I could use? Oh, I'm 23 and have had the stoma for 3 years. Just a little bit of info regarding the Gentian Violet:
It is not longer recommended in Australia as it is known to be toxic to humans after repeated use. It used to be widely used as an antiseptic/antifungal.
Concerns:
Gentian violet use is restricted to application to unbroken skin because of concerns about carcinogenicity and mutagenicity effects shown in animal studies. This research involves rats and mice that were fed large quantities of gentian violet over a period of time. An increased rate of cancer was found to have occured in these animals. This has not been reported when used on the skin in humans but its use should be to where other antifungal treatments have failed.
Mercurochrome (the red stuff the school put on your skinned knees as a kid!) was also used extensively around stoma sites to help them 'dry out' but is not longer recommended for human use due to concerns for mercury absorption.
I would stick to using warm water for washing, mild soap free product for cleansing. Ensure it is really dry. Use the barrier wipes.
Trial of some antifungal agent (gel or cream) to see if you have a low grade fungal infection. Because of frequent moisture in the area, fungal infections are common (and cause a lot of itching). If you haven't already, use some nystatin cream on the affected skin. Be creative in how you do it so your barriers will stick. You can try nystatin powder as well, but probably same result. If you have tried everything and no luck, you can try an oral antifungal (like diflucan). If your doc doesn't think its fungal, perhaps a steroid cream (like triamcinolone) will help.
Be persistent, you will find a solution. Treat for fungal infection first because steroids can make a fungal infection worse. Hi, I`ve had my Ileostomy for nine years, and I ALWAYS wipe the area around the stoma with Gentian Violet, let it dry and then apply the base plate as usual. Gentian Violat is an anti-fungal meds, and I`ve never had any itchiness. It was recommended by my stoma nurse. Hope it helps! How long is it before your skin becomes itchy? If it's immediately after you put on a new wafer, then have you tried pouches from other manufacturers to see if your skin likes them better? Most manufacturers are more than happy to send out free samples for you to try.
If it's after a couple of days or so, then it's probably the wafer telling you it's time to change - if it itches, change it! Of course, getting the free samples to try out and hopefully get a longer wear time is always a great idea anyway.
Try cutting a bit off one of the type of wafers you're currently using and stick it on another part of your tummy. If it becomes itchy within a short period of time, it probably means you're allergic to it and should try another brand.
Good luck. | 