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Volume 29, Number 1 October, 2001
WHY CRANBERRIES PREVENT URINARY INFECTIONS
Via: Cleveland Ostomy News, Cleveland OH Chapter
The secret ingredient in cranberries which is pivotal in preventing urinary infections is concentrated tannins in the juice, also known as proanthrocyanidins. In a significant study conducted in Boston and published in the “Journal of the American Medical Association”, cranberry juice was found to be effective in reducing the incidence of urinary tract infections and the need for antibiotic treatments. This has important implications for persons with continent diversions and ostomies for several reasons. Recurrent urinary tract infections can be common with persons who catheterize frequently. These can be more prominent if proper hand washing and cleaning of the catheters is not performed routinely. Furthermore, a large proportion of women over 65 years of age, a major representation, will experience at least one urinary tract infection each year. How does this special ingredient in cranberry juice work? The concentrated tannins from cranberry juice prevent E. Coli bacteria, the main culprit in urinary infections, from adhering to the cells that line the urinary tract. Scientists believe that the substance blocks the growth of the part of the bacteria that is necessary for it to stick to the walls of the bladder and kidney. What are the implications of this for persons who may be more susceptible to urinary tract infections? Scientists in the Boston study state that the addition of cranberry juice to dietary regimens in circumstances where urinary tract infections have a high incidence would be sensible. In addition, it would probably reduce both the incidence of infections and need for antibiotic treatments and be a useful adjunct to treatment in high risk groups.
COPING WITH AN OSTOMY
By: Robert H. Phillips, Ph.D., Via: The Good News Helper, Chambersburg Ostomy Association
You are living with an ostomy. But that’s not good enough. You want to learn how to live well with an ostomy. Smart move!
Thousands of people have had ostomy surgery. But regardless of how this surgery has affected others, you want to do everything you can to take responsibility for your own life. You can help yourself to feel better—both physically and psychologically!
How can your surgery affect you?
Each person is unique and deals with the circumstances surrounding ostomy surgery in a different way. You need to analyze your own situation to determine how to best live with your illness.
Because having ostomy surgery affects different people in a number of ways, you may experience some or many of the following concerns:
Interference with daily activities
Interference with your physical functioning
Changes in your lifestyle and/or personality
Emotional reactions (such as depression, anger, anxiety, helplessness, or guilt)
Changes in relationships with family members
Alterations in your social life
Accommodations in your vocational life
Interference with your sleep
Feelings that you have less control
What can you do?
Your ultimate goal is to take charge and live a happier life—despite having an ostomy. Here are a few strategies that can help you to better handle your ostomy and improve your overall health, happiness and productivity.
1. Be a person not a patient.
Make this the foundation of your thinking. You are a person who has had ostomy surgery, not an ill person. The only time you are a patient is when you’re in the doctor’s office or in the hospital. The way you see yourself living with an ostomy is an essential part of coping successfully.
2. Understand the unique way that your ostomy affects you and your life.
Identify the ways that your ostomy causes problems for you. Are you experiencing any problems with the pouching system, leakage, odor, skin breakdown? How does having an ostomy affect others around you? Does it limit your activities? There are many other factors that may affect you. You’ll want to identify them and then determine how you’re going to deal with them.
3. Set overall goals for improving your life.
You’ll find that your efforts can include many of the following:
Improving your ability to adapt to your situation.
Improving your coping style.
Setting reasonable, realistic and achievable goals.
Aiming to regain control of your life.
Improving day to day functioning.
Improving your perspective on any problems you may be facing.
Being more assertive and taking an active part in your health care (including dealing with medical personnel).
Accepting and improving your ability to deal with the emotional consequences of your ostomy.
Increasing your ability to handle negative emotions.
Focusing more on your strength and diminishing the impact of any weaknesses or limitations imposed by having an ostomy.
Doing things that you like and spending less time with things you dislike.
Enhancing positive relationships.
Improving participation in your social network.
Improving your life satisfaction and quality of life.
4. Pinpoint what you need to help improve your life.
Think about all the difficulties that you are having living with your ostomy.
Write these down on the left side of a folded piece of paper. On the right side next to each item, write down things you can do to improve each one. Note as many alternatives as you can. Ask others for additional ideas, especially if you’re not sure what to do about certain things. Keep adding to your list, and plan how you will use these ideas to improve your life.
5. Anticipate the negative.
There are negative things (that) can happen during your life with an ostomy (e.g., leakage, skin irritation, depression, fear, sexual concerns). But, some of these could also happen if you didn’t have an ostomy! The more you anticipate and prepare—the better you will cope. (Isn’t this true for all of us—ostomy or not?)
Dr. Phillips is the founder and director of the Center for Coping located on Long Island, NY.
http://www.coping.com.
PUSH THE SKIN, DON’T PULL THE TAPE!!
Via: S. Brevard, FL & GB News Review
Damaging the skin around the stoma (or anywhere else), is asking for infection. Don’t peel your pouch away from your body. Take hold of an edge of the adhesive sections or tape, and PUSH THE SKIN AWAY FROM THE TAPE.
In older people and babies with thin skins, you can peel their skin off by pulling on tape. Take a good look at what is happening when you pull tape. The tape is pulled upwards, dragging the skin with it until it is pulling hard enough to break loose. It even looks painful. Owie! Owie!
Now look at what happens when you push the skin away from the tape. It doesn’t hurt and the outer layer of skin is not torn off, which sometimes happens with pulling. And these people who think yanking it fast is best, ought to take a good look at the skin afterwards.
If you have a leak, digestive enzymes in the discharge will excoriate your damaged skin quicker, and deeper than if your skin is OK, or protected with some sort of skin preparation. The farther away from the rectal area the stoma is, the stronger the digestive enzymes in the discharge (leak) are, the sooner your skin will become excoriated. Learn to treat skin gently!
PREVENTING SKIN IRRITATION
Via:
Metro Maryland & So. Nv. Town Karaya
You do not have to put up with irritated skin. A properly fitting pouching system changed as needed will prevent skin irritation in most instances.
Irritation right around the stoma can be a sign of poor adhesion which permits leakage of body waste. Your skin barrier should be changed as soon as it starts to leak. The time you can wear it comfortably will vary depending on your activities. You may need to change it more frequently when you exercise strenuously or when the weather is hot and you are perspiring.
Itching, redness, or rash may be caused by constantly pulling the adhesive away from the skin. It may also indicate that you are allergic to the adhesive. Report any such reaction to the doctor, nurse, or ET nurse immediately.
There are several types of skin barriers available. You should be able to use at least one of these with no problem.
HELPFUL HINTS FROM HERE AND THERE
Write down the name of the ostomy supplier and the number and size of all your equipment. This information should be kept in a safe place for easy reference. When planning a trip, be sure to include the information in your ostomy emergency kit.
Some people find that a large teaspoonful of bulk gelatin dissolved in water or lemon juice once a day will firm up a loose stool.
Butternut will soothe an irritated digestive tract and will not cause diarrhea or constipation.
The application of a couple of capsules of vitamin E oil broken down and rubbed on sore and irritated skin around the stoma promotes overnight healing.
Drinking tomato juice will help eliminate odor and is a tool to retard dehydration and keep the electrolytes in balance.
Excessively oily skin can affect adhesion of your wafer. Wiping the skin around the stoma with alcohol is helpful, but be careful the alcohol does not contain glycerin, as this kind of alcohol will hinder adhesion.
If you are taking chemotherapy and your mouth is sore, gargle with one teaspoonful of baking soda in a half glass of water.
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