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How can I get the ileostomy bag to stay on?

My father has had a colostomy for over 40 years and has had surgery changing him to an ileostomy.  Over the past 40 years, he has used bags that do not use any sticky adhesive on the wafer, just a belt and a plastic ring and they've been fine, never leaked.  Now switching to the ileostomy, he has changed to using the wafer and bag system with the adhesion.  No matter what we try, they are not sticking for longer than a couple hours.  We are changing the bags up to 4 times a day.  The skin just around the stoma is extremely red and actually bleeding.  We've had home health over many, many times.  There's no help there.  He's even gone to the ER of the hospital that he had the surgery done in, which is over an hour away, and they literally sent him home with a bag taped to his skin with medical tape.  It fell off before he left the parking lot.  I've tried powders, extra adhesive glues, 2-piece systems, 1-piece systems, strip barrier tape, and pastes.  I've read many forums that people suggest to heat the wafer with a hair dryer before placing it on the skin.  This does help, but only gives an extra hour or so.  

We're both at a complete loss about how to correct this problem.  I think the bleeding under the wafer is causing it not to stick, but I don't know how to fix it.  He needs the bag on constantly, but how do you get the wound to heal with it covered by the wafer sticking to it?  The wound is so close to the opening of the stoma that I can't place any cream or gauze under the wafer without there being a gap that would allow excrement to get under the edge of the wafer.  Another problem we are encountering with the sticking is that he isn't a small guy.  His stomach folds a bit right where the opening of the stoma sits.  We both really need some help.  I'd appreciate any advice that could help make our lives a little easier.
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Avatar universal
I'd suggest contacting your CCAC and get help by nurses to change your Dad's appliance. The problem IS his inflamed/bleeding skin. I'd suggest applying Brava Powder, just a thin coating of it to dry up the sore spots. But then he'd need to spray some Cavilon Spray, a skin barrier. Apply the new flange/pouch. Then apply heat, mayb using an electric heating pad, for at least 5, maybe 10, minutes. And hold it in place with your hands. Good luck!
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