Dog fosterer and full time Traffic Officer, Andrew Pollard, found the way new Genii™ sticks to his skin really helps him to move around and carry out his animal caring duties. Here’s what he had to say about the world’s first silicone-based stoma bag.

“You’ve just got to get on with it”

I’d suffered with diverticulitis for some time and was coping with it quite well. I’d just call up the doctor when I was having a flare up and he’d give me antibiotics. Then one day, he told me they could no longer prescribe two lots of pills due to NHS restrictions. My bowel ruptured and eight hours later I woke up with a stoma bag. It left a bitter taste to be honest as I knew I could have controlled it with enough antibiotics, but you’ve just got to get on with it. That’s life. It isn’t fair, but that’s just the way it goes.

“These Genii™ bags are wonderful”

I was in ICU for seven days, four of which I had no idea what was happening. It was that bad. When I eventually woke up, I was petrified. I had this bag stuck to my belly and didn’t know what I was going to do, but the nurses were amazing. They showed me how to change a bag and once I could do it myself, I was discharged. At first, I was put on these solid, plastic bags. They were horrible. It’s not until you start researching that you realise there are other options out there. I was put in touch with the Facebook group, Stoma Heroes, who suggested Genii™.

“I don’t need adhesive remover anymore”

These Genii™ bags are wonderful. They are so much softer. They work with you, as opposed to against you. I can bend down now. Before, I would think twice about it because they were plastic, and you couldn’t move. Even though the old bags stuck quite well, I had more leaks and I think it was due to the lack of flexibility. Your body moves and these Genii™ bags move with you. The other bags don’t. They’re solid, they can’t move. So if you stretch, or pull or bend they come unstuck and, therefore, they leak. Simple really. I used to have to use an adhesive remover otherwise I couldn’t get them off. I haven’t used adhesive remover now since I’ve been using Genii™.

“I’m not worried about it coming unstuck”

I have a lot of animals at home, including six horses and fifteen dogs and they require a lot of work.  The stoma has never stopped me doing anything, but Genii™ has made it more comfortable. When I’m mucking out the horses, I bend down all the time and I’m not worried about it coming unstuck or being sore. With the old bags I struggled. I still did it, but I was very conscious and found different ways to bend, whereas I can bend properly now. I think it’s because it sticks to the skin and moves with you. The adhesive is flexible and soft because it’s made from silicone.

“Once you try it, you’ll stay on it”

I would recommend Genii™ all the way. If they’d given me Genii™ to start with in the hospital It would have been brilliant, so much nicer, but I guess each health service is sponsored by different companies and that’s the product that they give out. I would say don’t write anything off until you’ve tried it because Genii™ isn’t going to restrict you. It won’t come unstuck like the other bags. Give it a go. I think once you try it, you’ll stay on it.

About the author: Andrew works for the National Highways as a full time on-road Traffic Officer. He lives with his wife, Ginny, six horses, 15 dogs, 2 sheep, cats, chickens and ducks in Blackdown Hills, Devon and is a foster carer for Blind Dogs UK. If you’d like to share your experience of Genii™, please get in touch or to try Genii™ request a sample.