If you know me, you know that I am a creature of habit. I love organization, routines, and sticking with what I know works. But for some time, I have been eager to try the Coloplast Sensura Mio 1-Piece ostomy bags due to the overwhelming praise that they receive by current users. Every time that I have sat down for a bag change previously, I have come so close to trying these bags, but always end up opting of what I know and love. Today, however, I stepped outside of my comfort zone and went against my habitual nature to review these bags for you.
For starters, the Coloplast Sensura Mio bags are avilable in both flat and convex and I will be reviewing the flat bags. The bags not only have a flexible, elastic wafer, but they are completely opaque, meaning you do not need to wear a cover. The fabric is a light grey color that is soft and quiet with a small viewing window for accuracy when applying the bag (very important). They have a lock-and-roll closure that folds several times to ensure that nothing leaks.
This is a really great bag that answers a lot of the requests of patients with ostomies when it comes to comfort, privacy, and wearability. Here are my pros and cons for the Coloplast Sensura Mio 1-Piece ostomy bags:
Pros:
Comfort. The elastic wafter makes these bags very comfortable on the skin because it moves with your body.
Privacy. I am seriously loving the opaque soft grey color of these! It not only covers the contents of the bag, but creates a clean look that does not require a cover of any kind. I do not mind wearing covers over my bags, but this is a great option if you are going swimming and do not want a cover, but also do not want the contents of the bag showing.
Design. These bags are compact and have a really sleek, clean design. I love that there is a viewing window because I am one of those that has to see where I am applying the bag to make sure I am positioning it right around my stoma. Also, I love that these bags can tuck up to be even smaller when you do not want the full bag hanging down.
Cons:
Skin irritation. Ugh! This was one of my biggest fears in trying a new bag, but I hoped with a generous amount of skin protectant that my sensitive skin would tolerate these bags. Unfortunately, by the end of the day, I had a lot of burning, itching, and reddness under and around the wafer. To avoid further problems, I changed the bag before bed that evening. I would like to note, however, that everyone's skin is different and for many, these bags cause little to no irritation. My skin has always been sensitive and I react to many adhesives (even bandaids), so this did not come as a surprise to me.
Lifting. Within a few hours of wearing the Coloplast Sensura Mio bag, I began experiencing a lot of lifting around my belly button and towards the bottom of the wafer. This was a little alarming to me, so I took to Instagram to see if anyone else had the same problem. Fortunately, everyone had so many wonderful suggestions for application tips and additional products to help the bag stay on longer.
Final thoughts:
Despite my skin irritation woes, I really love these bags. They are comfortable, compact, and you can tell that Coloplast has really listened to ostomy patients when designing these. It is the little touches like the viewing window, easy-to-empty opening, and opaque front that leave me wanting to try these again. Since my trial with this bag, I have contacted Coloplast for more samples of both the bags and the Brava Elastic Barrier Strips, which were also highly recommended by you guys! I plan to try these bags again, this time using your recommendations and hope that my skin cooperates.
I do not know about you, but while it can be slightly scary, there is something exciting about receiving samples of new ostomy products to try. Never would I have thought that I would be excited to receive samples of ostomy supplies in the mail, but the prospect of finding your new favorite product is thrilling!
Do you use these bags? Let me know!