How much liquid should I drink to avoid pancaking?

Hi Ostofriends, I have 3 meals a day but seem to be drinking all day long (approx 3 litres or more daily) to avoid pancaking and some days I still manage to pancake. Would anyone like to share how much they drink daily and is that at specific times? Is that sipping or drinking a glassful at a time? Is it before, during or after meals? Hopefully someone out there can give me advice. Many thanks.

Hi there,

I drink liquid all day but that doesn't seem to make a difference as far as pancaking. It's more what I eat that may or may not cause it.

As far as pancaking, I could take something like Miralax on occasion. I do find that rinsing my bag makes a huge difference as far as sticky messes continuing inside my bag.

That's about all I can say... mtnman.

Thank you mtnman for answering, at least I don't feel I'm the only one drinking all day although I haven't heard of taking Miralax for pancaking I might just give it a try. Thank again

Hi, and you're welcome,

I take it sometimes when it gets thick and sticky to return to more liquidy. At the start of it. Let me know if the suggestion helps. Anytime,...mountain.

Hey Mtnman.....maybe a little spritz of WD-40 in your bag first thing in the morning would stop your output from sticking. It's basically fancy fish oil, which nothing can stick to. And if the smell of WD isn't to your liking......maybe a little spray of PAM cooking spray would do the trick. Or have you tried those already??

Regards,

Bob

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

Hi Tin,

  Anyone with their colon disconnected will be hydration challenged, so there are LOTS of folks on here that drink all day.   You are FAR from the only one....trust me.   Now where did I put that  bottle of ORS.......................

  You can search the forum under "thirst" or "thirsty" and you should see tons of posts on the subject.    

Regards,

Bob

Hey Bob,

I like the smell of WD. It reminds me of my first hot rod project. One spring, when the tiny hundreds of yellow spiders came to life in my '52 Ford, I sprayed it all over under the dashboard, so that smell always reminds me of that Ford. :)

I have tried baby oil and M-9 ostomy deodorant, but yeah, WD makes sense being a car guy.

Thanks Bob for your insight, mountain.

I also sip on water all day and use baby oil in my bag. I eat a lot of carbs which causes a thick and sticky output. I have also started using some chewable fiber tablets to help. Good luck and stay safe.

I drink constantly. I think this is normal.

Mountain... somehow... I just knew you would say that!

Stay safe, brother!

Regards,

Bob

Hi lovely, thank you for responding to my question. It's difficult sometimes when you don't have any comparison.  Tin

A good friend and fellow ostomate told me a few years ago that pasta would do that. I had never figured that out before but found that he was right. As much as I love pasta, I know what to expect after eating it. It doesn't matter how much I drink.

Joe-mech, I agree about the pasta. I never have pasta the night before I am going to change my bag. Although it's good that the output is thick, there is just way too much of it to make bag changing easy! Potatoes do the same thing to me. Coffee, soda, and alcohol all thin down the output for me.  

Lucy

I found that, for me, pancaking had more to do with having air in the bag versus a vacuum. That's when I decided to only use bags without a filter. I use the lubricant on every bag, make sure there is a little air - not lots. I don't want a ballooned bag! Then, if I have to, I can manipulate output down the bag if needed (from outside the bag, of course...).

The thickness of output for me comes more from the food I eat. I drink water all day and it never changes my output. Any kind of melon will just about make it liquid. Shame! I love melon!
pup

Oh yeah...any kind of melon is instant loose and gas! Which is a real bummer, cuz I love melon! I'll eat it if I'm not going anywhere (Like these days...) - I can just take care of things! Sometimes melon is just plain worth it - as is wine and beer!

I have pancaking issues too, and I have to watch what I eat. I find that more fiber increases thick, sticky output, and drinking fluids doesn't change it at all. What works best for me is taking Imodium; 2 every day, and more if my fiber intake is high, or if I've had a beer. I find that firms up my output. I wear a 2-piece Coloplast Mio appliance, and I open it from the top, and empty that way, before the stool heads toward the pouch. I still lubricate the pouch in case I can't get to a washroom to empty for awhile (like when I'm asleep), and that helps prevent a sticky mess too. This method might not work for everyone, but I have tried lots of different ways to deal with pancaking, and this is what works best for me. What is frustrating about having an ostomy is that there is no user's manual! And reading through the previous responses shows how we all struggle to figure out how to manage, and what works for one may be disastrous for another. Having this forum is a great way to hear about lots of methods of coping, so good for you for asking the question. Please let us know when you figure out what works for you; you might help someone else by doing that.

It's amazing how much moisture you can lose from outdoor activities in the summer (think sweat!) so I, too, drink all day long, and the habit holds over into winter as well. And it never makes any difference in the output consistency. When I eat too many starches, it gets sticky and thick and starts to pancake, so I am really interested in this thread! Unfortunately, I can't use the suggestion of the Miralax, because that gives me such intense gas that I am literally laid up in bed for nearly an entire day. I found that out the hard way when doing a prep for a colonoscopy (ostomyoscopy??). When I get my fiber from more natural whole foods, such as salads, beans, and whole grains, it's much better. Strangely enough, I get very little gas from these sources (even beans), and I take a probiotic daily. It's a fine line to walk and I don't always do so successfully, but mostly not too bad. It's just a shame I really LIKE pasta and mashed potatoes ...

Hi ostomate,

I hope you are well. I drink on average about 2 liters a day but some days if it's hot or I'm busy I might drink more. Unfortunately, it's never helped with stopping pancaking in my bag. However, I find leaving a small amount of air in the bag every time you change it or empty it helps by giving a little space in there for your poop to drop down. Alternatively, you could put a small amount of baby oil in the bag and that also helps the poop not stick and pancake. If you try the baby oil, be sure not to get any on your parastomal skin or the base plate (waffle) as obviously it's not going to stick on your skin and you'll have a big mess.

I hope this helps you and feel free to ask if you need any future ostomy-related help.

Zena-Dawn. xx

Hi Zed12, my apologies for not replying sooner, I ran into a bigger problem than an ileostomy. Anyway, I appreciated your info. 2-2.5 L is the recommended amount of liquid daily so I wondered how you include salt, do you drink Gatorade? Sorry if my question is a bit confusing, I tried giving my head a shake but that doesn't seem to make any difference!..........tin