Is it normal for mornings and evenings to feel so different?

Hello,

I am 5 weeks post-op after emergency surgery for diverticulitis. This forum has helped me so much with the confusion, anger, depression, and exhaustion I have experienced in the last 5 weeks. Thank you all.

I have a question I haven't seen asked anywhere, though, about mornings versus late afternoons/evenings. In the morning, I have relatively high energy and feel physically pretty good, but in the evenings, regardless of how much I do during the day, I experience dizziness when I get up from the sofa to go to the bathroom (which I do often because I make sure I am well-hydrated). Also, the wafer of the Convatec 2-piece system I wear becomes increasingly uncomfortable during the day. It is not skin irritation under the wafer; it is more like because my stomach has expanded during the day but the adhesive is holding the skin firmly, the skin feels very stretched - is that possible? Does anyone else suffer from this, and does anyone have any advice for me, please?

Thank you!

Hi.. good thread. After reviewing it a few times, the red flag I see is dizziness, which I will comment on.

I just went through this on Nov 15, after my knee surgery on Oct 9.

Each time getting up, I had to wait a few seconds. I did get light-headed and had to hold on to the walls. It is scary, like something is taking over your mind.

I was dehydrated. You say you were well-hydrated. My blood pressure nose-dived at the time. This will occur when badly hydrated. There could be other issues at hand, perhaps over-hydrated?

I still experience an "off" feeling presently. It is mild though.

This was major surgery, so your body needs time to adjust, but listen, dizziness in general is not good at any time, especially after surgery, at home, and alone. It's a sign. Please get it checked out.

Keep us posted. - Warrior

Keep an eye on your blood pressure. Getting up quickly after sitting will cause dizziness if your blood pressure is low.

I fell getting up from the couch. Got light-headed/dizzy. Luckily, I didn't break anything, but had sore ribs for a while. Reason: low blood pressure. It took 2 months post-op before my pressure stabilized higher. My low was 90/60. I wore pressure stockings on my legs, which did help.

Be careful getting up after sitting, even if your pressure is OK. It takes a while to recover from surgery and your new normal (stoma). I had balance trouble for a couple of months post-op. Even now, a year post-op, I still have to be careful turning around, putting on shoes, and pants.

I have a colostomy. At first, my wafer was uncomfortable and I could feel it all the time. And the stoma felt heavy. It just takes time to adjust to it. About a month ago, I started using a barrier ring. This is great. I don't have to cut the wafer hole to fit my stoma so close. I used to get stinging and just an uncomfortable feeling when the wafer hole was very close to my stoma. I don't really notice my stoma anymore, or feel it. It just takes time.

Take care

Ditto!

Thank you!

Living with Your Ostomy | Hollister

Thank you!

Everyone else pretty much has said it... Watch out for low blood pressure! Sometimes we think we're well hydrated and we're really not. I just went through this issue recently during IV treatments for low iron and was hooked up to a blood pressure cuff. I had a busy week with surgery and other appointments around my treatments, and it dropped extremely low. Once they gave me a bag of IV fluids, it went back to normal. (I have to drink 90-100 oz a day: 1. Because I have a high-volume ileostomy, 2. I have CKD.) So even if you drink a bit fewer fluids, it can happen. If you're constantly feeling dizzy, please go see your doctor. Low BP can become very dangerous, and in my case, they did extra blood work to rule out thyroid issues from being sick with other issues other than an ostomy. But it turned out in the end, at least for me (yes, everyone's situation will be different, but in most cases, it's due to not being hydrated), I developed a stomach ulcer and just started treatment. Two weeks later, I was fine.

Hi Louise, welcome to the site. I would suggest adding some salt to your food or whatever fluids you drink, as the salt will help to retain fluids and keep you from being dehydrated if that may be the problem. Also, add an electrolyte-type fluid to sip on, not just water.

Damn beachboy. I could not have said it any better... although... ha ha I wish I did.

Went through the same thing as you.

90/50 BP. 4 liters IV to rehydrate.

Who knew?

90/50

I have naturally low blood pressure. 100/60 is pretty normal for me. Getting light-headed when standing up quickly or rising up from bending over has been an issue for years. Having an ileostomy makes it even worse. Subsequently, I found that I need to be especially vigilant about staying hydrated. I have had episodes where I have not been able to stand or walk without support. It scared me the first time it happened, as I immediately thought stroke. More self-examination dispelled that, but it was enough to make me more religious about hydration.

Daniel

I agree with all the above. Dehydration is your enemy. Watch your BP. I always keep something to drink on a table by my chair or nightstand.

Do you take any medications that can lead to dizziness?

That's a good suggestion, thank you. I will try that.

No, I don't take any medications at all!

I just had my ileostomy in June and had historically low blood pressure as well. One thing they don't always explain clearly is that it's super easy to get dehydrated with an ileostomy. The symptoms are not always the same as they would be before the ostomy and just drinking more fluid can actually make you more dehydrated. It takes a while for your small intestine to compensate and absorb more fluid, so if you have lots of output, it could actually be making you more dehydrated. I was advised by my doctor and ostomy nurse that if output is really watery, to drink less liquid and stay away from plain water. Try more Pedialyte-type drinks and eat foods that will thicken the output. Everyone is very different, so finding the balance that works for you will take some time. Definitely worth checking in with your doctor/ostomy nurse about it.

Bravo to all for providing great information!!!

I have become extremely dehydrated—drank way more water (per regular doctor's recommendation) which flushed my sodium... but working on changing that now and hopefully things will improve. What one doctor may recommend may not be what another doctor might recommend.
This website is so full of vital information from the voices of experience.
We are each different and it's important to take heed to some major helpful hints—such as... stay hydrated and not necessarily from plain water, chew, chew, chew your food choices, monitor output (this is why I prefer to wear a clear bag), and pay attention to what you can or cannot eat/tolerate even though you were able to eat it in the good old days.
As a point of interest, I have read on Doctor Google a blurb that claimed 75% of Americans are actually dehydrated. Could this possibly be true? I think of all the folks who constantly walk around with water in hand and the bazillion plastic bottles we now feel we must have. And once we have downed them—we then contribute them to our landfills—and some wonder “what's so good about the good old days”??? I can think of a few things. jb

I would drink warm water before bed.

I would drink warm water before bed.

Hello JB.
Thanks for your post which culminates with a great possibility for a rhyming verse. However, I do believe I have already tried to cover this sentiment in a previous rhyme. 
It is always very satisfying to resurrect rhymes that I had almost forgotten about.
Best wishes
Bill

AN OLD GREEN FOOTPRINT.

Now I’m old, I have been told
I should green principles uphold.
As if, in times of long ago
these were things we did not know.

Though my memory’s fading fast
I still remember from my past.
Whilst being green was not our aim
the principles remain the same.

I recall those far-off days
before the use of throw-aways.
‘Green’ was not seen as fantastic.
in those days before the plastic.

Our bags were all reusable
and waste was inexcusable.
Glass bottles were returnable
and rubbish indiscernible.

Certain things had a deposit
and this was very apposite.
For never did I money lack
as I would take these items back.

Way back then we would be bound
to nearly always walk around.
One or two would have a bike
but most of us would have to hike.  

All things British were well made
I sharpened my own razor blade.
Nothing was ever thrown away
but kept to use another day.

Fuels were scarce you understand
so everything was done by hand.
Our eco-footprint was so small
it was hardly there at all.

                                    B. Withers 2012
       (in: ’A Rhyming Cookbook’ 2013)

Just a thought regarding B.P.

If you use a home B.P. monitor.

Both your arms will show a difference in B.P.

Could be the machine, but if you have a better arm, use it. According to my home B.P. machine, my right arm shows lower B.P. than the left.

Can scare the poop out of you when there is very low B.P. registering on that right arm.

Thank you everyone for the advice and for sharing your experiences. It does seem to have been over-hydration - I am now using a couple of sachets of electrolytes a day in my water and the dizziness has largely gone!

Thanks for the feedback - it's always useful!
Best wishes

Bill

What I learned from my doctor about blood pressure.

A small difference in blood pressure readings between arms is OK. But a difference of more than 10 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) might cause worry. The difference can be in the top or bottom number.

If you repeatedly have a difference between arms of 10 to 15 mm Hg for systolic pressure (the top number), you are more likely to have vascular disease and a greater risk of developing heart disease over time.

A repeated difference of more than 10 mm Hg in blood pressure measurement between the arms can be a sign of a health problem such as: blocked arteries in the arms, known as peripheral artery disease, diabetes, kidney disease, or heart problems.

If you have a large difference in blood pressure readings between arms, talk with your doctor for further diagnostic testing.

Also, blood pressure between an arm and leg is used as a screening test.