1 Year Since Emergency Ileostomy Surgery - Struggling with New Normal

My surgery was very difficult. 80 days in the hospital. I am doing OK as far as changing bags and handling an occasional leak. I admit I'm struggling with my new normal: I drink 96 oz of water or Gatorade a day, but I am still very thirsty. I have to empty my bag 5 times a day and once at night.

I feel like the focus of every day is this d#$n bag. By mid-afternoon, I'm worn out. Zero energy and BP that is either very high or very low. My BP before surgery was a perfect 115/73. I've had just about every lab test there is, and apparently, I'm normal??

I am so bored and very angry that I can't do what I used to. I was pretty active, and now I water my plants and talk to my dog. So dizzy and tired I feel like I'm going to pass out even when I'm in my recliner. I'm not even steady with my rollator.

Anyone else experience this? Any suggestions will be very appreciated.

Still struggling.

Eating more salt has helped a lot with feeling thirsty all the time and watery output. You need your sodium and water intake to be balanced or else you have this issue. I was put in the hospital because of it and was told this. The salt will help absorb the extra liquid that you have and make you less thirsty. Try crackers, pretzels, and chips. Also, I would probably add a little more salt into your meals. I put salt on anything I can. When I was in the hospital, they told me to eat salt until I stop having a craving for it. But definitely check with your stoma nurse. I also recommend taking an anti-diarrhea medication because it will help slow the liquid output. Bread and peanut butter will also thicken it like the crackers.

Hi Karen, I agree with Kody about the salt. Also, a variety of fluids, not just water and Gatorade. I drink milk, V-8 veggie juice, coffee, and sip on water throughout the day.

I've been adding a product called H2Ors to my water and drinking Powerade Zero (no sugar) rather than Gatorade. You've got this 💪