Managing Hydration with Ileostomy and Gastroparesis

I’ve had my ileostomy for a week now and I’m still having a hard time keeping hydrated. It feels impossible because I also have gastroparesis and I feel like I’m eating all the time but still not enough. It doesn’t seem possible to sustain this once I go back to work. Does anyone have any tips for this?

Hi, yes indeed. Tips were discussed many times and beaten to death on this topic. It is a very serious situation when you dehydrate.

I suggest going to the forums icon above if you can. Trending topics. Click. Grab a seat and some orange juice. It will be an eye-opening event to read.

Hydration is attainable. It's work, but then it becomes second nature.

What I'm hearing recently is kidney disease developing because of a lack of hydration.

Wow, right? Don't need that on top of everything else.

It took a long time for things to balance out for me too. I also have an ileostomy, and I had gastroparesis. Certain foods and beverages cause more liquidy output, leading to dehydration. I avoid fruit juice, coffee, and tea as this causes more fluid output. Some types of artificial sweeteners cause this too. Figuring out foods and drinks that cause that has been key for me. I tend to rely heavily on foods that are thickening. Sometimes I eat marshmallows after eating a banana, applesauce, etc. And I make sure I have something starchy at each meal. It's taken me a long time to sort it out, but I was in the hospital for 4.5 weeks before I could actually eat, and then another week and a half while eating solid food. If you have a lot of liquid output, make sure to drink an electrolyte beverage to get hydration faster. Sometimes I make my own, or I dilute Gatorade, or use an electrolyte powder mix (low sugar). Keeping up with hydration is hard but important.

You can get some ideas from this thread:

https://www.meetanostomate.org/discussion-forum/viewtopic.php?t=33610