Dealing with Dehydration and Ileostomy Management Challenges

I have asked my Dr about this problem.......I find that when I drink my fluids they go mostly to the bag and then I end up going to to the clinic and am given intravenous fluid as I get some dehydration. Then iam good for a while and it will happen again.It is quite far away to see  a specialist and my son takes me but he has a family and a job that he needs.My family Dr. has no answers and iam pretty sure that iam her only ileostomy patient.I was just wondering if anyone else experienced such. When I  eat a solid meal,a lot of oatmeal,the output gets thicker but never firm,more like a thick gravy[the only way ican think of to describe it ,sorry!] But my liquids seem to fly through and I think maybe that's why I get so I need extra help with that but I don't drink any carbonated liquids and I switched to de-caffeinated coffee,dont eat nuts,corn,gassy foods,spicey foods,raw veggies or raw fruit.I stay away from all the things they tell you that you are told are off limits.I went from 175 pounds that iwas  18 monthes ago to where iam now btween 123 and 127 pounds and my dr. wants me to gain but cant seem to do it.I drink Boost drink and sometimes to make more calories I will add ice cream to oatmeal   while it is hot [very good]instead of milk and sugar.



When iam low on fluid I get very weak and dizzy I just was in today andthey gave me 2 liters of fluid.Iam happy that I seem to have gotten my bag problem in fairly good control.I wear a belt that hooks around my body and hooks on both sides of the bag.I don't use the paste anymore at all,instead I use the wafer seal and as long as I empty it as I should it does really well Thank GodXXX



so sorry for rambling on but sometimes you have to try and see if there is anyone that has the same and I could get some suggestions.

Hello sweedeO. I understand that this is a problem that people can have with ileostomies because the liquid does not get absorbed back into the body like it does if you have a colostomy. I don't have an ileostomy so cannot really share in the problem. However, I have scanned through a few past posts in 'popular forum topics' and there are a couple on 'gaining weight ' that may well be of interest to you.
Best wishes Bill

hi swedeo sorry to hear your having issues, i,ve had my ileo for 30yrs. now and in the beginning i also suffered from dehydration because i was drinking too much at one time, now i,ve taken to sipping on a day long basis not when i start feeling thirsty, i also drink a variety of liquids. my output is like you described but if i want to slow it or thicken i might take some Immodium or in the case of when i change my system in the morning i eat some marshmellows and that thickens it long enough to make my change without a mess. good luck

maybe experiment with Gatorade or more saltier foods to help retain water?