Best Pre-Game Nutrition and Hydration for Rugby Players with Ostomies

Hi Everyone, 

So I start rugby next week after not being able to play for the last 3 seasons because of all the surgeries. Don't worry my surgeon has cleared me and I've bought an ostomy armor to wear while playing so Debs (my stoma, I have an ileostomy btw) doesn't get hurt. Right now my problem is trying to figure out what I can eat before practices and games that give me the energy that I need and either digests fully before my game so I get no output during the game (80 min of non stop play) or doesn't get digested till after the game is over. I also am trying to find a way to keep hydrated and keep my electrolytes up, lately I've noticed I feel pretty terrible after working out even if I'm drinking a ton of water, coconut water, kombuca, and O.R.S any ideas?

Thank you, 

Rugger with an Ostomy

nkeller,

  I can only suggest timing your output from when you eat something.  With my ileostomy, it takes about 5 hours before I see output depending on what I eat/drink.  I would suggest a cliff bar an hour before the game or something that will thicken or slow down output like crackers and cheese or pretzels.

  For hydration, low calorie gatorade works best for me before or after a workout.  You could also try pedialyte for adults.  Just my 2 cents.

Bain

Before my hips disentigrated from prednesone, I was playing indoor soccer primarily as a goalkeeper but occasionally as a defensemen. As a goal keeper I was in the game the whole way so not much of a chance for a bathroom break. I would try to eat a protein bar prior to a game but not much else. Then used a electrolyte replacement drink during games and usually drank an entire 32 oz bottle. Most games I made it through the entire way but there were a few halftime bathroom breaks along the way.

If you don't eat for a long time before playing, you definitely will be low on energy.  When I play tennis from 6-8 PM, I move lunch to be a lot later, so rather than noon, I eat at more like 3 or 4.  I still have energy from the food, it has digested enough not to slow me down, and I'm done playing well before the output starts getting there.

I also find that heavy physical activity slows the output down  You should be fine  Don't worry, just have a great time.

I had similar problems - as a kayaker I can be on a river trip 3 or 4 hrs and I need intense bursts of energy. I know that oats /oatmeal slows me down but I learnt that a bowl of muesli or oat crisp cereal before paddling was a huge mistake. 

I now have a small protein and salt meal (bacon and egg is perfect!), then a banana (cars, sugars and potassium) immediately before setting off and then a sandwich of cheese,  peanut butter and marmite (carbs,  protein, B vits, salt)  and some chocolate half way through the trip.

We need sugar and salt to absorb fluids - so dioralyte is perfect but the two small meals above give a good balance of those so that even my flask of coffee doesn't go straight through me! 

Stories of Living Life to the Fullest from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister