New Ileostomy

Question

Looking for some experienced feedback on the output of my new ileostomy. I have had a colostomy for the last year, so not new to the bag experience. Just very different output. How much Imodium do you take? Should you worry about total liquid output, even when you are hydrating a lot? Do you measure your output? Doc says no more than 1200ml daily, but measuring Ugh! Are you super careful about your diet?

Yrsae67 · Answer

Hi Diana, that's a lot of questions, and I'll try to answer them.

The amount of output. You can measure how much water goes into a stoma bag. Think about the level at which you empty the bag, then you can roughly measure your output.

Foods to thicken: bananas, whole-wheat bread without whole seeds, crackers. Drink water with it, or tea.

Watch your salt intake. Use a bit extra salt if your output is very watery. For example, eat a slice of whole-wheat bread with a boiled egg and a little salt.

Drink a sports drink that contains both salt and sugar if you feel very weak.

Avoid mushrooms; they're like sponges and can cause constipation. Avoid stringy vegetables, such as sauerkraut or celery, or chop them very finely.

No more than a handful of nuts at a time. Chew everything thoroughly.

Tip: fat slows down the metabolism, so choose something like full-fat quark if your output is very watery.

Imodium. When the tips don't work, start with one tablet and see how your body responds to that. Good luck, i hope these tips help a little.

xnine · Answer

Take an empty bag and fill it with water to a level where you usually have out put. That should give a number you can use without the mess.

TerryLT · Answer

Hi, fellow ileostomate here. I don't take Immodium, but I know many do. I use foods to slow down and thicken my output, bananas, peanut butter, both at breakfast, as that seems to be when my output is loosest. How much to hydrate depends on body size, etc., but remember your pee should be clear or just slightly yellow. If there is any more colour to it, you aren't hydrating enough. Also remember you need to add electrolytes, not just drink plain water. There are various ways to do this. I have a powdered electrolyte solution that I add to water and sip all day. It's not necessary to measure your output unless your doctor has specifically requested it for some reason. As far as diet goes, everyone is different and a lot depends on why you became an ileostomate. I started with a colostomy too, then got the ileo. I eat all the same foods and don't restrict myself from anything, but I make sure to chew really really well, and of course stay hydrated. Some ileos have to restrict their diets more. The only way to find out is to try all foods by introducing them slowly in small amounts to see if you can tolerate them. It may be a slow process, but why restrict yourself from eating things you love if you don't have to?

Terry

Mysterious Mose · Answer

Yrsae67 gives some solid advice. Here are my 2 cents (which I guess no longer means anything here in the centless US).

Personally, I take 5mg of loperamide every night an hour before bed. Don't bother with Immodium or others that are the same. The anti-gas stuff doesn't do you any good. And it's more expensive. I buy my loperamide at Costco, where it is $0.99 for a box of 24 tablets.

My output is seldom "liquidy", as I take the loperamide and I eat a lot of fruit. My breakfast consists mainly of a smoothie made with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and bananas. My pouch does sometimes get a little slushy when I get carried away with eating things like grapes. I also drink a lot of water. But, the consistency you are shooting for is that of oatmeal.

In my opinion, measuring your output is like counting how many times you empty your bag. It's a trap. Your output is going to vary and you will get a feel for it eventually. Since I drink a lot of water, I pee a lot. I tend to empty my bag whenever I urinate and am at home.

One of the bigger changes I have had to make is in my diet. I no longer eat anything that has any corn or corn byproduct in it. Particularly in the evening. One thing I hate is waking up in the middle of the night or morning with a rock-hard bag attached to my belly. As I get older, gas is more and more of a problem. I also avoid any and all milk products, except for a quarter cup of yogurt in my morning smoothie.

I am one of the lucky ones. I can eat whatever I please. Nuts, seeded fruits, grapes, whatever. I probably could eat popcorn just fine, except for the fact that even 2-3 kernels of the stuff give me terrible gas (wind). Again, I think my age makes it worse. Just a sign that we tend to die from the inside out. 🤣

A lot of ileostomates here would have nightmares with my diet. I can even eat things like green beans, peas, and the like. But, I don't. Ileostomates do not benefit from insoluble fiber, so I avoid them. And, unfortunately, two of my favorite vegetables are broccoli and brussels sprouts. Oh, the gas!

The long and the short of it is, the diet of an ileostomate is one of trial and error. Changes are you can eat the same as you did with a colostomy. Except for that nasty gas stuff. When you have a functioning colon, you can often do something about gas. With an ileostomy, abstinence from gaseous foods is often a desirable thing. Over the past 3 years, I have found myself moving more towards a meat and fruit diet. Don't eat a whole lot of green veggies.

Daniel

New ileostomy

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