Let's talk about how often people with an ileostomy might need to empty their pouches. This can vary quite a bit from person to person, and it often depends on what and how much you eat and drink.

Here are some insights and advice from others who have experience with this:

- People with lower output might empty their pouch about 4 times in 24 hours.
- Many find that emptying 5 to 6 times a day is pretty average.
- If you have a higher output, you might find yourself emptying 6 to 10 times a day, and some even go up to 10 to 12 times or more.
- For those who had a jejunostomy before, the frequency can be extremely high, like 30+ times, but it usually decreases after switching to an ileostomy.

Several factors can increase how often you need to empty your pouch:

- Eating foods with high water content or lots of fiber.
- Consuming large amounts of food.
- Drinking a lot of fluids, including water, tea, coffee, soda, sports drinks, and iced beverages.
- Caffeinated drinks, like coffee, can also increase output.

There are also some anatomical factors to consider:

- The length of your remaining ileum can affect the volume of output. If you've had multiple resections or a lot of your small bowel removed, you might experience a significant increase in output.

Here are some practical tips that might help:

- Try eating several small meals throughout the day instead of a few large ones.
- Stay consistently hydrated, aiming for about five large glasses of water or tea daily, but keep in mind this might increase the volume in your pouch.
- It's a good idea to empty your pouch when it's no more than half full to avoid leaks or blowouts. This includes checking it during the night. Getting into the habit of feeling the pouch periodically can be quite helpful.