This topic is about someone who has been living with an ileostomy for seven months and suddenly experienced a surge of watery output and nausea. They are trying to understand what might be causing these symptoms and when to seek medical help. Here are some insights and advice shared by others:

1. Possible causes for the symptoms could include a stomach or gut bug like norovirus, gastroenteritis, traveler’s diarrhea, or food poisoning. Other possibilities are chronic diarrhea, rapid transit, a partial blockage, or adhesions.

2. A general rule of thumb is that if the symptoms clear up within a few days, it might just be a transient infection or something related to food. However, if the high watery output continues for more than a week, keeps coming back, or is accompanied by worsening symptoms like blackouts or severe pain, it’s important to consult a doctor.

3. To help diagnose the issue, you can ask your general practitioner for a stool sample test to confirm or rule out an infectious bug.

4. For hydration, remember that plain water can pass through an ileostomy quickly and might worsen dehydration. It’s better to add electrolytes or some flavor and calories to your drinks, such as tea, coffee, milk, coconut milk, or celery juice. Try to avoid fizzy drinks.

5. Keep an eye on your hydration by monitoring your output, thirst, and urine color. If you notice signs of dehydration returning, it might be necessary to seek IV fluids again.

6. If you have continuous watery output with some thicker output after meals and no severe pain, it usually suggests there isn’t a full blockage, but a partial blockage could still be possible. Keep up your fluid intake and seek medical advice if symptoms get worse.

7. If you find that high-output episodes are becoming more frequent, you might want to consider using a larger-capacity pouch to reduce the number of trips to the bathroom.

8. It’s advised to visit the ER or urgent care only for urgent issues, such as being unable to keep fluids down, experiencing severe abdominal pain, dizziness or blackouts, or if the output is rapidly increasing.