Dehydration with Colostomy: Tips for Staying Hydrated?

Hi folks, feeling a bit under the weather recently. Body aches in the morning but no real reason for it. I'm beginning to think it may be dehydration. I've had a colostomy since November 2010 and no problems till February this year when I had a blockage and was admitted to the hospital in severe pain. I was well again within a couple of days, and I put it down to not watching my diet and fluid intake properly. So I checked my diet, but had another blockage at the end of March. I was found to have an obstruction in the small bowel and I'm waiting to see a consultant next week. I am now beginning to think that having the colostomy is maybe causing me to be dehydrated (seem to have some symptoms pointing to this). Is this a common problem? Other than drinking water, what is the best thing for keeping well hydrated? I would be very grateful for useful tips. Look forward to your advice.

Greetings! .......Yes, keeping yourself hydrated can cause 'some' of these problems, and I am speaking from experience. Keep sipping, Gatorade is good...teas...lots of water.....also keep a check on your vitamin levels through your doctor's lab to make sure you don't get low on anything. I personally cannot go anywhere without a good supply of something to be sipping on.....your body definitely requires more fluid ....good luck!
~Doe

Dehydration is more common with an ileostomy as opposed to a colostomy. I have an ileostomy, so to prevent this problem, I make sure that I am well hydrated prior to any physical exercise and drink sports drinks such as GNC Live Well, Powerade, and Gatorade since these types of drinks offer optimal hydration. You should discuss this with your medical doctor if this is a chronic problem, as it can pose a medical emergency. Pray you are feeling better soon!

Thanks pals. I thought I had a good idea that it was causing a problem, and you've confirmed my thoughts. Haven't heard of Gatorade here in the UK but I'm sure I can find something similar. Have an appointment with a bowel consultant next week to investigate the obstruction in the small bowel, so now I can ask more questions. Thanks again, all.

Thanks both for your kind wishes, I feel great at the moment, but still have the thought in my mind that I'll be back in the hospital again in a rush if I get another blockage. Feels like having a bomb in the tummy and don't know when it's going to go off. Just have to be more careful in the future and be a good girl.

Have some blood work done to check your electrolytes. If your urine smells like cat pee or ammonia, then you are dehydrated. To help with the blockage, eat 20 walnut halves a day for fiber or a little prune custard. I know a blockage can suck and make you feel terrible. Good luck.

Dehydration for me is a challenge as well since I've had the entire large bowel removed and also about 9 feet of small bowel. Sports drinks are good, but I don't like all the sugar and they can get expensive. Water is good too, but it's hard to drink lots of water all the time. How much of your colon was removed? Your colon is where salt and potassium are mostly absorbed, so if you don't have much colon left you will feel better by adding salt and potassium to your diet. I like to make my own sports drink- I just use Kool-Aid packets, or Crystal Light packets (no sugar), and then add in Lite Salt. Lite Salt has reduced salt than normal, but adds in potassium so you get both at once. I'll add a little sugar to taste. I'll also add some Lite Salt to lemonade, iced tea, and other drinks. I find I do feel better. Hope that helps!

Drinks like Gatorade (maybe Lucozade here in the UK) will be full of sugar and not too good on the waistline, teeth, or the purse if you drink the quantity of liquids that I get through in a day.
I don't understand why isotonic drinks are better for absorption than pure water as water will move towards a higher concentration by some damn science technique whose name escapes me right now (remembering my physics from many years ago).
Anyway, lol, through my work, I had to program our company software to support a special set of scales and I fell in love with them. Sadly, I had to return them.
The manufacturer is a company called Tanita and they make a range of body composition scales. They can give you information like % body fat, bone weight, basal metabolic rate, etc., and especially useful for us, % body water. The problem is that they're very expensive. The set I was using wholesales for $300-400.
There may be cheaper versions out there if you look around, but it's nice to know there's some help without having to have blood tests.
Do have tests for magnesium and other electrolyte levels. They can make you feel generally off if they get too low. Mine are always at the base level despite having several tablets daily. I was rushed into the hospital once under fear of heart attacks because of low electrolytes.
What causes blockages? My stoma nurse gave very stern warnings about eating peanuts, but surely if you chew things fully you shouldn't block from these?

Greetings,

Enjoyed reading everyone's response on this topic.

I have had an ileostomy since May 2012 and was readmitted about 5 months after the procedure for dehydration. I always have to stay on top of this.

I drink a variety of hydration solutions such as Pedialyte, or a mixture of grape juice + water + salt (can send you the ratio if needed - let me know), or other concoction: half Gatorade or Powerade (AKA sports drinks) + half water + salt. The last two recipes were provided by a nutritionist (dietician) while I was in the hospital.

I have also started to drink a lot of 100% pure coconut water (not from concentrate). Coconut water has naturally occurring potassium and salt. If you don't like the taste right away, you can add a little pineapple juice to flavor it.

Hope this helps! Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

All the best,
Rosie

Oral Hydration recipe:
2 cups orange juice

1/8 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp soda
1 litre water
1 packet Emergen C

I have short gut syndrome and that is what you have....I have it bad as I have hardly any colon left. I also need to do IV fluids (Saline 0.05%) every day to keep myself out of the hospital. This solution helps me greatly.

Wow, thanks pals! I knew you all wouldn't let me down. Thanks for all the great advice. I thought I was on the right track. I already take a good quality multivitamin and things like cod liver oil and garlic supplements just to help the old immune system. I've been looking into all the isotonic drinks and other drinks that may help with hydration. They all seem to contain chemicals and excess sugars. No one has mentioned milk. I've looked into this and found that the semi-skimmed or skimmed (low-fat) milks also have lots of other goodness like natural salts and sugars, calcium, and protein, which is the stuff we all need. I think maybe having half milk and half water may be a good idea. Obviously, it's no good for anyone who is lactose intolerant. Also, it is reasonably priced too. Hmm, just fancy a nice banana milkshake now, and bananas have got potassium in them too. Suppose a bit of ice cream wouldn't hurt either. Anyway, thanks again all. I will see the consultant tomorrow and have plenty to ask him.

Your post concerns me because you shouldn't have such hydration issues having a colostomy. Not sure though of how much was removed. Your surgery was a while back too. You stated an obstruction in your small bowel. Could this be adhesions? Hope your consult was able to shed more light.

Hope you feel better!

I too was intrigued by your post - as I have an ileostomy and dehydration is something that I need to be watchful about. Colostomates very rarely have issues with diarrhea, so the question I have is "how much of your colon was removed"? I can certainly sympathize with your obstruction woes. Every abdominal surgery carries the risk of adhesion formation. Sounds like you have had more than your fair share of this! You have had lots of useful advice from the other posts so there is not much more that I could add other than my very best wishes for a speedy resolution to the root problem!

Bless you,
N-S