Constant Hunger after Loop Ileostomy: Is it Normal?

4 weeks new loop ileostomy and I'm hungry all the time!!!!! I eat and 30 mins later I'm starving again. Is this normal?

Hi Murphy, I'm 6 weeks post-op loop ileostomy also and I've found that having small meals regularly helps. I don't go longer than 4 hours or I start gurgling wind, lol, not good!

Ooooh yes... I need to eat every 3 to 4 hours or I feel ill... I eat frequently throughout the day... smaller snackish stuff sometimes, and other times I shovel it in LOL... but if 5 hours go by and I've had nothing, I am so famished I cannot handle it.
Other ileostomates I personally know are the same way xoxo. Your body is telling you what it needs... and it will also likely tell you sometimes what it craves, especially if you are lacking in something...

I'm the same. It's been a week and I'm starving all the time. I believe little and often is the answer.

I go so far as to carry small snacks in my purse and I'm never without a water bottle of something to drink.

It's your new reality, constant snacking.

The one thing that got me back to my pre-sx weight was Ensure, and now I'm drinking 1 EAS "AdvantEdge" carb control (Abbott Nutrition - same company as Ensure) 14g protein, 100 cal. Use as my between meal snacks.

Me too! .... I always carry a big purse and I never leave the house with snacks or stuff to nibble on, and usually bottled water or Gatorade in bottles and shove one in my purse....that is a 'must do' for me as well....

Me too! .... I always carry a big purse and I never leave the house with snacks or stuff to nibble on, and usually bottled water or Gatorade in bottles and shove one in my purse....that is a 'must do' for me as well....        

I'm trying to find an alternative to the Gatorade, water is okay but doesn't replenish the loss of minerals and electrolytes and contrary to Southern beliefs..... You can't live on Sweet Tea!     I've tried.     lol

Hey ZaliBee: I don't like Gatorade. A nurse told me there was a water that had all those things in it. I should probably still be drinking it, feel a lot better. At the moment, my funds are too low to get what I'd need for a month. However, if you're still buying Gatorade, this stuff was cheaper. My brain won't bring forth the exact name of it, but it was bottled water that I bought at the Dollar Store. It says it has all that stuff in it and it tastes like water. No fizzy or artificial flavors, etc.

Coconut water is good for hydration, if I remember correctly. It tastes okay too. Most anything organic is a good option. Smoothies are also a great option, you can make them at home and add what you like!

Vitamin water?

Yes, that is the gist of it, but this water didn't just have vitamins, it had electrolytes and some other things we needed. Without any flavorings or colors. It tastes like plain water. I was/am trying to think of the brand name, but my mind won't bring it forth.

Google St Marks Solution. It's a homemade electrolyte drink that is recommended for ileostomates. But believe me, the Gatorade is the better alternative! As my little stoma has a big mouth and is always very active, I have severe dehydration issues. And during hotter months, Gatorade (or electrolyte/sports drinks) don't even come close to helping. So my SCN and myself managed to convince my GP and his board of non-medical money men to prescribe me Dioralyte. During summer months, I can go through 4/5 sports drinks, all with 2 Dioralyte sachets in them!

Anyway, back to the topic! I get so sad when I hear other ileostomates going on about how they just can't put on weight, whereas me... I spent months on the run-up to my op in 2010 high on morphine and what seemed like a continuous IV flow of pred, which resulted in me being 4 stone overweight. Then when back on my feet, I found food and drink (I was dx at 15, 20 years prior to my op, and hadn't had the joys of flavored food and Margaritas!?!?) so by the time I saw 2011 in, I was almost 6 stone overweight and hated myself! I just couldn't stop eating, constantly hungry, but I put my backbone into place and joined a diet club... 2013, I reached my goal weight and looked and felt great! So I thought giving up smoking was my next goal, as the craving for cigs waned, my inability to control my feeding grew! Then I lost my 'PAT' dog last September and gave up! If it looked edible, I started munching on it and am now 4 stone heavier for it!!

Worst thing... my hubby has just told me that for my 40th this year, he is taking me on a holiday of a lifetime to New Orleans for 3 weeks in May! I have 2 months to lose at least 3 stone, but I'm so so so hungry!!
Does anyone know if we can take appetite suppressants like T5, T6, or green tea/raspberry ketone? I don't believe these are miracle cures, but if they just allow me to go an hour without eating junk, I may just be fit enough (physically and visually!) to do 3 weeks in the most awesome town in the world! x x

What great advice, Freaky! I googled SMS and got a very promising information leaflet. I have dehydration issues which have been aggravated by my addiction to golf. Since my surgery in 2010, I have regretfully relied on large amounts of Gatorade2 and diet iced tea to keep me hydrated. My urologist, who removed my kidney stone last Spring, told me to skip the iced tea which contributes to my formation of stones; and my dentist, who can retire on my payments alone, recently warned me that sweet drinks and my dry mouth condition lead rapidly to cavities. So, I now drink a lot of "Smart Water" which has electrolytes but no calories. I will check out the SMS and I will also speak to my doctor about Dioralyte. Thanks for a great post, and good luck with your plans for a New Orleans holiday.

PB

Coconut water, not from concentrate.. Bit pricey but worth every penny. Almost no calories, full hydration, natural

Oh Lord, I thought it was just me. Unless I'm sleeping, I get hungry every four hours no matter if I had a large or small meal before it. I also wake up hungry quickly now. Before, I was not hungry right away in the mornings. I am only on week two at home, and this being hungry thing is totally new to me, and I don't want to gain a ton of weight :(. I wonder what else I can do. This hungry all the time makes me empty my bag when I am trying to sleep at night. It sucks too :(.

Carey

Yep, normal... You should be eating at least 5 times per day and remember to include crunchy and salty snacks...

Hi Carey, to minimize the night empties, stop eating about 4 hours before bed, allowing your daytime food intake to process and empty out. I get up at least once, but I drink water and fluids constantly. If worried about too much weight gain, do a meal replacement shake, etc. It helps with hunger pains...