Alcohol Consumption After Ostomy Surgery

To answer your actual question and not give you a lecture on whether you should or should not drink alcohol, yes, you can still drink with an ostomy. Just remember, it is a challenge to stay hydrated even without drinking alcohol, so make sure you are keeping on top of that. I always make sure that for every drink I have, I have at least a glass of water, if not two. I haven't had any major issues (beyond having a little too much, which wouldn't make any difference if I had an ostomy or not). But I probably don't exceed 2-3 drinks in a week in most cases.

Thanks everyone for your input, sorry if I have touched a few of you but just to let you all know I am not an alcoholic but on some weekends I have about 2 drinks at most and then sometimes I go for a month without. Just that I have been through a lot over the past 13 years with suffering and now I intend to live life to the fullest. I was so close to death's door, so when I want a drink I will have it. I look at life now from a different view... never hold back what you want today as tomorrow might never come...

I must be the odd one out. I stopped drinking around the time that my polyposis was making itself known. I had no idea that I had it and no symptoms other than....drinking alcohol would cause a pain in my gut that would double me over and then I would become flushed and light-headed. 1 sip of anything. Wine, liquor, beer, it didn't matter. If I chose to ignore that first warning and took another sip of that same drink, vomiting and waking up on the floor was happening next. Suddenly I couldn't drink and I was one of those soldiers who used to spend time in the Korean kettle houses every weekend, so of course I had a checkup scheduled. No ulcers or any reason that could be found for it...but he removed 3 polyps and suggested I have another colonoscopy in 5 years. The Castro, New Year's Eve 1993, last time I drank. (sad face)

Never been much of a drinker, get drunk easily, no tolerance. I had a drink the other day, did not affect me at all. My conclusion, passed through the bag too fast.

Agree! As a retired mental health case manager, I have dealt with a great deal of alcoholics. This individual seems like he needs a little good intervention. Some talking with a therapist would be a start. Many of my patients used alcohol to self-medicate what was troubling them.

I love Scotland. When I was stationed in Alconbury, England, I took lots of trips to Scotland. I can almost hear your accent now!! It's true, lochs and purple heather! My friend and I used to sing in some of the pubs when the music folks entertained. That was so much fun! Thanks for tapping into those memories for me! Cheers!

I get together with my sister once or twice a month and we have a few drinks. It's fun and I'm not about to give it up. I have never had a problem with my colostomy. Maybe it depends on the kind of colostomy you have, though. It might mess up an ileostomy. What does your doctor say?

Totally opposite of the trend of this thread... I don't have any problems drinking. 20+ at a time is fine. But I do notice differences. For example, sugary drinks like beer definitely get the bag going a bit. Liquor has for me no change in output. And I never was able to drink 20+ pre-op... it's as if post-op I don't absorb as much. Which I suppose makes sense with less colon, small intestine, etc.

Matt