To keep your stoma hydrated, you need to consistently drink plenty of fluids (like water, electrolyte drinks, diluted juice), consume water-rich foods (fruits, veggies, soups), and balance fluid intake with electrolytes, especially sodium and potassium, by sipping throughout the day and potentially adding salt or sports drinks, paying attention to output and urine color as indicators of hydration.
Aim to drink 8 glasses/mugs of fluid a day (preferably water). Other helpful ways to stay hydrated include: isotonic or full sugar fizzy drinks (allowed to go flat), sucking on ice chips and eating lollies made from juices.
Dehydration. Having an ileostomy makes it harder to stay hydrated. If you notice signs of dehydration such as fatigue, dry mouth or lots of poo coming out of your stoma, speak to your stoma nurse or another healthcare professional to get advice.
Showering and bathing is part of everyone's daily routine and should be still enjoyed even if you have a stoma. You may feel concerned about getting your stoma or skin wet, but normal exposure to water and air will not harm your stoma in any way.
Each person's tolerance for certain fluids may vary, so it's important to monitor how different fluids affect your ostomy output and overall hydration level.
Sports drinks, such as Lucozade and Gatorade, are better choices as they don't cause an increase in your stoma output. They also contain electrolytes, which are lost through your stoma. To maximize fluid absorption, try to avoid drinking at mealtimes (leave a 20-minute gap) and sip rather than gulping fluids.
If you are using a closed bag, you may be changing it 1-3 times a day, it varies from person to person. For those with a drainable bag, particularly with a urostomy or ileostomy, you may be changing it daily or even every other day.
Sometimes the colon or ileum can become narrow near the stoma. Certain foods may get stuck in the narrowed part of the colon or ileum and cause an obstruction (blockage). These same foods could also make the stoma swollen and irritated. An obstruction is more likely to happen with an ileostomy than with a colostomy.
What is important is the simple fact that when you eat quickly you swallow more air. The air that is swallowed goes into your digestive tract and causes bloating – and as a result comes out as extra gas, causing stoma bag ballooning.
After a colostomy, the bottom part of the bowel no longer has poo passing through it, but it still produces mucus. Dead cells from the lower bowel or rectum may be mixed in with the mucus. The mucus may leak out of the anus, or you may feel the urge to go to the toilet.
It is best to drink sugar free sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade to replace electrolytes in your body. Keep up your normal eating and drinking and take your medicines as ordered.
Symptoms of dehydration
When you are first discharged from hospital after your stoma surgery, you will feel tired and find everyday tasks such as having a shower exhausting. This is normal and will improve over time.
An oral rehydration solution such as Dioralyte or St Marks Solution, may be recommended to help your bowel absorb more fluid and salt. This can help to reduce your stoma output. This fluid does not count towards your fluid allowance.
The most common early complication of an ileostomy is skin irritation. Regardless of how well the area is cared for, itching, sores, and even infections can occur. Careful cleaning and drying before attaching a new bag can help prevent irritation.
Your pattern of having a bowel movement with a colostomy will depend on how much of your colon was removed and what your bowel pattern was like before surgery. If you still have your rectum, you may feel like you need to have a BM, or have mucus or blood pass through the anus. This is normal.
This hole is called a stoma. A colostomy is an operation that connects the colon to the abdominal wall, while an ileostomy connects the last part of the small intestine (ileum) to the abdominal wall.
Drainable bags have to be emptied in the toilet when they are about one-third full, and replaced every 1–3 days. A colostomy bag may need emptying 1–3 times a day. An ileostomy bag may need emptying 4–6 times a day, depending on what you eat and drink, because the waste is no thicker than a paste (more watery).
An ileostomy has no impact on your lifespan. While all surgeries have risks, an ileostomy treats much more dangerous conditions. It's likely to make your quality of life better and may be lifesaving.
Safe and sensible snacks for ostomates
Low-Fiber Sweets: Opt for soft, plain candies like marshmallows, gummies, or chocolate (in moderation). Desserts: Plain cake, jelly, and puddings are good options for easy digestion.
You may find fresh fruit upsets your stoma; tinned fruit can be a better choice. While protein is an important aspect of your diet, large pieces of red meat such as steak are hard to digest, so lean mince or fish may be a better option.
Medications that may not be absorbed adequately include certain antimicrobial agents, digoxin, mesalazine, levothyroxine, and oral contraceptives. Enteric-coated or extended-release medications should be avoided by those with an ileostomy because the medication is absorbed or partially absorbed in the colon.