My Recovery Begins Today!

David,

I was in the hospital last week (mainly for dehydration). I felt great when I got home last Tuesday and now today, 8 days later, I am feeling completely dehydrated again. I drink and drink and drink but it does not seem to improve my symptoms. I wish I had some suggestions for you but I have no clue how to stay hydrated. I drink water, gatorade, and propel. I take 6 potassium and 4 magnesium everyday and I eat really healthy. Here is the only suggestion I can think of...if your ostomy goes and goes (unlike mine, sob sob) you may want to find foods that slow your ostomy...pasta, heavy breads, pretzels, crackers, potatoes, bananas and such. I know you are still on a low residue diet and these foods work well with that diet. Peanut Butter and marshmellows work great, but I am not sure you can have peanut butter yet. Maybe Barbara will make you a big batch of rice crispy treats with double the marshmellows. I am sure your body could use the extra calories and you may get more energy from the sugar spike.

Anyway, those are my 2-cents. I am just glad your nightmare is over and you can start working on your home recovery. My heart broke for both you and your wife every time I read her posts about your set backs. Hopefully everything gets better from here. It is a slow process, but one that will lead you to better health.

How are you doing with your ileostomy anyway? Are you able to change by yourself? How many days can you go between changes?

Kindest Regards,

Hi David,

So glad you are home, you have been through the mill - thats a wee scottish saying!.

When i first got my ileostomy, before leaving hospital my surgeon told me if i felt i was getting dehydrated i had to drink coke cola and eat salted crisps, i think americans call them chips though, these help with the dehydration. I took him to his word when i felt i was drinking quite alot i had some cola and a packet of salty crisps/chips! I really did feel this helped me, just a wee suggestion, take care, Gillian.

Dear David:

First and foremost let me tell you something you probably already know, your wife Barbara is wonderful! Second, dealing with an ostomy is a "learned" skill, don't be discouraged if things seem rocky at first. Read all the old posts that apply and ask questions, you will be up to speed and doing things for yourself that you would have never imagined. Finally, I too have a really "fast" ostomy and it is difficult for me to stay hydrated. Amey, as usual, offered some very good suggestions. The only thing I would add is to eat slowly and chew your food really well. Also, steer clear of coffee and too much processed sugar.

Richard

I guess the Coca Cola will help but isn't there a trade off...meaning lots of gas.
Regarding the bag not lasting for more than three days, I find that to be normal. At least for me. I am pushing it when I go to four. Hang in there. Good luck.

Amey,

Lol, good for you, i'm sitting here with my coke just now , he he, i just hope it works for you.

Tom,

I do get some gas build up but to be honest i usually have that no matter what i eat or drink, i don't mean gallons of it just enough to get the sodiums back into the body.

David,

Look at you, just a few days out of the hospital and now your giving us advice. I am so impressed with how far you have come in such a short period of time. Thanks for the Metamucil idea, but my stool looks like toothpaste all the time. I don't think I will be partaking of the Metamucil bandwagon. Hopefully Indabag will get some relief from these tablets.

I am glad things are getting better.

Richard,

Thanks for thinking of me. I do have an appt with a nephorologist. However, my appt is not until Jan.22. I am on their cancellation list also so hopefully I can get in earlier. I do retain the water. I am not sure if it is because I sweat so much water when I exercise or what...? I noticed that when I got home from the hospital and I was hydratred my body did not retain water. However, now, a week later, I am back to retaining the water again. I have cut back my workouts from 7x per week to 4x per week. I was hoping this would help and it has made some improvement but not enough for me to stay hydrated. I felt better today (not as winded and short of breath from dehydration). I am not sure if the soda was the difference or not, but you I ran to CVS this morning and grabbed more soda to have on hand. I noticed that diet soda had more sodium than regular soda (70mg vs. 35mg) so I grabbed the diet. Plus, knowing that I am not consuming all that sugar makes me feel better.

Richard, I truly appreciate you thinking of me and inquiring about my health. It means a lot to me. How are you doing without the tube in your stomach?

Take care...

Hi David,
I would like to tell you that thing are going to look bright for you and your wife. I left her a messages on your other thread. My husband name is David and he also has a ileostomy and has active crohn's. I usually don't help him with his ostomy. But he has a drainage on his back that we have to put a ostomy and I have to empty it because I put it on wrong way so that he could empty it. We are dealing with lots of infections with his back bone. I can't wait until this battle is over. They are talking to put a TPN in him because he is having lots of fevers. Well I'm glad you are feeling better..
Peggy

Dan

So glad you are doing better.

Amey,

Hope the kidney doctor can find a resolution for the hydration problem.

((HUGS)) to you both

Happy New Year everyone!!! I let David keep you up to date on his progress but found that I missed chatting with all of you. And also found out he was not keeping you up to date as I thought he was. Progress is being made, if only in small steps, but it is hard for David to see it. He is quite depressed, which is normal I am sure. He is still battling the dehydration. Slow, fast, slow, fast, and on it goes. I don't empty his bag at night so much any more, just to tired. So far no accidents. A wound and ostomy specialist nurse came today and checked every thing and all are looking pretty good. He said the small intestines where never meant to absorb liquids but your body can relearn to absorb some in time. For those that don't know, David had a second surgery that got infected and is not an open wound, that is right next to the stoma. Talk about a delicate balance to keep both of them clean. The wound has to be cleaned every day and the ostomy every 3 days. We have a great support system. Our friends from church have been bring us meals and helping with any thing that needs to be done, so that I can go to work. (David said to tell you all he is having a bad bag day! it is running a lot. ) One couple brought us a book called "Everyone Poops" by Taro Gomi. That really is a good laugh. Good things include, getting is taste back 85%, going on long walks, and even went to a movie. I guess that will have to do for tonight as I have to get up really early to go to the dentist. Yuck!!!

I hope all of you have a really great year in 2008!!! Barbara

Barbara,


How are you guys doing? It's been awhile and I've been wondering how David's recovery has been going.

Hope all is well!

Barbara & David:

I have been wondering too. I hope no news is good news!

Richard