Questions about getting my ileostomy closed

My doctor had me start taking Imodium right away to slow it down and Questran to try to thicken things. You would need to ask your doctor if he will want you to do that. The small intestine does produce liquid and mucous. I always had a ton of output with my ostomy and could not understand where it was all coming from either. I do not have as much with the j-pouch. I still have a lot but not as much. I have not noticed a strong smell at all. I also am able to eat normally (when I can eat and am not vomiting) and have not noticed much gas

I haven't had to take Imodium (loperamide) or anything else as I have been able to thicken and thin my output with my diet (which speeds up or slows down the transit).

In contrast with pam, I have noticed an odor on occasion when I go to the bathroom now that I don't have my ileo anymore but it depends on what I ate. It is nowhere near as bad as the smells with my ileo though. I do have gas - it was really painful at first but has decreased the more I walk. It looks like you still have part of your colon so some of the issues that people with no colon have you probably won't experience but I'll let someone that still has part of their colon let you know for sure. pam and I have no colon or rectum but have a jpouch instead so our transit times are much faster than a person that has a colon. I think with the slower transit time the smell will be reduced as more will be absorbed into the body.

I am currently too close to my surgery to have raw fruits and veggies but as long as I stick to certain canned fruits (primarily peaches and pears) I don't have a problem. I also eat cooked veggies (staying away from most of the gas producing ones) with no problems. I also do not drink out of a straw as it increases my gas tremendously.

I have a list of foods that cause gas, odor, etc. Let me know if you'd like a copy of it.

2much2bear-moms having the same output problem shes pretty much down to just the small intestines too. The main problem is that shes told to consume alot of water and juices to keep hydrated but it goes agaisnt the iliostomy. The large intestines (which hers is gone) is the main water absorber but as in the case of you and her you have more liquid because little can be absorbed -I doubt you will notice the odor half as much after your reversal-but if you think about it-it always depended on the food you ate before if it was going to be nasty or not.
you will probably always have to watch and limit fruit and veggies. as far as thickening -were having that problem-I dont think it will ever be able to thicken past the gravey point(you may be different) what were working on is slow it down and there are suggestions out there its a matter of adjusting it to your own bodys acceptance read some things people here have suggested on my post ss2010..may help you too.positive thoughts and prayers for a successful reversal .

Hi Karen,

I still have a LOT of output! I take lomotil daily and sometimes it helps and other times it doesn't. One thing that I have is (and this is kinda embarrassing in public) very loud bm's! So if i am in a public restroom or somewhere that other people can hear me I always flush to help with the noises. I do get really bag gas pains and I am very afraid to let them out if I am not sitting on the toilet for fear of leakage! Gross I know- but true! When the gas gets really bads and my stomach is moving and hurting I have found that lying on your side with one knee up helps to "release" some air! One of my favorite foods is Asparagus and that is also one that rips me up big time! but it is so good sometimes its worth the pain!

Hey good advice thanks ileostomyfree - do you have probs like krw135????. Ooohhhh krw 135 - that is my worst nightmare - public loos and noises and such - i am not looking forward to using dirty public loos :(