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Posted 12/4/2010 9:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hi folks, I have a temp ileostomy, had it 9 weeks or so ....still have trouble with it thickening up so still lose a lot of fluid .... I eat all the correct foods and follow the BRAT diet ..... for the last week I've been suffering with short breath and nausea .... got my blood taken on Wed and the electrolytes were normal, had chest xray and presume it was normal too as I never heard back..... I went back to work on Thurs & Fri....managed but was very tired .... I drink at least 80oz of fluids a day ...I match output to input .... I take electrolyte pills, liquid Vitamins and Iron ..... but still wonder if I'm dehydrated .... though I don't have any of the other symptoms ....I have to sit down and rest even after making a cup of tea ....so short breathed ....doc wondered about gall bladder, but would that cause the fatigue and breathlessness??? or is it simply Dehydration? .... and if so can I get back on top of it or should I go and get IV? I'm kinda worried.....don't want to take anymore time off my work .... as only just back!

Thank You
GL :-)
Posted 12/5/2010 2:56 AM (GMT 0)
80oz is probably not enough, that's what a "regular" person needs, you probably need at least 100, and it depends on what you are drinking too. Soda, fruit, anything with caffeine, or sugar can make dehydration worse.
Once you get badly dehydrated wtih an ileo its pretty hard to catch back up, esp if you are having all those symptoms.
good luck!
Posted 12/5/2010 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks summerstorm ..... feeling slightly better today ..........trying desperately to catch up, drinking loads....... I drink water and decaf green tea ...... the nausea makes gatorade and the likes hard to drink ....and I'm going to get electrolyte strips that dissolve under the tongue ....hopefully that will help...... I had to lie down after taking a shower .... yikes ... work tomorrow should be a challenge...... but, I'm ok if I sit down..... so hopefully they will be gentle with me lol If god forbid I do need to go to ER ....do you know how long it usually takes for you to hydrate?

Thanks again :-)
Posted 12/6/2010 6:11 PM (GMT 0)
Dear GassyLassy,

Go get yourself an IV. SOunds like you need to catch up then start over again. Balancing liquids and solids until you get a pudding consistency output and therefore do not lose too much fluid in the effluent is a real challenge. I'm still trying to figure it out after 3 years. If have to stay away from fake sugar and from too much real sugar as that increases my effluent flow.

Also step up your water consumption and also take in some salty broth. Shortness of breath is a sign of either salt or potassium deficiency. See if your blood test results for electrolytes are at the low end of the normal range, You can still get symptoms if they are low normal.

Also get your MMA and B12 levels checked. If MMA is high and B12 is low normal you may need monthly B12 shots.

Been at this awhile. Good luck. Rosemary
Posted 12/7/2010 2:07 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Rosemary, I went in yesterday got some fluids .... you were right it was the sodium (will def try the salty broth).... and bicarbonate .....wasn't even that low ....but, when I walked around the ward my heart rate went up to 130 and I was ready to throw up!! I can't say I'm a 100% yet ....should've maybe asked for another bag ....although I am tons better. I'm starting to take at least 3 liters of fluids now .... no-one seems to tell us how much over the output I should take ....I'm just guessing about 500ml:-( Do you still drink that amount after 3 years? I suppose you get used to it :-)

Thanks again ....Lorna :-)
Posted 12/8/2010 6:29 AM (GMT 0)
You sounded like me for the first year after my ileo.  The shortness of breath was horrible.  I would end up in the ER and they would give me fluids and then I would get a big bill and I knew I had to find another way to handle the issue.  So after 5 years now, if I get that feeling, I have a system that has been working for me pretty good now.  I have used it many times and have managed to stay out of the ER.  I drink water, and some sugar free sports type drink with potassium.  I eat salty pretzels, and take immodium to slow down my output.  And I drink a couple V-8 juices a day till the symptoms go away.  Of course I use a regular diet along with all these things.  I usually feel better in a couple hours after starting this.  It is a trial and error process to find what will work for you. 

Leslie in KC

Posted 12/10/2010 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Leslie, I've been putting lots of salt on my food.....drinking Gatorade.....I'm starting to feel short breathed already today ...so even put salt on my toast this morning lol I've also added a pinch of salt to my bottles of water seeing as I drink so much of them!! I love crisps so eat lots of them with everything......especially pasta :-) never thought of pretzels ...will add them to my list.

Thanks Lorna :-)
Posted 12/10/2010 2:22 PM (GMT 0)
     Rosemary...would you consider a B12 result of 500 a low normal?  Normal levels are 200 - 1100.  Mine registered 500.  I thought that was pretty good and so did my doctor.  I take one tablet of B12 a day along with two children's chewable vitamins and two chewable calcium pills.  I don't get the rapid heart rate any longer and my output is far from runny.  Overall feeling pretty well except for little sores outside my vaginal area and those darn hemorrhoids mad .  I think the surgeon is going to have to remove my anus or sew it closed.  I always had hemorrhoid problems and have no idea why he didn't do that in the first place when he removed my colon and rectum rolleyes .
Posted 12/11/2010 1:01 AM (GMT 0)
the gatorade may be actually making it worse, it can really increase output! be careful with that.
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