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dehydration! can anyone help

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Posted 11/23/2008 11:00 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone I am new to this web site.  My father 1 yr ago had a small bowel infarct and ended up loosing some of his small bowel and part of his asending colon. It has been a difficult go with his ileostomy.  He has such a high out put.  I would guess at least 4 liters day.  He is eating, but also requires feeding though a tube into his stomache.  Each time we try and decease his feedings, he becomes dehydrated.  My theory is liquid in liquid out, but his stool never seems to get thick.  We have tried sandostatin inj, imodium, lomitil but nothing seems to work.  He is now considering having everything reattached but we are worried about diarrhea and him not being able to control it.  Sooo 2 issues:  Dehydration at this moment, and 2:  Does anyone have any experience this this type of surgery

Desperate!

Posted 11/23/2008 11:26 PM (GMT 0)
has he tried some foods that help to thicken, things like peanut butter, and french fries will thicken the ouput. Also maybe he could drink some pedialite or something like that.
Posted 11/24/2008 12:24 AM (GMT 0)
I didn't know that these things would thicken stool, any others suggestions

Posted 11/24/2008 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
I had problems with stool being too watery and getting dehydrated also.

My stoma nurse said that if you have little or no fiber in your diet, this can cause output to be too watery (also, for normal people who are constipated, fiber can help soften stool). She said basically fiber helps the problem either way, to thicken or thin depending on what your body needs.

I began to eat more fiber (cooked carrots work best for me, and whole wheat bread), and my output began to thicken up a bit. I would recommend foods with fiber like cooked peas, carrots, etc. that are more "mushy" then, say, lettuce.

I hope you find a solution that works for your father...I know how frustrating it can be.

-E
Posted 11/24/2008 3:30 AM (GMT 0)
In reading through multipal pages of this web site, there has been many suggestions: Peanut butter, fiber, bread, bananas, white rice yogart crackers mash potatoes and apple sauce. This has all been very helpful and we'll try anything at this point. Weight loss has been a big problem so we have had to put him back onto his feeds through his PEG tube. By the way symptoms have been consistant with him muscle weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, voice changes (seems to become weak) and also a blocked ear (hearing is affected as if your on a plane. We think it is a combination of dehydration and Low Magnesium. These symptoms go away immediately once an IV of Magnesium is given.
Thanks for all the info
Posted 11/24/2008 4:31 PM (GMT 0)
My surgeon always makes me use Metamucil (I cannot stand it, but it helps) when my output is too high...Foods, for me, work for a little while...but my body is always changing the ones that will work!

It really is trial and error it looks like you've already "been there and done that"...Good luck with your search!
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