HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Colon function questions

Support Forums
>
Ostomies
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 8/22/2012 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
I've been researching the functions of the colon and was wonder how well our body adjusts to when the colon is remove. From what I read the colon absorbs water and let over nutrients, houses our immune system, and is basically our heating/cooling unit.

I understand that I will need to drink plenty of fluids and keep my electrolytes in balance.
Any tips on this? Is drinking water enhanced with electrolytes good?

Is there many nutrients we miss out on from not having a colon?

What about the immune system? Has anyone had problems with getting sick more often or not healing quickly?
Posted 8/22/2012 6:47 PM (GMT 0)
You will need to drink plenty of fluids. I just stick to good ol plain water. And having said that, I am horrible at drinking on a regular basis. It's something I need to work on.

It has been explained to me by doctors that all your nutrients are absorbed thru the upper portion of your small intestine. I am still iron deficiant but I don't know what the cause is yet. I am seeing a hematologist right now and starting iron infusions. He told me most likely its not an absorbtion issue but I am having tests run right now.

My immune system is fine. In fact I never get sick anymore. I used to get sick a lot when I had UC and was on all the drugs.
Posted 8/22/2012 7:13 PM (GMT 0)
If you are getting an ostomy, you will need to up your liquids. If you're getting a jpouch, less so.
Either way, everyone is different and you will need to learn your own body's response to a missing colon. For me it's minimal. I drink 4 shots of espresso in the morning and then drink nothing until I hit the gym at 4:30pm. My diet is high in foods with a high water content.

The only nutrient absorbed in the colon is Vitamin K and it's in teeny tiny amounts. I have never been so healthy since having my colon removed 11 years ago. I'm not sure I believe the immunity link to the colon?

Sue
Posted 8/22/2012 10:05 PM (GMT 0)
I asked my gi whether their would be any effects of losing all the "good" bacteria from my colon -- his take was that my colon had been so out of whack for so long that I didn't have that much good bacteria there anyways.

A lot of the gut immune connection is higher up. The colon mostly just holds waste and absorbs water (when it's working). It also absorbs salts/electrolytes.... so I don't worry about eating too much salt (one benefit) and the hardest part is to stay hydrated.

Nutrients are absorbed from your small intestine. People who lose too much of that get short gut syndrome and have to take in extra calories.... but that doesn't happen from a regular ileo j pouch sort of thing (an ileo only takes a few inches of small bowel out of 20 or so feet).

Those drugs and all that inflammation are much worse for being sick all the time than no colon....

I've been drinking the vitalyte in the summer..... have had some issues w/blockages, but it's nothing compared to when I was sick. It was hard for me to wrap my mind around how much better I was going to feel, as I'd been sick for so long...
Posted 8/23/2012 1:12 AM (GMT 0)
2 litres a day, with at least one of them being water is what I was told. I will also caution you from drinking too much - especially initially. I was drinking tons after my surgery, while still in the hospital, and they actually told me to slow down because my output was too high. I have always drank 2-3 litres of water a day, so it wasn't really a big deal for me to maintain that.

Also, the salt thing is awesome! I am a total salt-aholic, so this part for me was a dream come true!

As other have said, the colon doesn't absorb much other than water, salt, and vitamin K. The small intestine adjusts over time and gradually will absorb more water. Even with all that I drink, my output is pretty thick.

Immune-wise, I wasn't ever that sick before UC, and I haven't been sick really since my surgery. I've found that I get my nutrients in other ways. Raw veg and fruit can be an issue for me, so I have smoothies and drink veggie juice instead. You'll just have to see what works for you.
Posted 8/23/2012 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
i love the salt thing too!
i just drink plain water too. Sugary drinks can make you have more output and caffeine doesn't help either. I do drink cokes sometimes, but usually just water. I probably fill my bottle up at least 8 times a day, probably more.
I get sick with colds and stuff more than i did before i had surgery, but i think it's more because my son started preschool a few months after i had surgery, and with not being on the immuran and 6mp, i wasn't as crazy about being around people with colds, and i'm still a really good hand washer, but not as much as i did before i got surgery.
the only thing is if you get a stomach virus you may need to go to the dr or er for an iv. it's not as easy for us to rehydrate as a regular person.
sadly, you still get all the calories from food. I thought it might not work that way, since my food comes out so fast i figured all the calories weren't staying in.
just drink lots of water and you will be fine!
Posted 8/23/2012 12:44 PM (GMT 0)
I know others have said water is perfectly fine for them, but if I drink too much plain water I get a headache. I vary my drinking a bit. I don't like things too sweet, so I buy the Gatorade packets and add just a bit to some of my water throughout the day. That adds just enough to keep headaches for me at bay. I think my electrolytes do get depleted easy, so I can never touch distilled water, which supposedly takes the electrolytes right out of the body.

I know I am absorbing nutrients well because I look a lot healthier, but I am still down ten pounds from before surgery and am underweight. My GI is a little concerned about that, but I am hoping if I keep eating well and drinking supplemental protein shakes, this won't be the case for long.

As far as my immune system, it will be nine months since I had my surgery and I went through the whole winter as a teacher right after having it. I have not been sick one single time. I was always very healthy; for me, the Imuran did a number on my immune system. Even still, I would only get sick a couple of times a year, but when I did get sick it took me weeks to kick it sometimes.
Posted 8/23/2012 1:15 PM (GMT 0)
     They gave me Gatorade in the hospital but when I drank a bottle about a month post op, it made me very sick for some reason.  Don't know whether it was bad or what but almost immediately after I drank it my output starting pouring out of me, then I started vomiting.  Hubby called the paramedics and I was hospitalized for three days for dehydration.  Needless to say, I never drank another drop of Gatorade.  I was never one to drink much water and still have to force myself to do so, especially nowadays with the hot humid weather and I love the sun.

     I was fine with the hydration until the past two weeks when I was hospitalized twice for dehydration.  The second time was due to an intestinal virus...man, that was NASTY!!!

     As to my immune system, I was sick with bugs more often when I had my colon than after it was removed.  I don't get a flu shot either, but, maybe I should.  I am sort of scared to get one because I always suffered a reaction afterwards.

Posted 8/23/2012 6:20 PM (GMT 0)
I find that drinking a couple glasses of water with a coffee or two through out the day works for me...BUT I do eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies that contain water which helps. I can always tell the days that I don't eat as much fruit!
Posted 8/23/2012 8:49 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all the suggestions! This is very helpful.

I personally don't like Gatorade or soda...there's a lot of sugar in it. I like Zico coconut water and there's water with enhanced electrolytes too at Trader Joe's. I'm also a good water drinker. My pee is nearly clear all the time (except when on all those meds!)

Guess I'm glad I didn't get to the immune suppressants or biologics. Never know what type of permanent damage they may cause.

Do anyone take probiotics? Currently I throw up on VSL#3DS. This just started. Guess I'll have to find a less potent one!
Posted 8/23/2012 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
Probiotics never helped me much (sadly, I really liked the idea). I think if you want to take them after surgery, you might want to investigate the different bacteria in them and where they usually live... something that belongs in the colon is just going to go right through you.
Posted 8/24/2012 2:36 AM (GMT 0)
i don't take them. i eat yogurt sometimes, but just because i like it.
If your pee is clear and you are peeing enough, and (after you have your bag) you have an equal amount of output to input, then you are probably well hydrated. It's just hard to get a handle on at first.
I have a hard time with staying hydrated on vacations. Partly because they will bring me miami vices and i tend to have those instead of lunch :D (it's always 5 oclock on a cruise ship or in jamica!) and also because i can not stand bottled water! i don't think my water should have a taste. We have well water, that's all i have ever had, and treated water is just icky!
Posted 8/24/2012 3:11 AM (GMT 0)
We miss vit K, electrolytes, and LOTS of water. And are more prone to kidney and gall stones than people with colons. The colon is a very user friendly organ. RJ
Posted 8/25/2012 3:20 PM (GMT 0)
My doctor said rule of thumb is to take your weight and divide by 2 and that is how much water you need everyday. he also said dark urine was the indicator to take in more fluids.

I drive a school bus with no air and it gets very hot on there, 100 to 117 degrees at times and I have been drinking 70 to 100 ounces of fluids everyday and I have had no problems.

My doctor told me to take a chewable multivitamin with iron, vitamin D3, and a calcium chew with Vitamin K added everyday.

I have found that I can drink as much as I want and it does nothing to my output. No increase whatsoever, so no issues there either.

I also drink Zico chocolate coconut water, yummy, everyday. I usually only drink one a day, while driving the bus to replace potassium and electrolytes that I may be loosing through excessive sweating. It is expensive. Some of my friends think I should be drinking powerade. I told them coconut water is superior to powerade though, They don't believe me. HA
Posted 8/25/2012 5:24 PM (GMT 0)
For whatever it's worth, which I don't yet know, I just got bacteria capsules from Solgar called Advanced 40+ Acidophilus, containing 5 different good gut bacteria. I seem to not be able to read the lable, however, otherwise I would type which ones, but you can google it if you are curious. I am still on vacation and was happy to see that Solgar products are marketed in France ( I don't remember ever seeing them in Germany.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply