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Posted 2/26/2013 9:05 PM (GMT 0)
Hello,

It is almost a year since I was diagnosed with UC and underwent 3 life saving operations, having 2 illeostomy bags. I am still off work sick and have started recovering well, I have in the last 6 weeks had 1 of my illeostomy bags reversed, leaving me with just 1. However, I have started getting similar symptoms to my original flare ups after my evening meals and I am gunking blood out of my anus daily despite the fact it was stitched up internally during my 1st op. Is any of this normal as I am now worried the UC has spread to my anus and I'll not be able to have the 2nd reversal next Jan.

Also, I have not really drank any alcohol since before I was diagnosed with UC but I have tried to drink beer on a couple of occasions, only to feel bloated after the neck of a bottle and having to stop. I am going away for the night at the weekend for my mates 30th and this is the 1st time I have gone out with all my mates drinking and am tempted to try again myself. Is there any drinks that people know will definitely make me feel bad on the night out and some that will definitely be ok. I am fearful of either feeling awful or my bag going into overdrive and becoming over active. I find my bag goes crazy after my evening meal and beer is bad for me but I want to enjoy the night and not ruin it for everyone else.

I am also worried about my bag leaking on the night out as I'm pretty sure I can't take my usual man bag with all my spares for such an occasion so if it does leak, I will end up in a bit of a mess.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Simon
Posted 2/27/2013 1:51 AM (GMT 0)
Beer makes gas, so it will probably fill you up faster. If you want the effects of alcohol, just go with shots. Leave out mixers. If you just want a drink for the taste, then beer is gonna give you gas. And sometimes alcohol will speed output up. It's very very important to drink water while you are drinking, since you will dehydrate so much easier now.
Can't you just leave your bag in the car? I can see you wouldn't want to carry it into the bar, lol.
Posted 2/27/2013 10:19 AM (GMT 0)
I wouldn't mind carrying my bag round with me, I usually take it everywhere, it's full of anything I can think of to help make me feel confident I can deal with a leak, it includes spare bags, adhesive spray, powder, nappy bags, baby wipes, adhesive wipes, tissues, odour spray, scissors, extra tape, the list goes on but unfortunately I can't see the clubs letting me in with it lol. We are staying in a hotel so ill leave my bag in the room but its a 15 minute taxi ride.

I've been told to take extra loperamide to control my output as well as drink water along with the alcohol. I know I can't drink beer anymore so I thought about vodka orange juice although I assume the orange juice would make my bag active.

It almost seems easier to just stick to water but I tend to just stand at the bar unless I have a little drink to loosen me up lol
Posted 2/27/2013 4:22 PM (GMT 0)
Remember that alcohol will dehydrate you, so make sure you drink a lot of water. Three years out from having a temporary ileostomy and having been reconnected with no J-pouch, I find that drinking even relatively small amounts of wine sends me into small bowel obstruction land due to dehydration.
Posted 2/27/2013 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
Clubs let women take pocketbooks in, they should let you take it in. Just wear a dress that matches :) seriously though if you take the scissors out I don't think they would care.
The orange juice probably won't make it more active but it might give you heartburn. Try it at home before you go!
Posted 2/28/2013 4:09 AM (GMT 0)
When I go out to bars I usually will have one or two cranberry and vodkas. Sometimes I will also take imodium so I don't have to go to the bathroom right away. I no longer drink beer because of the gas issues.
Posted 2/28/2013 4:20 AM (GMT 0)
Hey petal, I know it's nice to have ALL your supplies and a ton of them, but I find that I can fit all the necessary items for just one change (even stuff that isnt strictly necessary like prep wipes) into a Ziploc sandwich bag. I think I could fit into my pants pocket just barely (because I'm a woman and I wear tight pants) -- I think for most guys you should be able to fit into your pocket without too much trouble.

I prepare individual Ziploc bags filled with the necessary materials for one change in order to speed things up and stay organized (I got the tip from someone on here... thanks!), and I also keep one bag at work, one at my parents' house, etc. In each bag I have:
- pouch
- wafer
- barrier ring
- prep wipe
- adhesive remover wipe
- mini garbage bag
- single use packet of pouch deodorant/lube

Hope this helps!
Posted 2/28/2013 1:33 PM (GMT 0)
I've pretty much given up alcohol. It seems to go right thru me and induce D. I joke if the wind changes direction I have D. One time 2 years after my ostomy takedown we went to a Fall/Bonfire party, the guest was serving delicious local dark keg beer. I had two glasses. Big mistake. It totally cleaned me out within 8 hours. Sheer water was the last stage. I announced to my husband I'd never again drink A. dark beer nor B. locally brewed keg beer. And over time I added beer to my avoid-list, white wine doesn't seem to mess me up but honestly I'm fine now with skipping any alcohol. We keep a very, very quiet social calendar as it is and I have to often skip meals and intake before social outings anyway, save for water, so I'm used to skipping various categories such as alcohol now. It's just the say it is.

But I did ask my GI doc once if I could drink dark keg beer for a bowel prep and he laughed.

One more thing that does clean me out but isn't alcohol is the Cat Scan prep. Techs now permit me to drink it in the parking lot, run in, get scanned, get dressed as fast as I can, hit the parking lot running and head home. Before all he** breaks loose and it does. Every single time.
Posted 2/28/2013 10:46 PM (GMT 0)
I am with Bay Area Guy. I do drink wine every so often, but I am learning that if I do drink it, I must have drunk a lot of water prior and immediately after the wine. Also, I cannot eat a high residue diet at all prior or while I am drinking alcohol. So far, I have had two minor (but painful) blockages the next morning after drinking wine. I get dehydrated very fast from it.
Posted 3/1/2013 2:27 PM (GMT 0)
I love beer and have one or two most days....something I wasnt able to do before I got the ileo...one of my colleauges has the jpouch and has issues if he drinks more than one beer ... I think I'll just keep the ileo !!!
Posted 3/1/2013 2:32 PM (GMT 0)
I love beer and have one or two most days....something I wasnt able to do before I got the ileo...one of my colleauges has the jpouch and has issues if he drinks more than one beer ... I think I'll just keep the ileo !!!
Posted 3/2/2013 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
Never was a beer drinker. I do drink blackberry brandy with cranberry/blackberry juice most evenings or bacardi rum with canada dry. No problem. My dentist commented that my teeth look pretty good for a 68 YO. I told him it's because I sterilize them most evenings with alcohol. He thought that was hilarious.

Dan
Posted 3/3/2013 3:09 AM (GMT 0)
Here's another good thing about drinking, if you are getting a stomach virus, those little bugs will just die right off :)
Seriously though, I had 4 beers last night, and didn't have gas problems. However I went to bed without drinking enough water or eating some chips. I find that helps with a hangover because the salt helps retain the water. So this morning I had a horrible hangover! And I noticed something else really weird, my output smelled like beer!
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