Well I'm home even though didn't want me to go

Why would I have such a loose stool now that colon is gone?? Is this just part of surgery or is upper intestine diseased?? Eating better at home. More choices. Funny they keep mentioning Gatorade but have none at hospital. Oh well. I have a lot of everything.

My GI doc explained the loose stools because the food has less time in the digestive system and the colon would remove the water so stool is thicker. Without the colon there is more liquid.

That's too bad that your doctor didn't inform you that stools are basically compacted in the colon, and the colon removes a lot of the water. Without it, you will not have stools as formed. The terminal ileum is the part at the end of the small intestine. It's the part the pouch is made out of. It does do some work like a colon, but it's not your colon. Some people do take imodium regularly. I do not take it often, but regardless of whether I take it, stools are a variety of consistencies & a lot depends on what you eat and drink. You have an end ileo at the moment if you're having 3 steps. With the end, you should have more form than you will with the loop. The loop has the shortest transit.

3timechamp said...
Why would I have such a loose stool now that colon is gone?? Is this just part of surgery or is upper intestine diseased?? Eating better at home. More choices. Funny they keep mentioning Gatorade but have none at hospital. Oh well. I have a lot of everything.

I don't understand why you would have any formed stool now that colon is gone. The small intestine absorbs nutrients and continues food breakdown begun in stomach. It is not where water is absorbed and stool is formed.

You are never going to put anything but mush into that bag.

Maybe I am missing something here.

Hope you can get comfortable at home.

Your intestine is in shock from the surgery and not absorbing nutrients as fast. As you heal, your intestine will absorb more.

Your intestine is swollen at the surgery site, if things are moving too fast then you risk a blockage. Just chew well, take it easy and you’ll be fine.

They gave me plenty of Gatorade G2 will I was there.

Hey Champ,

Just checking on you. Hoping you are getting the rest you need.

My doctor said with an illeostomy your output is more liquid. Colostomy is thicker. I have an end colostomy and Crohns.(although they swore it was UC at first) My out put is thick. I wear the drainable bags that I empty at least 5 times a day. The doctors also told me that regardless of if it is an illeostomy or a colostomy the out put will slow down a little with time. (And mine has...)

Do you have family or friends physically checking in on you? (Just worried) I am such a wimp...I gotta have an occasional hand holder.....

Clo

Staying hydrated is extremely important, especially with the ileo. I had the most trouble with my loop and staying hydrated. As for what to eat, I ate perfectly normally with both of my ileos. With the end, I never had any issues, even if I didn't chew well, but one of the tips you will hear over and over, is to chew your food well. With the loop, I had one blockage issue. it cleared on its own, after that i was really nervous and chewed very well. Now with the pouch, I don't worry about any of it, but I do make an effort to stay hydrated. Keith is right, things do get more formed over time. In the early stages, there's a lot of liquid, and it's frequent, same with when you have takedown, but over time, things calm and heal. The terminal ileum performs more like a colon, but it will never be a colon. In the end, you will have a variety of consistency, food changes it a lot. Some things thicken, like potatoes. You will see. There's a happy medium, where it works best for you. Do you have a nurse coming? Your nurse will likely go through some of the dietary stuff. A lot of people start off with low residue diets.

Have you ordered any sample supplies? I always liked trying the different products. Do you know what they gave you for now? Usually hospitals stick with one particular brand. Mine gave me coloplast but I switched around a ton. I used different supplies with my loop vs my end. In order to order samples, you need to know the size of your stoma in mm. You will learn more when you see your nurse. Good luck & let me know how it goes. You will get it quickly. It took me a few meetings, and then once I did it myself, I never felt like I needed the nurse again. Actually I opted against having a nurse after step 2. I already knew how to change the wafer/pouch. I didn't feel like having a schedule of seeing someone.

Usually your surgeon’s office writes the scripts. If the visiting nurse is an NP then she can write the script for supplies.

Most people like the coloplast brand of ostomy supplies the best. I really like their accessories, they help stop leaks and makes like easier with an ostomy.

Hi Champ! Also - I do a whole lot better if I eat mini-portions and then have more an hour or two later. A normal helping of food all at once gives me discomfort and slight nausea. Actually, I don't have a huge appetite, so it's not an issue.... but today hubby and I had quiche for lunch and then half a donut for dessert. Ugh, I felt like crap for a few hours. If I'd waited till mid afternoon for the donut I likely would have been fine.

Champ, end ileo is what you have currently, I believe it's at the bottom of your small intestine and the transit time is slower. a Loop ileo is in the middle of your small intestine and has 2 openings (1 to the stomach and 1 to the jpouch that will be created) you will have the loop ileo after they create the jpouch. For 2 step surgeries, you only ever have the loop never the end ileo. Loops transit time is faster and more liquid as far as I understand.

Hope that answers your question.