Ostomy care tips: Keeping Hydrated with an Ostomy 

As a new ostomate, I find your videos extraordinarily helpful.

I am another one who tends not to drink enough. A few months ago I found a recipe online for a delicious rehydration drink which includes Kombucha (fermented tea) which I make every week. Juice of 1 lemon - source of vitC I tsp salt - I use pink Himalayan rock salt which contains other minerals apart from sodium (hence the pink colour) I tab maple syrup - for the necessary sugar, and also delicious - you can also use honey 1/2 cup kombucha - excellent probiotic 1 cup coconut water - you can shop around for best price - here in UK, Lidl is great Top up to 1 litre with filtered water. Blitz it in a blender and pour into a litre bottle. I make this every evening and put it in the fridge ready for the next day. It is deeeelicious and I never tire of it! Yes, it’s a bit more of an effort than opening a bottle of Gatorade but it’s now part of my daily routine and I don’t really think about it. Before I started doing this I think I was a bit dehydrated. My output was very thick, and I also suffered from dry eyes. Both these problems have gone away. I do get a bit fed up with having to go to the toilet so often though - my bladder always seems to be full these days!!! Urine a good pale colour and oudour free. I eat loads of fruit and veg and this probably helps too. Hope this info helps someone.

I have a recent colostomy. My doctor’s staff suggested sports drinks, but they have SO much sugar, and I have cancer and didn’t want to consume cancer’s favorite fuel in large quantities. I found an electrolyte powder that I use all the time. It’s got just a hint of lemon, makes my water taste great, helps me enjoy all that water I now drink, and keeps my electrolytes replenished. Thanks for ALL your helpful videos. When I first came home from the hospital, I felt SO isolated as far as ostomy experience. My stoma nurse recommended your channel, and I immediately realized that I’m NOT ALONE. You’ve helped me SO much Eric. Thank you!

I learned about hydration the hard way, with a couple trips to the ER!!!

You helped me care for my mom a lot. She has ileostomy and we had a small acute renal failure attack..... After threatment, which thank god didn't turn to chronic renal failure, I found your videos. Thank you Soo very much. And your stoma care tips too were very very helpful.

As I sit here, not yet an ostomy patient, your videos are like an encyclopedia of how to survive a tricky medical condition. Have you ever considered writing a book, or you may have and I'm not aware of it. It would be most beneficial for anyone suffering with gastrointestional problems. Keep it up....Liz

Very good Eric i have been very unwell with my ileostomy you are so helpful trying to work on my dehydration great having you there

I went to school to be a dietitian and your tips and content are great! You are giving me ideas and tips that I never would have even thought of! So helpful.

Body Armor sports drink is another great hydration option. I drank it daily even before my ileostomy. Love that it has NO artificial sweeteners as my taste is sensitive to anything other than cane sugar. Give the orange-mango flavor a try! 🍊🥭

Eric, this was a very good and thorough video. Great job!

Brilliant videos Eric. I have just had Ileostomy and you have helped so much. Thank you.

I got Noro Virus shortly before Christmas, it caused me to get so incredibly dangerously dehydrated, so my mom took me to the ER (I had to be helped to be able to walk to the car because I was so weak, my mom was behind me holding my waist, my dad was in front and I had my arms around his neck, I did pass out a couple times also) so anyways I stopped breathing at the ER, I was also air lifted to a bigger trauma hospital, luckily not to far from our house, but after several hours with the breathing tube in the ICU, I finally was able to start breathing on my own, it was like my body forgot how to breathe for a bit, but finally I started to breathe on my own, I was in the hospital for several days! It was awful!

When I drink the gatorade I water it down quite a bit.:-) I will look into the vegetable drinks, great idea.

Thank you. My daughter just had a protocolecotmy. This is very helpful.

Thank you very much. I saved your article.

Dry good advice as always. I’m having ileostomy surgery today April 2 2024. Ty for your advice it’s very helpful.

I just love what i call classes on ostomy. You are such a great instructor. I learn so much about my ileostomy from you i have learned from the doctors Ostomy nurses etc.. I’ve only had my ileostomy since June 17th 2022 I had a colostomy before, but I’m supposed to get a reversal Sept. But chose to wait till January. Feeling it would be too soon. But now i have watched videos on Reversals and the results aren’t very good, so thinking I’m going to still with what we both have. Ileostomy. At least I know what I have now. I didn’t have cancer which was a hood thing. My lg intestine burst, i went septic while on vacation. Was in a coma for days, but survived. Now i have ileostomy. I don’t know what to do.!! Can i eat tomato, celery? I’m in August now breaking in new foods a little at a time. I’m so careful yet scared, don’t want to ho through hell again. Please help. How come your not on here frequent? It shows seven yrs ect? Your the best 😍🌹

Great video once again. Hope you and your family have an awesome Christmas

I might as well pour the coffee in the bag lol

V8 is an interesting tip. Vege juice/V8 isn't a popular product here so there's really only one or two (basically the original) that seem to have potassium rich ingredients. I think I might grab a bottle and chuck some in a smoothie and hope for the best 😅

Thanks for the suggestions Eric! I've struggled with dehydration & syncope episodes my entire life and especially before my ileostomy surgery. Now, I'm feeling dehydrated again but my potassium, which used to be low, is now borderline high and I used to love G2 - less sugar but still gatorade so I'm leery of the potassium element. I've done pedialyte too. I'm kind of at a loss now how to rehydrate with electrolytes so water & juice are my "go-to" right now. I do like decaf coffee but otherwise, even with the small amount of caffeine they don't get out when processing it, I don't drink any caffeine. I don't like the taste of coconut but I may try the coconut water in addition - which was a great point - variety. Love the outtakes =) And I did call that thing a hat LOL!

Hi Eric, Been juggling hydration for yrs. I've had MS since 1990, making heat my worst enemy. My Ileostomy(little buddy) compounds this issue. An avid hiker, I've often gotten dehydrated with a full pouch. With 15" of small bowel, you can only absorb a limited amount of H2O. I now appreciate my old colon, It's like a camel's hump & reabsorbs H20 back into your body. Your urinary bladder does to, but not much. Before surgery, I would go to the hospital's infusion center twice a mth for 1k-2K lt. of NaCl. I would stagger in & dance out. Post op I drank watered down juices(80% water). Always thirsty. Tried plain water & not as thirsty. Love V8 & make Virgin Bloody Mary's often. Sat nite? Absoulute Vodka. Try Naked or Bolthouse Farms. Their Green Goodness is great.

After a few years living with an ileostomy and suffering recurrent dehydration problems and kidney damage. I spent a month in St Marks intestinal failure unit and now have home IV fluids with electrolytes Look at St Marks solution as an electrolyte drink. Oral fluids for me was flushing, not hydration and the more i drank, the sicker I got. It's uncommon but short bowel syndrome /intestinal failure may need to be considered. Great channel. So glad to have found you. Potatoes and chewing. ....oh yes, chew your potatoes! Took me a while to figure that. Thankyou Rose (RN) UK

Thankyou, Eric, helpful! God bless.

Excellent advice ! Many thanks.

Very interesting video

I use LMNT and Liquid IV. Helps also as my sodium has been extremely low too.

Thank you for your time knowledge and expertise

I have gone from colostomy to iliostomy, with MAJOR complications! I cannot drink enough to keep from getting super dehydrated. I am really trying, but I am dropping a ton of weight, which is good, but it needs to stop now. I also have a huge open draining incision next to my ostomy from an infection. I am very antibiotic resistant and I feel like these two issues are definitely working against each other.. any advice? My doctor tends to downplay these issues until they are critical

Grabbing V8's tomorrow!!! Always have low potassium issues already because of the asthma steroids I have to be on. Great info!!!

Thanks for sharing. Very helpful.💙

This is what Im struggling with, feel like Im always in the dessert an havnt rank anything for days lol

Thank you so much for your hint. I’ve loved it .As I told I’ve a urostomy and a I’ve practiced like an intuition or something like that, so I drink water as according I am thirsty. I think that I became a VeganOstomy. So we’are partner. Cause we are partners in the same subject.😂

I get thirsty at night , I'm diabetic , I notice that 7UP doesn't raise blood sugar levels way up.

Thanks for the Video :) Hello from Ecuador :)

Very helpful

Great info Eric...Damn blockages i get also from adhesions and from a herniated ileostomy they are reluctant to fix...nonetheless, still having issues with dehydration....i am type2 diabetic which definitely limits me choices of carbs and liquids especially anything that contains simple sugars and can add more potential problems to an otherwise dehydrated system. The veggy drink I think is a great idea...i really can't do the sugary drinks as it causes, like you mentioned, more diarrhea ....so in effect i have to be very careful as to what i consume as when the output turns all watery (too late)...it's a downward slide right into emerg.Once again thxs Eric!!

Good info. Thanks again

I drink Smart water all day.

Definitely going to try the V8 drink approach. I find that my system will sometimes purge sugary drinks (even gatorade drinks) They will run through me within an hour of drinking them. I don't imagine that I am getting much out of them when this happens.

Love V8.

I am a vegetarian, but I do eat Cheese, butter, yogurt and milk. Can I eat lentil soup, quinoa, hummus, millet, couscous, vegetable soups blended by machine vegetable and blended fruit shakes. How do you get your greens and salads? How about chick pea flour pancakes and flat bread etc? How about fruit juice? Any tips or recipes? I have an enlarged prostate, so it's difficult to drink a lot of water without wanting to go a lot.

New to ostomy bags and new to here as well. I do have acouple question: can I use any V8. I dislike the equation obverse. I like the fruit medley ones, the smoothies (mainly the medley). Also, I imagine this is a dumb quotation but is there such thing when it comes to the colonoscopy? I also have one of those hot- cold metal strawed cups I take EVERYWHERE with me; always filled, always cold. Would appreciate your orbit

I listened to one of your videos two nights ago in which you recommended prune juce. Now you advise against it. I was glad when you recommended V8 Juice, because I bought a bottle of that also because I want to make sure I am taking in vegetables. But now you say that it's not good for people who have heart problems.

Check out St.Marks Rehydration Fluid.

Gatorade G2 not much sugar not much calories plus I water down 1/3

Am having my 3rd surgery this mth for colon restriction & surgeon said there a strong possibility that ilestomy or permanent ostomy will b needed. Am so afraid bcuz I know nothing on how 2 care 4 it or what 2 eat/drink & neither any family members. Pls help!

Thank you

I had a stoppage of my bag. I called 911. Went to the hospital for 8 days. My doctor found a abdominal hernia caused the blockage. Had the surgery laproscopically and that opened so I was able to have output again. I am feeling very much better and eating very well. Just wanted to let you know another reason a stoppage could be the cause.hang in there. John D

I have had my ileostomy for about 5 months now and I am still having issues with high output and trying to stay hydrated even though my Kidney Dr. has increased my fluid intake to 2 1/2 of the 1 liter Gatorade bottles along with 4 bottles water of the 16.9. Please help I just don't know what else to do.

What about smart water?

hi, can you just drink a bottle of water or fluid on it's own, or do you always have to eat something before you drink?. because some people say if they drink fluids on their own it will literally just come out in the bag with absorption. Thanks.

With the ileostomy does the dehydration get better over time? Thanks

What drinks do you suggest for people with diabetes? I think the sports drinks are a No for me.

Hello, my name is Joe and I’m 55. I am coming up on 1 month post colectomy. I developed ileitis 5 days after surgery and I’m having lots of pain. I am having extreme fevers at night. 103.5 and even 103.8 one night. I have noticed that after using biolyte or pedialite, my fevers don’t spike as high. I am waking around 3am drenched in sweat w extreme rigors and chills. I also notice that I have 2 very distinct forms of output. One is very thick and difficult to get out and then one is all liquid. Have you ever deal with is and/or known someone that has and if so how did the deal with it.

Am from the uk on a hot summers day what is the best cold drink to have I get dry a lot 3 weeks after operation I find sports drinks make me even thirstier?

8

How about making a drink from yeast extract?

What about colonostomy?

Just water flushes out you small bowel i found out hard way in hospital and got a science lesson for my troubles

No coffee (caffeine) (It is acidic try to keep you body alkaline), no juices (sugar and additives inflammatory), sports drinks - no (sugar and additives inflammatory), milk - no (it is inflammatory) WATER with a pinch of salt prefered and, herbal teas according to Russell Jaffee, MD. Smoothies for nutrition (organic) with cruciferous veggies and fruit that is not overly glycemic I choose blueberries, they have fiber.

Come on Prune juice with an ostomy keep away from it.

You can eat salads?!

How much do you drink in a day? I drink 1 gallon a day. Is that to much?

Try being a roofer all summer. Hauling bales of shingles up a ladder all day in the heat. By about 10 am, its over. Bye the end of the day, you wish it was over. It aint worth the fight. I wish I would have quit years ago cause there has been NOTHING in life since. Oh well.