UOAA Discussion Board

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone else has a problem with Afib when they get dehydrated with their ostomy. I have a ileostomy for about 6 years now and there is a pattern of afib when things run thru to quick. I am tired of all the gatorade, power aide, and body armor, too much sugar and weight gain. Also does anyone else have issues when going to concerts, ball games etc. with having to hold back on liquids because of availability of rest rooms. The cardiologist and GI guy know its a balance but I am getting frustrated.
Thanks for any advice.

Donna

Afib is a natural response to being dehydrated. The blood is made up of a lot of water. If you're dehydrated, then the blood becomes thicker, which makes it harder to pump, which leads to the afib....not to mention the electrolyte imbalances.
I've often wondered if a liquid thickener would be beneficial for ileostomates that struggle with dehydration. I work with patients who have suffered from strokes, and they have to have liquid thickeners so that they don't aspirate thin fluids as they struggle to swallow functionally. I found this on a dysphagia website that was discussing the use of liquid thickeners: "Thickened liquids provide the same hydration that you would get from the unthickened liquid. The thickeners, whether powder or liquid, do not bind fluids. Powder thickeners are generally made from a modified cornstarch which begins to breakdown right away in the mouth. The process of starch digestion actually provides water into the system. The liquid thickeners do not begin to digest until they are in the colon but they still free up water for reabsorption by the body."
Might be something to ask your doctor about. This is not my area of expertise, but found the information interesting and worth a look into if one were to be struggling with dehydration, which I know many ileostomates do. Again, this i NOT advice, just something to ask your doctor if it might help slow the process of water flowing through the system faster than needed for those without the use of their colons. Keep in mind that liquid thickeners are mostly used for swallowing disorders in folks that have intact digest tracts. I don't know the ramifications of not having a colon as far as digesting/absorbing the fluid in thickened liquids. Always check with your doctor....

Dave: You raise some vital points in your post. I hope that someone with professional expertise in the field will read it & respond. This issue should be addressed.
Donna: I agree it is one big balancing act for us to contend with. I found out that the sports drinks you mentioned (& I, too, relied on for years) were actually aggravating the problem. I was advised to switch to something more like Pedialyte. It seems to help me.
Also, there are products to thicken output when it is already in the bag. (The people at The Parthenon Co. in Utah have advertised them in past issues of The Phoenix magazine.) Perhaps, they would give you more of an option in enjoying activities.
Thanks for posting.

Thanks for the responses. I will check things out, sometimes you just get tired of balancing, then remember how bad the UC was before surgery and how it almost took my life. I remember the horrible years looking for every bathroom everywhere I went. Gotta just keep swimming. ...

I agree, even when it is difficult to deal with day to day challenges. That's why it's nice to have UOAA & this Discussion Board where we can gain insights & evidence that there are others like us out there. Struggling with the inevitable issues. And overcoming them.

i have chronic AFIB been on medication and have had 2 ablations for it also a watchman i notice it more when i am dehydrated yes however that is not the only time i get it. i if i feel dry do drink a 3x hydration booster i like the watermelon berry flavor and i get it from amazon pretty cheap and it usually clears up any dehydration issue i have. when i have drank a lot of alcohol the night before i will typically start my day with a packet and follow up with more plain water.