UOAA Discussion Board

Hello,
I am new to this site. My husband has an ileostomy which is now permanent. He went in for the reversal on 11/29 it all went south. His intestine didn't wake up, so everything backed up and went the cecum and it perforated. He was rush back into major surgery twice, ended up in ICU. He was in the hospital for two months. Anyway, now that the ileostomy is permanent, the surgeon recommends him not having a reversal again especially at his age. So, drinking fluids is very important to stay hydrated.... any suggestions on how much water you drink daily with an ileostomy? I know they say 2 liters, drinking that much water is difficult for him.

Thank you for any suggestions you may have.
~TW

Hi TXW115,

It depends on the ileostomate's condition when it comes to hydration but I'd say more is usually better if you're talking about water. This site has good info. https://ostomy.ucsf.edu/for-patients/il ... =vegetable)%20sports%20drinks.-,Fluids,an%20additional%20glass%20of%20water. Remember that soup and many foods contain liquids and that counts also. Your husband may want to add water to unsweetened juice if he has problems drinking enough. I personally don't enjoy sports drinks but some do and they can help. I used to add lemon slices or lemon juice to water but be careful as they are acidic and can cause some inflammation.

For people without ostomies, the "U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is:
About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men
About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women"

You may want to subscribe to The Phoenix which has much valuable info for ostomates. https://phoenixuoaa.org/?v=7516fd43adaa

Good luck to you both and welcome to our site! I'm off to drink some water! It's a challenge for me, too.

Thank you so much for responding!

Welcome to our Discussion Board. Hydration is an important factor for those with ileostomies as Diane states. Another consideration is electrolyte balance which your GI physician can monitor. I have been helped by switching from traditional sports drinks to Pedialyte supplements.
Have you visited the United Ostomy Association of America's main website at https://www.ostomy.org/
It contains a wealth of information, also. Thank you for your post. Please check in with us often.