Avoiding dehydration
The body needs enough fluid to function properly. It helps you stay active, enhances blood circulation, and is important for all aspects of your health and wellbeing. The body’s ability to absorb and utilize water may reduce after a bowel surgery [4] removal of the large bowel.
There are no certain rules on how much water you should drink because you will feel different every day. Experts advise patients to drink around 6-8 glasses of fluid per day. However, some people will need more, especially people with stroma.
The best way to know how hydrated you are is to observe the color of your urine. If it appears like light-straw, it means you are drinking enough fluid. If it appears darker in color, then you need to take more fluid.
Symptoms of dehydration
It is common for people with an ileostomy or high output colostomy to experience dehydration [5]. You must drink plenty of fluids every day to prevent dehydration. Experts advise people to drink a minimum of 2 liters or more a day depending on the output.
You notice the following things when you are dehydrated:
- Headache
- scaly skin
- Dark-colored urine
- Infrequent urination
- Feeling thirsty or dry mouth