Hydration Guide - Flipbook - Page 14
EXTRA GUIDANCE + SUPPORT
Extra guidance
‘High output stomas’ have traditionally been classed as any bowel-stoma with
outputs over 1500ml/day, it’s this volume and over which has the most risk of
causing dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. However, after 6-8 weeks of your
surgery your stoma output will have begun to settle and within 6-12 months you will
know what your average daily volume is. Any changes to your normal daily output
where you are symptomatic can also be ‘high output’ and require extra intervention.
The highly specialist advice for those with ‘high output’ stomas can seem counterintuitive, especially compared to other hydration advice for ostomates. It’s important
to remember that every person is different and may have a different anatomy to
other stoma patients or their gut may not have adapted as well to absorb fluid,
however anyone passing larger than normal volumes of stool or urine could also be
said to have ‘high output stomas’.
High-output stoma hydration tips:
•
Drinking ~10-15 minutes before a
meal or ~30-60 minutes after eating.
•
Choosing hydrating foods see hydrating foods section.
•
Reducing the fibre and irritants
in your meals and fluids
(See Fittleworth’s ostomate
nutrition guide).
•
Increasing your salt; choose saltier
foods e.g. cheese, crackers or sauces
and also adding salt to meals (while
cooking or at the table).
Your Doctor may advise you to keep to a ‘fluid allowance’;
this usually involves drinking up to 500ml-1500ml/day
depending on your particular surgery and recovery.
You may also be told to include some rehydration drinks
like Dioralyte® or St. Mark’s solution as part of your fluids
or instead of other drinks.
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