ileostomy

does any one who has an ileostomy lose weight ,i feel like i am not getting enough from my food,as most of it comes straight through?

[Ogz]

Hello!  I have an ileostomy but I have not felt as though I have lost any weight.  But I know I can not gain any no matter how much I eat.  We aren't getting enough from our food as it mostly does go straight through as you said.  When I saw my family doctor he did blood work to check my vitamin levels, he said that is a big factor if you have a vitamin deficiency.  It will not necessarily help you gain weight but will make you feel a little better and give your body what it's lacking since nothing is really being absorbed as it should.  My surgeon pretty much told me until I do the reconnection surgery my weight will remain the same.  Hope this helps!

- Danielle

[jdwithhcv]

I lost a lot of weight when I had my ileostomy, but I was also on chemotherapy at the time and that could account for some of the problem.  You should try high calorie beverages, that may at least slow the weight loss.

Good luck.
jd

[katinarizona]

Oh yes. My husband had an ileostomy then the reversal and he lost 30 lbs in 14 days when he was in the hospital. It was unbelievable what he looked like when he got home. We made a website to help others going through the same thing because it is hard to find all the info in one website on the internet. It goes into the eating/losing weight and what he did, and also the "bathroom trips", his recovery, what to expect, what to eat, and much more. If you want to see it, it is at www.freewebs.com/ileostomyreversalsurgery  ..... good luck to you. It will get better.