I just thought I'd take a moment to remind myself and others between surgeries, that dehydration can be very very sneaky. It is easy for us to start feeling better and slack on our liquid intake. Especially the caffeinated kind......I'm a coffee addict myself.
Eating is also very important. Between my past with UC and my complications after the first, tried and failed, attempt to reconnect, I don't have a healthy attitude about eating regular meals. This is no good folks.
I have been having gas, cramping, tenderness, aches, fatigue, near-fainting spells, etc. I was convinced that something was wrong, couldn't figure out what the heck was going on.......then I read the dietary guidelines again and realized that I was showing all the signs of dehydration and that I was also making it worse by not eating regularly. Funny how we so easily forget what's best for us!! I'm a mom of two and I tend to take care of my family and friends before taking care of myself.

So, My Dear Comrades in Recovery, I am reminding us all and taking a vow to be more diligent about my diet, be very aware of my liquid intake, stop smoking (my own personal demon after being on nicotine patches and steroids for a year), exercise (also helpful when your down), and remember that I can not help others if I don't take care of myself. I have to show self discipline in making it the #1 priority. No one, but me, can control how healthy my body will be, so its time to man up and stick to it. Good Luck to you all.

Well said Emily~

Thanks Emily,
I have a 'camel' husband ...Drinks water once a week and tells me it is enough (the rest of the time it is espresso and red wine!), so one summer night he came home sweating, aching and cranky as all get out...nearly gave himself a heat attack from hyper-dehydration..hadn't had anything to drink in 2 days! (and he is a normal one!)....so I am constantly on his butt....except that last week I did it to myself! Forgot to drink and ended up 'dried up' with a migraine, dizzy etc...weak as a kitten. We all forget how desperatedly important it is...but hubby is on my butt to eat regular meals..balanced and sugarless...thanks to him I eat...we make a good team...
My trick? I make a pitcher of homemade lemonaide daily..squeeze 2 lemons and cut a handfull of mint into a pitcher and add water and fake sugar...and keep it in the fridge. We drink most of it at dinner and then I refill it with just water and drink it all over the next day. Gives me my hydration plus tastes great and avoids the soda trap. and I know exactly how much I drank. I also make a fruit salad every night: He eats it after dinner (I can't) but save it for the next day and blend it into a smoothie and drink it before lunch.
Sharon

I know this is an older thread, but that is one question I had for others ~ I do workout quite a bit, but I normally drink over a gallon of water a day and normally a few cups of tea as well to stay hydrated. Do others have this issue ?

Thanks for any info..
Di

That's not my normal but if you feel fine otherwise maybe you need these fluids. Are you eating enough salt? Salt will help you to retain more fluids. Everyone's hydration issues post surgery are different.

Sue

I agree regarding the need for salt. Really, make sure that your electrolytes (sodium, magnesium, potassium, chloride) don't get out of balance or washed out due to drinking just pure water. Same would go for your water soluble vitamins.

LuckyOne, how can you tell if your electrolytes are in balance? What do you do to get them back in balance?

Dehyrdation is especially sneaky in hot weather. I was walking around Manhattan yesterday, weather was low 90s fahrenheit and sunny and I could feel myself getting dehydrated even though I was drinking fluids. When you drink a lot of fluids and don't have to pee, your body is sweating it out faster than it is going in. Always carry bottles of water, Gatorade or Powerade in such conditions as dehydration will come on fast. Drink, even if you do not feel really thirsty.

there are good electrolyte waters out there like Smart water and Stop and Shop has their version - it tastes like plain water. Also I always carry Gatorade and Crystal light (their sport/electrolyte enhanced ones) individual water bottle packets in my purse just in case. In this HOT weather I'm totally on electrolyte patrol for my son

I made the mistake yesterday and was working outside for about 7 hours in the heat. I had a plenty of water butnot enough. By supper time I had a wicked headache and could feel the onset from heat exhaustion. So yes we J-pouchers need to be a little more carefull in the heat.......

NOLA-rad,

I'm not sure what you can do at a micro level to measure the status of your electrolytes and determine if one or more is out of balance (low/high). At a macro level, blood tests provide indications of these minerals being out of balance if they are out of lab reference range. More recently my blood work (monthly) showed my sodium level was below lab reference range. Doctor said up the intake of sodium. Will do doc.

All I was really communicating was to not exclusively drink water but to also drink some kind of beverages that contain these minerals/compounds to ensure that you are not sabotaging your efforts to stay hydrated.