Not enough water?

Mike, when I'm dehydrated, along with having massive migraines, I have to strain but my output is still usually liquidy. Sounds similar to yours. I find that drinking alcohol dehydrates me even if I drink water, too. Sometimes I just don't care, though

Mike, I had severe dehydration once and did not realize it was coming on. I thought I was drinking enough fluids (it was summertime), but was not. Some things to watch for are dark urine, dry mouth and abnormally low blood pressure. When you squeeze the skin on the upper side of your hand, it should return back down instead of staying up. In my case, I experienced a feeling of faintness when I stood up and had experienced abnormal fatigue.

Since you are not that far out from surgery, it is likely that your body has not yet adjusted to your new plumbing. I suggest that you drink plenty of fluids and go easy on the food (hard to avoid the temptation of all the holiday goodies). Anyway, relax and enjoy the holidays!
Bill

Mike,
I find that coffee, soft drinks and regular tea dehydrate me too...I use diluted juice or homemade lemonaide to rehydrate.
My first signs are the dark urine but also a stronger smell to it, pain in the lower back/kidneys, joint pain, heart palpitations, sudden sweats, headache usually temples or scalp, dizzies (I get what I called angels as a kids, meaning seeing stars), severe lethargie and exhaustion, drymouth etc.
Do not ignore these symptoms because dehydration usually means that I am no longer thirsty...a perverse side effect...it you wait to get thirsty you may be too late.
I don't cramp other than in my legs but I do get nausea when it has gone too far.
Keep up those fluids especially when you are not thirsty. One of my docs told me that when I am thirsty it is too late.
Sharon

My daughter who has her colon is notorious for not drinking enough.

Her symptoms are headaches and nausea and this awful desire not to drink, but to eat salty foods (which is a body's way of tricking itself, briefly, by pulling the water into the gut by osmosis, but again, is no long term solution at all.)

I will echo the symptoms described above. As someone who has been hospitalized numerous times for dehydration, and as I write this am having hydration infusion therapy, if you are feeling fatigued, short of breath, having muscle cramps(mine start in my feet),dizzy,severe headache, get it checked out! I just go to the ER as there really isn't any other place that can help you. Typically if you are experiencing these symptoms you cannot drink enough to get yourself hydrated again. Believe me, I've let myself get in those situations and tried to convince myself I could manage it.

No, it takes a toll on your body I never imagined. If your electrolytes, particularly potassium, get severely low, it affects your heart, kidneys and other internal organs. I now have a nephrologist as one of my doctors due to a severe episode of dehydration where I had a temporary loss of kidney function. I see him quarterly for monitoring as repeated dehydration could cause permanent damage. I sure don't need to add dialysis to my life!

Fortunately, a few weeks ago I went to the Mayo Clinic and found out I have Crohn's. Which the doctors here had been telling me I didn't have. I am hopeful once I start my treatment for that my dehydration situation will improve.

I hope your situation has improved, please take care!

I experience the same symptoms headache that lasts for days, cramps starting from toes up, tiredness, feeling that I don't have any energy and most times I will drink mint tea thinking it would help me. I do drink plenty of water but maybe not enough. So you are suggesting to go to hospital to see if it is dehydration. Why is it that your doctors don't mention any of these symptoms you may have so you would be aware of what is going on. I never thought to go to ER. I always thought it was just my condition. I will be more aware and ask my gastro about this Thanks for info Grace

Going to the ER is a hard decision to make. You may want to speak to your Dr. about your symptoms first. After the first two times it happened to me, I knew what the symptoms were when it was bad enough I couldn't get rehydrated on my own.

To show you how bad it can get. Once, I thought I had food poisoning. Was losing fluid out both ends. Cramps started in my feet, worked up my legs, so severe I could not get out of bed. Then my hands started to cramp up and worked up my arms. All the while my twin sister is calling to check on me. I'm telling her I'm ok I just need to sleep. Thankfully she wasn't buying that. I was slurring my speech, obviously not thinking clearly, and she called 911. She's a 911 dispatcher also. I had left my apartment window slightly open thankfully because I couldn't make it down the stairs to let her in I was so weak. She had to climb in my window and push my couch aside to get in.

When the paramedics got there, my blood pressure was like 50/30. I can see a hospital from my apartment less than 1/2 mile down the road. They would not take me to the major hospital where I've had all my surgeries and such because I was too unstable to take another 40 minutes down the road.

I might have just gone to sleep and never woken up if my sister hadn't been persistent. It is an extreme example and I had to promise my family I would never let myself get that bad again before I got help. So, for me, I might jump the gun and go to the ER, but the worst thing that would happen is they give me some fluids and send me home. I'm going to play it on the safe side.

Dehydration is serious. Until it started happening to me I had no idea how serious. I just wanted to share my experience; I hope yours is minor and temporary.

Yes... Dehydration is serious.
The few things I remember is lightheaded.... Cramps... Just not feeling well.... The first time I was out of the hospital I passed out from it. I hit the tile face first in the bathroom gave myself a black eye and bruised my face. Missed the counter by centimeters. Could have been worse but it put me in the hospital for 18 days.
I know the symptoms now. But I drink water all the time because it is so easy for us to dehydrate.
Drink... Drink... Drink... Even if you don't feel as though you need it and do it everyday!
Richard.