Dehydration & Isotonics/Hypertonics & Hypotonics

[Shaz]

Dehyration hints and tips:


A recipe for a home rehydration drink, all of the following can be found in the chemists/shops:

6 x 1 teaspoon (5ml) Glucose
1 x ? teaspoon (2.5ml) Sodium bicarbonate
1 x 1 teaspoon (5ml) Sodium Chloride
make up with 1 pint of water.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following foods will also help with dehydration as they are rich in essential salts:

Cheese
Processed foods
Stock cubes
Bovril
White bread
Salted crisps
Table salt
Bananas
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Kiwi fruit


I was also told by a dietician (with regards to this subject, at the hospital) that chocolate * is rich in potassium, but this I think is a sneaky stand-by, so if you?re dehydrated don?t rely purely on chocolate to get you feeling better.(See also, foods to avoid)

Alternatives to the home-made re-hydration drink (above) include isotonic drinks (ie ? sports drinks, for example, Lucozade ?). You can buy re-hydration packets from your pharmacy, which consist of soluble essential salts, (such as Dioralyte?).

N.B:
Isotonic drinks help to correct and keep stable the water/salt balance within your body. Fizzy drinks can make this worse ? or at the very least, not help. Likewise, drinking only water will not rehydrate you as you will not be replacing any lost salts. Indeed, if you only intake water and no salts, your body can lose more salts, therefore becoming further dehydrated. Your body needs to re-balance the water/salt ratio for you to be hydrated. See Isotonics, Hypertonics and Hypotonics

Dehydration should not be a common problem with a J-pouch, if you find you are becoming dehydrated regularly, chances are you need to take more care of your pouch.
For example, the types of foods you eat may be affecting the time the pouch has to absorb the nutrients, salts and water. Therefore, the waste is not remaining in your pouch for long enough.
There is a small risk of dehydration in the summer and whilst experiencing hot weather and/or participating in exercise. Medication such as loperimide, codeine phosphate and lomotil can help to slow up the bowel. However, it is essential that you consult you doctor before taking these.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Avoid when dehydrated and/or to prevent becoming so:

Fizzy drinks
Alcohol (excessive drinking can make a J-poucher?s hang over worse)
Caffeine (makes you pass more urine)
Foods that may increase the number of times you go to the bathroom: For example, beans, lentils, leafy green veg, raw fruit, fruit juices, brown bread, spicy foods, (caffeine and alcohol), fried foods and sugary drinks taken in quantity. (Also, chocolate, however, see * )


N.B:
You should drink the equivalent of 8-10 average glasses of fluid a day (1.5 to 2 litres).
It is important to add at least a teaspoon of salt to your food over the day. Medication such as loperimide, codeine phosphate and lomotil can help to slow up the bowel. However, it is essential that you consult you doctor before taking these.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Symptoms of dehydration include:

Dry mouth and skin?this can lead to your skin feeling itchy and/or tight.
Thirst
Light-headed, possibly headaches
Small quantities of urine, dark in colour
Cramp like pains in stomach and/or hands and feet or legs.
Nausea
Dizziness
Tiredness/Exhaustion


- They can result from an overactive pouch and a very watery output. **You do not need to have all the symptoms to be dehydrated.**