Sodium Losses Through An Ileostomy??

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Specializes in Palliative Care, NICU/NNP.

I had a pt with an ileostomy (I don't know where exactly) and her GI doc said she has documented sodium loss and is on salt tabs when she's at home.

A renal doc came in and said that was impossible to lose sodium via an ostomy.

If this is true, would someone please explain to me why this is impossible?

Thanks.

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Specializes in acute medical.

Is this patient on dialysis / in renal failure / have a renal impairment? I was just wondering if there would be any relationship between that and sodium loss. I know nothing about renal except basics, so I am just asking...

I would have thought that you would lose sodium via an ileostomy.

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Specializes in Palliative Care, NICU/NNP.

The pt didn't have any of those. She had a long history of Crohn's disease and then had the ileostomy within the last several years. She was above 70 years old.

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This thread is a prime example of why in another post I said that not enough doctors know how to care for ostomy patients.:banghead:

It sounds like he is confusing it for a colostomy and not an ileostomy.

An ileostomy (especially if a pt has active Crohn's) will lose electrolytes.

Btw, if she is on sodium tabs how is her potassium? Hydration will also need to be monitored.

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