Do people with an ileostomy metabolize medication differently?

Cannot digest coated tablets. They pass right through. I usually ask for liquid or powder form medication, if available.

I don't know your situation but my experience with Mayo in Jacksonville has been great. You might try them.

Some of my meds have to be crushed but don't crush any without Pharmacist approval since some are not safe to be crushed etc. If not crushed they pass through whole. I take with apple sauce..

Hi @harrison221, may I ask what led to your needing an ostomy? How long have you had it and how are you doing?

Colleen, I'm unable to reply right now but will do soon. Thank You, H

Coleen, I have had Crohn's for almost 60 years with 2 resections. I had a gall bladder problem and they removed my gall bladder. After the gallbladder removal I began to have Diverticulitis. It continued to get worse until I was having it every month. I had a problem with Cipro and Flagyl and Amoxcillian quite working. I would have to go to the hospital to be put on an IV with Zosyn. Finally I was told than I needed Surgery. I went back to Mayo and visited with the Surgeon. After review he indicated that since I had two previous operations and lost so much colon and the Diverticulitis was so bad and in many places that total colon removal would be my best option. I had my colon removed on march 14, 23. I now have a low Magnesium problem. I take 400 mg Magnesium tablets twice a day and get a Magnesium infusion every week. Hope this will improve in the future. I am totally free of pain and no longer have to take meds for Crohn's. I'm much better off since the operation.

Yes it appears we do. I have certain medications pass right through my system into my ostomy pouch with being digested.

The question is, how do you find a doctor that believes this to be true? I know without a shadow of a doubt that I don’t metabolize or digest to the full dosage of a pill no matter size or dosage or coating. I have no large intestine and only half of my small intestine which happens to be full of scar tissue. My problem is getting a pain doctor to believe me when I say that I need a liquid version of pain medicine or an injection or they’re gonna have to double the dose so I can actually get the dose that is intended. I’m immediately treated as a drug addict. It’s humiliating and mortifying I was in a near fatal motorcycle accident on December 18 of 2021. I had a one percent chance of survival. I lost over half my organs, shattered the majority of my bones, have a traumatic brain injury due to brain bleed And the list goes on and’s on. let’s just say that I have a severe chronic pain. The accident was only two years ago. My body is still trying to recover. I died three times the third time they had to cut me open and pull out my heart and massage it . Now I have an ileostomy built with only 50% of my small intestine of which is full of scar tissue, and I have a 2 mm window to pass food through. I have had 19 surgeries and 85 blood products since my accident. I have four more surgeries to go. I suffer from chronic severe debilitating Pain . How do you get past the stigma that doctors put on you of being a drug addict and get them to understand that it’s my ileostomy that is causing the issues not an addiction nor is it all in my head. I may be physically accustomed to these drugs, but mentally emotionally and spiritually I don’t even want to be on them. I spent thousands of dollars trying every holistic treatment possible to no avail . Now I’m signing up for all the surgeries that I need to try to get through this pain but until then my pain must be managed so as I can actually live my life especially after surgery. If anybody can give me any advice on how to get these doctors to stop treating me like a drug addict to take my ileostomy seriously and my chronic pain seriously I would love to hear from you

Welcome, @theonepercenter. You've been through a lot. Are you working with an ostomy nurse who may be able to advise on medication and living with an ileostomy? Do you have a pain management specialist?

I have had Crohn's for about 60 years with 2 resections. A few years ago I had to have my Gallbladder removed. After removing my Gallbladder I began to have Diverticulitis and after a few years it got so bad that they had to remove my Colon in Mar of 23. I am doing well and have got my life back.