Managing Diet with an Ileostomy and During Chemo

Hi everybody, whats up?

I've been reading a lot about blockages and forbidden foods and I definitly dont wanna go through that situation! I've had my ileostomy for 3 months now and recently started chemo a month ago, so im supposed to eat healthy but im too scared of blockages!! So im almost not eating vegetables (only potatoes, carrots and pumpkins), not legumes either, i eat most of thr time rice, pasta, and white bread, which i was told by the oncologist i should reduce cause its not great during chemo. Im a bit lost around food because where i live theres no one who knows much about ileostomy so i've been kinda doing every care by myself reading on the internet. And of course keeping the post surgery advices.

So, what do you think? It is possible to get blockages by eating for example lentils or beans? Could i eat for example boiled broccoli, couliflower, other vegetables, with no worries? Of course not raw. I need to get myself stronger :) by the way im a vegetarian!! I was vegan but after all this happened i started eating eggs and cheese. Any other advice to avoid that awful situation? 😨

Thanks a lot, hope you are all doing great ❤️

Look up Vagenostomy on Facebook. I think it will help you.

Hello Linyera.

There have been lots of posts in the past on diet and some on vegetarianism. These can be found in 'collections' ( at the top of the page). Much of the advice is generalised and quite sound, as far as it goes. But many people have pointed out that diet is a very personal thing and it is probably best to do your own experimentation to see what works for you and what doesn't. Beware! and be aware, that many medications affect digestion in different ways, so whatever reaction you have to food, be careful that it is the food you are attributing the results to and not the medication. 

Best wishes

Bill 

Hi linyera i had resection surgery last year and my ileo. moved from right to left side and had to do low residue food starting out and when i couldnt eat the veggies i like i started making smoothies out of them.

Chewing is a huge tool in avoiding blockages.  We're talking 30-40 chews per swallow.  It's the skins on beans, corn, and pickles that are reknown for having issues.

Some good news is that viewing your output you can get an idea of how thoroughly you're chewing.  If you can figure out what it used to be you probably didn't chew enough.

Dave

How to Manage Emotions with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

Hi, I'm only 8 weeks into my colostomy. I'm having the same conundrum as you, though I'm an omnivore. I just restarted chemo today and had a consult with the dietician who happens to be from India. She did some research and was also confused about the can/can't eat recommendations. She pointed out how weird it was because so much of the American choices for what not to eat would be what would be recommended in India. BUT, for example, with beans and pulses, she pointed out that they would be paired with ginger and/or cardamom. Why? Those foods are high in phosphorus, which causes gassiness...and ginger contains chemicals that neutralize gas. Big ah-ha moment for me. She also pointed out that while ginger has too much fiber, you should use it sliced and remove it before serving, or flavor your choice of fat used in cooking and again remove the pieces, or wrap it in cheesecloth to put in soup or stew or whatever and pull it out before serving. This gives you the flavor AND nutrients! Personally, I'm going to start with her recommendation of red or yellow lentils. Small portion. Lentils don't have a skin like legumes do, so there's less problem with blockage. Check how much fiber your doctor wants you to consume. I Google the amounts in a food I want to eat and just keep score. Graze. Chew really, really well. Good luck!