Advice Needed: Food Tips to Avoid Blockages

Had a blockage two days ago. I deduce it must have been the pickled red cabbage which I chewed very well. It cleared after 24 hours. I was about to go to A&E. I'm having a few gripey pains spaced out now but very tolerable. Haven't had a blockage for three years so it's made me very careful about all foods. Any advice regarding foods would be appreciated. You'd think I would know everything by now.

Glad it seems to be sorted. Fortunately, I've never had a blockage, which is surprising as I inhale instead of chew 😂

 

Hi Meg,

Hope you're well. I love red cabbage and find it does feel uncomfortable on the way out. Especially if I haven't chewed it properly. I tend to find a fizzy drink helps with a blockage, but like yourself, it's very rare I have one.

Isabelle x

Cabbage is hard on me as well. I had a blockage about 25 years ago from 🍌 peppers. I haven't eaten them since. Just make sure you chew and stay hydrated. We never stop learning.

Hi Meg, my one and only complete blockage in nine years was due to quinoa that, apparently, continued to expand in my small intestines. It's not the hard foods; rather, the foods that can become like paste or cement that I am most careful with.

Interesting to know about the banana peppers. I haven't tried them yet. Beets for me, believe it or not. Are radishes okay, anyone?

• Increased risk of blockage (harder separation):

• Ileostomy only: Mushrooms, asparagus, beans, cabbage salad, coconut, corn, dried fruit, grapefruit, peas, pineapples, nuts, oranges, popcorn, raw carrots, raw green vegetables, unpeeled tomatoes

Some examples of foods that can cause blockages are:

• Apple peel, raw cabbage, celery, Chinese vegetables, whole kernels, coconuts, mushrooms, oranges, nuts, popcorn, corn, dried fruit, hotdogs/sausages, pineapple, skins from fruits and vegetables.

• If you or your child experiences belly cramps, watery stool, a swollen stoma, or nausea, it could be a sign of food blockage. Consult a nurse and physician.

Reduced risk of blockage (easier separation):

• Ileostomy only: Fibrous fruit and vegetables (such as oranges and spinach) that are pitted and peeled; food that is beaten and well chewed.

Of course, everyone is different. Just be careful when adding new foods to your diet. At first, eat a small amount and chew thoroughly (up to 60 chews).

I'm sorry to learn of your blockage. I can remember getting a whole lot of those before my hernias were fixed. I'd also get them from eating things I knew I shouldn't.

I can remember lying on the bed lifting my legs with my arms like they tell us to do. What worked for mine usually was either a Coca-Cola or I'd heat up grape juice in the microwave and drink that. I'd also have to take it easy for a couple of days after, sticking to a liquid diet.

Those blockages are painful and scary.