Tips for Avoiding Painful Blockages

Is there any advice on avoiding these painful blockages?

I was always told to stay away from foods with skins, raw veggies & fruits, nuts and seeds, and anything that just doesn't agree with your body.

I sympathize; I really do. There's nothing worse than their nasty!

Try everything in small portions; then, if it were to cause a problem, it will be short-lived. But I'm afraid there's no easy way. Even then, our digestive system is always changing, and food we can and can't tolerate can change at any time, be it next week or 40 years from now. Adhesions often get the blame for blockages; that's why you should always try things at least three times before ruling them out.

If you eat anything with a skin, I was told to chew, chew, chew, and I have always been a fast eater. I am now trying to do the very opposite. It's more the hard-to-digest foods, skins, seeds, nuts, and celery strings. Now that I am 3 months post-op from an emergency surgery with my original 3 months, 2 weeks ago. I had sepsis and renal failure; my loop ileostomy was moved to the other side of my stomach and now is a straight ileostomy. My intestines were so knotted that they had to remove a section and 20 staples. I am just now allowed to start testing items. If you love to eat peanuts, try almond butter, creamy peanut butter, or cashew butter to curb the cravings. I love salads; I am so glad I can now eat them, but I do peel my seedless English cucumbers, cut peppers, onions, and tomatoes very small, and chew, chew, chew. You got this; just be safe.

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

If you haven't already, create a food diary.

Write down everything you eat, how you prepared it, and what happened later.

Over time, you'll gain experience in what you can safely eat and those troublemaker foods to avoid.

IMO, fluids are the key.

Foods that are typically of concern are those with cellulose (fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains) or those with casings (like sausages and cold cuts) or tough cuts of meat, like beef. Small amounts of these are unlikely to cause problems, but larger volumes or poorly chewed or cooked fruits and vegetables may give you some difficulty.

Chewing should never be underestimated — chew until there is nothing solid left in your mouth. Food should be mushy before swallowing.

Get a mobile app to maintain a diary of the foods you eat and the effects.

G-Day tmn68,

All you have to remember is to chew, chew, chew, and after you have been chewing for some time, then start chewing again and again. Did I mention you should do a lot of chewing?

Regards, IGGIE