Missing Sweet Corn on the Cob with an Ileostomy

Two years later with my ileostomy, what about corn on the cob? Anyone ever tried it? If so, how did it go?

Hello. I too have an ileostomy and cannot eat corn. I have scarring because of past surgeries, so corn is definitely something I cannot have. I'm not suggesting you don't have it; I just wanted you to know my experience with it. I'm sure others will tell of their experiences.

Best of luck 🍀

I also have an ileostomy and will eat corn on the cob. I don't eat it often, but it usually doesn't bother me much as long as I don't eat too much. Chew it well and drink some liquids while eating it if you are worried about a blockage. You won't digest it fully, but most people with a colon don't either; it just gets broken down a bit more and hidden better. Start by eating a small amount at first, and drink liquids and go from there.

I've had an ileostomy since January, and I am terrified of trying corn. I miss it so much, but I had such a hard time getting a system that actually works; I can't risk it.

I can tell you that corn on the cob is probably one of the biggest causes of blockages. Take it at your own risk; personally, I reckon you should find something other than corn. You may get away with it a few times, but you have a ticking time bomb with it.

Regards, IGGIE

My Ostomy Journey: LeeAnne | Hollister

Eat a couple of bites and enjoy. You don't have to eat 6 or even 1 full ear to enjoy the taste. Learn to control the amount you eat, and most can enjoy eating what they want, just in small amounts.

I eat corn all the time, no issue whatsoever. Try a little bit; don't punish yourself. You may be just fine.

Hi R1, have you had any issues with other foods like mushrooms or undercooked veggies? If so, I would avoid the corn, or like others said, try a small amount. Good luck.

Nothing beats Indiana sweet corn in July…probably the same in Alabama! Like the others have said, some can eat it with no issues and some cannot. Reading past posts on this, scar tissue is frequently mentioned. I am suspecting since we are unaware of our innards, in terms of scar tissue, your answer may exist “within”….

Sometimes I will get a “hankering” for popcorn. The kernels and shells frighten me….I have eaten some without any problem, but I avoid it. In place, I purchase “Chester's Puffcorn.” When it first came out, their ad on the bag said “always $2.00”…even though they have not been hit by tariffs at my local WalMart…it now (omits the word always) and sells for $2.99! jb

I have an ileo, and I love corn on the cob. I made a pig out of myself and ate a whole big cob a couple of years ago. Big mistake! I had a partial blockage that lasted several hours and caused intense pain, but it did clear on its own. I do still eat corn, but I will only have a really small cob or half of one, and I chew like crazy and drink fluids to wash it down. I've had no problems.

Terry

I eat corn on the cob occasionally. I just make sure that I chew it really well and drink plenty of liquids. Also, hey neighbor! I'm a fellow Alabamian.

Totally agree! I won't take chances eating food that can cause blockages.

I love corn on the cob and eat it all the time in the summer. The trick is to chew, chew, chew. I have a K pouch, so sometimes an undigested kernel gets stuck in my catheter, but I just clear it and go on. Try it, be careful, and enjoy.

Fresh coconut is the only thing that ever blocked me.

Same here! I've had my ileostomy for 1.5 years and have had one obstruction already and will never touch corn nor any other fruit or vegetable that is likely to cause obstructions! Once you've had an obstruction, you will do anything to avoid another one, and if that means no corn, beans, strawberries, lettuce, etc. ……………I'm willing to give those foods up!!! Which I have!

Not true for everyone, Alex, especially with an ileostomy! Trust me, I know. No food is worth another obstruction for me! Even in tiny amounts!

Totally agree, Iggie!!!

Ditto!! I won't rock that boat for any dangerous food. I'd much rather be safe than sorry! And by sorry, I mean an obstruction. Once you've had one, you will never risk another one when there is a way to avoid it!

Stay terrified! Don't eat it. It's not worth having a blockage that could require surgery to clear the blockage. I have a friend who kept eating nuts, and he paid the price with a blockage and severe pain that required surgery. I stay away from anything with a skin, such as cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, blueberries, corn, etc. Even the white skin on an orange after you peel it is dangerous. Just trim off the skin whenever possible. Stay away from nuts. It ends up as a sludge that is almost impossible to pass.

I was told that corn and popcorn were the two worst things I could consume. Don't touch them.

I was warned not to eat sweetcorn at all after my initial ileostomy operation. I can understand why, as the inside kernels don't digest, and we all know sweetcorn poos from before our ops.
However, I unfortunately had to have a permanent stoma after a second massive operation to remove the residual cancer they didn't manage to totally erase. I'm left with a Barbie butt, which I really didn't want, but on the upside, I can now eat absolutely anything my heart desires.

There's always some good that comes out of a bad situation. If I was still having to not eat certain foods like sweetcorn (which I love), I'd have found some way of liquidizing it and making it into a nice chicken and sweetcorn soup xx

I have had an ileostomy for 60 years and do eat corn on the cob. It was suggested to me to cut through the rows of corn with a sharp knife before eating to help break it down, and of course, chew well. It works for me and doesn't get stuck. To try it out, maybe just eat a small part of the cob, and as time goes on, add more.

I have an ileostomy, my second one…lost my colon to an unstoppable diverticular bleed in February 2020, reversed 8 months later; followed by 7 dilations culminating in a blowout, emergency surgery, peritonitis, a 7-day hospitalization, and a new stoma! 10 months later, a major blockage and another 10-day hospital stay; sent home with a catheter. Major hernia repair a few months later; feeling fantastic now. Pooping out of your butt is overrated as far as my experience. I eat corn but don't swallow the hull; I have become adapted to doing this with potato skin, blueberries, etc.

Coen on the cob has been no problem since my initial surgery... Broccoli, on the other hand, has been an issue, so I separate the stems from the flowerets and only eat one part at the same meal. Crunchy peanut butter was a bit of a challenge.

I regularly have corn on the cob, and I also use the frozen sweet corn kernels to mix with other vegetables. I don't understand why you should avoid nuts, sweet corn, etc., if your stoma has settled down. I agree that you should avoid these foods for the first few months, but once everything has settled down, then you should be able to eat the same diet you had prior to your operation.

Well, maybe I just like living dangerously because I've had a couple of obstructions since my ileostomy, both of which meant trips to the ER, with one being an admission and an overnight stay. They both cleared on their own, but it was extremely painful. I've learned my lesson, as I know what caused each and what to avoid. I don't avoid any foods, but I do avoid eating too much of some, and I am very careful about chewing like crazy and washing things down.

Terry

Your info says you have an ileostomy, so you sound like a person that's been told not to do something but couldn't give a damn. Please don't tell new ostomates that it's OK to eat nuts.

I have an ileostomy, and I have had a blockage, and all I can say to you is that you're just lucky that you haven't as yet.

IGGIE

Hi Roy

I absolutely do not understand it either; it's not logical that the small intestine works and then just doesn't work. However, we know that adhesions are the major contributor to blockages, so the combination of adhesions and some foods is the cause in most cases. My surgeon has been inside me six times and always remarks that he never finds any adhesions, which he says is not common. He tells me the adhesion won't let the intestine roll longitudinally; the result is just like a child's balloon that is inflated and twisted to form animals and the like. I had a woman friend who got blockages regularly twice a year but could not track it to any particular food item; we had the same surgeon. Consequently, I eat anything and everything I desire, but it does disturb me to see people leave the hospital with almost a promise that if they eat this or that, they will suffer, which is not true, and spend the rest of their lives denying themselves some favorite things. Now, I don't have the solution here other than trying things; it's an individual's choice to work their way through that.

I have an ileostomy for 19 years now. Eating corn doesn't seem to have any ill effects on me.

G-Day Axl,

Under normal situations, your small intestine is loose and free to move and can expand without restrictions when a larger than normal food item passes. However, when they cut a hole in your skin to poke it out as a stoma, it now has the hole in the skin acting like a collar and prevents it from expanding to accept something a little too big to pass that opening.

My blockage was from a cardamom seed sitting just inside the opening but back far enough that I couldn't reach it.

I think you have been lucky, Axl, so it's up to you. But remember what we say to the new guys.

Regards, IGGIE