Eating Popcorn with an Ileo & Dealing with Overnight Gas - Need Advice!

Hello all - I have two questions and would appreciate any help or advice on both. First one - has anybody with an ileo been able to eat popcorn - it's one of my fav's and I need food right now that makes me happy - I had a small handful the other night and nothing bad happened but I am scared to try anymore. Is it the small hard brown part of the kernel that could cause a blockage because I can avoid those pieces if need be. Question two - I have been getting really bad gas overnight - when I wake up it's like having a Dolly Parton boob in my lap - I do take a no name gas pill before I go to sleep but it has not been working. I am one of those dreaded mouth breathers when I sleep so I know that is a large part of the problem - any suggestions anyone?

Thanks
Terr

As for the popcorn.. I eat a bag almost every night. It helps with solidifying. My surgeon suggested it and I was scared at first but popcorn is less likely to block you than regular corn. Go figure. As for gas I've had the same problem and still don't know what to do. It's been so bad that the bag has blown off need I say more.. I try not to eat anything after 7pm which helps with the problem. If you come up with a solution let me know. Good luck.

Popcorn or nuts or even regular corn on the cob have never produced a blockage problem for me. As far as the gas is concerned, I think it's more a matter of what you eat than when you eat. Certain veggies can produce enough gas for use in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.

Popcorn I can't tolerate, but I have trouble with gas too, but I've found if I have 2 ginger biscuits in the evening it seems to cut down the amount of gas, not sure if it's the ginger or what but it helps. Try it, can't lose anything. Ambies.

The surgeon told me that was the only food to avoid, but like you, I love it, so I tried it and have eaten it ever since without any problems. I have had an ileo for 8 years.
Eddie

My Ostomy Journey: Jearlean | Hollister

Hello Tess45,

This reply is not likely to be of any practical use to those with an ileo but I thought it might be 'interesting'.  When I had a bag I suffered from gas. Possibly because I started eating just what I wanted to - after so many years on an enforced diet.  However, even on the diet I still had gas problems - so I figured that it was not necessarily the food that was causing it.  When I started irrigating. The input of water brought all the gas to the surface and that has a tendancy  to spurt out huge amounts of gas along with the first lot of water.   I am still bemused at the amount of gas that it produces.  I'm beginning to feel that I alone am the cause of global warming!  Anyway for the period until the next irrigation I have very little problem with gas.  This is just as weel as I use a stoma-plug and wonder if the pressure of too much gas would push it off.    I understand that there are preparations based on charcoal that reduce this problem of gas. However, like most things in life they are likely to cause another.  - like constipation.

   Best wishes   Bill

I have had an ileo for 18 years now and really have had no real problems that way. I eat popcorn and nuts regularly and it all seems to be okay. The only problem I have is if I eat too many raw vegetables. I just have to remember to chew everything really well, as I have had a few blockages over the years. Everyone is different, so I guess it is trial and error for everyone.

I eat popcorn smothered in butter at least once a week. As for the gas, I eat yogurt before bed as a snack. Not sure why, maybe it's the live bacterial cultures, but it seems to get rid of the gas for me....

Ha ha, thanks for the chuckle. Good answer.
Take care.

Hello
I eat popcorn all the time and have not had any problems. I also have an ileostomy. For gas, I have used Gas-X. It's just an over-the-counter tablet for gas. That seems to do the trick. Good luck.
Dee

Hi, I love popcorn and eat it all the time. I have never had a blockage in 11 years, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. I have tried many brands and I stay away from the ones that are way too kernelly (probably not a word, lol). Also, this may sound weird, but I spit out all of the kernels that I can - you know, all the small, thin, half-circle pieces that get stuck in your teeth. I just get a bowl and spit them into it while eating my popcorn. It may sound weird or gross, but I think it probably does help at least a little at avoiding blockages. I also chew very well before I swallow and drink lots of water. Well, anyways, that is my experience with popcorn. Hope you have similar luck. Kel

I eat popcorn about twice a week with no problems at all. No extra gas or blockage either.

They make a hulless popcorn. You can find it on the internet.

Thanks everyone for the replies - I will try the ginger and the yogurt and continue to eat popcorn.

Weewee - what site do you order from and what flavor do you get?

Hi: Even though I am not supposed to eat popcorn, I do once in a while. I am not supposed to eat regular corn either because it gets stuck in the pockets of the intestine. I do eat that occasionally also. You really need to check with your doctor and see what he says about what you can eat.

I get away with eating air-popped popcorn (no butter) by chewing, chewing, chewing, and spitting out anything that is "kernally". I've gotten away with it so far. But we all know there is risk. Raw ginger speeds up my bowel and makes things worse in my case.

I found ginger okay in a cookie or biscuit, works fine. I think raw ginger for me would be a no-no...ambies

Ginger cookies are really hard to find here - so I am trying ginger tea - will let you know how that works out

Popcorn and corn
brought me to ER a few years ago, I feel so scared to eat it.

Hi Tess, ginger herbal tea is just as good. I've tried it and it still works. Good luck, ambies...

Why do you feel you must eat popcorn?
If it causes you problems, then don't eat it! You must now change your eating habits to eat only those foods that do not give you problems. I like popcorn, especially at the movies, but after having an episode putting me in the hospital with a blocked stoma because of popcorn... guess what? You got it, I don't eat it anymore. I have had my ileostomy for 12 years and know what and when I can eat certain foods. Never eat after 6pm so you have a chance of an empty stomach later at night. No soda drinks at night. No curries. It's hard, I know. I'm with you all the way. Start training that unruly body. It's a spoiled child that wants its own way. Good luck. Danny.

Tommy6644 - I don't feel that I have to eat popcorn - I like popcorn - and I have found that even though I was told to stay away from certain foods - I have found that I can eat things that I was warned about - like grapes and strawberries and raspberries and oranges etc - I just wanted to see if there are ileostomates that do eat popcorn and what they experienced. If I am trying something new, I make sure that I eat a limited amount and drink fluids with it. BTW, I eat way way past 6pm and have absolutely no problems - unless it's something high in sugar LOL - I also have no problem in drinking anything that is carbonated at any time of the day or night - so goes to prove my point about me - if it's weird or unusual, I will be the one to experience it LOL

My gas has settled down a lot.

What works for me: absolutely no carbonation (soda, sparkling water, beer). No milk products after about 3pm. No drinking with a straw. A dry-type snack about 1 to 1.5 hours before bed (crackers, chips, dry cereal - this has made a notable improvement).

Note: I do get up a couple of times to empty during the night... but there's hardly any gas. I used to Dolly Parton Bag too.

P.S. Can't do popcorn.

Haven't tried crackers or dry cereal - I'll give it a go - thanks

My specialist said a strange thing to me. Do you like marshmallows? Why, I said, eat as much as you like. LOL. It goes to prove we are all different. God bless all survivors of the big C.

For my colostomy, I have been told that for diarrhea, I should eat marshmallows, jelly babies, and underripe bananas. For constipation, I should eat licorice and prunes. I personally can't have fizzy drinks, but I treat myself if I am constipated by having licorice with Coke to help things move along! I was also told not to eat corn (sweet or popcorn), nuts, and dried fruit. I guess every stoma nurse is different.

One of the few junk foods that I can't stand. Also, I'm not in love with bananas either - what's a poor girl to do? LOL

I have yet to eat popcorn although I love it. I have had my ileo for over 3 years now but I have so many issues with it just staying on without leaking out let alone trying a food that could cause a blockage!
I have woken up with my bag full of gas as well. I find that I have to wake up every 3 or 4 hours to check on the bag. No fail...if I sleep more than 5 hours at a time (which is a wonderful thing because I suffer huge insomnia) the bag fills and leaks out. I am not sure of the cause of it either. I try to stop eating by 8pm...and I have Greek yogurt for my last snack...although I do drink a lot overnight and I do get hungry so I eat dry cinnamon life cereal in the middle of the night. LOL. Try cutting yourself off from most foods by a certain point depending on when you usually go to bed...that might cut it down. Also...depending on what company you get your ostomy supplies from...they do make a pill you can chew for gas and they also have one you can stick in the pouch. I know that Byram Healthcare has it because that is the company that I use. Go to their website and either look around there or request a catalog be sent to you. You will find them there. They are charcoal or something like that.

I have not eaten popcorn because I know what it can do. I have learned the stretches and ways of getting rid of blockage from corn or not chewing and went to the ER so chew chew chew is the answer and I eat a lot of gummy lifesavers, luv em. No popcorn.

Just type in "hulless popcorn". I have a number you can call.
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It's really easy to find and not too bad on price either.