Living with a colostomy for over 20 years, you might have gotten used to certain routines. However, if you've recently noticed that your output has become unpredictable—sometimes nothing for days, followed by frequent, watery episodes—you might be wondering how to make things more consistent. You enjoy a wide variety of foods, so you're considering whether a fiber supplement or a change in diet could help.

Here are some suggestions and insights that might be helpful:

1. Keep a food diary, either on paper or using an app like "mySymptoms Food Diary," to track which foods affect your output. Consulting a gastroenterologist could also be beneficial, and they might recommend imaging tests like a CT scan or colonoscopy if needed.

2. Understand that some day-to-day variability is normal unless your eating, drinking, and exercise habits are exactly the same every day.

3. Consider incorporating foods that are known to thicken or slow down output, such as:
- Applesauce, bananas (unripened or ripe), boiled rice, crackers, pasta, potatoes, breads (white or toast), marshmallows, jellybeans, yogurt, cheese, creamy peanut butter, tapioca, weak tea, and milk (preferably boiled).
- For those with an ileostomy, similar foods like crackers, pasta, rice, ripe bananas, toast, yogurt, milk, creamy peanut butter, breads, cheeses, and potatoes can be helpful.

4. Some fiber supplements that others have found useful include:
- Generic Psyllium Fiber Powder, which can be blended into a mid-morning smoothie with banana and vanilla almond milk.
- Sunfiber 31, which is partially hydrolyzed guar gum.

5. A probiotic that has been suggested is ProbioMax DF Daily.

6. Consider these behavioral tips:
- Limit or avoid carbonated sodas, as they can thin output for some people.
- If shredded lettuce tends to stick to your pouch and cause issues, it might be best to omit it.
- Irrigation, done once daily either in the morning or at night, can help provide predictable, near-24-hour control of output.

Remember, while fiber can improve overall consistency, there will still be occasional off-days due to dietary choices or stomach bugs.