My mother had an ileostomy on May 14, 2012, and she just got discharged from the skilled nursing facility 3 days ago. On her second night home, we gave her a nice salad of lettuce, tomato, and cucumbers (not a large amount). After she ate most of it, she had no appetite for the rest of her dinner. The day after surgery, her doctor had her on a regular diet in the hospital, and my sister and I thought it was too soon, so we got the diet changed to GI soft. But since she was home and nobody stressed to us the do's and don'ts of the diet, I guess we really screwed up giving her that salad. The following day, she had a whole lot of gas - in the bag and a lot of belching. Last night, 24 hours after that salad, she sprang a leak in the bag (don't know why) and her skin was red as a beet. I had no choice but to put on another bag as quickly as possible, even though I had planned to wait until today when the nurse comes, as I had never done the bag change before. But since that salad, the consistency of the bag contents has gone from raw-egg-like to pure liquid watery! Does this mean she could have a blockage from the salad? I am very worried, and an RN is coming today, but she is not an ostomy nurse. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.
The RN may work on the fly if unfamiliar with ostomies, assuming (s)he is good.
As to leaks, one way of diagnosing them is to look at the appliance more forensically as to why it occurred (once removed) (assuming output isn't caked on).
As to the skin, there is a lot of info already out there, so 'nuff said.
And please keep us posted.
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It's still early days since your mother had her op and most people's output is all over the place until things settle, which can take a few months. Salads are notorious for making ileostomy output watery, so it may be wise to stay away from them for a while. At the same time, other foods can make the output very thick, which poses problems of its own (bananas and high-fiber foods). Also, things that make lots of gas like vegetables, pasta, beans, etc. It's unlikely your mom has a blockage from eating salad; it's things like sweetcorn, mushrooms, nuts, coconut, etc. that are known for causing blockages, although in moderation and chewed well, she should be okay. Everyone is different in what foods they can and can't tolerate after having an ostomy, so there's a lot of trial and error with foods. So my advice would be don't let your mom eat foods that upset her digestion before her op, avoid the obvious problem foods for now, and chew everything well. Don't get hung up on getting the output consistent all the time though; mine varies from watery to thick to somewhere in between, but I don't have a problem with it. I like my food and have learned which bag suits me, so leaks are extremely rare for me.
Also, contact all the ostomy companies via email and ask them for free samples. The supplies you have been given may not necessarily be the best for your mom, so I would urge you to try as many as you can.
It is all a bit daunting at first because we are all so different in what works for us as individuals, but you will soon get confident with it, and you have come to a good place to ask advice.
Good luck, DD
Learn more about caring for children with an ostomy on vacation.
I don't think your mom has a blockage because you haven't mentioned pain. Blockages are painful!
I too craved raw veggies and salads when I came home. All of those lovely things caused my output to be extremely watery and caused quite a lot of gas.
The gas alone is enough to cause the bag to turn loose and leak. I doubt your mom is currently using the same bag she will continue to use in the near future. As usual, the hospital sent you home uneducated so it is doubtful you have seen a good WOC nurse yet.
Save yourself and your mom a lot of pain and grief - call the hospital, or the surgeon, and tell them you need an appointment with the wound, ostomy, and continence nurse right away.
As for her skin - there is quite a bit of an adjustment period there. What kind of bag is she using? What do you put on her skin before you put on the bag?
My home healthcare nurse was sweet as sugar but knew NOTHING about ostomies. I was losing bags at the rate of 1 every 4 hours until I found the WOC nurse. My skin was totally shredded. Let us know and maybe we can help y'all out!
I have had my colostomy since March 2009 and still cannot eat lettuce - I can eat tomatoes and cucumber but not the salad part - instant diarrhea - and from time to time, certain other foods will bother - so it's just trial and error. But it does get better, and definitely find a wound care nurse - that's important!
Hi, I have had my ileostomy since the 80's. You will find that foods that turn to fluid will make our bowels loose, as will roughage make them thicker. So, I suggest trying to eat a balanced diet. If you eat a salad, try to have a piece of bread with it. And eat smaller portions. You will find that corn, cabbage, and such foods are hard to digest and can come out thick, which can loosen the bag. So be careful. I find that taping around the faceplate (the seal) helps and makes you feel more secure. Chew your food well to aid in your digestion. And yes, make sure the opening on the seal is the correct size. You will heal around the skin if you keep the bowel away from it and also moisture. Good luck, hope this helps.