Help! Restricted diet - what can I eat?

Hi DMP, welcome to the group. I have been part of the organization for many years. I do not understand why you can't eat what you enjoy? It could have been recommended to take things slowly post-op, such as limiting the amount of veggies and fruit consumed. Raw fruits and veggies are more difficult to digest and pass through a new stoma (sometimes). Why don't you try cooked fruits and veggies at first? Try a baked apple or pear without skins or maybe some cooked squash or broccoli. See how things go.... I have an ileostomy and eat most foods. I do avoid skins on fruits and veggies, and I do not eat raw nuts any longer. If I crave nuts, I buy nut butter and it satisfies my craving. I chew a lot more than I did prior to surgery too. I make certain to drink a lot of liquid during my meal to make it easier on my GI tract to digest the food. That being said, test the waters slowly and introduce your favorite foods back into your diet. Good luck!

Dmp,

As everyone has said, chew your food thoroughly to almost a paste consistency. It aids in digestion, makes the "I feel full" meter work better so you don't overeat, and you absorb nutrients better.

When medical professionals tell you that you "can't" eat those foods, usually they mean immediately after surgery. I have an ileostomy and was back to a normal diet 2-3 weeks after surgery.

Below is a link to an Ostomates food reference chart. There are several online, but this one is simple. Hope it helps.

Ostomates food reference chart

Bain

Lots of souped veggies. I had my ileostomy in 2010 and still have a hard time with raw veggies. Occasionally I can tolerate a bite or two of a raw carrot. However, I have to chew each bite 25x - and yes, I count. I have Scleroderma, so I also have problems with peristaltic wave function and esophageal motility problems.....I use gravity to help propel the food down....so my dinner hour is no later than 3pm.

Wow, the range of problems people have. From none to lots! For what it's worth (and much like many people on the site), I had to start with what dieticians call a low-residue diet - easily digested, very little fiber, easy to pass through the digestive tract. This was for the first 3-4 weeks. After that, I introduced my old foods one at a time until I was on a long-term healthier diet. Yes, a low-residue diet will help your colon heal, but in terms of general overall health, it is one of the worst diets you can go on long-term! Within a couple of months after that, I was pretty much back to my pre-surgery diet with only a few exceptions. I found out that some foods swell in my intestine and are hard to pass, like popcorn and some seeds. Occasionally, corn gives me problems and appears to pass totally unchanged. And beans and split peas need to be cooked longer than usual or they tend to give me gas. Other than that, we (my husband and I) eat a mainly vegetable-based diet with lots of stews, soups, salads, etc., filled with lots of vegetables. No real problems. So you do have that to look forward to. But please do follow a low-residue diet until your surgery heals; it will give you a leg up toward a more normal diet in the future.

Hi DMP,

I have not read all the replies to your post, so I may be repeating advice. Time will tell what you can and cannot eat. In the first few months after surgery, you should stick with easy-to-digest foods - eggs, baked or mashed potatoes, and avoid spicy or foods high in fiber, especially corn and corn products. As time goes on, you should introduce more of the foods you prefer and see how your body handles them. I was eating most foods in a few months to one year from surgery, EXCEPT CORN. Everyone is different, so it is trial and error. Within a year, I was able to tolerate any and all foods - salads and raw veggies included. Good luck and stay well.

I didn't know; there are different colostomies? I had one and now I have an ileostomy.

I eat anything I want. I haven't had any problems with nuts or veggies. I have an ileostomy. But so far I'm able to eat anything. I chew my food really well and I drink loads of water.

You definitely need to check back with your doctor. Unless you have other issues, there should not be a reason that having a stoma rules out those foods, so the restriction might just be for immediately after surgery. I have an ileostomy and I eat everything. The ideas mentioned (chew your food, moderation, trying one at a time) are all perfect suggestions.

Eliminating fiber will tend to keep your output more watery. I eat an apple every day (with skin), and that fiber seems to be a huge positive.

The other very important thing to consider is that you have had a major surgery and things have been moved around, and if you had a lot cut out, they have been moved around dramatically. You might be 70-80% healed in 4-6 weeks, but you will literally be healing, and organs settling into more comfortable positions for themselves for years. That means don't give up on foods. You might eat 3 pinto beans and chew them well today with bad success, but in 6 months you are better healed and they might be no problem. Keep trying over time, especially the foods you love. I also find that combinations can sometimes work better than individual items. Try a nut and a banana or a nut and an apple - to me they seem to break down quicker in my mouth when eaten together.

Hey there DMP. I believe what you are referring to is diet restrictions for those with an ileostomy. If you have a colostomy then you shouldn't have many restrictions. I would add a veggie every couple of days and see how you do eating them. Some food can cause excess gas and that can make you noticeable in public.

I have an ileostomy that I swear, thinks it is a colostomy LOL. But I am very fortunate and can eat just about anything. Moderation is the key! And try one thing at a time at first and see how it does. Sort of like when you start a baby out on food -- one thing at a time so you can gauge any reactions.

As everyone else has asked, what sort of ostomy do you have? I have a descending sigmoid, but I also had a hernia and cancer, so I understand eating problems although for different reasons. Try baby food...no joking, I still have some in my icebox. I lost three teeth and some bone (at my gumline) to chemo. Can you eat bread? If butter and oils are causing a problem, try baby prunes on toast. It will give you fiber, sugars, and depending on the bread you use, starch and more sugars. I love real Jewish Rye--caraway seeds and all. That, and pumpernickel has the most fiber and the least sugars of all breads (pumpernickel has no sugar). My point is that when I was alone, chemo'd and just sooo sick, I could drag myself down to the kitchen and feed myself. Another thing to try is yogurt--plain, as 'flavored' yogurts are full of sugars and preservatives that essentially negate the healthy bacteria that helps digestion. Eggs, custards, bananas--and yes, baby food. It will be temporary but you'll be stronger for your next round if you're well nourished. Ask your Docs what you should be eating, not what you can't!

Yep, trial, moderation, and chewing very well are the keys to it. There may well be some things you'd rather not eat for fear of a blockage, but eating small amounts of them is what you do to figure that out. I can eat just about anything, except nuts on their own. If something contains nuts, or I eat them with other food, I don't have issues. But sitting down and snacking on almonds or the like is an absolute no-no for me.

Hi DMP, I'm a pescatarian, so meat is not on my menu. I eat seafood when I can afford it. I was told no salads (but I will still eat them, although not everything digests), and veggies are okay if cooked. The only problem I have had food-wise is that initially I could eat whatever post-jejunostomy, but as time goes by, my stoma has become more sensitive. I cannot eat anything too salty, no jalapenos, and no chopped garlic. Sometimes they end up sitting on top of my stoma and just burn. Whereas I used to do a lot of stovetop cooking with spices, I do more broiling now with a little salt + pepper.

Hello, I used to steam my veggies with an ileostomy! Steve

Hello, I do eat salad. It all depends if you like looking at what you pass.......lol..... But as for nuts, seeds, sweetcorn, peas, it's a no-no as it will block your stoma.... My doctor told me that when I eat an apple or pear, then I need to peel it and chew it very finely.... Bananas, they are very good for you... I eat mostly fish, chicken, very little pork, and beef. If I do eat them, it's once a week... I hope this is helpful to you. If you would like to know more, I will sure try and help to answer your questions. Take care and all the best to you.... Regards, Baygal xxx

Hi, thank you. I stopped eating things with skin. No salad. I'm scared to eat stuff. But anyway, I have a question. Is this the pain site for ostomatedating.com? Please help. I paid for it and I got a cancellation. I don't know what happened. I'm going to call, I guess. Yo, that's you Victoria. NewlifeVictoria.

NewlifeVictoria,

I'm not sure what you are asking but OstomateDating.com is in no way affiliated with this site. This site is MeetAnOstomate.org. If you paid for a membership on OstomateDating.com, you should have a confirmation email. I would suggest contacting the administrator of that site.

Bain

Yep, it's just trial and error, but avoid nuts, sweetcorn, mushrooms, dried fruit... all the obvious stuff that you know you cannot digest normally well.

Basically, it is not rocket science.... eat what is easily digestible for the first few months.... and then try stuff... baked beans and all sorts of beans are not recommended...!!

Dear Bain, thank you so much for your kindness. It's well appreciated and I know that you live a life free of worrying about what you eat! It's awesome that you can eat everything! Amen. I hope you have a great day when you're reading this. I hope you're feeling good! I'm not feeling it, really. It has been a lot on me and I can't eat stuff that's good for us. I'm congested, but anyway, I'm hoping to feel better. Have a great day. Victoria

Hello, I'm new here. I've found that my diet has to be very, very bland, but within those confines, I still try to make interesting food.

There's a lot you can do with pancakes, waffles, egg dishes, stews, softer breads, yogurt sauces, potato dishes, and salmon. Veggies such as cooked beets, carrots, green beans, as long as they're cooked asparagus tips, you can do stir-fry with carrots and beans and chicken and tofu, just so long as there are no skins. Spaghetti, as long as the spaghetti sauce is pretty puréed. You can make

garlic bread as long as you use powdered garlic. I've done hummus by puréeing soft garbanzo beans and regular black beans so that the skins are totally blended, and that has worked. Refried beans have worked in a soft burrito shell as well. I'm sorry you're in pain. I sympathize and empathize as my ileostomy has become herniated and it just hurts all the time, but I don't have gastro problems. I don't know if that's what you're referring to.

Hi Carolyn, hi. How are you doing? Hope you're feeling good today. Thank you for all the info. I appreciate it so much and do just that stuff too. But I think some things are really turning to fat. That's it and I'm gaining weight on me I never had before. I'm trying to figure out what to eat differently because what I'm doing isn't working... So you're in pain too? People say they're not? You have scar tissue too? You please text me anytime. Please, thank you... Are you having good days? Please, let's chat, okay? Thank you, even if we just text, would be good if you like, okay? Sincerely, Victoria.

Bill, please write back to Victoria.

Hi everyone, I have to say I had a colostomy and now I have an ileostomy. I had 4 major surgeries, and I have to say foods of all sorts bother me. Anything, I'm going to do smoothies and baby food and chew the soft foods I cook like carrots (no broccoli and cauliflower). I have to say, just being careful and in time, I will try some other things but not everything mushy and soft. I do a little chicken and turkey and eggs, yogurt, soft things, and be careful. In time, I will not be in so much fear. I started to eat everything and had problems, so happy eating food to keep us healthy and vitamins. I gained weight, have to exercise. It's been a lot since Jan 2018 to now, so I'm going to try to be more careful. Okay, just saying, I'm reading most eat anything but I can't. But I don't want the cramps and have to pull stuff out of stoma as I did with the coleslaw. Okay, thank you, have a great time with trying new things and new foods and chew about 50 times? EAT TO LIVE, not just to eat. This is what I did. I like good, but it's different now. I'm watching what I eat, soup, and I'm not feeling good, so I have to make changes. Okay, happy eating and having fun. NEW LIFE VICTORIA

Try a bit of something at a time.. I can eat salads (without tomatoes etc) cut very small. That was a hurdle for me. Also, can drink carbonated beverages.

Hi. Try the low FODMAP diet. Book ref is ISBN 978-0-09-195535-9. Authors: Dr. Sue Shepherd and Dr. Peter Gibson. Onion and garlic, in particular, can cause a lot of problems for some people.
N.B. You probably know this, but if diverticulitis was the underlying/original cause of bowel problems, you should never eat seeds or nuts (unless well ground up) nor pips.

Hello Newlife Victoria. Thankyou for your post and the explanation of your own journey, which helps explain where you are now. 

There does seem to be a few differences between what is possible regarding food intake with colostomies and ileostomies. However, there are some basic principles which seem to apply to both. Start out experimenting with small amounts of food you like so that you can identify any which might cause problems ( and avoid them). chew everything well (possibly more than you would normally). If this is difficult, try putting food into a blender before it goes into your mouth. 

I found that there were foods that I could not eat at first, but further down the line I was able to introduce them slowly again and now I can eat almost everything I like.  If I have a problem I drink Metamucil, which has the effect of pushing everything through the system gently and it seems to relieve any pain that is caused by food congestion. 

Best wishes

Bill

I had a loop colostomy 15 months ago and eating is a nightmare. I am a vegetarian but find the majority of food goes straight through me. I kept a food diary for 6 months but unfortunately it just highlighted that my gut can't cope. I can sometimes spend a couple of hours in the bathroom 2 - 3 days a week.