Adjusting Diet Post-Ileostomy: Seeking Advice and Tips

Hi everyone,

Just became a member. It has been four years since my ileostomy. I just have to learn to deal with it. Vanity is a terrible vice! I know sometimes I am paranoid about the bag. I am reading the tips and stories about diet.  It seems that what ever I eat affects the output. Am I correct in saying that an ileostomy is  different than a colostomy and there is more emptying of the bag? There seems to be no rhyme or reason with the diet. Are there any good suggestions with what to eat so the stool is not always so thick. should I be eating smaller meals and cutting back? I also have this fear that my bag is going to burst. It hasn't happened yet but I am constantly thinking about it. I am in the media a lot and have to get over this. I had emergency surgery and I am lucky to be alive. Maybe I just needed to vent. Thanks for this sight. I have enjoyed reading about  peoples experiences. Hope to hear about some of your diets that make life easier. God bless everyone!

Hi, and welcome to the 'family'!



Yes an ileostomy is different to a colostomy in that the output is generally more liquid and will need emptying more often, although you are saying that yours is quite solid ... most of the posts here are more about it being too liquid! I found that when I first had the ileo, I could eat virtually anything, but nowadays since I got a hernia, that isn't the case and I now have to be careful with nuts, raw fruit and veggies etc. which may cause a blockage. I suspect that maybe you don't drink enough for it to be so thick, I know that I don't drink as much as I should do either, so that may be one tip, up the fluids...



I am sure that you will get more advice from those more knowledgable than I before long. Rachel xx

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welcome !  I have an ileostomy, do they have you on any meds, when I had my surgery they put me on meds to thicken and slow down the output but I prefer it to be liguid rather than thick & pasty.  I find eating salads veggies will make it more liguid while simple starches bananna's, pasta's, potatoes will make it thicker, I do understand the feeling like its going to bust it fills up so quickly pain in the butt so to speak, that is if i still had one!  hee! hee! hope my rambeling helps some!

hang in there!

eddie

Thanks for replying. It is great to know there are other people in the same boat1 Keep well

Hi married, I too have the ileo and the other replies are very correct. When I was first given my lil' fella, and ate bananas it would thicken the stool too much and cause abdominal pain that I found out later were blockages. There is plenty of information on the internet in regard to diet and it helped me. Just remember, everyone is different with what they can eat and medications do change the output. I was put on 5 Gastro-stop (per day) or Immodium to others. I am now on none and am diet controlled. Your output should only be a thick(ish) paste, not hard. As someone said above, if this is the situation, you need to take in more fluids, not coffee, but water.

JAx

Hope you find your balance in your diet.

Living with Your Ostomy | Hollister

Thanks so much for your reply. You are a lovely looking lady and I am sure everything will turn out great for you. People on this sight are wonderful. At times we feel we are the only ones living with this stupid bag until we get on this webpage. God bless!

Hi Married! I've had my ileo since Dec 09 -- output is watery and then sometimes thicker paste consistency. Really depends on what I eat.



Doc and specialist has told me avoid Immodium -- to use food as thickners when necessary. Like banana, rice, potato and marshmallows work great. I prefer to have my output on the watery side, so I try to space out my 'thickening' foods.



Fizzy drinks (pop, sparkling water) just don't agree with me anymore and I loved them

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. What a racket!!



Reducing your water intake in the hope of reducing the amount of liquid output doesn't really work - and isn't healthy.



I'm still working on what I can and cannot eat. Having had one major blockage (hosp) -- I will err on the side of caution. Miss my vegies most of all ... now only have well-steamed carrots and a bit of broccoli. Potatoes in all forms (without the skin). Avacados are great and healthy and help to thicken as well. I don't really see me eating a raw salad ever. No nuts, peas, corn.



Meat is still difficult for me. Bit of ground beef, chicken, turkey ok. Red meat in stew or steak -- can just have a little slice - not really worth bothering with. Fish is fine but does stink up the output. For some reason pork doesn't go down very well.



If my stool has been thick, I drink a black real (caffeine) coffee -- that liquifies things well for me. Doesn't have to be alot - just a small cup.



I used to put away as much food as my 6'2" hubby ... those days are gone. What seems to work best is smaller meals more frequently. Don't let yourself get to that hungry stage. I always have a few crackers or such in my purse (and water).



Hope this helps a bit.

'I don't really see me eating a raw salad ever. No nuts, peas, corn.'





Funnily enough Beatrice - salad leaves are one thing that I can and do eat a lot of ... seem to be able to process those without too much trouble! I love rocket, spinach etc etc and they are probably the only real veggies I do eat except for onions and mushrooms chopped up and put in to things.... Hope you are still improving nicely! Rach xx

You're giving me hope, Rachel! Did you start out by just eating a leaf or two? I did - but it was early days - and I felt cramping. Maybe I should try a little again.



Onions just don't break down - they come out like they went in

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-- same with mushrooms.



I'm salivating right now, thinking of a spinach and romaine salad with a bit of feta cheese ....

Beatrice, I suppose when I had my ileo I didn't really stop eating what I had always eaten as I never had a bowel problem per se, so have just continued eating salad leaves as I have always tended to eat those in preference to veggies anyway ... they sort of come out still vaguely looking like leaves, but have never caused me a problem! Maybe just try a bit at a time and see what happens? xx