Enjoying Salad After Ileostomy - Concerned About Blockage

Please don't judge me!!!

This is my 4th ileostomy and this time it's permanent. I had my whole back end removed in October. Well, with every ileostomy I have had, I have never eaten salad. Being Christmas, I had salad and I actually really enjoyed it. A bit too much, I ate 2 bowls of salad (iceberg lettuce, cucumber, tomato, cheese, and carrot). I ate all the other stuff first and made sure I chewed it well. By the time I got to the lettuce, I was really over chewing, so I chewed it as much as I could, but I don't think it was good enough. I can feel my belly having a spasm. I've never had a blockage before and I'm actually quite worried. I should have given up when I was over chewing, but I missed salad so much.

I can only eat small amounts of salad at a time. Drink lots of fluids.

Have a few glasses of water; it helps flush food through better with an ileostomy. Go for a walk if you can; that helps as well. It could even be just from stress and the time of year that's causing it. It's surprising the tricks our minds can play on our body.

No judgment here. Two bowls of salad are definitely 1 too many. Hopefully, you will pass all without the leaking or blockage.

It is hard to resist foods we love... but are now on the naughty list.

A couple of weeks ago I happily munched a medium-sized popcorn at the movies. Paid for it 2 days later. No blockage, fortunately, but was filling the old bag with thick, real thick cement. So thick, couldn't empty it. Ended up changing to a new bag, then a couple of hours later... another bag. Glad I have the 2-piece Hollister.

Yesterday... lovely, tasty Christmas meal. Ate it all. Green bean salad, sweet potato with walnuts/pecans. Pork tamales. Cookies, strawberries, fudge, and yummy chocolate cake. So far... a quiet stomach and stoma.

Sometimes... ya just gotta have it.

Stories of Living Life to the Fullest from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

If you have an ileostomy because you have no colon, there are three types of lettuce that are most digestible for people like us: butter lettuce (also called Boston/bib in the US), romaine, and spinach (I don't know if spinach technically falls under lettuce, but they are grouped together when told what leaves you can have in a salad). Cucumber should be seedless, and I peel the skins off. Raw carrots in small, small amounts (so much easier to digest when cooked). I don't like tomatoes anymore since my colectomy; I just avoid them, but that's personal preference.

Hello Em

I eat all types of salad regularly without giving it any thought, everything you said and much more. I don't eat a mega amount, just what may be a typical portion. I do notice if I have too much lettuce, the output may get a bit watery, but that's it. Maybe you just overdid it in this first instance. Just try introducing it bit by bit; there is no need to punish yourself by going without.

I forgot to mention I had beetroot too. I have not had much output this morning. I have a big bit of beetroot in my bag, and a bit of pain in my belly, and a little nausea.

I forgot I had beetroot too. I have not had much in my bag this morning. I do have a big piece of beetroot in there. I feel a little nauseous and a little pain, no signs of the lettuce yet. I just want to be able to eat as normal.

As someone who had multiple blockages since surgery, the nausea and pain are a sign of being blocked. Heat, walking, and massaging around your stoma area can all help, and drink fluids. If you have no output for too long, you will just feel even more nauseated and should go to your emergency as a blockage can get serious fast, and they can insert a catheter to help it drain pretty quickly. They won't leave you sitting in the waiting room either if you go in. Crossing my fingers that it clears for you.

Remember to: limit the amount of any food you're unsure of. And chew, chew, and then chew some more before swallowing. Also, drink plenty of water or an electrolyte beverage with the meal. Some ostomymates keep a food diary to keep track of foods and reactions.

Just checking on you on the 27th. Hopefully, everything passed for you.

Hi, I'm very new to having an ileostomy, 6 weeks post-op.

I love salad and veggies, and so far, lucky for me, I have had no issues, but I do make sure to limit the amount I have. As I think others have said, drink plenty of water. I find lying on my left side helps move things along...

I had a small blockage when I was in the hospital about 4 days after surgery, and it was very uncomfortable. Hope you feel better soon!

How are you doing? Any updates?

I had a little salad myself for the first time yesterday and followed everyone's advice: chew it and then chew some more; drink lots of water; keep the portion small. So far, so good.

I have had many blockages since ileostomy surgery in 1995. I've found that submerging in a deep tub of hot water (I have a small hot tub on my back porch for just this reason) and massaging/moving my insides around will clear a blockage.

I do okay with salad if I chew well and stay hydrated. I have not been able to eat cucumbers or raw carrots for years now. They always cause a blockage. I generally try to order Caesar salad when out and really crave salad. Lettuce does cause some excess gas, so I need to be prepared for that treat later.

I'm pretty much back to eating what I want... just eating small portions of known troublemakers. I ate a little popcorn yesterday. Had a small Caesar salad (with anchovies), Rigatoni pasta with grape tomatoes. Munched on different cheeses. Chewed everything very well. Drank lots of water. Also indulged in a Sprite soft drink while watching late-night TV. I have a colostomy, so output is much different than ileostomy.

A couple of days ago, I enjoyed a slice of olallieberry pie. Had small pits show up a day later, bag change.

I have an ileostomy. I eat lots of salad. It gets watery sometimes. I chew a lot. If I feel it's not chewed up enough, I spit it out (excuse me). Had obstruction eating cashews... had to go to ER. The pain was unbearable. Maybe the thought of just a pain put me on the wall in a bed. But my stomach started paining. I called the nurse; she didn't come right away... then my stomach started to relieve itself all over... she came running 😂😂. They paid attention then, having to clean up me and all that 🤮... took me to scan, said blockage, got an NG tube (that tube is not great)... NPO for 2 days, 1 day on solid, then discharge on the 4th day. So I eat a little of everything but be careful of my nuts intake and drink lots of liquid when eating... but no cashews. 😂