How Long Does It Take Once Someone Has a Colostomy Bag Put on When They Can Eat Regular Food Again

This data describes dietary (eating and drinking) guidelines to follow while your colon is healing. It besides explains how to manage mutual side effects of having a colostomy.

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General Eating and Drinking Guidelines

Follow these guidelines for the showtime few weeks after your surgery. This volition assistance keep you comfy while your colon heals.

• Eat small meals often. Try to have 6 minor meals throughout the day instead of 3 large ones.
• Consume slowly and chew your nutrient well.
• Drink 8 to 10 (8-ounce) spectacles (nearly ii liters) of liquids every solar day.
• Swallow more often than not bland, low-cobweb foods. For more than information, read the "Recommended foods" department.
• When you add foods dorsum into your diet, innovate them 1 at a time. For more information, read the "Adding foods to your diet" department.

Before y'all're discharged (released) from the hospital, a clinical dietitian nutritionist will talk with yous nearly these guidelines. Subsequently you leave the hospital, your dr. and an outpatient clinical dietitian nutritionist will aid yous as you go back to post-obit your usual diet.

Recommended foods

It'south best to eat mostly bland, low-fiber foods for the commencement few weeks after your surgery. Banal foods are cooked, like shooting fish in a barrel-to-assimilate foods that aren't spicy, heavy, or fried. Eating banal foods will help you avoid uncomfortable symptoms, such equally:

• Diarrhea (loose or watery bowel movements)
• Bloating
• Gas

The following tables include examples of banal, low-fiber foods. If you lot have questions about foods not listed in these tables, call 212-639-7312 to talk with an outpatient clinical dietitian nutritionist. You can reach a staff fellow member Mon through Fri, from 9:00 a.thousand. to v:00 p.m.

Milk and dairy
Foods to include in your diet Non-fat (skim) or depression-fat (1% or ii%) milk* Powdered milk* Non-dairy milks (such as soy milk and almond milk) Lactose-gratuitous dairy products (such as Lactaid® products) Yogurt* Cheese* Low-fat ice cream or sherbet Eggs**	Foods to limit High-fat milk and dairy products, such equally: Whole milk Regular ice foam or sherbet Milk and dairy products with lactose, if you have diarrhea afterward having them

* If you lot accept diarrhea after having these products, attempt non-dairy milks, lactose-complimentary cheese, or lactose-complimentary yogurt instead.

** When trying eggs, first with a small amount (such as 1 egg). Eggs may cause a bad odor (smell) when you open your pouch.

Meats and proteins
Foods to include in your diet Lean fauna proteins, such equally: Meat without visible fat Skinless poultry (such as chicken and turkey) Fish* Polish nut butters (such as creamy peanut butter)*	Foods to limit High-fat foods, such as fried meat, poultry, or fish High-fiber foods, such as dried or canned legumes (beans, peas, and lentils)

* When trying fish and nut butters, start with minor amounts. These foods may cause a bad olfactory property when you open your pouch.

Grains
Foods to include in your nutrition Low-cobweb foods, such every bit: White bread, pasta, and rice Bagels, rolls, and crackers made from white or refined flour Cereals made from white or refined flour (such every bit Foam of Wheat®, Rice Chex™, and Rice Krispies®)	Foods to limit High-fiber foods, such as whole grains (whole wheat bread, chocolate-brown rice, bran cereal, quinoa, and buckwheat)

Vegetables
Foods to include in your nutrition Depression-fiber foods, such as: Well-cooked vegetables without skins or seeds (such as peeled potatoes, peeled zucchini with the seeds removed, and peeled tomatoes with the seeds removed) Lettuce Strained vegetable juice	Foods to limit High-fiber foods, such as raw vegetables (except lettuce)

Some vegetables may crusade gas or a bad odor for some people. If a certain vegetable causes you to have gas or a bad odor, don't eat information technology. For more information, read the "Guidelines for Managing Common Problems" section.

Fruits
Foods to include in your diet Low-fiber foods, such equally: Pulp-free fruit juice (except prune juice and grape juice) Peeled fruits (such equally a peeled apple) Canned fruits (except pineapple) Fruits with thick skins. Examples are: Soft melons, such as watermelon and honeydew Oranges without seeds or membrane (the thin clear or white part effectually each section) Ripe bananas	Foods to limit High-cobweb foods, such as: Raw fruits with the skin. Examples are: Apples Strawberries Blueberries Grapes Prune juice Grape juice

Some fruits may cause discomfort for some people. If a certain fruit causes discomfort, don't eat information technology. For more than information, read the "Guidelines for Managing Mutual Problems" section.

Fats
Foods to include in your diet Foods cooked with a small amount of fat, such as olive oil and canola oil	Foods to limit High-fat foods, such as fried foods

When eating fats, start with a small amount. Fats may cause discomfort.

Drinks
Drinks to include in your diet H2o Decaffeinated coffee or tea Drinks that aren't carbonated Sports drinks (such equally Gatorade® and Powerade®)	Drinks to limit Carbonated drinks (such as soda), because they may cause gas Alcoholic drinks (such as beer and wine)

Reading Diet Facts labels

You tin notice the corporeality of fiber in your nutrient past looking at the Nutrition Facts label (see Figure i). Nutrition Facts labels can help you compare the nutritional information between different foods.

Effigy 1. Fiber information on a Nutrition Facts characterization

Adding foods to your diet

After your surgery, you may accept some nutrient intolerances that you didn't take before surgery. A food intolerance is when eating a certain type of food causes uncomfortable symptoms, such equally diarrhea, bloating, gas, or bad odor. Sometimes, nutrient intolerances go away every bit your colon heals.

When you add foods back into your diet, introduce them ane at a fourth dimension. If a certain food causes uncomfortable symptoms, don't eat it for a few weeks. Then attempt it over again. No ii people volition react the aforementioned way to food. Yous'll learn through feel which foods, if whatsoever, you shouldn't eat.

For more information, read the "Guidelines for Managing Common Problems" section.

High-fiber foods

Your first follow-up appointment will be most two weeks after your surgery. At this engagement, your doctor volition tell you if you can start adding high-fiber foods back into your diet. Doing this volition help brand your bowel movements bulkier (more solid).

When y'all get-go adding high-cobweb foods back into your diet, practise information technology slowly. Only add 1 food at a time. Make sure you're too drinking enough liquids. Aim to potable 8 to 10 (eight-ounce) spectacles (about 2 liters) of liquids every day.

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Guidelines for Managing Common Issues

This section has guidelines for changing your diet to aid manage common problems. You don't demand to follow these guidelines unless you're having the issues listed.

If certain foods caused discomfort before your surgery, they'll still cause discomfort after your surgery.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is having loose or watery bowel movements, having more bowel movements than what's normal for yous, or both. Diarrhea tin can be acquired by:

• Certain foods
• Skipping meals
• Food poisoning
• An infection in your intestine
• Antibiotics (medicines to care for infections) and other prescription medications
• A blockage in your intestine

If yous're having diarrhea, follow these guidelines:

• Contact your md'south role. They may give you a medication to help.
• Drink viii to 10 (8-ounce) glasses (about 2 liters) of liquids throughout the day.
  • Drink sports drinks (such as Gatorade or Powerade) and oral rehydration solutions (such equally Pedialyte^®), if y'all tin. These drinks will help keep you from becoming dehydrated.
  • If yous don't have these drinks, y'all can make your own using these ingredients:
    • 4 cups (32 ounces, which is almost 1 liter) of water
    • one cup (viii ounces) of orange juice
    • 8 teaspoons (40 milliliters) of sugar
    • ane teaspoon (four milliliters) of salt
    Put all ingredients into a cup with a hat. Shake well so the carbohydrate and table salt dissolve (melt).

• Don't eat the following foods and drinks. They may cause diarrhea.

  Foods that may cause diarrhea
  Booze (such as beer and wine) Bran Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Caffeinated drinks, especially hot drinks Chocolate Corn Foods with artificial sweeteners (such as mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol) Fried meats, fish, and poultry Fruit juice (such every bit prune, apple tree, grape, and orange juices) Green leafy vegetables High-fat foods	Loftier-sugar foods Legumes (such as cooked or dried beans) Licorice Milk and dairy products with lactose, if y'all're lactose intolerant Nuts and seeds Peas Spicy foods Stone fruits (such every bit apricots, peaches, plums, and prunes) "Sugar-costless" canned or dried fruits Tomatoes Turnip greens Whole grains (such as wheat bread)

• Swallow more than of the following foods. They may assistance thicken your bowel movements.

  Foods that may assist thicken bowel movements
  Applesauce Bananas Barley* Boiled white rice Cheese Creamy nut butters (such equally peanut butter) Marshmallows	Oatmeal* Pasta Potatoes without the peel Pretzels Saltine crackers Tapioca White bread Yogurt

  * These foods are whole grains. You can swallow them if you're having diarrhea because they may help thicken your bowel movements.

Constipation

Constipation is having fewer than 3 bowel movements per week, having difficult bowel movements, having a hard fourth dimension passing bowel movements, or all 3. Constipation can exist caused past:

• Certain pain medications
• Certain anti-nausea medications
• Not eating enough cobweb
• Not exercising enough
• Not drinking enough liquids

If you lot're constipated, follow these guidelines:

• Contact your doctor'south office. They may give you a medication to help.
• Beverage hot water with lemon or lemon juice, java, or prune juice.
• Exercise light exercise (such equally walking), if you can.
• Ask your doctor if eating high-fiber foods or taking a fiber supplement volition help.

Gas and scent

For the beginning few weeks afterwards your surgery, it's common to take gas in your pouch and a bad odour when you lot open your pouch. You may have more gas if you lot had a robotic surgery.

If you lot're having problems with gas or odor, talk with your wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) nurse. You can also follow these guidelines:

• Don't do these things. They can cause gas.
  • Chewing glue
  • Drinking with a straw
  • Smoking or chewing tobacco
  • Eating likewise fast
  • Skipping meals
• Inquire your healthcare provider if you tin can have an over-the-counter medication (such as Beano^® or simethicone) before meals to assistance forestall gas.
• Eat less of the following foods. They may crusade gas, bad smell, or both.

  Foods that may crusade gas, bad odor, or both
  Asparagus Alcohol, especially beer Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Carbonated drinks (such every bit soda) Cauliflower Corn Dried beans and peas Eggs	Fish Garlic Grapes Leeks Milk and dairy products with lactose, if you're lactose intolerant Onions Peanuts Prunes

• Eat more than of the post-obit foods. They may assistance prevent gas, bad odor, or both.

  Foods that may prevent gas, bad odor, or both
  Buttermilk Cranberry juice Kefir	Parsley Yogurt

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When to Call Your Healthcare Provider

Call your healthcare provider if you lot take any of the following:

• Diarrhea and a fever of 100.4 °F (38 °C) or higher
• Diarrhea and yous're vomiting (throwing upwards)
• Diarrhea that doesn't terminate later on 24 hours
• Diarrhea and evil-smelling discharge (fluid), or forceful liquid output from your stoma

If you lot have questions well-nigh your nutrition, phone call 212-639-7312 to talk with an outpatient clinical dietitian nutritionist. Y'all can reach a staff member Mon through Friday, from 9:00 a.g. to 5:00 p.g.

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Source: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/diet-guidelines-people-colostomy

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