Diet Restrictions For Ostomy Care: Black Pepper

An ostomy does not necessarily curtail the enjoyment of spicy foods and foods with black pepper. Generally speaking, whatever foods your system tolerated before the ostomy surgery, it will continue to tolerate after. However, black pepper and other spices will have an effect on ostomy contents. A few simple dietary considerations can help you manage the effect of spicy foods and black pepper on your ostomy.

Identification

Certain diseases -- such as diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease -- often damage the bowels to such an extent that parts of the bowel need to be temporarily bypassed or permanently removed. Essentially, an ostomy creates a stoma that protrudes through the abdominal wall and allows waste to leave the intestines via the ostomy pouch, according to the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.

Time Frame

Immediately following the ostomy procedure, your surgeon may recommend you follow a low residue, low fiber diet for six to eight weeks after surgery, as the surgery causes the bowel to swell, according to the United Ostomy Associations of America. During this healing period, avoid foods that may stress the bowel, including spicy foods and black pepper, to facilitate a speedy recovery. Once the procedure has fully healed, many patients are able to return to a normal diet including black pepper and spicy foods.

Effects

Black pepper and spicy foods are considered irritants, according to the United Ostomy Associations of America, and may inflame the tissue around the stoma. However, a patient whose digestive system tolerated spicy foods and black pepper before the bowel diversion surgery will not likely experience any irritation. Spicy foods and black pepper also tend to loosen or thin the consistency of fecal matter, according to the Greenwich Hospital. Food affects each ostomy patient differently, so often the best action is to experiment with black pepper and spicy foods and measure their impact yourself.

Considerations

Black pepper and spicy foods are also known to cause odor and produce gas in some cases, according to Catherine T. Milne, Lisa Q. Corbett, and Debra L. Dubuc, authors of "Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Secrets." In some patients, spicy foods and black pepper may increase bowel stimulation, while in others, avoiding black pepper and spicy foods in general helps to promote continence.

Warning

If you find that black pepper or spicy foods cause irritation, speak to your doctor or health care provider. Other instances that require immediate medical attention include a skin rash or sore around your stoma, a foul smelling discharge from around the stoma, and if your stoma changes color to black, purple or white, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.