A disease or injury that damages your large intestine, or rectum, and prevents your colon from processing wastes may require an ileostomy. During the procedure, your surgeon creates an opening in your abdomen so that digestive waste can pass from your ileum, the lowest portion of your small intestine, to the outside of your body. Your stool then passes through an opening, called a stoma, into a disposable bag attached to your abdomen. After an ileostomy, you can eat a varied, well-balanced diet that includes most of your favorite foods.
After Your Surgery
After your surgery, when you're ready to begin taking nourishment by mouth, your doctor will gradually advance you from a clear liquid diet to more solid foods as your digestive tract heals. During the first two or three weeks after your surgery, as you adjust to your stoma, your doctor may advise that you limit your intake of bran and other high-fiber foods to allow a complete recovery. If you aren't able to tolerate a certain food in the months after surgery, try re-introducing that food later after your digestive tract has had more time to recover.
Introducing Foods
The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends that you introduce new foods into your diet one at a time. Gradually trying new foods gives you time to gauge your body's reactions. For the first month or two after your surgery, you should avoid foods that caused gas, bloating or constipation before your surgery. As you get used to your ileostomy, you may also want to monitor your intake of high-fiber foods that your body doesn't digest completely such celery, pineapple, corn, dried fruit and fruits or vegetables with skins. These foods may block your stoma. Consult your surgeon or primary care doctor if you have trouble passing stool through your stoma after eating certain foods.
Fine-Tuning Your Diet
Although you shouldn't eliminate any nutritious foods from your diet without talking with your doctor, you can adjust your intake of these foods to diminish gas or odor at certain times. You can also modify your diet to change the consistency of your stool. Cabbage, broccoli, beans, onions, fried foods or fatty foods may cause gas. Garlic, onions, eggs, fish or asparagus may increase the odor of digestive wastes. If the stool you produce is too thin, you can eat applesauce, pasta, white rice, peanut butter, cheese, bananas or potatoes without skins to increase its thickness. Apple juice, grape juice, prune juice or spicy foods may cause diarrhea. Eating yogurt or parsley and drinking buttermilk or cranberry juice may reduce the odor of stool.
Eating Tips
Gaining a sense of control over your bowel patterns and stool consistency may require some time and experimentation. Eating 4 to 6 small meals at regularly scheduled times may help you establish predictable bowel patterns. If you want to reduce stool output at night, you can try eating your largest meal in the middle of the day. To minimize gas and promote healthy digestion, take small bites and chew your food slowly. Drink eight to ten 8-oz. glasses of water each day to promote healthy digestive function. To prevent the compression of your stoma by abdominal tissue and maintain your overall health, keep your weight within a healthy range by controlling your intake of calories and fat.
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