Food and drink after stoma surgery
Forget the food fads and online trends. When it comes to what you can eat with a stoma, there’s no single diet to suit everyone – what you decide to eat (or not) is up to you.
For colostomates
If you’re recovering from colostomy surgery, your best plan of action is to focus on a balanced diet while reintroducing foods at a comfortable pace. Despite common misconceptions, you don’t need to avoid fiber entirely – maintaining normal fiber intake can actually help prevent constipation. Rather than restricting yourself, try to enjoy the foods you ate before surgery while being mindful of how you eat and keeping an eye on constipation.
It’s a good idea to gradually reintroduce your favourite foods to build back up to your normal eating habits. Keeping a food journal can help you track how different foods affect your stoma output, including those that may cause wind or loose stool.
Some foods can alter the consistency of your output:
- Spicy foods may lead to looser output
- Fizzy drinks and chewing gum can cause excess wind, which isn’t harmful but may lead to discomfort and ballooning
- Alcohol is fine in moderation but can also make your output looser
If a particular food seems to cause issues, try avoiding it for two weeks before reintroducing it to see how your body responds.
To keep things running smoothly, you can:
- Suss out any medications that can cause constipation
- Make sure you drink plenty of fluids
- Try eating slowly and chewing food thoroughly
- Eat small, regular meals – and slowly up your intake of fruits and vegetables to get some extra fiber
- Add plenty of wholegrains (such as wholegrain breads, brown rice, oats, and cereals) into the mix
- Get plenty of exercise to keep yourself – and your gut – moving
For ileostomates
It’s best to stick with beige, bland, low fiber foods after your ileostomy surgery for around 6-8 weeks. But once you’re beyond the recovery stage, you can start to gradually add in more of your favourite foods to build back up to your normal eating habits.
If a particular food is causing you problems, try avoiding it for two weeks, then reintroduce it back into your diet. You can carry on enjoying the same foods as before, but with a few tweaks. Some foods are known for causing blockages if they’re not properly digested, so you might want to avoid or minimise them. Common culprits include:
- Nuts
- Mushrooms
- Sweetcorn
- Celery
- Peas
- Lentils
- Coconut
These foods can swell in your bowel and cause a blockage, which will stop your ileostomy from working. If you think you have a blockage, you should get urgent advice from your GP or stoma care nurse.
For urostomates
There’s no need to restrict your diet after stoma surgery – you can carry on enjoying the same foods as before. Just one minor detail – some foods and drinks can affect the smell and colour of your urine (more on this below!)
Three more diet must-knows…
Foods can alter your urine (but don’t panic!)
Some foods are known for impacting how your urine looks and smells. Common culprits include:
- Radish
- Fish
- Eggs
- Onions
- Baked beans
- Fibrous vegetables (like cabbage and broccoli)
- Beetroot
- Spinach
- Some spices
Although an ‘off’ colour or odour might seem alarming, it’s nothing to worry about. And if you don’t have a known allergy or intolerance, you can carry on enjoying these foods.
Medications can have an impact too
As if food offenders aren’t enough to compete with, some medications can also affect the colour and odour of your urine, too. The good news is, there are a few savvy food and drink choices that can help you minimise urine odour. These include:
- Cranberry juice
- Yogurt
- Buttermilk
- Parsley
- Mint
Don’t forget to stay hydrated
Although there are no hard and fast rules for a stoma diet, staying hydrated is crucial. Drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day can optimise your overall health and help with post-surgery recovery, too. Dark urine is usually a giveaway that you’re dehydrated – and your cue to up your fluid intake. To stay hydrated after stoma surgery and beyond, aim for 6 to 8 glasses of fluids (1500ml-2000ml) each day, which can include water, plus your go-to drinks like tea, coffee, juices, or smoothies. If your output is consistently loose, consider including electrolyte drinks or salty snacks to help maintain a healthy fluid balance.
The help you need when you want it
You deserve to be the best version of yourself. And if you need some help along the way, there’s an incredible community of straight-talking ambassadors to give you support when you need it.
