I was very cautious and stayed on a very soft/low fiber diet for a full two weeks after surgery.  Yogurt, peanut butter, saltines, farina,  protein smoothies etc.  Then I very very gradually added some foods, but honestly I never ate 'normally' with the stoma.  I did well with well cooked chicken and carrots, white rice, applesauce, soft cheese, toast and the other already mentioned mushy food.   Since it was temporary I didn't feel the need to experiment.   One time I made some chicken with peas for my husband and I accidentally ate a pea (one pea!) with my chicken.  It blocked up my stoma for a bit, but then shot out like a cannonball followed by everything else.  Whatever you eat chew 10X more than normal.

girlunky posted:

I was very cautious and stayed on a very soft/low fiber diet for a full two weeks after surgery.  Yogurt, peanut butter, saltines, farina,  protein smoothies etc.  Then I very very gradually added some foods, but honestly I never ate 'normally' with the stoma.  I did well with well cooked chicken and carrots, white rice, applesauce, soft cheese, toast and the other already mentioned mushy food.   Since it was temporary I didn't feel the need to experiment.   One time I made some chicken with peas for my husband and I accidentally ate a pea (one pea!) with my chicken.  It blocked up my stoma for a bit, but then shot out like a cannonball followed by everything else.  Whatever you eat chew 10X more than normal.

Thanks for your reply! I’ll probably do the same...just stick to a very simple basic diet. Im still in the hospital, on day 5 post op ...I feel good and want to go home but they are keeping me here because my output has been pure liquid and I’m emptying like 1500-2000 cc in 24 hours! Ugh!!!! My stool will not thicken. They don’t want me to have thickening meds yet either. Just want to see if my body will just naturally thicken it up. So annoying. I just want to go home.

I was VERY watery with the loop ileostomy and can still have very watery days with the jpouch.  Today is one of those days.  Lomotil works better for me than Imodium.  Just don't dehydrate - drink enough water, eat some salt, or a sports drink if you like them.   If I thicken too much then I can't empty the pouch, still working on the best balance...

Anyway try eating more really dry starchy foods - saltines , cheerios, cornflakes.  If you call the kitchen they will send you a basic bland meal, you don't really have to eat what is on the menu.  That may get you home sooner.  My doc said have some saltines or cheerios etc every time I eat at first. 

Very good advice, thank you! Did your ileostomy ever thicken up? They said mine should eventually but it doesn’t appear to be happening. It’s pure liquid, water consistency. I’ve read some people have liquid the entire time with the loop ileostomy. My doctor said it should get to be the consistency of porridge. Also, when you had your ileostomy- did you feel your insides underneath your stoma squeeze and tighten up hard before stool came out?

thanks!!!

kelsey

Hi there I also started eating soft foods and then I vomited. They put the NG tube down my stoma. Not pleasant. It resolved and they had me try again. This time I was able to tolerate food. Hang in here. Please follow the instructions of your doctor.

They gave me Metamucil to thicken it.

Are you walking? 

Andrina posted:

Hi there I also started eating soft foods and then I vomited. They put the NG tube down my stoma. Not pleasant. It resolved and they had me try again. This time I was able to tolerate food. Hang in here. Please follow the instructions of your doctor.

They gave me Metamucil to thicken it.

Are you walking? 

Oh wow, that sounds painful! Glad it resolved though! Yes I’m walking a lot. I’m doing everything they’ve told me. I barely had any pain meds...not since like 2 days post op. I’m eating the right foods. Drinking plenty of water. It’s just crazy. Tonight alone I’ve had about 1500 output- within like 5 or 6 hours. I don’t know what to think?

Yes I could feel when the stoma was active,  the stoma itself has no nerves, but the skin and muscle around it do.  My loop ileostomy was pretty watery, sometimes it would spray like a fountain and I'd be emptying the bag alot.  

I see a lot of people on site eat yogurt.  I don't cause its made with milk.  How do people tolerate yogurt.

Rocco

Not everyone is lactose intolerant, so folks who are okay with lactose do fine with yogurt. Greek yogurt is a bit lower in lactose, so some folks reduce the lactose load that way. I eat Greek yogurt twice a day - I mix my VSL #3 into it.

Thank you.  I though milk bothered everyone.  I drink almond milk

Hi there! I’m the one who started this thread. Just wanted to update! I’ve had my jpouch functioning for about 5 mos now. Everything has been good. I eat everything now. Have a bm about 3-4 times a day. All is well! 

3 to 4 bowel movements a day?  Wow, that is great.  Me, on a good day I have 10 to 12 bowel movements a day.

I eat the Chobani low sugar Greek yogurt, it is excellent and low in sugar which will keep the BM numbers DOWN.  Sugar increases BMs

But Yogurt has milk.  I can't eat that.  Thanks just the same though for your reply.

Rocco C posted:

3 to 4 bowel movements a day?  Wow, that is great.  Me, on a good day I have 10 to 12 bowel movements a day.

Yes that is it!!! Sometimes it may be 5/6 but usually it’s around 3-4. I actually struggle with thick output and I have to drink lots of water to make sure I go or I get almost constipated  Lol. How far out from surgery are you?

1993 and 1994.  Had a major bowl obstruction in 1999 and surgeon had to remove 32 inches of small bowel due to gangrene.

Rocco, have you tried vegan yoghurt?  People who are vegans do not dairy, meat, or animal products, not even animal-by products. Yoghurt for vegans is made by a company called Silk, or Stoneyfield, among others. Google it and you'll see many choices for vegan yoghurt.