Yes, you can eat cheese with a colostomy, and it's often recommended to help thicken watery output, with aged or low-fat cheeses being good choices, but some find full-fat dairy causes issues, so it's best to try small amounts and monitor your body's reaction, especially for lactose intolerance or gas.
Diet after Ostomy
Avoid spicy, fried, or sugary foods. If you experience loose or runny stools, try eating the following foods that may thicken stools: banana, applesauce, pasta, potatoes, tapioca, rice, smooth peanut butter, or cheese.
Foods that may cause constipation or blockage:
A guide to foods not to eat when you have a colostomy bag
During this period, there are foods you should avoid. They may have a negative impact on digestion and affect your colostomy bag. Stay away from these foods when you've recently had colostomy surgery: Dairy products, with the exception of small amount of yogurt.
Foods that are reported to help thicken the stoma output include apple sauce, bananas, buttermilk, cheese, marshmallows, jelly babies, (boiled) milk, noodles, smooth creamy peanut butter, rice, tapioca pudding, toast, potatoes and yoghurt.
Anything with skins, pips and seeds e.g., berry fruits. Stringy fruits like rhubarb, coconut, and dried fruits. These can increase output and may cause an obstruction or blockage. Tough fibrous vegetables and foods with tough shells e.g., peas, sweetcorn, popcorn, beans, celery, mushrooms, nuts.
Dairy Products
Milk, cheese, and ice cream contain minimal dietary fiber while being rich in proteins and fats that slow digestive processes. The calcium in dairy products can bind with other substances in the intestines, creating harder stools that are difficult to pass.
There's no reason why you can't eat your favourite pizza when you have a stoma. Just be aware that greasy food in general can cause tummy upsets.
Be careful around pets and children who may unintentionally dislodge or damage your colostomy bag. Avoid food and drinks that cause flatulence, such as carbonated beverages, beans, cauliflower, and cabbage. Once the stoma has healed, you can play sports and exercise.
What are the Most Common Stoma Complications?
Foods Not to Eat with an Ileostomy or Colostomy
Raw vegetables, including salad e.g. lettuce, celery, raw bell-peppers and spring onions.
The pouches are odor-free, and they do not allow gas or stool to leak out when they are worn correctly. Your nurse will teach you how to care for your ostomy pouch and how to change it. You will need to empty it when it is about 1/3 full, and change it about every 2 to 4 days, or as often as your nurse tells you.
Having diarrhoea will often mean that the stoma bag needs to be changed much more regularly than usual. This can mean that you go through supplies much quicker and also lead to irritation of the peristomal skin.
Cheese is a great source of calcium and can also lower the risk of heart disease. It is possible that your bone strength may decrease after surgery, so consuming cheese will help restore strong bone development. Swelling and bruising are common after surgery.
After colon surgery, you may get IV fluids then clear liquids followed by easy-to-digest foods like white toast and applesauce. Avoid high-fiber foods like beans, raw fruits with skin, whole grains, and fried foods after surgery. Drink 8 to 10 cups of fluids daily to stay hydrated, and eat small bland meals often.
As an ostomate, you can wear whatever you want to wear. The key is finding clothing that makes you feel comfortable, confident, and secure. There are no limitations to your fashion choices, but some people prefer to conceal their ostomy pouches.
Foods to include in your diet
White bread, pasta, and rice. Bagels, rolls, and crackers made from white or refined flour. Cereals made from white or refined flour (such as Cream of Wheat®, Rice Chex™, and Rice Krispies®)
Running out of supplies can be stressful, but solutions are available. Always contact your stoma nurse or supplier first. Pharmacies may also offer emergency bags. If no supplies are available right away, an important part of what to do if you run out of ostomy bags is to protect the stoma.
Tough cuts of meat, such as steak and pork chops, can become problematic for ostomates and it is recommended to avoid them if you have a stoma. This is due to the increase in risk of blockages and irritation around the stoma site, similar to high fibre foods.
Tips for eating with a stoma
One major issue to watch out for with a stoma is the laxative effect of some chocolates. The caffeine and fibre within the chocolate can increase the rate of motility (which is the contraction of the muscles in the digestive tract that encourage bowel movements).
Whilst lactose in cheese can trigger IBS symptoms, it may also be down to the high fat content. Even a low lactose cheese can cause IBS flare ups if eaten in excess. But cheese may be ok in small portions for many people with IBS. You don't need to go completely dairy free.
To empty your bowels quickly, try drinking warm coffee or water, using a squatting position with a footstool for better posture, gently massaging your abdomen in a downward motion, or using a suppository or enema for faster results; these methods stimulate the digestive system or physically help clear the colon.
So those with particularly sensitive stomachs will want to avoid creamier varieties such as ricotta or cottage cheese at all costs. Sugar is the primary component of lactose that makes it difficult to digest, which means that aged, hard cheeses—which have a lower sugar content—are easier on the stomach.