Milk can be good for colostomy patients, especially low-fat or lactose-free options, yogurt, and cheese, as dairy provides protein and calcium for healing, but full-fat milk and dairy might cause diarrhea if you're lactose intolerant, so monitor tolerance and choose low-fat or non-dairy alternatives if needed, as it helps with hydration and thickening output.
Your daily fluid intake is very important. Drink 6-8 cups of fluid a day. Suitable fluids include: Water Milk.
Foods that may cause constipation or blockage:
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.
Tips for eating with a stoma
Weight gain
If your stoma has increased in size, it may be worth considering whether you have gained weight recently? If so, this is the most likely reason your stoma has become larger.
It's best to eat mostly bland, low-fiber foods for the first few weeks after your surgery. Bland foods are cooked, easy-to-digest foods that aren't spicy, heavy, or fried. Eating bland foods will help you avoid uncomfortable symptoms, such as: Diarrhea (loose or watery bowel movements)
What are the Most Common Stoma Complications?
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.
Skin irritation around your stoma is usually caused by leakage from your ostomy pouch and the output from your stoma getting underneath the adhesive and onto your skin. It is uncomfortable and can stop your pouch from working well. The skin around your stoma should look similar to the skin on the rest of your body.
Drinking too much ordinary fluid (e.g. tea, coffee, water, squash, fruit juice) will increase your stoma output and make you thirsty and dehydrated. You may be advised to limit your consumption of ordinary fluid to 500-1000mls per day. Your health care team will advise you on this.
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.
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.
Safe and sensible snacks for ostomates
Low-Fiber Sweets: Opt for soft, plain candies like marshmallows, gummies, or chocolate (in moderation). Desserts: Plain cake, jelly, and puddings are good options for easy digestion.
Each person's tolerance for certain fluids may vary, so it's important to monitor how different fluids affect your ostomy output and overall hydration level.
The most common signs of a peristomal skin infection include:
If you are using a closed bag, you may be changing it 1-3 times a day, it varies from person to person. For those with a drainable bag, particularly with a urostomy or ileostomy, you may be changing it daily or even every other day.
A colostomy is surgery to create an opening for the colon (large intestine) through the belly (abdomen). A colostomy may be short-term (temporary) or long-term (permanent). It's often done after bowel surgery or injury.
Foods Not to Eat with an Ileostomy or Colostomy
Raw vegetables, including salad e.g. lettuce, celery, raw bell-peppers and spring onions. Hard to digest vegetables, including beans like butter beans or green/runner beans, sweetcorn, peas, mushrooms, cabbage, brussel sprouts, spinach, kale and spring greens.
Once it's safe to eat after ostomy surgery, you can include foods like: Easy-to-digest carbohydrates (bread, pasta, crackers, cereals) Lean proteins (fish, skinless or lean chicken, turkey) Soft fruits or cooked vegetables (squash, mashed potatoes, apple sauce, mashed banana, mashed raspberries)
Your body will continue to digest and absorb nutrients in your small bowel. People with a colostomy should eat a healthy, balanced diet, and enjoy a range of foods from each food group. The food groups include breads and cereals, vegetables, fruit, meat and alternatives, dairy and alternatives.
Your pattern of having a bowel movement with a colostomy will depend on how much of your colon was removed and what your bowel pattern was like before surgery. If you still have your rectum, you may feel like you need to have a BM, or have mucus or blood pass through the anus. This is normal.
The sugar works by drawing out fluid from the swollen stoma so helping to reduce the size. Be aware that as the sugar draws fluid out of the stoma you will end up with a syrupy fluid in the bag.
Bowel blockage or obstruction
If less poo is coming out of your stoma than usual, or your stoma stops producing poo, you may have a bowel blockage. A blockage is serious because your bowel could burst (rupture), and you may need further surgery.