I could use some help /diet/colostomy

maglets
maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1
sorry to trouble you.....my best friend is in dire straits with uterine and cervical cancers. she has a fresh tumor that has completely shut down the very low part of her colon by pressing from the outside of the colon. Eventually there will be massive surgery to remove everything including bladder but right now she is so impacted they are doing emerg colostomy to give her relief.

We live in a small place and I know she will get no eating directions. she lives way out in the country so I hope to go and stay and be care-giver.

sooooo finally here is my question.....for those of you with colostomies....please help me to understand what I should be feeding Lorraine in the first few days.....are there any foods that are really hard????? to deal with????

any tips at all would be so welcome

mags

Comments

  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #2
    Dear Mags
    First of all, what a wonderful lady you are to go to your friend's aid.

    As for the eating part, if she is having a colostomy and not an iliostomy, there is not much difference in what can be eaten. In the beginning she may not feel much like eating after the surgery and pain meds, etc. So see if she has any favorites. Protein is important for the healing so cheese, peanut butter, and the like are good. If she experiences loose stools, toasted white bread with whatever topping she wants will help. The colostomy itself, at least mine, doesn't seem to require any special "feeding". I have heard some folks recommend staying away from popcorn and peanuts.

    Also plan on doing small portions until she gets here appetite back.

    If any other questions come up about foods or ostomy care, give a shout and we will try to help.

    Please give your friend best wishes and a hug from me.

    Hugs,

    Marie who loves kitties
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    #3
    Lovekitties said:

    Dear Mags
    First of all, what a wonderful lady you are to go to your friend's aid.

    As for the eating part, if she is having a colostomy and not an iliostomy, there is not much difference in what can be eaten. In the beginning she may not feel much like eating after the surgery and pain meds, etc. So see if she has any favorites. Protein is important for the healing so cheese, peanut butter, and the like are good. If she experiences loose stools, toasted white bread with whatever topping she wants will help. The colostomy itself, at least mine, doesn't seem to require any special "feeding". I have heard some folks recommend staying away from popcorn and peanuts.

    Also plan on doing small portions until she gets here appetite back.

    If any other questions come up about foods or ostomy care, give a shout and we will try to help.

    Please give your friend best wishes and a hug from me.

    Hugs,

    Marie who loves kitties

    thank you
    thank you marie....it occurs to me that i know nothing about this topic even though I have been through colon and liver surgeries. it make me want to be less blase when I see someone on the forum asking for help....for instance about liver resection or oxy

    I guess we just start to take our own experience for granted

    thank you marie....I know nothing about ostomy care.....or diet....


    mags
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #4
    low fibre
    So sorry to hear about your friend!

    I have had a permanent colostomy since 2003. I wasn't allowed to leave the hospital until I passed *something* -- don't know if this will be the case with her.

    Then, I was advised to stay on a "low fibre" diet for a while (I think a week?). This was quite difficult for me -- I'm a fruit and veggie and high fibre kinda gal! But I tried to stick to it. Since then, and now, I can eat everything.

    Equally important is managing the colostomy -- will she see a stoma nurse before/after the surgery? If at all possible, she should do so. Placement of the stoma is important (not too high, not where she wears her waistband). My stoma nurse gave me samples of appliances (pouches, etc.). It took a bit of trial and error until I found the system which worked best for me. There are some good websites for those with colostomies....do you have those?

    Good luck -- you're an angel to be doing this.
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    #5
    Mags
    Mags,
    I don't have answers but want you to know I think you are wonderful. You and your friend are in my prayers.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #6
    maglets said:

    thank you
    thank you marie....it occurs to me that i know nothing about this topic even though I have been through colon and liver surgeries. it make me want to be less blase when I see someone on the forum asking for help....for instance about liver resection or oxy

    I guess we just start to take our own experience for granted

    thank you marie....I know nothing about ostomy care.....or diet....


    mags

    Ostomy care
    Dear Mags,

    Hopefully the hospital will send her home with some supplies, as it will be important to have them on hand. You can also contact Hollister and ConvaTec via the web to send out their sample packages which will help get her by until she settles on what works best.

    I highly recommend getting Karaya Powder if it doesn't come in the samples. It is a powder that you put on when changing the flange after cleaning to help keep the skin protected and can be used if there is slight weeping in the area.

    Hopefully she will have met with a stoma/wound care nurse for details. If there is one be sure to get the number and call with any concerns.

    Hope you have internet at her place so you can stay in touch and as questions come up you can post them here.

    Hugs,

    Marie who loves kitties
  • zirotra
    zirotra Member Posts: 30
    #7
    Kathleen808 said:

    Mags
    Mags,
    I don't have answers but want you to know I think you are wonderful. You and your friend are in my prayers.

    Aloha,
    Kathleen

    first few days
    i ate boiled white rice, lentils, some chicken, potatoes and yogurt. I avoided fibrous stuff.
    you also have to get used to your colostomy and see how your output is. you don't want
    to block your ostomy in first few days and give it a chance to heal up. In particular i avoided these types of food for first few weeks.
    Gas- Beans, beer, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carbonated beverages, cauliflower, onions
    Incomplete digestion - Apple peels, cabbage, celery, coconut, corn, dried fruit, mushrooms, nuts, pineapple, popcorn, seeds, skins from fruits, skins from vegetables
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    #8
    zirotra said:

    first few days
    i ate boiled white rice, lentils, some chicken, potatoes and yogurt. I avoided fibrous stuff.
    you also have to get used to your colostomy and see how your output is. you don't want
    to block your ostomy in first few days and give it a chance to heal up. In particular i avoided these types of food for first few weeks.
    Gas- Beans, beer, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carbonated beverages, cauliflower, onions
    Incomplete digestion - Apple peels, cabbage, celery, coconut, corn, dried fruit, mushrooms, nuts, pineapple, popcorn, seeds, skins from fruits, skins from vegetables

    thank you
    oh thank you everyone.....this is so helpful....

    mags
  • smokeyjoe
    smokeyjoe Member Posts: 1,425 Member
    #9
    maglets said:

    thank you
    oh thank you everyone.....this is so helpful....

    mags

    Mags I don't have any input
    Mags I don't have any input on the ostomy, but when she's in hospital I would check with the CCAC and see if she can be visited by a nurse at home. They typically have a contact person at the hospital. What a wonderful friend you are :)
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    #10
    smokeyjoe said:

    Mags I don't have any input
    Mags I don't have any input on the ostomy, but when she's in hospital I would check with the CCAC and see if she can be visited by a nurse at home. They typically have a contact person at the hospital. What a wonderful friend you are :)

    ccac
    thanks joe....I agree....sometimes people are reluctant to ask for ccac.....I have always found them really really helpful....

    for our USA friends this is a Canadian service Community Care Access,,, provincial program with lots of help

    thanks joe....

    mags
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    #11
    maglets said:

    ccac
    thanks joe....I agree....sometimes people are reluctant to ask for ccac.....I have always found them really really helpful....

    for our USA friends this is a Canadian service Community Care Access,,, provincial program with lots of help

    thanks joe....

    mags

    not good
    when the surgeon did the colostomy last night....he discovered multiple tumors all around the bowel...pressing in on it and twisting and turning and totally compressing it.

    so who knows if Lorraine will ever get home again Her surgeon came in this morning and gave her the grave news....said perhaps 2 months....the bowel is totally asleep. well except for excrutiating pain. they had her up for tiny walk today so if we could just get a little peristalsis that would be good

    crap and darn....cancer sucks

    mags
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #12
    maglets said:

    not good
    when the surgeon did the colostomy last night....he discovered multiple tumors all around the bowel...pressing in on it and twisting and turning and totally compressing it.

    so who knows if Lorraine will ever get home again Her surgeon came in this morning and gave her the grave news....said perhaps 2 months....the bowel is totally asleep. well except for excrutiating pain. they had her up for tiny walk today so if we could just get a little peristalsis that would be good

    crap and darn....cancer sucks

    mags

    So very sorry
    So very sorry to hear the news about your friend. Praying that they can find a med to give her some pain relief. Since she lives in a rural area alone is it possible they will find a rehab or assisted living situation for her? Sounds like she may need more than just the loving care of a friend.

    Yes, cancer sucks big time. A friend of the family has been fighting both lung and breast cancer for about 6 months. She took a turn for the worst yesterday, admitted to hospital and not expected to make it thru the weekend. Another friend was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer...a relatively young man with a family. It is too much some days.

    God bring us a cure for all cancers soon.

    Marie who loves kitties
  • bspangler47
    bspangler47 Member Posts: 145
    #13
    your friend
    I am so sorry to hear about your friend. And you are a very speacial friend.
  • pete43lost_at_sea
    pete43lost_at_sea Member Posts: 3,900 Member
    #14
    you are an angel
    i hope your goes well, a few nutrious juices cannot do any harm, but they are to be sipped, not gulped.

    hugs,
    pete
  • pete43lost_at_sea
    pete43lost_at_sea Member Posts: 3,900 Member
    #15
    you are an angel
    oops

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