Just like before your surgery, at times you may experience constipation or diarrhea. Increasing your fluid and fiber intake should help prevent constipation.
Drink more water and fruit juices—six to eight glasses (48-64 ounces) per day. Include more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Try to eat foods that are high in fiber, such as whole-grain bread and cereals.
Diarrhea can be caused by many things, including viruses, antibiotics, and some medicines. It can also be a sign of trouble digesting certain foods. If food is the problem, you can try to remove fiber and bulk from your diet and eat foods that thicken your stool.
Try to avoid foods that cause odor, such as eggs, certain spices, fish, and asparagus. You may also wish to avoid foods that cause gas, such as beer, carbonated beverages, dairy products, onions, cucumbers, mushrooms, beans, and cabbage. Gas-producing foods take about six hours to produce gas in a person with a colostomy.
After ostomy surgery, the way your body digests and absorbs medicines may be affected. Make sure to review all of your medicines—both over-the-counter and prescription—with your ostomy nurse, healthcare professional, and pharmacist.
These medicines can include:
- Antacids
- Anti-diarrheals
- Anti-inflammatory agents, such as ibuprofen
- Aspirin
- Laxatives
- Salt substitutes
- Sugar substitutes, such as saccharin
- Vitamins