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What is a good diet after colon surgery? Are probiotics good?
Colorectal Cancer | Last Active: 2 hours ago | Replies (34)Comment receiving replies
@gigi4
Im afraid my surgeon’s and oncologist ‘s office were of little help with diet.
Pretty much eat whatever you can tolerate.
Still a struggle after 1 1/2 years.
Pretty much trying to stick with the brat diet. Nothing fried, no red meat.
Any helpful suggestions appreciated.
Replies to "@gigi4 Im afraid my surgeon’s and oncologist ‘s office were of little help with diet. Pretty..."
@janetgraham I agree that diet is not usually my doctor's or surgeon's field of expertise, and their advice can be vague.
Luckily I did have a GI who sent me to a nutritionist, and she helped me figure things out.
Have you had a consult with a nutritionist of dietician? Have you tried foods other than the BRAT diet and not been able to tolerate them?
@janetgraham and @gigi4
I can well understand the difficulties of eating after digestive tract surgery. Ten years ago, I had my third surgery of the upper digestive tract, and I concur that doctors are not always able to help us with post-surgery eating problems. I have had two referrals to a hospital dietician, which was very helpful.
As a result of my own experiences, I created a discussion group on Connect, "How Do I Eat After Digestive Tract Surgery?" Here is a link to that discussion: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/how-do-i-eat-after-digestive-tract-surgery/
In this discussion, you will find others who have had colon/rectal surgery for various types of problems. As you read these posts, you will see that most of us avoid raw fruits and veggies as well as fried foods. Small, frequent meals seem to be more easily tolerated rather than three larger meals.
After reading the posts in this discussion group, will you post your own questions?
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@janetgraham
I don’t have experience with what your husband has dealt with.
But I do know it is good to eliminate processed foods, reduce sugar intake, omit gluten products and look for gluten free bread, (Sourdough is ok because it has been fermented and fermented foods are good for the gut to build up good bacteria in the intestines. Also reduce dairy products like cheese and switch instead to sheep or goat milk yogurts and cheeses.
All this info I learned due to having an intestinal bacterial infection, as well as a yeast infection and fungal infection. The changes in my diet was for the purpose of building up the intestinal wall and increase good bacteria needed for digestion.
Doctors usually do not test for these issues. And I switched to a functional medicine doctor who did test for a variety of causes for my symptoms.
You may be able to find information that can help your husband by doing a search on Google or Duck Duck Go or asking AI.
I truly wish you and your husband the best. I know how difficult this can be for you both. On my prayers.