How do I eat after digestive tract surgery?

Posted by Teresa, Volunteer Mentor @hopeful33250, Jul 9 12:10pm

Perhaps you have had surgery for chronic diverticulitis, cancer of the digestive tract, a Whipple procedure, bariatric surgery, or maybe even gallbladder surgery. Surgeries of the digestive tract typically alter the way our bodies process food as they change our digestive landscape. I discovered this after my second surgery on the upper digestive tract. After this surgery (and nearly a week in the hospital), well-meaning friends brought me food, which I certainly appreciated. However, the food they brought me were salads, fresh fruit and vegetables, cream-based soups, and casseroles. All of which made me feel terrible. It turned out my problems stemmed from what I was eating. So, what should I have been eating instead of these foods? It was a time of trial and error for me. I spent a lot of time finding which foods were “safe” and which foods were “triggers” and would cause digestive difficulties.

After major surgeries of the digestive tract, many hospital systems have a registered hospital dietitian meet with you before discharge and provide instructions on the best way to eat. This was not my experience. I did, however, request a referral to a dietitian several months after surgery.

Let's sit around the table and share our tips on the eating plan that worked best for you after your surgery and talk about the kinds of foods that were (and still are) the easiest to digest. We are all different in our responses to surgery, but we will undoubtedly find common ground.

I look forward to learning together. Share your ideas, recipes or cooking methods that have helped you.
Here are a few questions to get us started:
- If you have had a consultation with a dietitian, what did you learn?
- What foods did and didn't work for you?
- What about the quantity of food at each meal, as well as the timing of meals?
- Have your cooking methods changed?
- Do you still use spices the same way?
- Have you kept a food diary to track any foods that might be triggers for digestive difficulties?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

linda82 | @linda82 | Jul 10 8:07am

This is such an awesome subject that is helpful for post diet and foods for digestion after abdominal surgery.
I had robotic sigmoid colectomy and opened belly button down for diverticulitis.
No dietitian. Was told to go back to "regular diet" LOL Sounds scary.
I think you must focus first on what your body needs first to heal and maintain proper nutrition.

It is difficult to take that chance of what you can eat and not eat that you may or may not have "issues' with during the digestion process. You have to experiment and learn what your body reacts to.

I started with very small meals. I focused on getting all the nutrition your body needs and boy that is a lot to eat! Thus, vitamins and supplements are a must, and you have to think about the absorption.

exp. A banana, yogurt for breakfast. I would open capsules of zinc, probiotic or any other capsule to add nutrition and saving space in digestion process with a spoonful of fig jam. Coffee or tea with local honey and then other vitamins to help absorb. I also take multi vitamins.
I also would make scrambled eggs with olive oil, spinach bacon and whole grain bread. I would save my yogurt for later if I had eggs due to space! You must make choices of what you eat and when.

My cooking has not changed much. Since they cut out the damaged colon, I do not have that issue anymore.
Spices do not bother me. But, anything hot is a no!

I did try ice cream again. I learned that if it was just a small bowl it did not cause lactose issue. But, I had to learn that amount by eating too much! I do not drink milk but can have cheese. I wish I could get more calcium but, my body cannot absorb supplements (kidney stones) and have to get in foods.