My list of illeostomy friendly foods and drinks

[Shamrock4806]

My eat only guide that may help others with an ileostomy.

This list of acceptable foods and drinks was devised by personal experience and consulting this guide my otosmy dietician gave me that's unfortunately not available online, it's very through and accurate I've found.

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So instead of working from all the things that cause issues with my illeostomy I'd figure out all what I can have which may be ideal for others to follow.

Not everyone is the same but instead of being overwhelmed by issues they may prefer to have something easy to start with first and experiment after that.

Note that my list is likely nutrient deficient but I take a Centrum Silver multivitamin multimineral crushed in food as needed. The list is also somewhat prediabetic friendly, thus light on the fast carbs. Portions are about a large potato or two taco sized portions 3-6 times over the course of 24 hours to reduce high output and have more lull periods to do a bag change...I often eat greek yogurt as snacks in between as it can reduce gas and odor.



So with that here is my list which is a work in progress

If it's NOT on this list then it causes issues or hasn't been tested yet. My objective is all near liquid output that's not excessive. Pea soup like consistency is also fine. A stoma that has to extend out to discharge a chunk or more solid material is going to break the barrier adhesive seal or worse cause a painful clog that may require a hospital visit.


**My problem free illeostomy diet**

Low or no fat milk (plain, no chocolate etc) cup or so fine, but a cereal by with milk may produce gas for short period.

Fruit juices like apple, orange in small amounts (one small glass per day, mornings only on a good bag, diarrhea risk)

Soft canned diced peaches, fruit cup (one per day, mornings only on a good bag, diarrhea risk)

Applesauce (no sugar added) thickens stool. Very soft cooked also okay.

Strawberries (in small amounts, tiny bits mixed with other food, not chunks) Tiny seeds not a clog risk, but larger ones are.

Greek Yogurt (no chunky skinned or fibrous fruits; like cherry, blueberry or pineapple) with small soft strawberries peach bits or others like it. Good odor control.

Rice based cereals and others that soften quickly and completely with milk like Rice Chex, Crispies, Cheerios.

Lean unseasoned, not deep fried, very tender meats like steak (filet 6 oz), juicy chicken (skinless, not brined), pork chops, lamb and skinless turkey (avoid fatty or alcohol gravy and any hard parts) about 6 oz per serving. Pork limit to one thin chop size due to high fat content causes diarrhea.

Extremely lean hamburger or chopped steak, gravy without fat, alcohol or veggie chunks. 6-8 oz per serving. Fatty, diarrhea risk. Red meat can take longer to exit into the bag than other meats.

Skinless all beef hotdogs, bratwurst (plain) 1 max. (Fatty, diarrhea risk). No veggies or chili with beans (clog risk)

Sausage (not spicy, thin casings and no tough bits) two four inch links max per serving (fatty, diarrhea risk)

Ketchup and mayonnaise. Mustard (light amounts)

Seasonings- light powdered or flakes kind and nothing heavy like blackened, brined, salted or spicy etc. BBQ sauce seems fine as long as it's not too sugary or spicy. Brisket seasoning is very bad.

Lean Bacon, Ham or not spicy, not chunky bits, skinless deli meats. No honey or salted pork. 6-8 oz per serving. Pork is very fatty, limit to one small pork chop portion (diarrhea risk)

Chicken salad with pasta (no veggies or olive oil) 6-8 oz per serving.

Potatoes: salad (plain, no veggies) mashed (garlic okay), plain pan fried or baked (butter fine), nothing deep fried, no skins, soft cooked and no indigestible bits (clog risk). Max half a large potato portion (diarrhea risk) Mashed potatoes without chunks or skins is best.

Tomato pasta sauce with no solid veggies (either strain them out using a fork or use Mariana or meat sauce) Minimize amount just to flavor, don't mix with bread. If it stains the bag it's too much.

Fatty meat sauce and gravy- limited amounts per meal. Like just barely enough just to flavor the meat or pasta only. (high diarrhea risk)

Macaroni with cheese about a cup max per serving, (diarrhea risk)

Regular wheat based breads (slices, rolls, flour tortillas and biscuits) not very dry (eat with a liquid) and pasta in small one cup amounts at a time (avoid corn anything or heavy grain breads, nut and fruit breads)

Eggs (not scrambled or omelets where yoke is mixed with whites) and plain egg salad in small amounts chewed well. Over easy style best for complete digestion.

Corn beef hash 6-8 oz. (Diarrhea risk)

Creamy peanut butter (not chunky, no sugar added) natural, unsalted.

Jelly, no chunks, no sugar added, all natural ingredients with no artificial sweeteners, tiny strawberry sized seeds okay (no larger!), max two tablespoons at a time on a good bag. (diarrhea risk)

Butter and butter like spreads

Bananas - blended in a smoothie, pudding or eaten in small bits and amounts with something else. Not as whole one all at once. (causes pancaking) Bananna bread without nuts or fruit.

Real cheese, not processed cheese food (comes out like plastic) in small amounts and diced fine as some cheeses like low moisture mozzarella may not fully digest and need to exit whole.

Rice cooked more than al dente (like when the ends split), fried rice minus veggies. No sticky or sushi rice (clog risk). One cup max per serving.

Water, or water with some electrolytes added for taste

V8 juice with less sodium (one small glass)

Pea or tomato soup (no solid bits) one small bowl. Crackers okay.

Dill pickles spears (no skins, clog risk) just drinking a little pickle juice good enough as cucumber unlikely to digest fully but usually soft enough to not clog. (clog risk, chew well)

Centrum Silver (long diarrhea risk, mornings on a good bag only) crush and powder food a little as needed. Potential clog risk if pills taken whole, especially slow dissolving types.

Tapioca pudding (little pearls okay)

Meat and cheese lasagna with no solid veggies (2" x 4" slice at a sitting, diarrhea risk) May induce a deep sleep, small portions recommended to not overfill bag.

Ice cream: Mint chocolate chip 2 scoops. Others without clogging fruit or nut chunks and not too much chocolate or caffeine (causes diarrhea) may be fine.




**Note: Avoid mixing diarrhea risk foods at the same time**

Warning: Olive oil coated foods, may not digest fully.



What is diarrhea? It's a illeostomy condition where the digestive system flushes an inordinate amount of water out of the stoma that causes dehydration. Some output is normal but excessive output is unwelcome resulting in many trips to the bathroom to dump. Dehydration causes weakness, dizziness and fatigue. Not having enough body water can cause urinary issues of no or dark colored urine and kidney stones could develop.

The illeostomy diarrhea condition can be caused by any reason the body feels it needs to rapidly get rid of whatever one has eaten or drank, even too much acceptable food will cause it. It's because an illeostomy bypasses the colon which is responsible for taking up water (and other nutrients) from the digestive system.

Items above assume rinsing bag with just plain water after each dump to control odor.

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