Diet Question - Corn Chips (i.e. Doritoes, Nachos, Fritos)?

[Dukegijoe]

Hello everyone, I've been lurking around the forum for a couple of days but this is my first posting. I'm three weeks into my ileostomy and I'm still trying to work out some of the specifics around diet. Most specifically, with the Super Bowl tomorrow, can I eat corn chips? I know corn is mostly a no no, but I'm curious about things like Doritos, Nacho Chips, Fritos, etc. Do these breakdown easier than a corn kernel because it doesn't have the shell? Any bad experiences? Anything to look out for?

In a similar vein, what about Nacho toppings? I know no beans, but what about diced tomatoes? Sliced or diced (S/D) Onions? S/D Bell Peppers? I also love a good cheese steak (occasionally), which almost necessitates the peppers and onions. Any recommended substitutions? It just doesn't feel like the Super Bowl without some bad diet choices, but I don't want to be paying for it in pain later.

Thank you for the help and I look forward to your answers.

[Jimbob]

Normally we would say eat a little and see what happens. It seem like everyone is a bit different in their reaction. The issue here is the Super Bowl is upon us. I would say just be moderate, chew everything very well and wash it down with beer, and hope for the best.

Three weeks is not very much time for your body to have adjusted. As for the beer, make sure you are not on meds that should not be mixed with alcohol.

I have a end sigmoid colostomy so I am not restricted in diet choices, I see food and eat it.

[Mysticobra]

Hello everyone, I've been lurking around the forum for a couple of days but this is my first posting. I'm three weeks into my ileostomy and I'm still trying to work out some of the specifics around diet. Most specifically, with the Super Bowl tomorrow, can I eat corn chips? I know corn is mostly a no no, but I'm curious about things like Doritos, Nacho Chips, Fritos, etc. Do these breakdown easier than a corn kernel because it doesn't have the shell? Any bad experiences? Anything to look out for?

In a similar vein, what about Nacho toppings? I know no beans, but what about diced tomatoes? Sliced or diced (S/D) Onions? S/D Bell Peppers? I also love a good cheese steak (occasionally), which almost necessitates the peppers and onions. Any recommended substitutions? It just doesn't feel like the Super Bowl without some bad diet choices, but I don't want to be paying for it in pain later.

Thank you for the help and I look forward to your answers.

I've had an ileo for awhile now.
The only thing on your list I would be careful with is cheese.
That slows me down so much I won't empty all day. Which may complicate other foods you eat.
If your not sure. Moderation and chew thoroughly. As said above. Don't go crazy. Lol.
I have a very forgiving stoma. I can eat anything with no problem. Cheese and potatoes in moderation though. But I can eat it.
Good luck and enjoy.
Richard.

[Button]

Duke:
Sorry . . . I am going to propose that you take a more selective path in your choice of Super Bowl gastric munchies.

The concern: You are a mere 3 weeks since surgery for an ileostomy.

It is common for the intestinal mucosa and surrounding connective tissue to remain inflamed (oft called stranding) and/or swollen for 6-8 weeks. The motility of the small intestine, too, can be haphazard and interrupted as a result of surgical handling. The small intestine can move too slowly (feeling as though there is an obstruction) or too rapidly (dumping syndrome with high volume of liquid output).

Take a gentle and easy approach to your Super Bowl appetizers.

Have a FEW nachos or fritos. Chew, chew, and chew some more.

Pass on the beer OR intake only a small volume (1/2 10 oz can). Be aware that the fermentation of beer and result gas bubbles may give you intestinal misery if you over-indulge. Trapped gas in a healing intestine is not a pleasant pain.

Pass on the cheese OR allow only a slight sprinkling of cheese. A sizeable cheese portion can be too binding and make exit of digested food material through the small stoma aperture difficult.

Pass on the peppers. NO peppers. Avoid any fruit, vegetable, or pepper with an outer skin.

DO have plenty of clear fluids. Maybe place a mixture 1/2 apple juice and 1/2 water in a beer bottle for desired imaging effect?

Enjoy the game. Enjoy being with friends and rooting for your favorite team.

Be mindful and moderate in what you choose to eat. Continue to treat your healing intestine gently in terms of food choices and overall volume to keep you feeling your best.
Karen

[Mysticobra]

Sorry Karen.
I didn't keep in mind how far out he was from surgery.
3 weeks is a very short time. Took me longer to accept it rather than think about what I was eating.
At 3 weeks I was a mess. Now that I think about it... it's pretty good at asking for advice on food already. And I think yours and jimbobs was more spot on than mine.
Thanks. I wouldn't want to cause problems with his intake.
Richard.
(me. I'm gonna eat all the above he mentioned lol)
Have a good te watching and go easy. Then no worries after the game.

[theRabbit]

At 3 weeks I would go careful adding new food to your diet. At 5 years out I eat all of the stuff you mentioned with no problem at all. However people differ and even after 5 years whenever i add a new food I do so slowly to make sure I won't have a problem with it.

[Jimbob]

Having folks over for the Super Bowl, We are having Briskit, Andouille Sausage, Shrimp Etouffee, Deviked Eggs, Some veggies to dip in Ranch Dressing, Some chips of somekind. Bread Pudding with Whiskey sauce, Rolls to make sandwiches, condiments like Mustard, Horseradish sauce, jalapenos. and of course adult beverages.

As you can guess my friends are mostly carnivores, and probably my great irrigation habits will go out the window Monday morning. LOL Just saying.

[Nomadic]

Agree with the too-soon-to-risk-it crowd; but being three months post colostomy, I am able to each chips without problems, I just needed to pay attention to chewing well. I still keep to the nothing raw though--e.g. no raw onions, peppers etc. I'd forgotten about the seeds in tomatoes and okra and regretted it that very night. Enjoy your festivities.

[nickolas]

Going to concur regarding cheese. I was 2 weeks out from my permanent colostomy surgery (15 yrs ago, they didn't talk much about diet following surgery then) when I ate 2 slices of pizza, thought I was going to die, the pain!!! Two weeks later, I would try pizza again, no problems. At 3 weeks, be careful. Best advice follow a low fiber diet and gradually introduce new item and see how your body react.

Also, I've been told tomato skins can also be a problem, me I LOVE tomatoes, eat them ALL the time. No problems so far. As others have said, chew, chew chew.

[Button]

The stoma opening/aperture of an ileostomy is smaller than it is for a colostomy. The diameter of the small intestine is smaller than the diameter of the large intestine.

The smaller stoma opening of an ileostomy is less agreeable to free passing of digested food material that may coagulate or form a dense bolus (a wad of coconut macaroon cookies; partially digested skin of an apple or fibrous membranes of orange/grapefruit sections). Think of giving birth to a wad of food where the stoma is not able to s-t-r-e-t-c-h sufficiently. Ouch!

Anatomically, many a new ileostomy is created with a fairly distinct turn about 7-9 inches behind the stoma. This intestinal turn in direction 7-9 inches behind the stoma opening also adds to potential for a traffic jam as digested food material makes its final approach to the stoma.

An individual with a new ileostomy will need to be slightly more cautious in food selection and in keeping to smaller portions than a new colostomy, all other possible intervening variables similar.

Enjoy the SuperBowl.
Karen

[Mysticobra]

Bowl is boring.
I hope you didn't make up for eat eating!

[MtnMama]

DUKEGIJOE: I am curious to hear how your gut fared with your intake of Superbowl fare.

[Diane C]

Well, I skipped the Super Bowl. Hope folks enjoyed it. Gladys Knight did a great job singing our national anthem.

I agree with Karen/Button as usual. I had surgery for my ileo on Nov 1. I STILL don't eat raw fruit and veggies. Nervous and want no blockage but am experimenting with Immodium liquid which helps quite a lot to avoid leakage. I guess I could try now. I'm still dealing with a surgical wound though and must eat a LOT of protein for healing and I'm not that ravenous for other foods -- until I go to bed! I try to forget the hunger and go to sleep. I usually get something non-alcoholic to drink.

Interesting that at our support group meetings, we DO have a lot of raw veggies, some fruit and chips with dips. Also cookies and cake. Hmmm. When I had a colostomy, I ran for the raw veggies and fruit. I DID eat some barely cooked shrimped with sauce last time as I wanted the protein (and my cholesterol is fine). Had no problem with that -- glad to say! I unsed to eat sushi until I realized there's quite a bit of sugar in it. Why, I don't know -- really dislike that manufacturers use so much sugar which is lousy for immunity and inflammation. At a good restaurant -- maybe no sugar is added. So, the consensus for sushi for ileostomies? Unfortunately, I also don't consume soy though -- which has nothing to do with my ileo. (It's an estrogenic and I had breast cancer diagnosed early -- but veer away from such estrogenics -- also flax. Everything in moderation though?)

Diane C.