Question

I had a colostomy after cancer of the colon. What dietary restrictions should I obey?

Answer

Of course so much will depend on your clinical state, the drugs that you are taking and the symptoms that you are trying to control. But overall, in general, our advice for people with colostomies is to avoid excessive wind and smell. So for example certain vegetables such as cabbage, and certain other foods such as fish, might be kept to a minimum. If the faeces are too soft, one would need to look at the fibre content of the diet, but overall, drug therapy might be preferred to altering the diet. Should constipation be a problem, then it is important to look at the fruit and vegetable content of the diet, and also the fluid intake.

Links

• Colorectal cancer, men and women