You don’t need a special diet. But sometimes, just like everyone else, you will find certain foods may give you wind or not suit you.

If you think a particular food is causing problems, try cutting it out for a while – then reintroduce it into your diet again later. You should try this at least three times with any ‘suspect’ food, so you know if it really is causing you a problem.

It’s important to chew your food well before swallowing, as this aids digestion. To help avoid wind, try chewing charcoal tablets (available from your pharmacy), or drinking peppermint or fennel tea. Yoghurt and yoghurt drinks may also help.

Foods that may give you wind:

• broccoli, cauliflower
• cabbage, spinach
• beans (green and baked)
• onions, garlic
• Brussels sprouts
• cucumbers
• sweetcorn, peas

Drinks
Just like before your surgery, drinking will affect the consistency of your output. There are no hard and fast rules, but a lot of people generally find fizzy drinks and beer tend to cause wind. Also water, squash and fruit juice are better than tea and coffee, which can be dehydrating. As for alcohol, you can still have a drink as long as it doesn’t interfere with any medication you are taking. Talk to your doctor or specialist stoma nurse if you have any concerns.

Constipation
If you are suffering from constipation, think about your diet and what usually helps to make you go. Everyone’s bowel habit is different so you know what is usual for you. If you are passing wind this shows that your stoma is working. Increasing your fluid intake will help, but if you have any discomfort or concerns please contact your specialist stoma nurse or pharmacist. If you haven’t been for 3-4 days, they may recommend a laxative.

Diarrhoea
Occasionally, just like everyone else, you may suffer from a bout of diarrhoea (looser, watery stools). This is nothing to be too alarmed about. A one-off episode of diarrhoea could be related to something you ate and will often resolve itself. However, three or more consecutive loose stools are a cause for concern as you risk becoming dehydrated, and you should seek advice for treating the diarrhoea.

What about dinning out?