Christmas diet with a stoma

Christmas time is fast approaching, and with that in mind, it is time to think about what consequences the rich food and overindulgence can cause for us as ostomates.

December fills me with some anxiety regarding food choices due to my cyst causing partial or full blockages, even with my safe foods.

What to do?

There are many ostomates that have a very varied and normal diet, yet some ostomates can’t eat a varied diet and may be filled with anxiety regarding what they can or can’t try.

I have a general rule, and that is I try limited quantities of a specific food three times. If after this, my stoma is coping and okay, then it stays on my mental “I can eat” list.

I am seven years in with a well-seasoned stoma. She’s been through the mill, but I can now eat sweetcorn, popcorn, onions, and a fair amount of vegetables. I can still eat berries; however, skinned raw apples and pears are still on the no list, as well as oranges and satsumas.

Foods that can cause ballooning:

Cabbage – causes excess wind
Brussels – causes excess wind
Onions
Stuffing – excess wind
Chocolate – all those tins of chocolate can have a laxative effect and cause the stoma to flush. Small quantities are fine, just not the whole tin
Mince pies

Ballooning

The other side effect of eating festive food and drinking some festive cheers is the dreaded blown-up stoma bag and not a lot of output. I, for one, love stuffing, but the wind that it produces is something else. There are things to help with the excessive wind and the “when should I burp my bag?” This is a task that even the most seasoned ostomate can get wrong. There have been times when I thought it was safe to burp the bag and have ended up with output on me or emptying the bed of pets because they can’t handle the smell.

Respond Healthcare (Pelican’s sister company) has a solution for the smells that can be caused by both festive food and ballooning. If you want a discreet way to hide the smells, then this may help:

The Care Range Neutralise deodorizer, which comes in a festive Cinnamon and Sandalwood smell. Spray it into the bag prior to application, and it will help to mask the smells. It’s also small and handy to carry with you to the relatives for Christmas or even out for work events. One spray to the toilet prior to emptying, and no one will know. I use it due to my penchant for Smoked Salmon. Without it, I could gas out the toilet, which is next to the dining room.

Most of all, just enjoy the festive season. You will know your own limits, and I am hoping that the items mentioned in the post will help you have an enjoyable, relaxed festive season. I will have my head buried in the Quality Street biscuit tin and enjoying smoked salmon to my heart’s content.

As always

Many thanks for reading

Louise | @crohnsfighting Xx