How long do you have to stay on a low fiber diet after colon surgery? (2023)

When can I resume normal diet after colectomy?

Typically, a soft diet is recommended for the first 2 to 8 weeks following surgery. You will then slowly advance to a regular diet; depending on your progress and tolerance for food. The foods you tolerate can vary greatly from one person to the next.

You should feel better after 1 to 2 weeks and will probably be back to normal in 2 to 4 weeks. Your bowel movements may not be regular for several weeks. Also, you may have some blood in your stool. This care sheet gives you a general idea about how long it will take for you to recover.

Do not do any strenuous activities or heavy lifting of more than 5 to 10 pounds for at least 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. (A gallon of milk weighs just over 8 pounds.) You can begin having sex again when you feel ready, usually 2 to 4 weeks post surgery.

Avoid nuts, seeds, chunky peanut butter (Creamy peanut butter is okay.), tough meats, fried foods (french fries, fast food), beans, peas, hot dogs, sausage, strong flavored cheeses, coconut, raisins, and desserts with nuts or raisins.

For the first four to six weeks after bowel surgery, we recommend that you follow a lower fibre diet (also known as a lower residue diet). These foods are easier to digest while your bowel is healing. After this period, you should gradually reintroduce higher fibre foods one small item at a time.

How long does it take to recover from a colectomy? Recovery at home takes up to six weeks. Many people get back to most of their usual routines within two weeks after surgery. Try to be extra gentle with yourself in the first few days after you get home.

Surgery to the large bowel (colon)

The waste material (poo) is then stored in the back passage (rectum) until you pass it out of the body through your anus. Straight after surgery to remove part of your colon, your poo might be a bit looser and more frequent.

Limit Fiber

Your stomach doesn't fully digest high-fiber foods like whole-grain bread and cereals. They go to the large intestine and are taken care of there. Your large intestine is healing, so don't make it work too hard. A low-fiber diet (your doctor may call it “low-residue”) for 4 to 6 weeks can help.

The truth of the matter is that symptoms such as swelling, stomach discomfort and distention are very common after surgery. The good news is that these sensations are only temporary. Phew! Post-operative bloating and swelling usually peaks 48 hours after surgery, but will mostly subside by the 12-week mark.

Raw Fruits (except bananas, cantaloupe and honeydew melon) and Raw Vegetables (except for small amounts of shredded lettuce), Beans and Whole Grains can cause blockages early after surgery.

How much should you walk after colon surgery?

The first four weeks of your post-op recovery are the most important, and you'll be increasing the intensity of your walks one week after the other. During your first week, you should stick to taking anywhere between 2 to 4 ten-minute light-paced walks a day. Week 2 is when you should increase their duration.

Follow-up colonoscopies should be done every 1 to 3 years, depending on the person's risk factors for colorectal cancer and the findings on the previous colonoscopy.

Once your bowels are back to normal, your doctor will re-introduce soft foods to your diet. Bread, tender vegetables, cheese, oatmeal, and tender meat will be allowed in your diet.

Foods to Avoid After Colon Surgery

Additionally, they'll want to avoid hard-to-eat foods, such as those containing large amounts of fiber and tough meats. Refraining from eating fatty and greasy foods will help to keep patients from experiencing excessive abdominal pain and nausea as well.

But the low-residue diet isn't meant for the long term. “For acute issues, we'd recommend being on the diet for five to seven days and then adding fiber back in. But it's all patient-specific,” Hartog says.

Lettuce and Tomato

A cup of shredded lettuce, such as romaine, Boston or iceberg, contains between 0.6 and 1.0 gram of fiber, while raw tomatoes have about 1 gram of fiber per 1/2-cup serving. These vegetables are great for preparing refreshing, low-fiber salads.

Most healing takes place by 6 weeks after surgery.

Total colectomy involves removing the entire colon. Partial colectomy involves removing part of the colon and may also be called subtotal colectomy. Hemicolectomy involves removing the right or left portion of the colon. Proctocolectomy involves removing both the colon and rectum.

After this procedure, you can expect to have 4 to 6 bowel movements a day. You may need more surgery and an ileostomy if you have Crohn disease and it spreads to your rectum. Most people who have this surgery recover fully. They are able to do most of the activities they were doing before their surgery.

Can patients live a normal life after a colon resection? Yes, most patients have a successful colon resection procedure and go on to live full and comfortable lives. If there is an underlying disease, of course, continuing treatment may be necessary.

Do you lose weight after colon resection?

It is normal to lose some weight after this surgery. Soon it will level off and slowly you will start to regain some of the weight you lost. Try to have a good calorie intake to keep up your energy. Your bowel actions may change after your surgery.

Contrast test.

In the case of intestinal surgery, your surgeon can check for leaks using a CT scan with contrast dye. The contrast is injected into your rectum near the anastomosis to see if it leaks out of the connection.

Some of the more common and serious surgical complications after sigmoid colectomy are anastomotic leaks and peritonitis, wound infections, small bowel obstruction, postoperative bleeding, and injuries to the urinary tract structures.

Fiber plays a major role in digestive health. Fiber is the fuel the colon cells use to keep them healthy. Fiber also helps to keep the digestive tract flowing, by keeping your bowel movements soft and regular.

The small incisions mean that recovery time is quite fast. Most patients can return to their normal activities within one week of surgery. Postoperative pain resolves within a few days and the scarring is minimal.

The most common complications following colorectal resection are infectious, wound infection or organ space infection, and gastrointestinal (GI) motility complications, including ileus and bowel obstruction.

The best foods for after colon surgery

At first, you may stay on a clear liquid and low fiber diet regimen until you're ready to start experimenting with "full liquids." Creamy soups, dairy, milkshakes, puddings, and ice creams are examples of full liquids.

Can I eat chicken after colon surgery?

Keep in mind that consuming protein after a colon resection is essential to the healing process. Examples of foods high in protein include fish, chicken, turkey, beef, pork, eggs, tofu, dairy products and smooth nut butters, like creamy peanut butter.

If you have a poor appetite try biscuits, cakes, sweets, chocolate or crisps as in- between meal snacks. Avoid very hot or very cold foods/drinks. Avoid a high intake of alcohol or high intake of caffeine. After having an operation on your bowel you may be unsure if you can eat foods which are high in fibre.

Avoid strenuous activities, such as biking, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercise, until your doctor says it is okay. Ask your doctor when you can drive again. You will probably need to take 3 to 4 weeks off from work.

Avoid driving for 2-3 weeks and heavy lifting or heaving housework for 4-6 weeks following surgery. Please avoid swimming or aerobics for 6-8 weeks then check with your consultant. You feel generally unwell or have a green/brown smelly discharge coming through the dressing.

You can walk, climb stairs, shower, and bathe soon after surgery. But don't drive until your provider says you can. Follow all special diet instructions you are given. Take care of your cut (incision) and any drains, as directed by your provider.

“We may or may not perform surgery to treat colon cancer that has recurred.” If surgeons remove your colon cancer and it comes back, it may be possible to treat it with another surgery.

There's no upper age limit for colon cancer screening. But most medical organizations in the United States agree that the benefits of screening decline after age 75 for most people and there's little evidence to support continuing screening after age 85. Discuss colon cancer screening with your health care provider.

Colonic resection is classified as major surgery and should not be undertaken if the patient is physically not fit to sustain a major procedure. Reversible and modifiable risk factors should be addressed before surgery, and postoperatively, a patient may require intensive or high dependency facilities.

Every time you eat a bowl of oats, they get busy feeding your body fiber, and fiber can help keep things moving through your colons and intestines. And that's great – because you definitely want to make sure that colon is chugging along.

Conclusion: Postoperative consumption of coffee is a safe and effective way to accelerate the establishment of the bowel function after colorectal resection surgery.

What diet is best after colon surgery?

Eat foods that are easy to swallow and digest. These usually consist of soft, moist foods such as soup, gelatin, pudding, and yogurt. Avoid gummy foods such as bread and tough meats, as well as spicy, fried, or gas-producing foods.

Limit Fiber

Your stomach doesn't fully digest high-fiber foods like whole-grain bread and cereals. They go to the large intestine and are taken care of there. Your large intestine is healing, so don't make it work too hard. A low-fiber diet (your doctor may call it “low-residue”) for 4 to 6 weeks can help.

The most common cause of weight gain after surgery is fluid retention, also known as postoperative edema. Edema occurs when extra fluid builds up in your body to respond to inflammation and promote healing. It may also be caused by intravenous (IV) fluids given during surgery.

This uses extra water and if you don't drink more to compensate, the dehydrating effect can result in constipation. But in a normal, omnivorous diet, the meat will complete its journey through your digestive system in 12 to 48 hours, along with everything else.

For weightlifting exercises, it is advised to wait until 8 weeks after your operation so as to avoid any post-operative complications (hernia, pain and wound problems) and build up slowly.

No lifting more than 20 pounds (or lesser weight that forces you to use your abdominal muscles) and no aerobic exercise (other than walking) until your follow up office visit (about 2 weeks after surgery).

Probiotics, which help restore your gut flora, can be helpful for after surgery. You can buy probiotics as a supplement or you can get it naturally from foods like yogurt.

Straight after surgery to remove part of your colon, your poo might be a bit looser and more frequent. But this usually settles down after a few weeks and medicines may help with some of the symptoms.

Take a stool softener as long as you are taking the pain medicine. Colace (Docusate sodium) 100 mg twice a day is the recommended stool softener. Take a fiber supplement, such as Metamucil, Konsyl, Fibercon, Citrucel or any generic brand, as directed on the package.

How do I heal my gut after surgery?