There is not a lot of information known about ostomy from the general public. In fact, it may surprise you to know that most people don’t even know what an ostomy is. That’s why I have been seeing a lot of questions going around right now about what an ostomy is. Some people are really concerned about their friends or loved ones needing to get an ostomy and then never again be able to enjoy their favorite foods. Other people seem to think that having a stoma makes you half robot, or turns you into a government cyborg. Personally, I can say that these are all very offensive conversations, and I wish that people would stop caring and speculating so much about what an ostomy is. I also know that a lot of people with ostomies out there are unsure of where to go next, especially if they have been recently recovering from surgery. One of the questions that most people have after they get out of surgery is about when they can start eating normal food again. Well, I am here to tell you a thing or two about eating with a stoma, so hopefully I can clear up any confusion for you and make your life a whole lot easier.

So the first thing I’ll say is that eating is going to be a slow process while you are recovering from your surgery. You probably will not find yourself having much of an appetite for the first few days because your body is in rough shape. After all, having an ostomy is a pretty big deal, and it makes sense that your body is going to need a lot of time to recuperate and figure out what the heck is going on.

Furthermore, it is important while you are recovering from surgery, even if you are not feeling that hungry. Eating bland foods is definitely the best option, and that is something that many doctors, bursese, and other medical personnel will tell you as you are getting ready to discharge from the hospital. Sticking to bland foods for a good while is important because your body and stoma is in great need of healing. Once things start to get back on track for you, however, you can start to slowly reintroduce foods back into your life and hopefully start feeling like a normal person again. After all, your ostomy does not define you and neither does your stoma. You are still very much a normal person, even with your weird body composition! 

I know from personal experience that many people worry about not being able to eat their favorite foods after they have an ostomy. Well, the good news is that, for the most part, you can eat just about anything you did before getting an ostomy. The bad news, however, is that not every food is going to sit right with you anymore, and it may take some time to figure out what is good for you and your stoma and is agreeable to your body. After all, it is true that some foods can have a negative effect on your stoma by clogging it up or causing gas. Both of these things are very annoying to deal with, and I would not wish them onto my worst enemy.