A low fibre diet

Dear Helen1 

 Thanks for getting in touch with us and welcome to our Online Community, we hope you find this a helpful and supportive space.

My name’s Sue and I’m one of the cancer information nurse specialists on the Support Line.

It sounds like your father has been really struggling with his bowel habit since having colon cancer surgery. Understandably as a family you are wanting to support him with his diet but it’s not always easy to know what to expect or what is the right thing to do following treatment.

It can take time for the bowel to settle down, so it’s usually recommended for someone to follow a low fibre diet whilst the bowel heals, as these types of food are easier to digest and can help to reduce symptoms.

For many people this is usually for around 6 weeks after surgery, by which time they may gradually be able to introduce different food types, but it’s really important to find out when this should happen.

As everyone is different and your father is struggling with his bowels we would encourage him to report his bowel problems to his hospital consultant or clinical nurse specialist straightaway, particularly as he has struggled with a long period of recent constipation and loose stools. You’ve also mentioned your father is taking iron tablets which can also, unfortunately, cause diarrhoea and constipation. His hospital team will be able to medically assess him and offer him the right medical advice and support. They will also be able to talk to him about his diet and can refer him to a hospital dietician for further help, if needed. Your father’s GP will also be able to help him.

Whilst it’s known there are certain foods including prunes which can help prevent constipation, prunes can also have potential negative effects, so we would recommend your father seeking urgent medical support for his individual situation.

It’s not always easy to support a loved one with cancer, as there can be lots of different challenges and at times it may feel like an emotional roller coaster. Looking after yourself is also really important. Bowel Cancer UK also offer lots of support about emotional wellbeing which you, your father and family may also find useful.

I hope you find this helpful, if we can offer further support or you’d prefer to talk things through with one of our nurses on the Support Line, please don’t hesitate to get back in touch.

Best wishes

Sue

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email. 

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