Diet and nutrition

Hi. I have recently been diagnosed with small bowel cancer. I have been told by my consultant to keep on a low residue diet and also the dietician has put me on 2 Ensure compact drinks a day.   Each contains 300 calories.No spicey food although I never eat that food as I have suffered from Crohn's disease since 1992.  I am also going through Chemotherapy and suffering weight loss. 

Thank you for this. Can I please ask what you mean by a low residue diet? Thanks 

I would describe a low residue diet as a diet that limits dietary fibre to less than 10 to 15kg per day and restricts other foods that could stimulate bowel activity. Examples of food on LRD are white bread with no nuts, seeds, white rice, well cooked vegetables without skin or seeds, eggs, fish, poultry, dairy products. 

That’s so helpful thank you 

Hi Formyfriend,

Personally i stuck with high protein food to give you strength, scrambled egg, chicken, salmon and jacket potato, just a little at a time, like others say reduce fibre a little for a while unless you suffer with constipation and i certainly would stay away from spicy food for a bit, unfortunately its a little trial and error but i found the above to be okay.

best wishes,

TG

formyfriend Apologies if you’ve already seen this but there’s a bit about low residue diet in it - it’s not very healthy but tends to be recommended particularly before surgery as the foods are easy for the bowel to process x

https://bowelcancerorguk.s3.amazonaws.com/Publications/EatingWell_BowelCancerUK.pdf

I haven't seen this and thank you very much for taking the time to highlight this and send the link, really helpful thanks.

I had chemo. Tabs. from April to Oct. last year. (Following a left Hemicolectomy in May '19) On no occasion was I told about dietary considerations, & so, throughout all my treatments....I have continued eating the stuff I like.

Thank you, great plan

Hi formyfriend,

I wasnt given any dietary advice after surgery & on CAPOX chemo...

I have found my tastes have changed & often don’t enjoy the things I used to (a nice glass of milk used to be one of my favourite drinks & now can hardly face one apart from my week ‘off’) 

Long story short I’m really just having what I actually fancy to eat, (like fruit & yoghurt or eggs & toast / I had noodles today for lunch) I think we are suffering enough!

My partner is a pure whiz at knowing what to make me for dinner & always seems to know what I want (especially with my appetite being so weird at the minute) so I know I’m very lucky! 

Suzy