Diet can it help

Hi HazG

My diet has reflected the needs of my treatment. 
Once diagnosed and planned surgery was due I found processing food challenging so I felt weak. I supplemented my diet with complan and exorcised following physios advice

After my surgery my diet needs changed. Where are you at the moment and what treatment has been suggested?

Hi HazG,

I have absolutely cut down on crisps, nuts, chips & takeaways since my surgery & chemo. I now either think of foods as ‘clean’ or ‘Cliff y’ with clean being more healthy, veg, fruit, high fibre foods like brow bread etc & cliffs being all the stuff I used to eat! I’d have thought nothing of having 2 packets of crisps & a whole tub of houmus in one go! Plus takeaways every week! Sometimes more than one!! When I look back I’m SHOCKED how badly I ate! & also I wasn’t exercising at all! Now we have a treadmill in the house & I try & get some exercise in!

It has really made me reflect on my precious lifestyle choices!

Suzy 

Cloggy not cliffy

(sorry don’t know how to edit) 

Hi Suzy Su

 I’m opposite now. My rectal tumour was blocking so I ate high fibre and lots of liquid type meals. Hadn’t touched white bread for decades

After my lower anterior resection and my ileostomy I was told white bread beige type foods high salt and sugar. 
The bowel obsorbs salts and sugars, as my bowel is healing I have to put more in to function. Also isotonic drinks. 
Basically I’m eating high dairy and toddler foods. I do miss sweetcorn and crunchy salads. 

Oh I feel for you!

I’ve always loved my sweetcorn & crunchy salads!

Suzy

Me too.
Sadly Whoopi the stoma would block so I’m not allowed.

She rules 

Hi Suzy Su. I assumed Cliffy was food that was ‘iffy!’  Inspiring post - I eat a lot less fruit and veg now I no longer work and use my bowels as an excuse sometimes but maybe I just need to persevere and live with the fallout (literally!) 

Take care

Karen x

ps if you need to edit a post then just click on the more button at the bottom and then edit but please don’t otherwise my comment will look silly!

Hehe, thanks Karen, I’ll leave it & use the more button for future (predictive txt )

im back part time & it can be a real rush to the loo with return visits!! 
if I could get away with not working I would probably prefer that..

I’ve let the HR lady know my toilets can be ‘unpredictable’ but it doesn’t help the feeling that others might notice.

Am trying to get on with it all as best I can (& build up the hours very slowly) though really can’t envision a return to full time again.

Hungry now after all this food chat

Take care,

Suzy 

Hi HazG

I think bowel cancer patients are in a tough spot though as they have to factor in what their ; or stoma will tolerate and that adds a whole new layer of complexity. Some information people gave to my mum was interesting but within the first few paragraphs I knew my mum would never be able to tolerate a fraction of it .

However without any science behind this thought I do wonder how my mum’s body managed to suppress cancer cells in her body for seven years . The lung specialist said the cells were all part of the original spread but at a microscopic level . Five years later they became visible at 2mm and then two years later removed at 7/8 mm . I think her immune system did a pretty wonderful job . So I am a big believer in having a strong immune system . How you achieve that I honestly don’t know . Exercise seems to have a role too ! Activating the T cells seems important and reducing stress . Another tough subject to achieve going through treatment . However since finding out about T cells I do find myself shutting down my overthinking aspect of my brain now ! “Do I really want to give something that amount of energy !”

Artsie I think you are spot on the “stoma” ruling ! Even when my mum was in treatment it was more a case of survival as she lost so much weight , it was a diet she would never have touched before . Only after treatment was she in a position to try .

interesting chat !

Court 

My diet is  limited due to my stoma I have had to cut a lot out due to blockage even though my surgeon said he did it so I'd get an elephant though ...I'm not going to try that theory I loved salted peanuts baked beans salad sadly all stopped.

Having cancer got me thinking as I remember when my mom had it they mentioned diet plays a part in bowel cancer I'm reading a book and its very interesting  

During chemo I ate anything that took my fancy as I lost loads of weight and haven't put it back on on the lighterside I got a wardrobe of new clothes.

Very though provoking xx