Diet and medicines for a high-output stoma
Managing a high-output stoma
This section has guidance about a suitable diet to help manage a high-output stoma.
After your surgery, you may have problems with a high-output stoma. This is when the stoma output is more than 1 litre each day. Having a high output means that:
- food and drink pass quickly through your bowel
- your body may not take in (absorb) nutrients, fluids and salts well
Your diet
If you have a high-output stoma, it is best to eat a diet that is:
Meal pattern
Here are some tips for your mealtimes:
Do
- try to have a regular eating pattern that is suitable for how your stoma works and your daily routine
- see if smaller, more frequent meals are better for you, particularly in the first few weeks
- take your time with your meals and chew food thoroughly
Don't
- do not eat heavy meals or snacks before bedtime
Do
- sprinkle a little salt (about half to 1 teaspoon a day) on your meals
- try to cook your meals with salt
- eat salty foods, such as cheese, bacon, ham, sausages, smoked fish (kippers), shellfish, canned fish (like tuna, sardines and salmon), meat and fish pastes, tinned foods (like spaghetti and ravioli), meat extracts (like Oxo® and Bovril®), yeast extracts (like Marmite®), salted crisps, or savoury or salty biscuits
Fibre
Foods that contain fibre are difficult to digest. They increase your stoma output or may cause a blockage. It is best to choose low-fibre varieties of cereals and breads. Try to avoid:
- raw fruit and vegetables
- dried fruit
- fruit and vegetable skins, pips, seeds and pith (the soft, dry white substance inside the skin of oranges and other citrus fruits)
- nuts
- sweetcorn, peas, beans and lentils, celery, coconut, mushrooms, pineapple and tomatoes
The following table shows the most suitable foods to eat. Try to eat slowly and separate your meals and drinks.
| Food group | Suitable foods to eat from this group if you have a high-output stoma |
|---|---|
| Protein foods (essential for the health and repair of body tissues) |
|
| Dairy foods (good sources of protein, calcium and vitamins) |
Tip: Try to use full-fat rather than low-fat varieties. |
| Carbohydrates (give you energy and may help to thicken your stoma output) |
Tip: Choose low-fibre varieties. |
|
Fruits and vegetables |
Tip: Avoid skins, seeds and pips. |
| Fats and sugars (give you essential energy and fats) |
|
| Salt and salty foods (added to meals and used in cooking) |
|
Medicines
We may prescribe you medicines, such as loperamide (Imodium®) and codeine phosphate, to help reduce your stoma output. You need to take these medicines 30 to 60 minutes before food.
We may also prescribe you an anti-secretory medicine, such as omeprazole or lansoprazole. This helps to reduce the amount of acid that your stomach makes (secretes).
Resource number: 3980/VER3
Last reviewed: September 2024
Next review due: September 2027
A list of sources is available on request.
