Diet after bowel cancer

• A quick guide to what's on this page
• Diet after bowel cancer treatment
• Diet after surgery
• Diet after radiotherapy
• Diet and chemotherapy

You will find that your digestion takes time to settle down after bowel cancer treatment. Some foods can upset the way that your bowel works. After treatment, high fibre foods, such as fruit and vegetables, may give you loose stools and you may need to go to the toilet much more often than normal. If you have had a colostomy you may find that it takes a few months for your bowel to work normally again. If you have had a combination of treatments, you may have permanent changes to your bowel and may need to avoid certain foods.

Some foods can cause wind, which will go into your stoma bag if you have a colostomy or ileostomy. You may need to experiment a bit to find out which foods upset your system. The foods most likely to cause problems are

• Very high fibre fruits and vegetables
• Onions and cabbage
• Fizzy drinks and beer
• Very rich or fatty foods

There are tips on dealing with bowel problems in the section on coping physically with cancer of CancerHelp UK.

You will not eat at all for a day or so after your operation. But by the time you go home, you should be able to eat fairly normally. If you have had part of your colon removed, your stool may become less solid because the colon normally absorbs water as the stool passes through. If you have had a large part of your colon removed, you may have diarrhoea. Let your doctor or nurse know if this happens, as they can give you medicine to help control it. It is important to drink plenty of fluids if you have diarrhoea.

You may find that your bowel starts to work more normally after a few weeks. Particular foods may upset the way your bowel works and you may need to experiment with your diet to find out which they are. As the bowel settles down you may find that you can start to eat these foods again later on. Everyone is different and there are no set rules about what you should eat. If you have problems you can ask to see a dietician at the hospital. They can give you tips and help you to work out which foods upset your digestion.

It can help to keep a food diary before you go to see the dietician. This is a record of

• What you eat
• When you eat
• Digestive problems you have and when you have them

Looking back over a week's diary, you may be able to spot which foods are causing you problems and then cut them out.

Radiotherapy to the bowel often causes diarrhoea. This can take a few weeks to settle down after the treatment ends. Your doctor can give you tablets to help control the diarrhoea. If it does not improve within four to six weeks of finishing your treatment, let your doctor know.

While you are getting over your treatment, it is best to keep taking the diarrhoea medicines. You can gradually reduce the amount you take and your doctor or nurse will advise you about this.

There is more information about diet after bowel radiotherapy in the side effects of bowel cancer radiotherapy and the pelvic radiotherapy side effects section of CancerHelp UK.

Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer can give you diarrhoea and may make you feel sick. These side effects will disappear after your treatment is over. You can gradually get back to a normal diet.

For more information about diet and chemotherapy, see the chemotherapy section of CancerHelp UK.

If you would like more information about diet and chemotherapy, contact one of the bowel cancer organisations. They will be happy to help.