The best diet plan for 10 days after bowel surgery

There is no one-size-fits-all "best diet plan" for the 10 days after intestinal surgery. The core principles are low residue, moderate, and small meals with frequent meals. Priority is given to replenishing high-quality protein and energy that are easy to absorb, and avoiding irritating, gas-producing, and high-fiber foods. Specific choices must be adjusted based on the size of the surgical trauma and personal recovery. There is no need to copy the general recipes online.

When I was following up patients in the general surgery department last month, I happened to meet two people who came for review 10 days after the operation. The contrast was particularly big: one was a 29-year-old young man who had three intestinal polyps of about 1cm in diameter removed under endoscopic surgery. When he was discharged from the hospital, he was specifically told to eat soft food for the first two weeks. As a result, he was greedy. On the 9th day after the operation, he went to have a barbecue and cold beer with his friends. That night, he had abdominal pain and blood in his stool. When he came back from the emergency room, he was diagnosed with irritation and bleeding from the wound, and he stayed in the hospital for another three days.； The other is 62-year-old Aunt Zhang, who underwent radical surgery for right hemicolectomy. After the operation, she has been eating strictly according to the plan given by the nutrition department. In the past 10 days, she has only lost 1 jin in weight. All the indicators in the review are normal, and she will be able to eat soft meals normally in two days.

In fact, there are indeed two different ideas for clinical guidance on diet after intestinal surgery: one is the "step-by-step upgrade" principle that has been used for decades, requiring strict transition in the order of clear liquid → liquid → semi-liquid → soft food after surgery. Each step should be observed for at least 2-3 days without any discomfort before upgrading. Most of them will still stay in the semi-liquid stage 10 days after surgery. The advantage of this plan is that it is safe and will hardly cause additional burden on the intestines. It is especially suitable for elderly patients who have undergone open intestinal surgery, have anastomosis, and have weak intestinal function. The other is the idea of ​​"eating early and replenishing nutrition early" advocated by Rapid Recovery Surgery (ERAS) in recent years. As long as the patient has normal post-operative exhaust and defecation, no obvious abdominal pain and distension, and a low risk of anastomotic leakage, semi-liquids can be started 3-5 days after the surgery. You can even try to eat foods such as soft rice and boiled lean meat 10 days after the surgery. The advantage of this plan is that it can replenish nutrition faster and reduce the probability of postoperative malnutrition. It is more suitable for patients undergoing endoscopic surgery with minimal trauma, young patients, and good physical foundation.

Many people always think that they need to take a lot of supplements after surgery, and drink old hen soup and pigeon soup all the time. In fact, it is really unnecessary. 90% of the soup is water and fat, and the nutrients are all in the meat. If you drink it, be sure to skim off the oil on it. It is best to chop the meat into puree and eat it, which is much more effective than just drinking soup. I usually recommend a few foods that are not easy to go wrong for discharged patients: Steamed egg custard is the first choice. It is tender, easy to digest, and has high protein content. It is okay to eat 1-2 custards a day. Do not add irritating seasonings such as soy sauce and chopped green onion, and just sprinkle a little less salt. ； There is also millet oil, which is the viscous liquid on top of cooked millet porridge without rice residue. Drinking it warmly has little irritation to the intestines and can also replenish carbohydrates. ； If you feel that these are tasteless, you can also buy some medical enteral nutrition powder and drink it according to the instructions. The proportions are all adjusted. It has more nutrients than porridge, and you don’t have to worry about burdening the intestines.

I have seen too many people eat foods that are notorious, such as crude fiber, celery, leeks, corn, enoki mushrooms, etc., which have a lot of residue. The intestinal wounds or anastomoses have not been firmly established 10 days after the operation. These coarse residues can easily scratch the mucosa and even cause anastomotic bleeding. You must wait at least 1 month after the operation before eating them.； There are also foods that are easy to produce gas, such as carbonated drinks, milk tea, beans, sweet potatoes, etc., which will make your stomach bloated and uncomfortable. The intestinal peristalsis is weak after the operation, and the bloated pain may also affect the healing of the anastomosis. ； As for spicy, iced, fried, nuts, etc., I don’t need to say more. You have to endure your cravings. It would be a shame to go back to the hospital just because of one bite.

Of course, there is no need to be too rigid. For example, if you have no abdominal pain and blood in the stool 10 days after the operation, and your flatulence and defecation are normal, you can also add some boiled pumpkin and yam, mash them into puree and eat them, or add a little bit of peeled lean minced pork to the particularly rotten dragon beard noodles. As long as you don’t feel uncomfortable after eating, you will be fine. If you feel bloating, abdominal pain, or even blood in your stool after eating, stop immediately, don’t hold on, and see a doctor promptly.

I always tell patients that recovery after surgery is not about rushing forward. You may not be able to eat what others can eat, and you may be fine if you eat a small amount of foods that others want to avoid. The key is not to cause trouble to the intestines, and to take care of them slowly. After two or three months, it will be fully grown. It is not too late to eat hot pot and barbecue if you want, right?