Eating Pizza or Hotdogs

Hey! I have an ileostomy and have had it since October 5th of last year (it is temporary and will hopefully be reversed before the end of the summer). I haven't eaten pizza or hotdogs yet b/c I have read where some people have issues with digesting it.. I really would like to try it though! What are your thoughts? Will it hurt me? Should I try it?

THank you for your time! :)

I had surgery in November of last year. I eat both of these with no issues at all. I ate pizza very soon after surgery, but only with ham as a topping because I was scared of the veggies. Now I eat whatever toppings I want and just chew them well (I haven't tried fresh mushrooms yet... canned seem fine). I also ate sausage soon after surgery, but peeled the casing off. Now I don't bother and just eat it as is and chew well. Hot dogs don't have much of a casing so I would think they would be fine. The thing with food is that you just have to try it to know whether it works for you. If you live in fear of trying certain things, you may be limiting yourself unnecessarily. You are far enough out of surgery that you should be able to try more foods. Just start with small amounts and chew really well.

Crohn's Fighter 4 Life...

Now I am just 2-weeks post-op, but my Ostomy Nurse said hotdogs are a "no" for me to eat. She said it can cause blockage. For me, I don't want to chance having a blockage cuz with my luck it would happen...Lol And I do love me some hotdogs...bummer :( i wasn't told there is any problems with pizza, and I have had one piece, just haven't felt like eating it since surgery. Used to eat it weekly. I think what I will also miss eating and thats a crisp lettuce salad. My doctor did a Loop ileostomy and its temporary. My doctor wanted to see how I would do with an ostomy as my motility of intestines had just quit moving to push stool thru. I am really happy with mine and can't wait to get it permanently done.

Good luck 2 U, I only wish you the best. Are you wanting it reversed? I would love to know your opinion on that since you have had it temporarily since Oct?

Your Healingwell Friend,
Serenitee
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Loop ileostomy, Anxiety & Depression, Bipolar 2/Borderline, Shoulder surgery March 10, 2011, 2010-Vaginal Vault life with enterocele & rectocele, 2004 abdominal hysterectomy bladder lift, Benign Tumor on head removed, C-section and ruptured appendix, 8-pregnancies 7-births, 4-knee surgeries...That is just some of my surgergies.

I can't imagine taking a chance of blockage...being sick and living in the bathroom, i don't see taking the chance on creating a problem that otherwise wouldn't be there if i took that chance and ate something that just might not make it thru the stoma.
But good-luck with whatever you decide. Maybe you should ask your Ostomy Nurse, or Doctor for their advice.
Serenitee

Blueheron's advice is right on target. 

Hubby went very slowly his first few months.  He is slowly introducing new things and in small quantities to see how it reacts.  I did make some hot dogs even though they really are not good for us as we know and the outer skin just seemed too tough and chewy....so he took the skin off which was far more trouble than it was worth.  Then we went out to a B-B-Q at someones house a month or so after that and he tried one - took small bites - chewed really well - the skin on those were not as thick it seemed as the ones I made and he did fine.  Went to a Japanese Steak house a few weeks ago...he was very selective in what he ate and ordered the shrimp and scallops.  He did eat the small salad that night and did fine and only had some of the veggies that were not so hard. 

When I make italian sausages - after they are cooked - I remove what is left of the outer skin just in case.  I made a huge batch for a party last weekend, sliced them up  and put them in a crock pot to keep warm and the skin was almost non existent when it was time to eat them due to the slow cooking I guess.

Pizza has not been a problem - cheese or pepperoni has been fine to eat.

Since it is now 5 months he does seem to be able to eat most things and stays away from the stuff told not to take a chance with (celery, coconut, pickles, things with outer skins etc.)  Fortunately he is not a big steak/beef eater so that is not an issue for him.  He would prefer a lean hamburger over a steak so that helps.  I have made filet mignon for me and given him some nice tender slices and that type of beef is certainly easy to eat, chew and digest.

Of course no matter what it is.....chew, chew and chew some more and smaller meals and lots of water.  So far he has not gotten into any blockage type trouble other than a semi-blowout one night at home after eating a shrimp chow mein dinner with fried rice which was way too much food even though I had it cooked softer than the usual stir fry.  It was overload for him that night for sure and wasn't pretty...lol.  We are being more careful now.

As I recall I had the Ball Park Beef Franks...I fried them well done on the stove first which makes the skin kind of blister and puff out a bit and hubby cut the hot dog in 5-6 pieces and then cut the skin off. As I said it was more trouble than it was worth and he likes almost burnt well done hot dogs...once you take the skin off it isn't the same.

You are so right about the processed foods but old habits are so hard to break. I/we have gotten more sensible as we have gotten older but of course most of the harm has been done. I honestly try to keep things as healthy as possible and kind of happy he isn't eating the hot dogs as often now. The concern of a blockage at least for now is quite real to him and something he definitely wants to avoid and not contribute to.

Believe it or not I have told my husband when he is in the comfort of his own home and we are alone if he wants some grapes or something he is very leary about eating the skin of....then by all means chew, get the flavor of it and spit out the skin instead of being so totally deprived of something. When possible I will remove the skin for him depending on the item so he can eat it and not have second thoughts.

And yes every once in awhile a hot dog satisfies a craving although I don't eat them often at all.

Having had an ileo for many. many years the only food I avoid are mushrooms. I had a blockage once with a very chewy one, they do actually have a fiberous skeleton and I have a stricture and this particular field mushroom didnt break down properly and got stuck in stricure. Managed to free it without surgery, gently massaged area to push it along but have avoided them since. Others have no problem with mushrooms, it's just me. I regularly eat pizza with all sorts of toppings but don't eat sausages or hot dogs or burgers unless veggie ones as don't like minced up meat, thought of what goes in it turns my stomach.

Every person is different and you only learn what you can and can't tolerate by trial and error. Try small amounts and chew well. Eat what your fancy and there are very few foods that shouldn't be eaten.

fit4ever if the disease was all in the colon, doesn't the extra risk of cancer go away w/the surgery?

I was almost gluten free before surgery, but I am really enjoying eating wheat now.... just missed a lot of things. A lot of gluten free packaged foods are more processed than the regular equivalents (not to mention way more expensive)..... and when the disease is completely sapping all energy, well it's hard to cook everything from scratch. I actually was a vegetarian for 25 years, but started eating fish after I no longer could eat so many of the protein containing foods I used to eat.... might go back, we'll see.

Really, I want to enjoy my life now..... not in a stupid way, but I got so tired of having to think about how every food affected my health... so, will pay attention to possible blockages and try to be healthy, but not in a stressful way. Stress is bad for health too.

I just tried some mushrooms this weekend -- grilled, cut in pieces, and I chewed and chewed like they were gum. Just ate a few. Totally fine .... I've enjoyed some pizza too. Don't eat hot dogs, even the vegetarian ones, don't like them. I am still scared of stringy veggies.... someone I met had to have surgery from eating too many raw bean sprouts. It is so hard to experiment when the consequences of getting it wrong can be so harsh.

When I first had my surgery 20 years ago they never mentioned to me about taking it easy for first few months and as I was starving I ate everything in sight and loads of it and never had any problems. If you haven't any narrowing in the small bowel then should not cause you any problems. All I would say is chew well and if fiberous/tough or hard to digest normally then take it a bit steady.

I eat pizza, but I haven't tried mushrooms or pepperoni. I mostly eat cheese though I've had ham, onion, and peppers. I also have not tried hot dogs or sausages with the casings yet, but I'm about to because it's grilling season and I love them! My husband has been peeling the casing off of the apple chicken sausages I love and then grilling for me. I'm not too worried about hot dogs, but I do love brats and smoked sausages.

I agree with the advice to start small, chew well, and drink lots. I remember when I decided to try tomatoes, I ate one tiny cherry tomato just to see what would happen. That's the way I've experimented with new things as they come along.

NASCARon said...
I eat everything... including popcorn. the only time you have to be careful is in the first 6 to 8 months

NASCARon: Did you mean 6 to 8 weeks instead of 6 to 8 months??? That would be a long time for me to wait (weight!!!)! LOL!

I just passed the 8 week mark and will start consuming other foods now...cooked only vegetables..though, I have been warned to the nth degree..no more popcorn ever! And, no celery!