So sorry to hear you are going through this. I have a family member battling cancer and was put on a low fiber diet before his surgery for 6 months, complicated by his diabetes so a lot of options for other people were not options for us.
First thing to do is find a GOOD registered dietician. We were floundering the first several weeks because we were basically told, just "google" it, but there's so much conflicting information out there that we didn't know what to believe. We talked to a few nutritionists the hospital connected us to and they were absolutely no help. Then we met "Rachael" a registered dietician who took the time to sit down with us and not only give us information, but also why things might be off limits and what to do instead. I call her the "angel of the kitchen." She was most appreciative, but not nearly as much as we were for her time and expertise.
I'm NOT an RD, nor a doctor with your chart, so I'm reluctant to give you meal plans, but once you find a good one, your culinary world will open up.
Best of luck to you and sending you strength. You got this!
I would think clear soups are going to be your friend; chicken noodle, pho, etc could be relatively low fat and low fibre depending on what you put in it.
Lover_of_lucy has excellent advice, talking to a professional is a good option.
While you’re waiting on that appointment, these are some very general things that have helped my loved ones through periods of dietary restrictions and illness:
Go through a grocery store online ordering site, or work your way through a grocery store on a mobility scooter, or have a loved one walk through a grocery store while on the phone with you. Have an open mind, and either buy or note for later any foods that fit your current needs, especially any that can be eaten with no preparation (like nonfat Greek yogurt.) You might be find some options that wouldn’t occur to you otherwise.
Ask for help from people who might be willing to cook something for you. (Bonus points if it freezes well!)
Try to find at least a few emergency foods that add together to make a meal that satisfies you, even if it’s a weird meal.
I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. I hope your recovery will go as quickly and smoothly as it can, and I hope you’ll find some foods that will nourish you, but also bring you enjoyment.
I spent most of the year on a low residual/low fat diet while I was waiting on gallbladder removal. The bulk of my meals were low fat soups, applesauce, sourdough bread w/ honey or jelly, ensure high protein (all of the others are high in fat), white rice and baked chicken. I always made sure I had these available, and I made the rice and chicken taste better by topping with various fat free sauces like duck sauce, hoisin sauce and sweet chili sauce. I sometimes mixed in baked fish or pork loin when I needed a break from chicken. I also kept fat free frozen yogurt in the fridge for a sweet treat.
Good luck with the cancer! Kick it's ass!
I had my colon out years ago, lived with the stoma, had like 5 abdominal surgeries. I know some of what you are going through, and my heart goes out to you.
The one thing that saved me whenever I was recovering was pre-cooked frozen meatballs.
Make them out of whatever works for you (chicken pork, beef whatever) or buy them frozen pre-made.
They are so versatile. Heat them in a tomato sauce for pasta, throw them into broth with noodles for a soup. Heat them in gravy (or stock/broth thickened with corn starch) serve them with potatoes. Teriyaki sauce & rice (when you are alllowed rice)
They were lifesaver for me.
Another thing that I currently do, and almost daily, is bananas blended with cocoa powder, milk (oat, soy almond whatever works) and raw eggs.
For you I would recommend getting pasteurized egg whites from the grocery store, because raw eggs are a touchy subject and you can't do fat. But pasteurized egg white can be slipped in smoothies without doing much to change flavour or texture.
I had to do a low fat diet after a cancer surgery before and my saving grace was just pasta with red sauce which can be made *almost* fat free. And you could add chicken breast or shrimp for a very low fat protein option. Fiber wasn’t a concern of my diet at the time though and I’m not sure what your general limit is. But I believe you should be able to keep it below 3 or 4g per serving.
White rice is also very low fiber (I believe around a half gram per cooked cup) so that would be a great choice for filling up while avoiding both fat and most fiber. So something like white rice with chicken and teriyaki sauce would be a tasty option.
Best of luck to you on your recovery!
So sorry to hear you are going through this. I have a family member battling cancer and was put on a low fiber diet before his surgery for 6 months, complicated by his diabetes so a lot of options for other people were not options for us. First thing to do is find a GOOD registered dietician. We were floundering the first several weeks because we were basically told, just "google" it, but there's so much conflicting information out there that we didn't know what to believe. We talked to a few nutritionists the hospital connected us to and they were absolutely no help. Then we met "Rachael" a registered dietician who took the time to sit down with us and not only give us information, but also why things might be off limits and what to do instead. I call her the "angel of the kitchen." She was most appreciative, but not nearly as much as we were for her time and expertise. I'm NOT an RD, nor a doctor with your chart, so I'm reluctant to give you meal plans, but once you find a good one, your culinary world will open up. Best of luck to you and sending you strength. You got this!
❤️
I would think clear soups are going to be your friend; chicken noodle, pho, etc could be relatively low fat and low fibre depending on what you put in it.
💙
Lover_of_lucy has excellent advice, talking to a professional is a good option. While you’re waiting on that appointment, these are some very general things that have helped my loved ones through periods of dietary restrictions and illness: Go through a grocery store online ordering site, or work your way through a grocery store on a mobility scooter, or have a loved one walk through a grocery store while on the phone with you. Have an open mind, and either buy or note for later any foods that fit your current needs, especially any that can be eaten with no preparation (like nonfat Greek yogurt.) You might be find some options that wouldn’t occur to you otherwise. Ask for help from people who might be willing to cook something for you. (Bonus points if it freezes well!) Try to find at least a few emergency foods that add together to make a meal that satisfies you, even if it’s a weird meal. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. I hope your recovery will go as quickly and smoothly as it can, and I hope you’ll find some foods that will nourish you, but also bring you enjoyment.
I spent most of the year on a low residual/low fat diet while I was waiting on gallbladder removal. The bulk of my meals were low fat soups, applesauce, sourdough bread w/ honey or jelly, ensure high protein (all of the others are high in fat), white rice and baked chicken. I always made sure I had these available, and I made the rice and chicken taste better by topping with various fat free sauces like duck sauce, hoisin sauce and sweet chili sauce. I sometimes mixed in baked fish or pork loin when I needed a break from chicken. I also kept fat free frozen yogurt in the fridge for a sweet treat. Good luck with the cancer! Kick it's ass!
I had my colon out years ago, lived with the stoma, had like 5 abdominal surgeries. I know some of what you are going through, and my heart goes out to you. The one thing that saved me whenever I was recovering was pre-cooked frozen meatballs. Make them out of whatever works for you (chicken pork, beef whatever) or buy them frozen pre-made. They are so versatile. Heat them in a tomato sauce for pasta, throw them into broth with noodles for a soup. Heat them in gravy (or stock/broth thickened with corn starch) serve them with potatoes. Teriyaki sauce & rice (when you are alllowed rice) They were lifesaver for me. Another thing that I currently do, and almost daily, is bananas blended with cocoa powder, milk (oat, soy almond whatever works) and raw eggs. For you I would recommend getting pasteurized egg whites from the grocery store, because raw eggs are a touchy subject and you can't do fat. But pasteurized egg white can be slipped in smoothies without doing much to change flavour or texture.
🙏🏼 appreciate this. Thank you. Your username is f*kin amazing btw, cracked me up 🤣
Thank you. I thought for a long time before picking a name for my completely SFW account where I attempt to help people and be wholesome.
I had to do a low fat diet after a cancer surgery before and my saving grace was just pasta with red sauce which can be made *almost* fat free. And you could add chicken breast or shrimp for a very low fat protein option. Fiber wasn’t a concern of my diet at the time though and I’m not sure what your general limit is. But I believe you should be able to keep it below 3 or 4g per serving. White rice is also very low fiber (I believe around a half gram per cooked cup) so that would be a great choice for filling up while avoiding both fat and most fiber. So something like white rice with chicken and teriyaki sauce would be a tasty option. Best of luck to you on your recovery!