Nutrition after gastric ulcer surgery

The stomach is an organ that enters the digestive system and is located under the diaphragm, connecting with the upper part of the esophagus, and the lower with the duodenum. Its main function is to digest food into a thick liquid, which is necessary to facilitate its processing in the intestines.

What is a stomach ulcer and what causes it?

A stomach ulcer is a disease that is characterized by a violation of the integrity of the mucous membrane of the organ. This disease in most cases is provoked by the activity of pathological bacteria. As a result of this process, the level of acidity increases, and the secreted gastric juice decomposes not only the food entering it, but also the walls of the organ itself, forming perforated ulcers. In some cases, drug treatment is insufficient and the patient is offered surgical intervention.

A perforated ulcer is a very dangerous disease. It represents the occurrence of an open defect through which its contents flow from the stomach into the abdominal cavity. The consequence of this process is the occurrence of peritonitis, the non-elimination of which will inevitably lead to death.

In addition to the action of bacteria, the occurrence of this disease contributes to:

• reduced immunity;
• decrease in the duration and quality of night sleep;
• stress;
• long-term medication;
• bad habits - smoking and drinking alcohol;
• wrong diet;
• heredity;
• the presence of other diseases of the stomach.

People who have the above factors are present in life, it is necessary to undergo a medical examination once a year. It will help to detect the defect at an early stage and try to cure it only by taking medication, giving up bad habits and restoring the correct diet and rest. Otherwise, surgery will be inevitable.

Postoperative period

After the operation, the stomach for some time cannot cope with its “duties” fully on its own, which can lead to disruption of the work of other organs. The consequences of this may be the appearance of ulcers on the walls of the intestine and the associated deterioration in the patient's well-being. He will experience dizziness, weakness, heart rhythm is disturbed. All this can lead to complete disability. In order to prevent this, a person needs to follow certain rules, one of which is a diet after gastric ulcer surgery. This is one of the necessary measures, which is aimed at restoring its functions.

On the first and second days after the operation, a person should refrain from eating. The gastric juice secreted by the organ is removed by aspiration. In order to dull the emerging feeling of hunger, you can drink 30 ml of water. Water can be replaced with the same amount of thin jelly without the addition of sugar. It is allowed to use jelly for drinking in this period for the reason that this drink, due to its consistency, envelops the walls of the stomach, making it possible to exclude the negative effects of gastric juice.

From the third day, the patient begins to enter food, in the form of protein solutions, through a probe. As drinks, it is allowed to drink compote, rosehip broth or weakly brewed tea. From the fourth day, the patient begins to eat independently. If during the first three days after the operation the gastric ulcer the postoperative period does not lead to the required results, then its duration is increased by another two days.

Nutrition after gastric ulcer surgery should not lead to intensive work of the digestive system. All products should be quickly and easily digested. An organism that has experienced stress needs energy forces in order to recover faster. No need to load it with the need to break down difficult-to-process products.

Diet rules after gastric ulcer surgery

The next stage of the diet after the operation of a perforated gastric ulcer is the transition to pureed food. This method of nutrition helps to stop inflammatory processes and quickly restore the full functions of the organ. Before use, all cooked dishes must be carefully ground. In this case, the patient's menu should be completely balanced in chemical composition and contribute to the restoration of digestive functions. Among the main dishes that can be consumed after surgery include:

• soups from mashed vegetables, the composition of which includes a minimum amount of fiber;
• viscous rice porridge, the preparation of which must be done from pre-ground cereals;
• vegetable purees;
• steamed egg white omelet;
• steamed meat soufflés or cutlets.

Despite the fact that the patient's diet is very poor, it allows you to provide the body in this period with all the necessary nutrients, vitamins and trace elements. At the same time, it normalizes the functions of the affected organ and leads to the possibility of preventing the occurrence of relapses.

Within two weeks, the patient's diet gradually expands, and after two months it goes into a normal mode, in which there are no mashed dishes. At the same time, it is worth remembering that the list of dietary products should be basic for a sufficiently long period of time. In the event that the diet after surgery for a stomach ulcer leads to a positive result, and the digestive system is completely restored, then after a year the patient is allowed to return to his usual way of life.

What can you eat after gastric ulcer surgery

The menu after the operation of a perforated stomach ulcer should be built on permitted products, the main of which include:

• high fiber vegetables
• soups from vegetables and cereals;
• chicken meat and all dishes prepared from it;
• wheat bread;
• mucous or pureed porridges from cereals;
• light meat mousses;
• grated non-acidic cottage cheese;
• still mineral water.

At the same time, one should not forget that during the year, nutrition after gastric ulcer surgery should be based only on dishes cooked either steamed or boiled. Grilling vegetables or meat is strictly prohibited.

Depending on the patient's condition, his menu can be adjusted to include additional products. But at the same time, before determining after the operation a stomach ulcer what you can eat, you need to know that the diet of such patients should not include:

• pork, beef and other meat products with the exception of chicken;
• fatty fish;
• strong meat broths;
• confectionery;
• ketchup and sauces;
• sour vegetables and fruits;
• spices and spices;
• salted or salted preparations;
• smoked meats;
• black or rye bread;
• dairy products with a high level of acidity.

You should also limit your salt intake. To do this, it is necessary to salt the dishes not during the cooking process, but immediately before use, reducing its amount to a minimum. Over time, the human body, adapting to lightly salted foods, will perceive their taste almost in unsalted form.

Basic rules for subsequent nutrition

The main rules of nutrition after surgery on the stomach include:

• thorough chewing of food, which leads to the normalization of gastric and intestinal motility;
• the use of the optimal amount of fluid, which should be carried out before or after meals, but not during. Carbonated drinks should be excluded from the diet. Weak tea or diluted juice is chosen as the main drink. It is also strictly forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages;
• the implementation of meals strictly according to the schedule at the same time. The minimum number of meals should be 5, while the portions that a person is used to eating in everyday life should be reduced in volume.

Thus, in order to understand what needs to be done after surgery for a stomach ulcer, what you can eat and how long to stick to a diet, you need to understand that the organ after all the manipulations has become smaller in size and has a scar. Overeating at this stage is prohibited. And you need to eat only healthy foods that do not violate the mucous membrane.