If he is lactose intolerant he can substitute Lactaid dairy products for regular milk derived foods. While 25 gm a day of dietary fiber is recommended, a high fiber diet is generally not well tolerated immediately after surgery. Patients are advised to eat a low fiber diet following surgery and to gradually add higher fiber foods as the GI tract heals. Dried beans and some vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and brussel sprouts are often associated with gaseousness. Also, some medications can cause flatulence.
Antibiotics reduce the bacterial activity in the gut causing gaseousness and diarrhea.
Eating yogurt with live bacteria or taking lactobacillus acidophilus capsules will reintroduce bacteria to aid in digestion. To help identify which foods are causing the problems have your father keep a food diary in which he records the foods he eats and GI symptoms experienced. If the problem persists have your father referred to a Registered Dietitian who will assess his diet and medical history. A dietitian will work with your father to identify offending foods and then develop a nutritionally sound diet. The information provided through OncoLink should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease.