Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Intestinal Pseudo-obstruction

What should I eat if I have intestinal pseudo-obstruction?

Doctors may recommend diet changes for people who have intestinal pseudo-obstruction.

Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction

For people who have chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, diet changes may help reduce symptoms and prevent complications, such as malnutrition, weight loss, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.

Doctors may recommend

• a diet low in fat, fiber, lactose, and fructose 
• cooking all vegetables and passing them through a blender to make them easier to digest 
• eating five or six small meals per day
• liquid meals and dietary supplements
• vitamin supplements

For safety reasons, talk with your doctor before using dietary supplements or any other complementary or alternative medicines or practices.

People who aren’t able to get enough nutrients from their diet may need nutrition support. Nutrition support may include enteral nutrition or parenteral nutrition.

Doctors may recommend diet changes for people who have chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction.

Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction

As part of conservative management for acute colonic pseudo-obstruction, your doctor may instruct you not to eat or drink anything for a short time. Health care professionals will give you intravenous (IV) fluids and electrolytes as needed.