Low residue diet – Gynaecology

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The aim of this diet is to clear the bowel of most of its faecal content, either to prepare
for diagnostic tests or surgery which may involve the bowel. This is a very restricted
diet and is usually only used for a temporary period.

The purpose of this information sheet is to explain which foods you can have and which
to avoid. It is not an exhaustive list but should help you to choose foods more easily.

	Foods Allowed	Foods to Avoid
Starchy Foods	White bread/flour White pasta White rice Cous cous Pastry (white flour) Crisps	Wholemeal or granary bread/flour Wholemeal pasta Brown rice Pearl barley Quinoa Pies with wholewheat pastry and/or containing meat or vegetables listed in this column
Breakfast Cereals	Cornflakes Rice Krispies Frosted Flakes	All wholewheat cereals eg. Branflakes, Wheetabix, Shreddies Porridge Muesli All cereals containing dried fruit, nuts and seeds
Dairy	Milk Smooth yoghurt Cheese (without fruit/nuts/seeds)	Yoghurt and cheese with fruit/nuts/seed within
Meat, Fish and Eggs	All tender meat, fish and poultry Eggs	Tough, gristly meat Skin and bones of meat/fish
Vegetables	1-2 portions daily Peeled, well-cooked, soft, mashable Potatoes (not skins)	Raw vegetables including salads Baked beans Split peas/lentils Peas Sweetcorn Celery All seeds, pips, tough skins
Fruit	1-2 portions daily Soft, ripe, peeled fruit, without pips or seeds eg. tinned fruit, peaches, plums, melon, apricot, nectarines, ripe bananas, apples and pears (not skins)	All dried fruit Citrus fruit Berries eg. strawberries, raspberries Prunes Smoothies and fruit juices with bits
Nuts	None	Avoid all
Desserts and Sweets	Sponge cakes (without fruit, pips, nuts) Custard Ice cream Jelly Semolina Seedless jam Plain biscuits Chocolate without fruit/nuts	Puddings/cakes/biscuits made with wholemeal flour, dried fruit, nuts, seeds eg. digestives Chocolate, fudge, toffee with dried fruit/nuts Marmalade with peel Jam with seeds Popcorn Marzipan
Fats	All Ok in moderation	None
Other	Clear soups Spices, pepper Stock cubes Tea, coffee, squash	Lentil/vegetable soups Pickels/chutneys Horseradish Relish

Suggested Meal Plan

Breakfast
Glass of strained fruit juice
Cereal – Rice Krispies, Cornflake with Milk
And/or Bread/toast (white) with thin scrape of butter, boiled egg or seedless jam

Lunch and Evening Meal
Lean meat, fish or poultry, potatoes (boiled/mashed –no skin) or white pasta/rice and 1
portion of soft, mashable veg
Plain jelly or milk pudding

If your symptoms or condition worsens, or if you are concerned about anything,
please call your GP, 111, or 999.

Patient Experience
We know that being admitted to hospital can be a difficult and unsettling time for you
and your loved ones. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with a
member of staff on the ward or in the relevant department who will do their best to
answer your questions and reassure you.

Feedback
Feedback is really important and useful to us – it can tell us where we are working well
and where improvements can be made. There are lots of ways you can share your
experience with us including completing our Friends and Family Test – cards are
available and can be posted on all wards, departments and clinics at our hospitals. We
value your comments and feedback and thank you for taking the time to share this with
us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the
nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best placed
to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of staff is
unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer informal
help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf,
if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to
outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can investigate
your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing and we can
advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:
Telephone Patient Services: 0300 123 1732 or via email at: wah-tr.PET@nhs.net

Opening times:
The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 4.30pm and
Friday: 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please be aware that a voicemail service is in use at busy
times, but messages will be returned as quickly as possible.

If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of staff.

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Low residue diet – Gynaecology

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