After the Procedure:

You will be in the hospital for 3 - 7 days. You may have to stay longer if your colostomy was done as an emergency procedure.

You may be able to suck on ice chips on the same day as your surgery to ease your thirst. By the next day, you will probably be allowed to drink clear liquids. Your health care providers will slowly add thicker fluids and then soft foods as your bowels begin to work again. You may be eating normally within 2 days after your surgery.

The colostomy drains stool (feces) from the colon into the colostomy bag. Most colostomy stool is softer and more liquid than stool that is passed normally. The texture of stool depends on which part of the intestine was used to form the colostomy.

Outlook (Prognosis):

Before you are released from the hospital, a colostomy nurse will teach you about diet and how to care for the colostomy.