A few questions post-op

I too was hungry post op.
And I get hungry now (8 weeks post op) if I forget to eat, 3-4 hours later.

I had to crush my tablets for the first 30 days post op.
The little, slippery ones or capsules were Ok for me straight away.

For my vitamins, I have been taking chewable BN Multi, and vit.B12 spray.

I don't drink fizzy drinks, but I add little flat diet lemonade to my water at times.

I was not able to guzzle fluids post op, just sip, as my oesophagus hurt.

I can take big gulps now.

Good luck with your recovery

I was hungry post op.  I'm still hungry now... 2 years out! hehe
But I am told that sometimes reflux presents like hunger.  Are you taking nexu=ium daily or something similar?  you might have reflux?

I also freaked out at how much broth etc I could actually eat in the fluid stage.  But my surgeon said not to worry about it until I get to the mushy and solid stage... And I had a lot more trouble eating as much as I was drinking... Also realised I wasn't actually drinking that much because I still struggle to drink 1.5 litres a day.  Personally I would say go slowly, your tummy will tell you when you have had enough.  No need to push it.

I don't sleep on my tummy, I'm a side sleeper and it hurt for the first 2 weeks to sleep on the left side, but after that it was fine.  A tummy sleeper would be better placed to asnwer this part...

Fizzy drinks... I don't generally drink them.  I have to wait for them to flatter, because they along with water... hurt my tummy...  Also, orange juice I couldn't drink for about 6 months without major grumbelling and funny noises from my tummy.
Wait as long as you can with fizzy drinks, or avoid them all together... good habbit to get into now while you can  :)
 
And lastly, I personally have been able to take all different sized tablets without a problem, big or small from my surgery date.  I had a problem with elevit, and still do.  but it isn't the size, its something on the coating that makes me want to throw it up again.

Hope some of that helps.

Hi guys, just have a few queries. I'm about 5 days post op.

1.) I've been getting really hungry. Like, stomach growling and hunger pangs every 2 or 3 hours. I usually just have water, milk, coffee or an optifast shake, but it still doesnt feel like it hits the spot.

Sometimes it subsides after a while but I was under the impression you wouldnt feel hungry at all, post-op? Maybe its just because all I can have is liquids and my stomach is going "give me something solid!!"

2.) Since I'm on the fluids only stage, they said to take small sips. Which I started doing. But I've found I can actually take normal or regular sized sips and I dont get any reflux or pain. Is this good or bad?

3.) Also, how do you know how much you should be drinking in total in a sitting? I mean, I can easily drink probably about 500ml but should I be keeping it lower to something like 300ml? How big is the volume of our new stomachs?

4.) I usually sleep on my tummy and find it almost impossible to fall asleep lying on my back. The last couple of nights have been terrible, even though I've been back home in my own bed, because I'm sleeping on my back. I was worried about aggravating the wound site if I slept on my tummy, but do I need to be?

5.) Whats the verdict on fizzy drinks like a small glass of Coke Zero/Diet Coke? Some people seem to say its fine others say not to. Whats the consensus here?

6.) Do medications (tablets/capsules) need to be crushed in to powder and/or dissolved to be taken when on the liquid only phase? The nurse said not generally except for one of the ones I take (because its so large), but then how is that different (swallowing solid tablets) vs having mushy or chewed bits of food?

I'm sure I'll have a few others but they are just the ones that immediately come to mind :)