7 weeks post op and in pain with any food and not drinking much either

Hi Barbiedoll, 

Good to hear that you are feeling more positive and that food is going down easier. I have found going back to soups and risotto have been good for me too. Still getting used to having to stop after a few mouthfuls, but I guess that was the whole point of the surgery, wasn't it!

All the best!

R

That's good to hear that things are improving. One day at a time, glad you are feeling better about it. Take care 😊

Hi bellaballarina, Dr appt went OK. He's put me back to puree /very soft foods for couple of weeks. Maybe in 2weeks if still struggling have swallow test. I've had more success since taking in soft and really chewing very very slowly. drinking has been slow but getting there. Going back in a month. Better attitude today! :-)

Hey Barbie, worked out PM I'm using the iPad version not full version so don't have a PM button and had to switch versions. I switched back to iPad version as the full version was really slow for me. Hope all well. Missy

Hey Barbie, how did you go with your appt today??

MissyMagic,

PMing is pretty simple.  Just look at the bottom of a post for that person and you will see a couple of buttons that you can click on and one says PM.  Once you click on that, the process is pretty easy.

Hi barbie

Will have to work out how to PM. Yes I feel the cold & am sleeping in socks & pjs. I'm can do a few tea spoons of food and then I'm full. What protein powder do you use? Is it taste free?

Missy

Hey missymagic! You sound like ur doing great! Excellent news there. I'm happy cause I finally managed food today & it was meatballs! I have a great healthy recipe so I can pm you with details (tomorrow). Also had pearl couscous with the fresh tomatoes sauce, damn it felt good to have something real to eat.

I'm the same with foods that suddenly sickly sweet. Herbal tea... Now might as well be wood in water, coffee no more. Spaghetti in can is now my life saver with a tablespoon of unflavoured protein powder. I have no sweet tooth either, a good thing! Yogurt is sweet eggs are a Ni go zone. Maybe one day!

Have you noticed being cold? I never notice the cold, but for 7weeks now I've been freezing. But, I sleep like a log. Anyway if u can pm me ur email, I'll send ur one wonderful recipe for meatballs. Good luck, just keep swimming!! X

Hey Barbie

I'm 4 weeks out and I also have the do I think I made the best choice thoughts. I struggle with plain water its sits hard and diet cordial it's far to sweet. Herbal tea is my new friend as I can keep sipping once it's cold. I found the protein shakes way to sweet after the first few days. I was a yoghurt lover now I'm not so keen I just eat it for a variety of protein. I struggle with eggs scrambled or mushed with mayo they take a long time to go down. Baked beans are great & I found a chicken meatbal recipe online, they're juicy & soft and I can vary the sauce with them for variety. Just need a beef meatball recipe. I had a small piece of chocolate and it was ok but I didn't think yeah let's have another piece. My sweet tooth is gone. Im not keen on porridge but can hold it down comfortably. So I live on beans, meatballs, herbal tea & perservere with porridge for a bit of non benefibre fibre. Reading here lots of people have pain or discomfort with water. I also find I have to sit upright nice and straight when I eat. Good luck 😀

Thanks to all! Many words of wisdom, &so much appreciated.

Slowly slowly!! Tummy is bloated by midday, but will take it really slow and look forward to seeing the doctor on Thursday. I have made a list of questions for him so looking to get answers.

Nope, to be honest, I also am not loving the sleeve, ask me in 6 months & I will probably be very happy &honest about it too.

I'll post outcome from docs on Thursday, & heartfelt thanks to you all! Best wishes for amazing success to all as well. Barbiedoll xx

Please talk to your surgeon if anyone struggles to get anything down especially fluid. It can be a stricture which most commonly starts around weeks 3-6. If it is it can be diagnosed in endoscopy and fixed there and then with a gentle balloon dilitation. Do not suffer. Speak to your doctors. Dieticians should be aware of this too but they can vary. Good luck xx

barbiedoll wrote:

Hi guys!, I do hope someone might be able to shed some light for me. 

Im now 7 weeks today post op.  The op went well, but it sure has been a struggle since. 

Having great difficulty getting fluid down.  Water can only be with diet cordial, ok, I can live with this for a while if necessary.  I still cant get a coffee down at all, but really craving one. 

But thats not the problem, I cant handle food, at all!  I eat slowly and still go through horrendous pain down oesophagus into stomach and the pain is slow, I end up doubled over, and at times just vomit (even 30 mins later and then up to an hour later have diarrhoea attack).

The dietician thinks all is fine, but I dont feel fine. 

Im either hungry and if I do manage something, it ends up being a protein bar cause I cant handle food!!

Since the surgery, i'm down 9kgs.  Dietician says that's good, doesn't feel it to me, particularly when I dont get much of any food inside me. 

So help!!!  Can anyone give me advise on this. I am seeing the doctor for follow-up on Thursday. 

Protein drinks make me sick now, but can use unflavoured protein powder in (tin spaghetti, yoghurt etc) anything soft and puree.  Anything sweet in repulsive, as is most foods.

Feeling very flat, sick, tired...with bouts of being cranky! I take the chewable multivitamins etc (those at least I can suck on, and look forward to in desperation).

Please, I really hope someone can give me some reassurance that this actually does get better!

Hi Barbiedoll,

First of all congrats on the surgery. I had surgery just a few days after you, and like you, had a textbook operation and a fairly speedy recovery. I am 7 weeks post op and have dropped 10 kgs (since the pre Op Optifast diet). 

I moved on to solid foods last week on the recommendation on my dietician. Her advice was to try a huge variety of food and have solids but accompanied with sauce to help it "go down". I too have pain when the food is going down and often given up after 3-4 bites. I do know there are a few things that I am doing wrong though, taking bites that are too big and not chewing enough (dietitian recommends 20 chews and waiting between bites - I NEVER do!)

I've also noticed that my enjoyment of food has disappeared, something I am not entirely happy with. I used to religiously have one black coffee when I get to work, I barely have coffee now, and when I do, I don't finish it. I don't enjoy tea like I used to. Flavours are different in my mouth and more likely in my brain!

I have been out for a few meals with the family. For breakfast, I got through half a pork fennel sausage and 3 forks of scrambled eggs then had to stop. For dinner, I had some soft noodles (only two mouthfuls) and 3 pieces of chicken, and had to stop. I feel a tightening of the chest, and just discomfort. I am smart enough to listen and stop eating straight away, so I have avoided any unpleasant vomits.

We will all get there in the end.. there is a period of adjustment. As my GP said to me yesterday (went to see her because I am now down with a nasty cold!), it is a slow process, it is major surgery, and the body takes take to not only heal but also to re-learn how to function.

I don't regret the surgery, but I don't love my sleeve yet. I hope 4 weeks from now when I see the weight continuing to drop and feeling generally better, that I will start to love the decision I made.

All the best!

R

Thanks bellaballarina! I can wait for doctors Thursday morning.. Its only 2days. I will stick with yoghurt & protein powder mixed in, pour old tummy is absolutely swollen/bloated this evening, not much joy in these shoes at present. I just hope it will all improve, but have a list for the doctor for Thursday. His team are great, not so fussed on the dietician tho, I can recite the same from my booklet just as well. Fingers crossed for better results & better health! Cheers & thanks for wisdom!!!

Hi Barbie, don't worry too much about the water/cordial/coffee thing, that definately does get easier. I was a huge coffee drinker prior to surgery, and only just now (15 weeks) I am finally liking/drinking it again, though not nearly in the quantities I was pre surgery. 

With the eating pain, I would definately be speaking with your surgeon. It's good you are seeing him this week, maybe give his rooms a call and see if you can get in any earlier. Don't worry about feeling like you're hassling them, we've paid them the big bucks, they should be available for all post surgery enquiries. Maybe until you see him, wind back the texture of your food a little, go back to some more mushy/purée stuff to hopefully ease your pain.

Let us know how you go 😊

Hi guys!, I do hope someone might be able to shed some light for me. 

Im now 7 weeks today post op.  The op went well, but it sure has been a struggle since. 

Having great difficulty getting fluid down.  Water can only be with diet cordial, ok, I can live with this for a while if necessary.  I still cant get a coffee down at all, but really craving one. 

But thats not the problem, I cant handle food, at all!  I eat slowly and still go through horrendous pain down oesophagus into stomach and the pain is slow, I end up doubled over, and at times just vomit (even 30 mins later and then up to an hour later have diarrhoea attack).

The dietician thinks all is fine, but I dont feel fine. 

Im either hungry and if I do manage something, it ends up being a protein bar cause I cant handle food!!

Since the surgery, i'm down 9kgs.  Dietician says that's good, doesn't feel it to me, particularly when I dont get much of any food inside me. 

So help!!!  Can anyone give me advise on this. I am seeing the doctor for follow-up on Thursday. 

Protein drinks make me sick now, but can use unflavoured protein powder in (tin spaghetti, yoghurt etc) anything soft and puree.  Anything sweet in repulsive, as is most foods.

Feeling very flat, sick, tired...with bouts of being cranky! I take the chewable multivitamins etc (those at least I can suck on, and look forward to in desperation).

Please, I really hope someone can give me some reassurance that this actually does get better!