Did Anyone Else Go Thru This? - ThinnerTimes

elb71 · 09-11-2005, 09:00 PM

Hi Everybody!
I am just 2 weeks out from surgery (8/25/05) and I am down 32 lbs. There are days where it is still hard to believe that I've actually had the surgery. It's all surreal. But then, all I have to do is laugh a little too hard or sneeze and my body quickly reminds me!

I do have a question for those who are a little bit further out. I am having a really hard time making myself eat and drink. I don't have a lot of appetite at all. There are days when I feel nauseous and the very idea of food makes me gag. Amazingly, I haven't had any dumping yet, or at least I don't think that I have. I have noticed that some things do go down easier than others. I spoke to my doctor about this when I had my staples removed a couple of days ago, and he said that eventually my stomach will settle down.

I think the thing that kind of scares me about this is that in the past if I was feeling a little queasy I would drink a clear soda and the feeling would go away. Now, that doesn't work as well anymore because it's physically difficult to drink more than a couple of swallows at a time. Sometimes it feels like there is a lump in my chest, but I was told that this is somewhat normal. (My doctor doesn't agree with not drinking soda because it prohibits weight loss. ) From reading some threads, maybe I should consider myself lucky since I haven't had any vomiting at all.

Can some of you please put my mind at ease? Are you all experiencing things similar to this or should I be alarmed?

lealphachienne · 09-11-2005, 11:05 PM

I still have days when i can't eat more than a few bites. Others, I feel like a pig. It all evens out in the end. Early on, I had no appetite and had to force myself to eat. Now, I just eat when i'm hungry, whether its 3 or 6 times in a day. I have become much more in tune with what my body really needs.

Pixie · 09-12-2005, 09:33 AM

I am only a few weeks further out than you are but I was and still am facing the same struggles. I have no appatite what-so-ever, so I have to force myself to eat and drink. And I often feel a lump in my chest where it feels like something is stuck. I think it is all pretty normal. For the lump, sometimes I put a heating pad on it, and although it probably doesn't effect the lump directly it makes the surrounding area relax, and then it seems to go away.

Hang in there, it will all be worth it!

Laura@BellaBabies · 09-12-2005, 09:34 AM

I too was only able to have a few swallows at a time in the beginning. It took me about 1/2 hour to drink one ounce. I was also not able to get in all the water at first that they wanted me too but I did try my hardest. Listen to your body, some days my pouch does feel kinda cranky and I have a shake in the morning and sometimes I do not eat lunch but I have another shake depending on the "mood" of my pouch. Other days it feels like it wants to eat. Take your time, have you tried some warm broth? In the beginning some broth from wonton soup no wonton was awesome it tasted so good and being warm made my pouch feel better it was soothing.

feliciaespinoza · 09-12-2005, 10:14 AM

Its all normal your body just needs time to adjust I am 15 months out and I can only eat a few bites some days and then some days I want to eat all day long....just to let you know this is what I have learned in the dumping portion people say well when you dump you throw up this is what happenes to me I have noticed since surgery its very weird but when I dump even to this day I only throw up what has made me sick for instance I can eat an egg, some hashbrowns and maybe a sausage and drink a little...just a little orange juice and before I know it I am in the rest room puking up mucus and orange juice it may only be one or two sips I have had but its coming back up and its sometimes hard to get out cause of the thick mucus but get this none of the breakfast will come up at all ...sorry I know its graphic but I just wanted to let you know how you may dump I dont know if this happens to others but this is how it happens to me. Sometimes, if your nausous you may only puke up a thick mucus just be aware that dumping does not mean you are going to purge everything you just ate but maybe just what has made you sick and then to let you know I know of a few people that this happens too but when you do get sick from something you kinda just want to lay down and sleep for 15-30 minutes when I eat something that doesnt agree with me and I start to feel sick and if I am purspiring I notice that if I lay on the couch or bed and just close my eyes before you know it you kinda just pass out for about 15-30 minutes then you feel better once you wake up I dont know if it is a sugar product that does this but I do know that sleeping for just a few minutes makes it all go away. Anyways I hope this helps a little for you to understand, just go with what your body tells you and if you feel horrible horrible and it is of concern to you then by all means call your doc but there will be alot of new things your body will be going through so when you feel sick or icky dont think your going to die cause you will get through it and you will learn to adjust to what you can and cant eat and you just kinda learn to stay away from those things. Good Luck.

gramamarc · 09-12-2005, 10:50 AM

i'm 2 months out and although I can eat most anything and it doesn't bother me I still sometimes make something or open a protien bar or something and when I try to eat it, my stomach just turns! I don't know how many protien bars I have thrown away with out even a bite! The worst is I can't stand anything very chocolate! Did you know almost everything with high protien and a quick grab is CHOCOLATE!!!
M

Nikkiart29 · 09-12-2005, 11:23 AM

That feeling is pretty normal since your new pouch is situated right under your breast bone (or close to it). Any signs of fullness are evident because of that pressure there. That's what helps signal us to stop eating. It will get easier once your pouch relaxes and the feeling won't be so strong as time passes. At least mine doesn't! My doctor advised me not to drink soda because the carbonation and gasses from the soda aren't good for your pouch. I have been drinking flat soda lately just to flavor my crushed ice I have as a nightly "snack". Plus it helps me get my fluids in since I don't drink as much as I should throughout the day.
Nausea will go away too. It just takes time to heal and for your body to get used to your new little baby pouch. Yes, the feeling of having the surgery is still surreal after waiting so long! My life is pretty much back to normal except I just eat a lot less and feel FULL!
Good luck!

sUzYzPLaCe · 09-12-2005, 11:34 AM

Ok guys and gals.. this is "Dumping Syndrome" Not to be confused with just throwing up... it does accompany the weakness, and dizzyness and sweating... I know others here have talked about vomiting however unless it's associated with the other symptoms, it's simply vomiting. I hope this helps some clarify.

"Rapid gastric emptying, or dumping syndrome, happens when the lower end of the small intestine (jejunum) fills too quickly with undigested food from the stomach. "Early" dumping begins during or right after a meal. Symptoms of early dumping include nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, and shortness of breath. "Late" dumping happens 1 to 3 hours after eating. Symptoms of late dumping include weakness, sweating, and dizziness. Many people have both types.

Stomach surgery is the main cause of dumping syndrome because surgery may damage the system that controls digestion. Patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome may also have dumping syndrome. (Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is a rare disorder involving extreme peptic ulcer disease and gastrin-secreting tumors in the pancreas.)

Doctors diagnose dumping syndrome through blood tests. Treatment includes changes in eating habits and medication. People who have dumping syndrome need to eat several small meals a day that are low in carbohydrates and should drink liquids between meals, not with them. People with severe cases take medicine to slow their digestion."

Losin'it · 09-12-2005, 04:14 PM

I agree with whomever said to avoid carbonation. Takes up lots of space in your pouch, feels like lots of pressure.... I am now just over 3 months out and still cannot handle anything carbonated.

ValenP · 09-12-2005, 05:33 PM

my pouch has been feeling cranky today anything I eat I end up throwing it up, even water. Why is this happening I'm 3 weeks post op and it's the first time this happens anything I swallow feels like a kick on my stomach or like I have to burp but if I try it all the food comes back, it's getting kind of annoying.