2.5 years post op -sickness problems

My mum had eosphagus and top part of stomach removed 2.5 years ago. She recovered really well initially and even out weight on after having the op.

She's gradually started having problems with coughing when eating over the past year. Her surgeon told her this was side effect so she was managing with it.

Recently though she seems to be having problems with increasing bouts of sickness and she's hardly eating and losing weight. She was always prone to some bouts of sickness but never this often.

She saw surgeon recently and they don't seem overly worried but are going to scope. I hope they can do something to help because the past few weeks she hasn' been eating much and has bouts of sickness every few days.

I wondered if other people have problems like this. As time goes on I would have thought she would be improving but although she did well at first post op it seems to be causing more problems now. Her scope isn't for another ten days yet and I feel helpless and scared.

[margie1]

Hi I too have the coughing issue when eating and sometimes have to stop eating and wait a while then I will pick at food to stop me being sick I have had 2 scopes Xrays with a swallow test and all clear my surgeon has told me that it’s something I have to live with as it’s a sideffect of the surgery good luck to your mum with her scope wishing her well please stay positive x

[margie1]

I forgot to say I am 5 years post op

[brucemillar]

I also get this and it can seem cyclical and seasonal. So many variables now that change our plumbing’s smooth running. It’s never easy as it invariably makes us think the worst, when in reality it is usually just the norm.

Good luck.

Mbruce

[Hidden in reply to brucemillar]

Thanks for your reply. Is it the cycles of sickness you also experience?

[brucemillar in reply to Hidden]

For me..... Yes I do get the sickness and the tightness, feeling like I am overfull. That is relieved by making myself sick or being sick. It will last weeks then ease up only to return. I am suspicious of the winter weather playing a role here and also with the summer (hay-fever) weather. But diet also has a major impact on the whole cycle. Trying to stick to the mantra of "small and often" is not really me. I get lazy and either do not eat (which actually always feels good, just hungry) or sometimes I will eat just too much. Eating too much can be a single mouthful. I also get cycles of constipation (that's fun) but that will also go with some help from medication.

It is all very scripted and I get fed up with it. Sometimes I just want to be able to eat and not have to think about it all the time. Basically I now no longer enjoy food. I see it as a chore that has to be done and not something to look forward to. I also notice that I accept the vomiting as part of my "norm" and often do not even think about the fact that I am off to the loo to jam my fingers down my throat, just do it and feel better afterwards.

I am three years post op now and my weight is fairy stable. I am maybe a bit light for my perfect weight/height, but I like that. I weigh what I did when I was fifteen years old and I am sixty now (damn where did that go?)

I sound like I am moaning. I do not mean to. Life is good and I am adjusting to the "new" me. I had hoped it would all be the same, but realise that this is not the case. Every day is an experiment.

Bruce

[Hidden in reply to brucemillar]

Ohh dear,,,3 yrs post op,, and me just months and im moaning, lol, sounds like this is my life for ever then? Im all reading feeling like you and only just started,,

I dont make myself sick, i cant,, but think at times would help,,,,

Im never hungry, as the part that used to tell the brain HUNGER has gone,

I get the one spoonful over top, then im feeling ill for hours,,,, ill have to learn to be sick i think, ohhh nooooo.

Ditto the lazy, and not eat already,, as feel better when not eating,,,,

I am now then thinking, ill never be able to go out for a meal with hubby or family friends again, as cant bloody eat,,,, very depressing thought,

[Hidden]

Does she take any medication against sickness? Domperidone, for instance, has to be taken a set time before eating for it to be effective.

I wonder whether there is any kind of bacterial infection that has developed? Are her toilet visits OK?

As far as anybody can tell from this forum, it does not sound like anything more sinister to be honest, but it is a quality of life thing that should get sorted out, if necessary by a gastroenterologist.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

She's been taking stemitol but got prescribed a new anti sickness yesterday I will need to check the name. She had a bit of soup yesterday which is most she has had recently. She has been able to sip Lucozade and keep that down but not food.

My sister did have a sickness bug which I also caught which I suspect may have passed to mum and kicked this off so you may be right about infection. It wasn't that bad for my sister and I but given mum's digestive system it would be surprising it hit her harder I suppose. She has been having increasing quality of life issues before that though think this has just made it worse.

We spoke to doctors and they moved scope forward to Tuesday so they are going to see what's going on. She has never had a stretch and I think she may need one. Also doctors think the valve at bottom of stomach may not be working correctly so hopefully they can help.

Thanks for your reassurance. The doctors don't seem to think it's anything sinister either but it always causes her stress fearing the worst. She had a ct scan last week I think the doctor did it to put her mind at ease as they said they are not concerned so hopefully once the results are back and ok it will alleviate her stress a bit too.

[liz_crisp]

Hi I am 7 years post op and still get problems when I seem to go downhill again, seems to happen 3- 4 times a year, I find it hard to keep food down and generally feel shattered, It seems to be linked to low iorn with me (anything below 100 causes me problems ) a couple of weeks taking a small amount of iorn tonic seems to sort me out, I find sytron in very small doses a few drops on the tounge 20 - 30 times a day probably 10 ml in total over the day is best for me, iorn in tablet format doesn't do much other than make me constipated and aggrevate the vomiting,