Hi all.....My darling Tony has just had his 7th stretch since his op ( gaps between improving though) but this time he had ‘ thrush’ as well ! As if for Gods sake enough wasn’t enough . He was given a 10 day course of meds and apparently it’s fairly common post op ? Has anyone else suffered or have any ideas of the actual cause ?
Also I know I’ve asked before but does “dumping syndrome “ gradually improve ? Tony doesn’t seem to have the sweats as bad and he’s getting used to his heart rate rising but one minute we think we’ve ‘cracked’ it then low and behold something else has caused it !! Generally he cannot eat and drink at the same time , cannot have sugary things , jam , creamy cakes etc or eat too much !! He loves Coffee but is unable to drink that at the moment, will he be able to “wean” himself back on to it or just accept that Coffee along with several others foods are now ‘ no go’ !
Deb
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Debbiewallis
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Hi. I can't help with the first point but on the second I can say that I am now just over 8 years post op and can now tolerate very weak coffee occasionally and my dumping episodes are few but there doesn't seem to be any logic in what causes them? I have however identified that if I do stuff like clearing a path in the snow within about an hour of eating then I will undoubtedly suffer from a bad episode it does seem that for me there is a link between eating and ANY kind of exercise at all that will effect me within about 2 or so hours of eating. Hope this helps and remember there is always light at the end of the tunnel, just sometimes we are so far away from it that we cannot see it.
I meant to say also that most of the things that caused my dumping early on no longer do so, I keep going back to foods that I know I have trouble tolerating just to check if it's still the case and every now and then get to add something else I used to like to my diet 🙃
The cause of the thrush flare up is probably a past combination of chemo and any antibiotics causing an imbalance in gut flora. Whereas the antifungal medication will help damp down the overgrowth of thrush (candida) the long term answer is to try and restore normal gut flora. Tony could try acidophilus (available in capsules), yakult and/or live yogurt while avoiding sugary foods.
Hi there I am 2 years post op and still on a bit of a rollercoaster with dumping syndrome and eating, although a lot better and feel well. I have Dextrose tablets that i take if i start to get symptoms of dumping. I cant eat too much sweet or fat like full fat milk, yoguart and Ice cream. Sometimes i can drink coffee other times not. I try to have an Americano with skimmed milk. I was given a mouthwash from hospital for thrush which worked but cant remember what it was called. I use Corsidyl every night and take a vitamin with probiotics in this seems to keep it at bay. I have had a breath test for bacterial overgrowth but mine was negative waiting on a breath test for lactose intolerant. Apparently we can get either of the above after the op.
Good Luck
Debbie
The thrush is a right pain and can be very distressing so I sympathise. For me it was, I think, the sheer length of time when I could not take anything in through my mouth, and the medication altered the whole gut flora / saliva system. Things do not flush through so efficiently.
There are some hints about thrush within the booklet 'A Patient's Guide to Achalasia' that you can download from the OPA website towards the bottom of the page:
Achalasia is a very different condition, but the advice about yeast like substances might be useful.
On the dumping syndrome, I am sorry to say that I do not think it does necessarily improve by itself over time. It is all about insulin spikes and keeping the right balance. I think the surgery does create some real trauma for that part of our bodies. Some of it can be reduced by avoiding the sugar, added sweeteners (and all the other things about food that we used to love!) from our diet to reduce the glycemic load that the system has to cope with.
Added to which there may be a proportion of people who may have been starting to become Type 2 diabetics in any event. So probably the answer is to adopt a diet as if one were diabetic, and take steps with insulin:sugar level monitors if things get bad. It can be quite serious and can cause you to faint without warning, so it is something to be taken seriously. But it is not like that for everyone of course.
Hi Debbiwallis, I am sorry your husband is having such a rough time. We found the dumping gradually became more manageable, but would still through curve balls often for no apparent reason and it took about a year of horrendous daily bouts before we got there. Mal wrote a food diary to help him. Strangely coffee was best for him, but he drank it with milk rather than water. How much does he try to drink? We bought smaller mugs as the quantity intake made a difference. In regards to the bane of my hubby's life; Thrush... As it can appear in different areas of the body, I will confirm that his was in his mouth. He would have ulcers at the same time. His last lot was the worst as it hid inside his oesophagus, so after treatment by IV, it quickly returned as there was no way of knowing it was further down. He had lots of different meds. Antibiotics orally, but he had to be careful as he was allergic to penicillin and another one. Another type caused him to become jaundiced in a couple of days. So he had to rely on Nystatin a liquid dropped in his mouth, plus two special mouth washes. These were provided by the cancer team. One began with C and was a two part liquid rinse. Parts A and B came in separate bottles and would be mixed and then the mouth rinsed and spat out if I remember correctly. The other was a green liquid with antibiotic properties and I think (please please double check) was swallowed to help with the oesophagus. I cannot remember at present what either were called but any one versed in cancer treatments will know. They both helped, but he was plagued on every bout of chemo he had from start till finish, and was the main reason for not eating. My advice, get professional help asap, and not leave it like my hubby. Something that helped a huge amount though was rocket lollies - they were really soothing to the mouth, and helped stem the pain. Good luck with everything. Take care. Carrie There was one more thing - a spray that helped to numb the mouth, this was supposed to help him eat and drink, but we only tried it the once on the day I had to rush him to A&E, so never knew if this really worked or not.
Over here we use lactinex tablets over the counter. Helps restore the necessary balance. It is main ingredient in yogurt live culture and tastes kind of sweet and yeasty. Works on infants. Hugs to you and Tony.
Hello . I agree with Ray re exercise soon after eating . Also not eating until i am relaxed and at ease helps. I enjoy a glass of wine drank slowly half hour or more before I eat in the evening. It relaxes me and I think the stomach also . I dont sit up to the table when eating - I sit slightly inclined backwards and "bring the food to me rather than going to the food". I sense articulating back and forward while eating is not good as the stomach etc is being agitated.
Thanks David ... I must admit that was the last thing that I expected him to develop! Although it never ceases to amaze me , the varied flipping side affects this operation causes ! You guys are such amazing people with what you face daily ! No wonder the consultants don’t inform you of all to expect post-op !!! They’d never afford the time !
My experience has been things get better. I can have coffee every once in a while but not like I used to everyday. Tea has been a better option. My dumping has gotten way better. I can eat just about anything I want including a beer from time to time. Obviously I eat things in small portions. The big thing I miss is a good ol greasy hamburger. Just can't seem to handle those yet. I found that I loved coffee but after not having it for a long while it becomes less important, if that makes sence.
I've just refound subway sandwiches! I could'nt do bread for a long time... now Im ok in small portions again.
Things get better, for me it was\is a series of ups and downs but in the long run its better.
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Food is a bad four lettered word!
Ivor Lewis op
