A YEAR POST OP: Well, been a while... - Oesophageal & Gas...

Oesophageal & Gastric Cancer

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A YEAR POST OP

4 Replies

Well, been a while since been on here,,,my op was May 2018, so a year ago now,, i am ok,, still problems with eating.. Was wondering, if many others still have problems to eat certain things? Saw our op on TV the other week, and the woman said 2 months after she was eating curry, chips? I was shocked.

I still cant eat meat, i have just started on chipolatas, frankfurters, pigs in blankets, mice if its been pout through a machine 3 times, so buying this in supermarkets is a no no,, so i go to a Turkish market and get them to put it through 3 times,,,

Cereals, ive just started to manage cornflakes, but fruit still a problem, half a banana of late i can manage but not comfortable after !! Rice also i cant seem to eat, fish is another, keep trying, but it seems to stick in the throat?

Another thing, in Jan this year, was diagnosed with BAM, Bile acid malabsorbtion...due to the operation,, body cant break down fats it seems,, i get chronic runs,do any others suffer this??? On meds for it now, and it helps,,,

They, the Upper GI team, just saw 2 weeks ago,, suggest i see a psychologist to support me in life long eating habits,,to re adjust, as i still had like brekki, lunch, dinner, and not many snacks in the middle,, but as i do not have that part in my body any more, that tells the brain your hungry,, i forget to eat... other than the 3 main meals,,

Was told i eat to much brekki, when i ate 2 slice of bread one day, with 2 yolks of egg and 2 triangle cheeses?

Told to eat half of my dinner, then go back 2 hrs later to finish it off,,the dinner was 400gm about,,, think by eating it, i then got DUMPING,,

Bloody hard after 61 years to try think of eating every 2/3 hrs,,,

Find the CNS woman a bit over bearing too,, like im being talked down too, as if im a child, condescending, and i bite my tongue, as they increased meds for the runs,, to 4 a day,, i presumed that meant, i could take up to 4 a day,, she NOT NICLEY said NO, i must take 4 a day, and i was not doing as they say, so why was i going to these meeting so to speak,, HOW I NEVER gave her a mouth full , god knows,,

Hair came back,, and just 4 weeks ago got it cut, shaped,,, and then a color on it, as it was a horrid grey,, looks better now,, but it has a mind of its own now,,cant do a thing with it, gel etc, does not help, ahahaha but hey, i have hair again,

Just back from Santorini with mates, 3 days ago,, manage to travel with the meds they gave me,,,making the most of things, just in case!!!!

Compare fotos here to those before and after my OP,,, i look sooo much better now,

4 Replies
kiddy profile image
kiddy

Firstly well done you look great. I am 3 years post op i eat 6 times a day be it snacks or small meals. I have settled weight although I did put on 4 lbs recently and it hasn’t gone down.

I cut everything up still find it hard to digest certain foods like chicken, beef and some veg.

I get dumpling now and then and take creon which helps me. Still get some reflux on odd occasions. I try to cut down on sugar and high fat meat some cheese.

My hair grew back tight and curly and dark with lots of grey. It finally has gone back to what it was like with colour.

I enjoy my holidays be it that i have to eat early no later than 7pm so with friends it can be awkward.

Enjoy your new life and live to the full.

Best wishes

Debbie

jeffw663 profile image
jeffw663

you do, as has been said look great, oh how we all differ, I'm 11 months post op, now eating a small English breakfast each day, no bread with it, then anything for lunch, salad, noodles bacon or mushroom roll etc, evening meal, day before yesterday roast lamb roast veg, and last night mild lamb curry and rice, I don't eat between meals now, never liked sherry before op but now like a glass at about 5pm.

If I over eat then it's a dump for sure, think I could sleep for England, slept through last night's storm.

I hope that you are able soon to eat more of the things you like and that you can get rid of the mincer !

I'm sure it will come in time.

best wishes Jeff

Luvver profile image
Luvver

Hi Yvonne, just read through all your posts, and yes, you look great! My husband is just over 5 months post op and after reading your story and that of others, he is doing well. His biggest problem, like you all, is eating enough to maintain and even gain weight! He as lost just over 2 stone since his op. We keep. Food diary, try to choose high protein foods but it is nigh on impossible to get much more than 1800 calories in each day. Like you, if he eats too much -DUMP! How did you manage to maintain your weight? Any tips will be greatfully received. Good luck with your continuing recovery!

jay2908 profile image
jay2908

You could take Imodium for the runs. This will slow down your digestion, so you’ll be less likely to get dumping too.

Do you feel bloated after eating foods? Or find that on some days good that you usually eat refuses to go down? If so, it might be that you have lots of air in your gut (happens to be all the time). Try having a warm/hot drink 30 mins before eating to clear your digestive path.

As for calories, get as much butter on that toast as you can :). Protein is good for you, but fat has double the calories.

As for snacks, I just leave food around the house, crisps, biscuits, chocolates, fruit, nuts etc. Then I graze on them when I’m passing by them. I also watch a lot of cooking programmes which help me be interested in food again.

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