constipation

[Beaupeeps]

Hi all just wondered if anyone had suffered with constipation after an esophagectomy? My husband is only 4 weeks post op so appreciate very early days but is suffering really badly with constipation and only managing to go to toilet if he takes a laxative. He is also really struggling with the full feeling after eating. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[hunsdon]

hi I am 12 years post op and I do remember going through the same , I was advised to have small walks after each meal also placing your left hand on the right of the front side of the stomach and gentle massage across from right to left and then down to the groin area for at least a few minutes every so often and it did work for me , give it a try can’t do any harm wis you well it’s along road but worth it x

[Cavalier3]

Hi Beaupeeps, I’m just over 3 years post Ivor Lewis and yes I was exactly the same. It’s very early days for your husband and everything will be all over the place. It takes a long time to settle down. I’ve never felt full or hungry since my surgery. I still eat very small portions of food and try to eat as much variety of fruit and veg as I can that helps. Things will get better. I started going for walks after 3 weeks. I really struggled with that at first but I felt it helped.

[liz_crisp]

Hi I’m 14 years post op and at 4 weeks was eating tiny meals egg cup size , more like grazing all day long. Remember to chew everything well the less the gut has to do the better and the gentle massage is also a good idea, I had open surgery and we were told the system works on gravity , so some movement is a good thing to get the food moving. The gut has had a huge shock and is recovering and relearning how to work again, sort of baby going onto solids. The full feeling is often a warning that you’ve eaten too much for it to deal with. It does get better just takes time, remember to drink fluids too. (They will fill you up and take time to clear the stomach too in the early first 6 months) . Good luck it does take time to recover.

[Adrienne29]

Hi !Also suffered badly after Ivor Lewis AND chemo.

Nurse suggested Movicol (available from chemists). Certainly did the trick! She suggested a "movicol bomb" which is the sachet taken in hot water. Worth a try. Chocolate flavour the best

Good luck xx

[Bards]

I had Ivor Lewis September 2023 (new kid!). I had awful constipation. Thought it might be partly down to Oxycodone painkillers I was on so rapidly tapered & came off them. For me that seemed the big difference - I think much of the pain I was taking the Oxy for was caused by it….!

That’s just me of course. One month post-Op I was VERY unhappy so your partner has my sympathies.Things become much more normal - just try to walk/stay as mobile as possible. Lying down groaning & immobile is to be avoided, though it’s not easy, or certainly wasn’t for me!

[Beaupeeps]

Thank you everyone so helpful. One last question (I promise). He has been left with really sensitive skin on his right side it’s so sensitive it hurts if that makes sense. He had open surgery as unable to do key hole due to extreme scar tissue from previous heart ops and lots of endoscopy’s. Thank you so much. It’s all so worrying x

[whasler]

It was/is absolutely an issue. Mainly because the dietician says fruit and veg fill your stomach with things that don't make you fatter so those bloomin' protein shakes and full fat fat cream, cheese etc are prescribed so you put on weight as quickly as possible. I did have some Movicon but a little exercise doesn't do your bowel movements any harm and when the dietician isn' looking, the odd banana I found helped! Plus high fibre breakfast cereals like Weetabix or Shredded Wheat. A little dull but again chop a banana on it.

Post op, the first year is really tough but it will get better (although you're porob tired of being told that)

[PopandMo]

not very helpful to you, but I was/ am the opposite-Lanzoprazole gave me awful diarrhoea and that continued till I reduced the dose. Now at 2 1/2 years post op I still find everything goes through me pretty quickly

[sperrygw]

I suffered for many years post, I’m currently eight years post operation. It’s something you constantly fight.

[grandylynda]

Sounds fairly normal. Painkillers don't help but are needed. I would say it took me maybe 6 months to really get on top off it. Exercise helps as others say plus find out which laxatives work best for you. Good luck

[Makulit]

I'm 10 years post Ivor Lewis. I had the same, but it was more a result of the medication than anything else. Have the doctors given him something specifically for the constipation? Even with the laxatives, it was a bit like an old school maths problem (I had to work it out with a pencil)!But seriously, he will need to put up with this a little longer and try to adjust diet accordingly. He is going to have to get used to eating smaller portions more often, and having a very early, light evening meal. Once he has settled into a routine, it is pleasantly surprising how life can return to relative normality. 🥰

[LarryLamb69]

Hi , I am 4 months post op and also sffuer from constipation on occasion (half way through my 2nd lot of FLOT) the tables used bring it on , and due to diet chnaged while in the process it does not help , but clears up when I start eating again a bit more , so it becomes a cycle..chemo , upset stomach and /or constipation,,bettr for a few days then start again!!!. But overall maintinaing weight os maybe a bitg factor for many (unless biigger to start withh and happy to loose the weight)😁 , it will improve as he gets use to what works for him ,it,s simply a proces that differs form each individual. and the lonng term recovery once his chemo is done!!

Happy for you / him to shout any time as I am only just a bit in fort in regards the process !!

All the best

[Beaupeeps in reply to LarryLamb69]

Thank you so much

[Bards]

PRECISELY where I was at 4 weeks (about & months ago now). Worse than Radio, Chemo or time in hospital for me. Massive sympathy… I wondered if my medication was part of the problem, as my only previous experience with constipation seemed to be as a result of the steroids given during Chemo.

I therefore tapered off fairly rapidly on my high dose Oxycodone, and the constipation went with it. Of course this may have been at least partially coincidental but may be worth considering if he is still on Pain Relief; opioids are noted for constipation.

The phase your partner is in was the most demoralising of the journey for me. Keeping active/mobile a massive help and with just body’s natural adjustment and a bit of dietary good behaviour you’ll hopefully have a much sunnier partner fairly soon. Please feel free to send a message…

Bless