My experiences following op at Royal Berks Hosp. mid Oct. 2010

[bertel]

Just recently I came across this site and can see that it is useful to compare and contrast our various experiences. I seem to have got off quite lightly compared with some others.

My tumour was discovered summer 2010 (very luckily for me) and quite unexpectedly while I was undergoing an endoscopy to confirm Coeliac disease. Following that confirmation I am now on a permanent gluten free diet.

A problem I have, which seems fairly common, is the feeling of the need to regurgite food which can occur at anytime in a meal. It seems that a nervous reaction is triggered when food contacts the throat/stomach surgically created joint. The release of saliva, I guess, is the body's way of trying to move food on. I find that the thin saliva is followed by a more viscous but tasteless form, my eyes become watery and I need to blow my nose. Within 5 minutes, however, the crisis passes and I can finish the meal without any problem. This seems to occur about twice a week. I was prescribed Domperidone but it didn't seem to be very effective.

Soon after the surgery I experienced constipation problems probably due to the fact that on a gluten free diet it is very difficult to consume the high fibre diet I used to have. This has been solved for me by drinking 200 ml of prune juice each day.

My weight is now quite stable at about 3 kg less that before the op but since my BMI (body mass index) is just about optimum at 22 I don't worry about it.

I sleep with my body raised from the waist up using 2 ordinary and 1 triangular pillow. To stop slipping down the bed during sleep I have fitted a substantial length of wood across the bed so that my feet are pressed on it when I'm correctly positioned.

Bert.

[Hidden]

I think regurgitation is not uncommon, but if most of the food does actually pass down the system eventually, that is at least reassuring. If it does not seem to go down beyond your stomach at all, do contact your specialist nurse or your doctor. It might also be worthwhile to ask your doctor to alter the domperidone prescription perhaps? Everybody's digestive system takes time to adjust, but if it is not gradually getting better, do seek advice from the surgeons, as they do have some options up their sleeves.

[abreynolds]

Hi Bert, Tony here, about your sleeping, look for on e-bay, for a nearly new electric bed that does the feet as well as the head part, I used to do it like you but I found a electric bed, and I find it so much better. I also for no reason somtimes feel like regurgite at night when I have been a sleep for a little while followed by acid reflux.