After life : Hi I am now 10 years post... - Oesophageal & Gas...

Oesophageal & Gastric Cancer

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After life

hunsdon profile image
21 Replies

Hi I am now 10 years post op from ivory Lewis and things are good but has anybody have the bloated tummy look and feeling , I know we have had parts moved up or it just me ?

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hunsdon profile image
hunsdon
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21 Replies
Popsic profile image
Popsic

Hi HunsdonI too have this, I get so depressed with it. I've also gained 2 stone since the op! I am 8 yrs post op, tried losing weight and its so hard,

hunsdon profile image
hunsdon in reply to Popsic

Hi popsic !! I am so glad others have it as well and I mean that in the nicest possible way, because you get to wonder if anything else is lurking round the corner !! And I totally agree about the weight it’s a nightmare.

Popsic profile image
Popsic in reply to hunsdon

You do start think that maybe your the only one who has these things, I seem to get more and more little niggly things every day, I avoid consulting the doctor as much as possible. I feel like a hypochondriac

hunsdon profile image
hunsdon in reply to Popsic

My thoughts also how many little nigglg things we have the list gets longer but some how we live with them , some are more annoying than others and that’s why I ask people for there imput and any remedies every little helps .

hunsdon profile image
hunsdon in reply to Popsic

Also bananas are good for bloating because they contain potassium , I have only just started eating bananas again the same as chocolate which is not good but as they say little and often x

Popsic profile image
Popsic in reply to hunsdon

I can't eat too much chocolate it makes me feel sick, also I still suffer with dumping😔

hunsdon profile image
hunsdon in reply to Popsic

Hi yes me too although I can eat chocolate again I can’t eat a lot because of what happens the same as you .

Popsic profile image
Popsic

Absolutely they do in both counts. It’s just nice to know your not alone.

Mauser1905 profile image
Mauser1905

Hello Hunsdon,

Believe the looks will be similar and varying depending upon each individual as well.

personally, pain/ache at the diaphragm and adjacent abdomen, and inability to do more practical things imemdiately burn me out more.

Yes lookswise its like a mushroom hanged upside down or the ballon being inflated using the pump getting pulled inside the pump nozzle!!

Notknowmuch profile image
Notknowmuch in reply to Mauser1905

Yes Mauser1905, the pains you mentioned are experienced by my husband too.

His back near the surgery site hurts when he sits long and when sitting on a seat with a hard back.

He walks with a little slough now probably due to the tight feeling in the incision in stomach area.

Mauser1905 profile image
Mauser1905 in reply to Notknowmuch

Good morning, believe most surgery survivors will experience similar pains/aches.

My back hurts at the cut region. this is because the muscles are cut and do not feel normal in relation to the left side of the back.

I also drop shoulders front and my wife has to tell me to stop doing that and I most times make conscious effort to pull shoulders back. The pain/tightness is more after food/drinks. natural reaction of the body.

Notknowmuch profile image
Notknowmuch in reply to Mauser1905

😊 as wives we are just thank you that our husbands are with us.

Nevertheless it is hard to see them half the person they used to be.

It is hard for survivors to have to eat so often (even if the portions are small). Must be hard to not feel hunger yet have to eat regularly and then feels uncomfortable after each meal.

Mauser1905 profile image
Mauser1905 in reply to Notknowmuch

Yes, I feel so lucky and grateful for my wife to be with me through this journey.

Janashlin profile image
Janashlin

I love hearing 10 and 8 years post op.

I am 2 so I love hearing the bigger numbers!

Mentalmicky6 profile image
Mentalmicky6

Always feel bloated after most meals for about 15 mins 8 years post op but I usually have normal size meals as apposed to little and often

hunsdon profile image
hunsdon in reply to Mentalmicky6

Hi mentalmicky6 that’s great regarding the size of your meals if I was to do that it would be so painful so well done you, also the good old dumping syndrome comes into play if you get my drift !!

Notknowmuch profile image
Notknowmuch in reply to Mentalmicky6

Hi Mentalmicky6Happy to hear that you can eat larger meals.

My husband is 62 years old and 14 months post IL op. He could barely finish half a ‘normal’ size serve. He usually orders entree on the menu when we dine out. He loves a drink or two but now can manage 1/2 a glass of wine comfortably.

Fortunately he can tolerate a wide variety of food but has to sit for 15mins after meals to avoid dumping. His energy is half of what he used to have prior OC.

Mentalmicky6 profile image
Mentalmicky6 in reply to Notknowmuch

I have to avoid sitting down after a large meal, I try and do something mildly active like washing up etc otherwise I would be asleep, I usually have to wait about 15 minutes before I have a desert, but I do occasionally forget myself and over do it and end up with a hypo', I can drink Alcohol normally but I can't mix it with food after 6-7pm otherwise I would get the dreaded bile reflux

Notknowmuch profile image
Notknowmuch

Hi hunsdon,

My husband is nearly 14 months post IL op. He has lose nearly 20 kg and he has a little tummy even though his body is skinny.

This could be that the tummy is still in the healing stage so it could be some swelling still (our opinion only).

Capergal profile image
Capergal

Hi, I’m new here and I had an Esophagectomy 11 yrs ago , my stomach pulled up to make a new esophagus. Unfortunately I had a lot of problems and had a revision of the Esophagectomy in Toronto in 2017 . I just had another major surgery to remove a large Hiatal Hernia in March. But with all the problems and vomiting bile for years I’m still kicking and very grateful.

liz_crisp profile image
liz_crisp

I'm 12 years on and just lately have a very bloated tummy feels hard and a lot of wind and gurgles. Funnily I have suddenly put weight on and can't lose it either Even if I eat very little. I am going to have to buy some bigger clothes

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