Having Bad Experience, Don't Know Where to go From Here

Hi Kecia,

Yeah, Isopure was disgusting, and I've tried many others too.  I guess I'll have to try Atkins next, LOL! Yes, my doctor repaired a hiatal hernia too, and that's what I thought may be the problem, but then I've noticed other people on here who have had both procedures done without any problems, so I don't know. I started to think that this was all just me.  

It's sad to say, but I wish I hadn't had this procedure done, because I'm terrified that I'll never be able to eat again.  Even the thought and smell of food gets me sick, and I don't want to be like this for the rest of my life.

Thanks

Sounds like it COULD be foamies, but I can tell you that Isopure RTD made me all mucusy and gaggy. I'd have to cough up this stringy globs of I-don't-know-what. It was revolting. That was definitely not the foamies, and it only happened with Isopure.

Linzeelee, you're not kidding, the Isopure RTD is the worst, and it smells like hairspray.  Ugh!  Even my husband has tried all of these shakes I've bought, and he hasn't found one he likes either, and he hasn't even had the surgery.  You'd think they'd be able to come up with some good ones, since it's such a big seller.

the carafate is to protect your sleeve lining from all the caustic acid/bile. I guess if a stricture can't be seen,I would  request a dilitation anyway to make sure. Sometime things are missed with tests. 

GL

Thanks HollyKim, I'm going to consider this if things don't get better with the medication.

I'm sorry you are having a tough time.  Everyone heals at a different rate and there is no rush to get to soft solid foods. Find a protein drink you like and sip very small sips.  Take one hour to finish one drink.  Have three a day to get your protein in. Have some warm broth the same way and plan to do that for a week.  Everything is irritated from vomiting and surgery.  I had the pain in the chest too and that was from eating too fast and not chewing food I did eat enough and/or not taking tiny tiny bites of food I could tolerate. Always wait between bites when you do try food again.  It should take you about 1/2 hour to eat 1 scrambled egg.

I would follow your doctor's advice re meds as you will end up in the hospital in worse shape if you do not. 

Things will get better but for drink room temp water and sip sip sip.  You will find things you can tolerate as you start to heal. Let us know how this goes. 

Hi Paula!

Well, I know it's not that I'm taking too large of bites and not taking long enough to eat, since I can't tolerate foods to begin with, so food just isn't happening.  Even when I tried to eat some, I took the tiniest of tiny bites you can imagine, like the tip of a small spoon, and that still made me feel terrible, like I had something stuck in my chest.  

I wish you'd tell my doctor's office that there's no rush to get to soft solids, because at my appointment on Wednesday they acted like "it's not normal for me not to be eating yet" - and if I don't do so soon they'll have to admit me.  I've read on here though that there's no rush, so I'm confused and tired of this.

Thanks for your response!

Can you tolerate liquids? If so, you're not going to get dehydrated.  There is a little bit of protein in stock, which is a clear liquid.  Not much, but better than nothing.  If you can tolerate full liquids, milk has 8 grams of protein per cup.  Soy milk has even more.  Also, this is just a hypothesis, but since bile is produced to break down fats, what if you drink liquids with some fat so the bile has something to do?  Like 2% milk.  If that's all you're having it won't put you over your calorie goals, and I always find milk settles my stomach.

If you can't tolerate liquids then I'm afraid you'll have to go back to the doctor for IVs. 

I can tolerate water, but anything else makes me want to gag.  Water does fill me up though, so getting in the recommended amount never happens.  Regular beef or chicken broth that I can make from bouillon cubes at home gets me sick, so maybe I'll have to order that Unjury chicken broth and see if that's any different.  Good grief I'm so tired of this.  Thanks for your reply!

When you say you're not getting the recommended amount of water, how short are you?  Unfortunately, dehydration can cause an upset stomach, so it could be that you can't tolerate liquids because you're not getting enough of them (also, our bodies are stupid). There's got to be a way to up your fluids so you don't have to go back to the hospital.  Have you tried different temps of liquids?  What about other types of clear liquid, like gatorade or herbal tea?  Have you tried containers with pop tops where you can only sip a little at a time?  I have one with a pop top and a frozen core.  It makes me drink slowly and keeps the liquid cold the whole time.  I got it at Walmart, but that was a while ago so I don't know if they still carry them.  Or if hot drinks work better you could use a thermos. 

From a nutritional standpoint, people can go for weeks without food, but only a few days withou****er, so that has to be the number one focus. My surgeon has a you tube video about what he calls the sip wait technique.  It's for right after surgery when you're still swollen.  You take a sip, then wait, take another sip, then wait.  You do this pretty much constantly until the swelling goes down and you can drink normally so you don't get dehydrated and end up back in the hospital.  What if you just put a big container of water in front of you and work on sipping and waiting all day?  I wonder how much you'd be able to get in that way.  Good luck and please keep us updated.