Nauseated all the time...is this normal?

So I'm not sure what could be causing this? Had my surgery on 1/23/19 and the first couple days after surgery I felt sick which I figured was from the anesthesia. That went away. For the next two weeks I felt fine and had an appetite. Actually, I never really felt full. I have measured everything I eat and drink. The one time I did eat a little more than I was supposed to I had the most horrible stomach pains and never again will I do that! I have since learned when I'm full. Took awhile, but I know now.

Anyway, I'm still on puréed foods which I'll be on for a month. Yesterday was my first day back to work and it's all gone downhill from there. I've felt sooo nauseated since yesterday. I have to push food and liquids down. I have no appetite. I have not thrown up once since surgery, just don't feel like eating/drinking anything. Ran to the bathroom a couple times at work yesterday because it felt like I was going to throw up, but nothing. Kinda wish I would in a way so that I might feel better. Today I didn't even make it in to work because I felt so sick and exhausted.

I am not meeting my protein or liquid goals no matter how hard I try. Even before this nausea hit me I wasn't making my liquid goals. On a good day I was getting around 40 something ounces in....most days it's less. And it's not that I'm not thirsty.....I am, but I just feel sick after a couple of sips and I have to stop. The only thing I've been drinking is plain water, flavored sugar free water and no sugar added apple juice. Yesterday morning I did take some coffee with me to work because I've always been a coffee drinker, but I got like 2-3 sips in and I had to pour the rest out. I just felt like I would throw up.

Is this normal? Does this pass after awhile? I have my post op appointment next Thursday and will bring this up. If I'm still feeling this way tomorrow I may call my surgeons office. Just wanted to see if anyone else has experienced this?

Sounds likely to be dehydration. I'd try tiny sips and not worry about food until you are well hydrated. If you don't start to feel better, head to see your doctor and you might need a banana bag.

Thanks for the tip! Yeah, I would not be surprised if I'm dehydrated. I will try to focus more on liquids for now.

I'm sorry you aren't feeling well. I found it tough to get in 64 ounces at first too, and had to work up to it. Do your best - it isn't optional, it's truly necessary. Dehydration can land you in the hospital. I found that comfortably warm tea was the easiest for me to drink, and that is still how I get the majority of the 120-150 or so ounces I drink every day, even now, at 20 months post-op. Others prefer cold drinks. You may have to try a variety of different drinks at different temperatures before you find what's easiest for you.

By the way, "no sugar added" apple juice isn't sugar free. It has plenty of sugar in it as is, they just don't mix in additional sugar on top of what's naturally present in the fruit. It's not the best choice for us either calorie or carb-wise, and the sugar naturally in it may not be sitting well with you.

Can you drink your protein shakes? A few per day will ensure you are getting the protein you need if you aren't yet up to having other foods. I had 4 per day pre-op, and for a while post-op as well. Some folks just need to progress more slowly than others, and that is fine. Plus I always counted the water in the shakes towards my fluid goals.

Best of luck! Talk with your doc about all of this. I hope you feel better soon!

Hey thanks for your reply! Yeah, I wasn't too sure about the Apple juice either since it did have natural sugars, but my dietitian said it was ok and it was on my list of liquids I could have. I honestly don't drink that much of it because it is so darn sweet, but I'm thinking I'll cut back even more on it if not altogether and see if that helps.

I have the chocolate premier protein shakes and at first I loved them. Tasted just like chocolate milk to me. But then when I would try to drink them they would make me gag. They just didn't taste the same. Funny how our tastes for things change so quickly! I may give it another go though or maybe try a different flavor. I am definitely going to try the warm tea and see if that helps! Thank you again!

Post-op nausea isn't uncommon, due to the esophagus not being used to having food in it. My surgeon had me take Prilosec daily, for the first six weeks, which really helped.

And yes, dehydration is not good, so any liquids at all are good. I myself used tepid (room temp)water or else warm tea. Good luck!

Yeah, my surgeon has me on Prilosec as well which I take every morning. I am definitely going to try the warm tea suggestion. Thank you!

you have gotten good suggestions. I would add to try more warm broth in addition to the tea and leave off the apple juice.

Thanks all! So I called my surgeons office this morning because I am still feeling sick. The nurse said it might be the ursodial that I'm taking to prevent gallstones. She told me to stop taking it for a couple days to see if that helps. If it does she wants me to take it only once a day instead of twice a day. If not she said it could be either dehydration or maybe even a virus. She also wants me to start taking my zofran around the clock which I didn't see where that really helps, but I'll try again. She said they can also call me in phenergan, but it causes drowsiness and I can't have that with work. So we shall see.

As soon as I get home from work I'm going to get me some warm tea to see if it helps. Can't wait to go home! Feel awful, but can't afford to miss any more work.

Thanks again guys!

It's likely dehydration making you nauseated. I ended up in the ER at a few weeks out because of nausea. It ended up being dehydration. They loaded me up on fluids and sent me home, and I was able to drink and eat after that. Try drinking warm bone broth. I have good luck with warm, salty liquids like broths versus cold stuff. I do well with warm teas and broths. I'm 15 years out from surgery and when I just don't feel good, I still use bone broth and warm tea to keep hydrated. And to this day, I can't drin**** cold water. It nauseates me. I drink water at room temp. I can drink other stuff cold, but just no****er. It's weird.