Why Can't I Eat?????????

Why can't I eat??? Original Post by W J at 8:31 PM PST on 08/20/2005 Escondido, CA - (06/21/2005) I had the Lap RNY on 6/21/05, the surgery went well and I was doing fine until 7/25/05 when I experienced severe pain. I ended up in the hospital for 10 days and had surgery for an obstructed bowel and a hernia. The most pain I have ever experienced in my life! I was sent home with a G tube until 8/29/05 and it is not only painful but is driving me crazy because it is so uncomfortable! The dr says it has to stay in till the 29th so that my stomach heals around it. In any event, the taste and smells of foods make me nauseous and I am really having a hard time eating most anything. This reminds me of being pregnant! I have lost 60lbs so far but I am weak and know that I need to increase my caloric intake. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!! Wendy

Hi Wendy! I am so sorry to hear about your additional surgeries. I can certainly relate to the bowel obstruction surgery. I had one on 4/13/05 and another on 4/20/05 with the second one having 2 obstructions. If you threw up before yours as much as I did (36 hours) your were very dehydrated going in. Did you check with your doctor to see if the amount of bowel they had to remove will cause additional malabsorption? If not, you need to. Mine was, so I have to be even more diligent with my vitamins and protein. I wonder if your body is afraid to eat now. My daughter-in-law is pregnant right now and gets nauseous if she doesn't have anything on her stomach. Maybe that could be your problem. I do know you really do need nutrition right now so the nausea is a big problem. Can you drink protein drinks? There are so many varieties available surely there is one you like. What about homemade soups so you can contol the fat in them. Puddings, refried beans, cheese, or maybe things that don't have a strong smell might help. I know strong smells can cause nausea. I don't know if any of this will help you but I do want you to know that I hope you will be able to find the answer to your problem. Keep us posted. Cheri