Feeling defeated.
So I am about a month post op. Every day is a struggle. I wake up in the morning and spend 20 minutes coughing up phlegm to the point of dry heaving. This is an every day thing, has to be done if I'm going to get anything down my throat. I drink some water and keep coughing and spitting for the next several hours. I feel disgusted. I don't want to eat or drink. My entire day is now dedicated to burping and spitting(literally have spit cups and bottles), whether I've tried eating or not. My surgeon of course, sees no problem. I barely eat. Definitely not reaching protein goals(and yes I know how important it is) Everything I try makes me wanna gag, and if I do manage to get something down, it's very little and I feel like blah afterwards. Needless to say the only thing keeping me moving right now is probably water, which I drink religiously. Please tell me it'll get better.
At my 3 week visit my surgeon said to me, "your thing(no clue what the word was) is probably too tight, we can go in and fix it down your throat, its real easy". But ONLY if you're vomiting and not able to keep food or liquid down. In my mind that seems a little crazy, like why can't we check now. lol!
Your stoma is probably too narrow and that causes everything to get stuck. They can insert a balloon and stretch it a bit, but that means that you have to go in and be put out for the procedure. They probably have strict criteria that they have to meet to be able to do that.
I'm sorry you are struggling. I don't have any advice, other than try not to get too depressed. Keep pushing your surgeon and hopefully he'll get it worked out soon.
Funny thing, everything I wrote here, I said to him at my 3 week visit. I said everything feels the same going down. Yogurt and the tuna hits the same spot and feels the exact same. I said I can't stop spitting or burping. No comment. No concern. See ya in six months.
I actually chose him over a previous surgeon that I went through all my visits with, I'd hate to have to find a 3rd surgeon, but I may have to.
At one time I become allergic to dairy (proteins - like in whey or cheese, yogurt) My body was making a lot of mucus that I needed to get out. It was horrible.
I got rested for food allergies and discontinued taking any dairy or soy. Over a week - as my body was clearing - I felt better and better.. Yes - you can live and function without cheese or yogurt or whey.
Not I no longer show reaction to dairy (3 years later) but I still get runny nose and sneeze if I eat yogurt or cheese. I limit that to a once in a while thing now.
Get tested for food allergies. It may be simple as that.
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
At one time I become allergic to dairy (proteins - like in whey or cheese, yogurt) My body was making a lot of mucus that I needed to get out. It was horrible.
I got rested for food allergies and discontinued taking any dairy or soy. Over a week - as my body was clearing - I felt better and better.. Yes - you can live and function without cheese or yogurt or whey.
Not I no longer show reaction to dairy (3 years later) but I still get runny nose and sneeze if I eat yogurt or cheese. I limit that to a once in a while thing now.
Get tested for food allergies. It may be simple as that.
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
I was wondering if it was something like this, but I stopped the protein shakes. So no soy or almond milks. I haven't had any cheese. It doesn't seem to matter what I put in my mouth. Could be chicken, could be an egg, same slime. In the morning water will cause it. But once my PCP comes back, I'll see if I can get tested.
You indicate coughing then dry heaving... Mucus in airways don't not indicate closed stoma but rather other issues... Even GERD. .
Almond milk is not dairy - but nuts... It took me a week once I discontinued dairy to feel real difference.
My safe food are cooked chicken with cooked celery and some carrots, with added crashed avocado ...
When my gut and insides get inflamed - I get on that - 3-4 time a day... And nothing else... It is not fun but it do the job.
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
I am giving this advice as a nurse, not as a WLS patients, but if he says you have to vomit, then start eating. Eat protein, eat whatever you have to, but eat. If what you say is true, you WILL vomit, thus meeting his criteria for dilating.
Consult Weight:276/Surgery Day Weight: 241.6 /Goal Weight: 150