Hoping someone with more experience can help!

I'm 5 months post op. I have not been able to eat much meat. I can only keep down ground beef. I cant eat eggs either, so protein intake is difficult. I drink protein shakes to help but I am losing my hair - a lot of hair! My doc has been little help with either issue. I have had pain when eating since surgery. He did swallow studies and found nothing. I have just very slowly tried things and found a few things that work and stay down. Does anyone else have these issues? Someone said it may be gallbladder problems that makes it difficult to digest food, and I have heard that vitamin deficiency could cause hair loss. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

hi- i am not sure that i can answer to the swallowing--i know that early out-and you ARE still relatively early out--many of us have problems with solid proteins- the texture-the way it "sits' in our pouch-the density-whatever- sometimes it's a matter of how it's cooked- moist foods work best- dark meat chicken as opposed to white, beef with low fat gravy or au jus...tuna is still hard one for me! can you do a hard boiled egg? or egg salad? peanut butter on a spoon or apple? the hair loss- most of us believe ( at least i think so) that the hair loss is actually because of the anesthesia used during your surgery--i take biotin in a pill form- i buy it at rite aid or walgreens or cvs or walmart- it helps the nails to stay strong as well...many ppl cut their hair short so it grows back in faster- some hair grows in straighter or curlier or darker--it si kindof a fact of surgery- many of us also upped our protein intakes for awhile to try to combat the loss...good news is that it should only be temporary even tho it is disheartening. the pain issue when eating is something that needs to be medically looked into--if your doc isn't helping then find someone else who will! hope this helps?

Didi my hair fall out? oh yes. ALOT but, it grew back. mine started falling out at about 3 months post op, and fell out for about 3 months. I cut my hair short because it looked stringy but when the new growth caught up, I think because I pay attention to my protein intake now it might actually be thicker than before, so I am sure yours will come back, it will just take time, it is really scary though, mine fell out worse than after I had my daughter. Biotin didnt help me, but thats just me. as far as protein, I don't know if you like seafood, but shrimp and other shell fish is really high in protein and it was easy for me to eat, it never bothered me.

I still have problems with certain cuts of meat and most chicken. I've just learned to live with alternatives. I can't do scrambled eggs very well either. I either havemy eggs over medium or poached or hardboiled. For meats. The tenderest cuts are the best. Were talking Strip Steak and Filet Mignon. You have to have this done either rare/medium rare or at least pink to keep it tender. I used alot of gravy on my meats in the first year. I also had difficulty with chcken unless it was dripping in gravy or cheese. One of the things that I found out was that I had 3 little ulcers in my pouch. Everytime I ate, it hurt. Swallow tests won't show ulcers. You need to see a gastro doc to get an endoscope done on your pouch. Get a refferal and see one! Honestly, you need to know why you are having this pain. It's not normal. Try eating more soy protein, Louis Rich chicken strips are very tender and easy even for me to digest. Kidney beans, legumes, yogurt, cottage and ricotta cheese, Ground turkey and soups with added protein from powdered milk. Go to your PCP, get a referral for a Gastro Doc. You need a specialist!

Hi Jeanie, I was having pain as well, even when drinking (!) and wound up having an endoscopy. He found that one of my sutures had made its way through my pouch and as the food/liquid passed the suture, it would cause the sensation. He showed me the pictures he took, and the suture it was working like a little pin-ball machine lever. Now this is at 3+ years out, so it's likely that your new pouch has some sort of anomaly as well, which they won't be able to see with a swallow test. I still can't eat scrambled eggs, and beef doesn't sit well with me. You may just have to learn to live without some foods. The hair loss usually does reverse itself, but in the mean time, just keep on keeping on and things will get better! Good luck on your journey. Connie