Question:
2 Months Out Unable To Keep Anything Down, What to Do?

Open RNY on 1/9/03. Since then, I am down 41 lbs. My problem is...I can't eat anything!!! My nutrition comes from creamed soups, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, protein drinks, and broth. No matter what else I eat, it comes back up. I have tried veggies, fruit, pork, beef, chicken, fish, eggs, pasta, tofu, cheese, salads, spam, etc. All prepared in a blender or food processor the way my doctor wants it prepared. This is driving me insane!!!! At this rate, I figured I should be at goal. Please, please offer advice or other ideas for food.    — Ymmat (posted on March 14, 2003)

March 14, 2003
Tammy, you really should call your doctor if you haven't already.. lots of good wisdom here at Obesityhelp, but that sounds pretty involved. Best of luck..
   — Joscelin

March 14, 2003
That happened to me at about 2 months out. Turned out that my stoma had swollen shut and nothing was getting through. You need to call your surgeon and get an endoscopy done. While they are looking around they can open your stoma up a bit if it is blocked. Call! Don't wait. hugs, Ann rny 9/10/99 260/124
   — [Deactivated Member]

March 14, 2003
It definitely does not sound right if you can't handle anything but liquids at 2 months post-op. I think the last poster is right and you should insist on an endoscopy to see what is going on. Could be a stricture or too small opening of the stoma. While some post-ops have a rough time adjusting to solid food, and you may fall into that category, it will set your mind at ease to eliminate a physical factor thru the endoscopy. Hang in there-better days are coming.
   — Cindy R.

March 14, 2003
What is entailed in an endoscopy? Does it hurt? All the details please. Tammy
   — Ymmat

March 14, 2003
Sounds like a stricture. That's when the opening to the stomach is swollen or healing smaller and smaller. It's corrected by doing an endoscopy. That's where they put you in happy land and put something down your throat with a balloon (I think that's how I read it) and inflate it to stretch the opening back to allow food and liquids to pass. I've read that it is common and also a painless procedure. Nothing to worry about. Call your surgeon though since I'm not a doctor. You'll feel better once you're checked out anyway. Don't let yourself get dehydrated. Call today.
   — Cinna G.

March 14, 2003
An endoscopy is a minor procedure. They give you some meds so you are essentially asleep, and then look down your throat with a teeny camera so they can see your stoma, pouch, etc. If your stoma is closed, they can open it either by dilation or with a balloon like tool. You wake up a half hour or so after it's over with a slight sore throat (sometimes.) But relief is immediate! You'll be able to eat things and actually swallow them!! hugs, Ann rny 9/10/99 260/124
   — [Deactivated Member]

March 14, 2003
I had an endoscopy where they ballooned the entrance of my stomach to make it easer for me to digest food. It really did help I spent 2 months just like you throwing up everything. I even had a stomach tube placed in me so I could feed my self additional nutrients. Look you need to go back to the surgeon you could have a blockage or extra swelling you really need to go back to yourr doctor it won't go away with time trust me I waited untill I was rushed to emergency room at 2:00am in the morning. Some people don't tolerate the blender diet untill allot later. It took 2 months befor i was on blender diet. I weigh 175lb now and I had surgery 04-nov-03 and I wieghed 242lb then.
   — sheri B.