Question:
3.5 Weeks Post Op-of constant pain and nausea, Dr. contacted, advice apprecaited

I am writing on behalf of my sister. She is 3 1/2 weeks post op rny. At about 2 weeks post op she began to feel constantly nauseated and her stomach started constantly aching. At her 2 week check up, she had a cold and her doctor told her to take DayQuil. Later that night she vomited after swallowing a gulp of water. She didn't think it had anything to do with the medicine she had taken earlier as she knew immediately when she swallowed that the water was not sitting well on her stomach. The next night she vomited again after starting back on her Zoloft. She thought maybe it was because she had not eaten before she took the medicine. A few days later she woke up at 5 AM vomiting. Since 2 weeks out she has been constantly nauseated and not able to eat more than about 2 ounces of food a day, if that much. She obviously is not able to get in all the fluid she should. She has also vomited a few other times, and it usually seems to happen about thirty minutes after she has eaten. She does not usually vomit the food she has eaten. It is merely foam. She went to see her doctor last week, and he told her that her stomach was just irritated from the cold medicine she had taken. He told her it was not a stricture because she was not vomiting food. He told her to stick with mild, soft foods, gave her a prescription for Carafate to coat her stomach, and started her on Nexium. This has not helped. He also gave her a prescription for Phenergan suppositories, but she is only able to take them at night as they make her so sleepy. She is still constantly nauseated and has vomited several times since beginning the meds. The dr. said it could take a week for her to feel better, and tomorrow will be one week. I plan to be in contact with him first thing in the morning, but in the mean time I was just wondering what you all thought about it. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Could it be a stricture? Could it be that her stomach was that irritated from the meds? Could it be an ulcer? She is so discouraged and is feeling like she made a mistake by having this surgery. Any advice or insight you could give would be greatly appreciated.    — MICHELLE L. (posted on March 23, 2003)

March 23, 2003
Foam means she is swallowing too much air. I know that sounds so retarded but that is the culprit. She needs to sip not gulp water, it's better to drink from a cup than a bottle. I am 5.5 weeks out and just recently the nausea has subsided. I would eat and then 1/2 hour later I would gag nothing would come up but foam or spit it is air she needs to slow down. 2 oz of food is ok if she is getting in her protein and she needs to slow down and take very baby sips and very slow.
   — I U.

March 23, 2003
I too suffered from severe nausea and continue to have it after almost 4 months. My doctor prescribed medication called Zofran ODT that really helps. It is usually taken by patients who are undergoing chemotherapy and works by suppressing serotonin. I take Prozac also, and it does not interfere with that medication. Zoloft and Prozac are serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Before I had Zofran, I could not eat anything without having to go to bed afterward. I find my nausea is worse in the evening, so I try to eat my protein in the earlier part of the day when I am not so prone to being sick and have something light like fat free, sugar free yogurt and juice or soup in the evening. I do hope this helps. By the way, if the dayquil was a lliquid, the sugar in the medication may have stimulated her nausea. Caution her that if she does drink juice, please avoid grape juice. It can make you "dump". Good luck!
   — Anna B.

March 23, 2003
I am 5.5 weeks post-op and have had near constant nausea and vomiting since week 2.5. I had been taking phenergan but it made me sleepy and I was going back to work so I needed something that didn't knock me out. At week 4 I saw my doctor and he gave me Zofran. The prescription was for 2 doses a day, but I take one in the morning and the phenergan at night if I still need it. The Zofran is a miracle worker. For the past 3 days I have only had brief periods of nausea and have not taken anything so it really does get better.
   — cfpowers

March 23, 2003
I felt the same way and then all of a sudden at week 7 it all went away and I feel great now. I stay away from bread that makes me sick but I am doing well on just about any protein and veggies. I am now 10 weeks post-op and have lost 52 pounds.
   — lmonroeny

March 24, 2003
I am having problems with the Zoloft, everytime I take it it lays in my stomach for hours and then I throw it up, and it still tastes like medicine. I had been taking it whole as the doctor said if it was smaller than a pea I should be okay. I quit taking it but I am still nauseous all of the time. I am 8 weeks PO.
   — Elanda