Question:
needing your wisdom

hi i am struggling with trying to get food in i am nearly 4 months open rny and i have had 4 strictures with succesful dialations... the deitican felt that everytime i should go back to the puree stage which i did for 2 times then thought i would try more solider food as maybe i was nursing it to much and needed to keep it open...anyway i havent had anymore strictures and until 2 weeks ago was slowly eating up to 1/2 cup of food since that time my appetite has gone to zero and i am basically living on water and nibbles of stuff as i feel so yuk after eating like i want to sick i take antisick tabs everymeal that is considered big to save it coming up but i feel that o have just literally stopped eating and i am worried i am slipping into starvation mode..i have had anorexia in the past from 12 to 15 and also had bulmia..geeeezzz i am airing it alltoday... but i feel every meal time i get so tense and when i put the food im my mouth it tastes totally differnt to how it used to taste and the pleasure has gone from eating.. i dont regret this op for one second i feel blessed to have had help but i just dont want to eat and in a day i could it possibly 50 to 100 calories if im lucky.. please no negatives as i am getting concerned about this ..... i know about the honeymoon period is this what its about eating zero but having fluids.    — Rachel F. (posted on March 24, 2002)

March 24, 2002
Rachel, I have been scoped many times too.. and had stoma strictures dilated, as well as small bowel stenosis dilated.. Eating was not fun for me either for 14 months.. I stayed constantly nauseated and vomited continuously.. I did go into protein deficiency and had to go on IV nutrition for awhile.. I was diagnosed as having an enlarged pouch which was atonic..meaning without muscle tone.. during my last scope in Nov.. I had a revision surgery in early Feb to correct this rare failure of the pouch and am doing fabulous now.. I feel as if I have been given my life back.. I am not trying to frighten you, but you might consider having another scope to see if you have a problem with a marginal ulcer, something wrong with your pouch or something else.. I know it is hard and scary to be where you are because I was there.. IF you want to talk, please feel free to email me at [email protected] anytime.. Hugs,
   — Gina Landers

March 24, 2002
I (luckily) have not had the strictures you mentioned, but I did go through quite a stage where everything came back up or sat like a rock in my stomache for hours. I started drinking a half cup of hot tea before each meal. I know we are not supposed to eat and drink at the same time, but this has worked wonders for me! I think the warmth must relax the stomach or something. Whatever....I don't eat without it!
   — Cynthia B.

March 24, 2002
When I had my 2 strictures, they had me go home and eat solids. I had a chic-fila sandwich(not a whole one of course) after my second dilation. They said that it 'encourages' it to stay open. As far as food tasting different, I feel the same way, and I think that it is common for our tastes to change. I think it happens to some more than others. And when you said that at every meal that you get so tense, that right there will cause the food to sit like a rock and you won't be able to consume very much. I was told at a support group meeting that our emotions play a big role in how much we are able to eat. For example, when it is dinner time with the family and I'm trying to pull dinner together, and the kids are being kids, I cannot sit down with them and eat. I sit and drink because I'm all stressed out and when I do try to eat at this time, I can only eat 2 bites, then I'm done. So I gave up eating at that time. Try to eat when you are relaxed. Being that you are 4 months out, it will more than likely get better for you, you are just now getting over all of the stricture problems. After having strictures, I was a nervous wreck when it was time to eat. After throwing up everything and going through the whole ordeal, it can be difficult to eat again. I hope things will get better for you.
   — Cheri M.