Question:
I have debilitating nausea and can't eat. Can I live on protein supplements?

I am 7 weeks post op rny and have been having terrible nausea-I can't bear the thought of food. I've had every test done(upper GI, CAT scan and endoscopy) and they can't find anything wrong. None of the nausea meds work for me-I'm allergic to the compazine family. Can I live off protein drinks for a while? Do I have to drink lots of water also? I feel so full and bloated from all the liquids. Is there hope that this will get better?    — Brenda H. (posted on June 20, 2001)

June 20, 2001
I too was always sick to my stomach. I would sit at my desk and dry heave for no reason. I found that if I drank hot peppermint tea it helped my stomach settle down. I did not get over the nausea until my 8th week and I was a lap patient. Everyone told me that the 6th week I would feel so much better and it came and gone and I still felt like I was going to puke over everything. The smell of food the thought of food and watching others eat was just too much for me to handle. Then poof on the 8th week I all of a sudden realized that I felt normal again and that with the tea my stomach could handle food. I still have times where I feel sick to my stomach but not like before. I can eat and I have energy again I was afraid it would never happen. We could just be people who take longer to recover. Hang in there it does get better I SWEAR!
   — Tawny F.

June 20, 2001
Brenda, don't get to discourged. The nausea might go away if not go to your surgeon and get a prescription for Previcid. I had my surgery 10 months ago and have been on Previcid since. I don't know why some of us produce so much acid, I think it is because there is no longer any food going into the stomach to absorb the excess.
   — Sherry P.

June 20, 2001
The protein supplements themselves give me nausea. I hate them.
   — Danmark

June 20, 2001
What do you mean? HOw long? Couple of days? Sure. Couple of weeks? No. They're not complete food. You didn't say which one you are using, but not all are even complete protein! You'd still need your multi-vites and calcium citrate, at the very least. But mainly, you'll need to get to the root of the problem. Have they looked for deviation in the pouch itself? Sometimes they heal oddly with a pocket that does not belong there.
   — vitalady