Question:
Persistent Nausea 13 days Post-op DS. Is this a normal phase for DS patients?

Hello, I'm 13 days post-op lap DS,and I have moderate nausea which will NOT go away; it only waxes and wanes. Worse if I eat--even thin cottage cheese and SF Jello or water. Worse if I sit or stand more than 30 minutes uninterrupted. Better if I don't eat, drink, or take meds, and better if I lay on my stomach or side for a while. No other signs of trouble--incision and bowels okay. No fever. No belly swelling (no signs obstructon.) Able to walk, slwoly, about 1 mile day.... Any similar DS/RNY experiences --NOT related to getting things stuck in RNY pouch--which resolved on their own? Ideas for soothing? Help! I'd rather be hurting than constantly queasy, and I am at the margin of needing more than peer advice, if this keeps up many more days. Thanks.    — [Anonymous] (posted on February 6, 2001)

February 6, 2001
It's not at all unusual to go through a period of nausea. At my doc's support group meeting, he speculated that it could be due to the vagus nerve being jostled during surgery, but stated that they don't know for sure what causes it. Often I've seen DS patients mention an ongoing sort of low-grade "all-day morning sickness" type of feeling that happens to them. Many people say that keeping something in their tummy helps; not letting it get empty. Soda crackers or ginger tea -- or whatever sounds OK to you at the time really! Whatever you can tolerate that keeps you feeling OK is what you need to be doing right now, I think. Have you talked to your doc's office about it? Sometime's they'll prescribe reglan or compazine to help with it. Good luck -- hope you get past this phase before much more time passes. Hang in there -- it will pass!!
   — mmagruder

February 7, 2001
Some days I feel queasy all day long ... it started last week and is still happening to me also I find that cheese and crackers go down easier..or chicken noodle soup or a campbles soup eating mostly broth something about the warmth seems to help.. I am just looking at this as a losing time.. I think I am hungry all the time and then when I get up and take a bite of something it makes me queasy.. I have read others who are post op longer that this shall pass also hang in there drink your protein drink Kathy Open RNY distal 11-1-00 -57
   — Kathleen M.