Question:
I find I can't eat alot of different foods I get sick, that awful pain

in the esaphagus and then have to spit up until i vomit. I was told to go for an endoscopy. I would like to know if anyone had to do this? And if they needed to have something stretched. Please help I am scared of this procedure..... I am 3 months post op, other than this problem i feel good. Thanks, Teresa    — Teresa T. (posted on September 5, 2003)

September 5, 2003
If you have been able to eat fine until recently then yes call the surgeon and tell them as you could have an ulceration or partial stricture etc. My friend was freaking out about having it done last weekend and I promised her she would not remember it or feel a thing. I made sure I told the surgeon she was scared and to place knock her out. He did and she did fine and by later that day was back to eating things and keeping them down again. <p>Make sure you are not eating too fast. I did this without really realizing it and caused about 2 months of throwing up. Is it all foods, or just some? Are you getting fluids to stay down? Have you recently switched to a new stage of your eating plan? These are all reasons you could be having problems. They may or may not need to stretch your stoma but if this is relatively new they need to take a look and take care of it. It's about a 15 minute procedure and total time in the outpatient surgery is 2-3 hours. Just need someone to drive you home. My friend unded up with an ulceration so they gave her some meds and she is so much better. The surgeon figures she will need to take them for about a month and that's it. Good Luck! It will get better though.
   — zoedogcbr

September 5, 2003
I find I have more trouble like you have mentioned now than I did before. The worst thing is if I try to eat something I really like. I am totally insane and drift back into old habits of not chewing enough etc. I find if I am having a lot of discomfort and throwing up a lot. I do a few days of liquids and then I am alright. Janie
   — Janie I.

September 5, 2003
When I was 3 mos post op I had the same problem, but knew I didn't need and endoscopy. I was eating too fast and eating things that didn't agree with me, left over meat of any kind, fish that was too firm, anything that was tough. It seemed to me that my stomach was healing, the opening to the stomach is smaller, I still notice that, but when you have scar tissue on top of that it makes everything worse. Plus you are learning what you can and cannot eat in this phase (for me bread and rice are still no-nos at 12 mos postop). This phase lasted about 2 months at 6 mos PO I never threw up and haven't since then. So pay attention to what you're eating it most likely doesn't agree with you at this phase, and slow down, chew alot. If you're like me it will pass. On the other hand if it happens with everything, even the soft stuff, you need to see your doc.
   — Margaret H.