Bypassers Please Help!!!!

[Nezzy]

Hi all, I am now 6 weeks post op (open Bypass) and I am finding that I can only eat a maximum of 2 small forkfuls of anything and I get terrible chest pains that take my breath away. How long will it be before I can eat a bit more? Sometimes the pain is that bad it makes me sick (dumping). Can anyone give me any reassurance.

 

[zetacatty]

Hi Anez - sorry I can't help - I just wanted to say Hi! Sorry to hear you are experiencing pain when you eat. I hope someone comes along soon with some advice. :hug99: Mxx

 

[tesmaralda]

Nezzy as a fellow walsall manor patient are you still on pureed food/mashed stuff with plenty of gravy of sauce as recommended by WM.
By the sounds of it you are eating to large a mouthful or too quick or a combination of both you should be eating small bitefuls about the size of a pencil tip rubber off a small tea plate. It does not sound like dumping as dumping syndrome is a reaction to eating to much sugar and then you not only get sick but you get the shakes and palpitations and you just need to sleep it off as you get extremely tired.

So I would recommend either a softer texture of food, extra sauce and smaller slower mouthfuls.

Hope this helps. XxxX

 

[shelbell]

Hi Nezzy,

The most common cause of the pain you're describing is eating too fast and/or taking too big mouthfuls. You should be taking bites the size of a pencil top rubber and chewing till liquid.

If you are doing this (honestly) and you are still having these symptoms then you need to go back to your surgeon as the other possible cause is adhesions around the stoma making it too small. But that's rare.

The being sick isn't dumping, that's a whole other ball game

 

[phatgirl]

What food stage are you at hun? Also what food are you eating when you get the feeling? You said dumping but you were talking about eating and then vomiting, that isn't called dumping. Dumping involves taking in too much sugar, gives you a racing heart, sweating and a dizzy/tired feeling usually only remedied by a nap. Are you taking tiny bites (size of a pencil rubber), are you chewing 20-30 times before you swallow? Are you maybe eating too fast? Try small, tiny bites, chew alot & put your fork down between bites. Also try going back a stage since you have been vomiting, you can end up with a swollen pouch. If none of that helps it might be time to contact your bariatric team and consult them.

HTH,
Nic

sorry didn't type fast enough and all my advice is the same as the above posters, oops!

 

[phatmomma]

Hi Anez, i'm sorry i cant help either. Just sending my best wishes that things soon get better for you............

 

[marky v]

hi there, i'm pre-op, so can't advise but i'm sure someone will be along shortly to answer with their experiences, but i'm guessing if you're struggling a call to your surgical team to ask advice would be a good idea, even if they say everything's fine, or maybe you need an x-ray just to make sure all is healed as it should be

 

[ladybird_gal]

I would think you should be able to eaat more by now. If I were you I'd contact your surgical team to make an enquiry. They may have some suggestions. I felt like that for about a week, and was very sick. But once the initial swelling had gone down I could eat small quantities.
Some days I can eat more than others.
Sometimes I even have a mouthful and think that I've had enought so don't swallow!
I don't think it's dumping, sounds more like a restriction - but it's only my thoughts on what you are feeling and speaking about my own experience - and we're all different.
I hope you get yourself sorted out soon.
x x x

 

[marky v]

i hate to admit it, but these women are genius' a regular fountain of knowledge between them

 

[Nezzy]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I am eating too bigger mouthfuls and too quick so I will take on board what you have all said. THANKS AGAIN I knew I would get the right advice on here!

Anez xxx

 

[thinkbethin]

Hi Nezzy, sorry you're srtuggling with the food. I hope you get it sorted soonxx

 

[Silversurfer]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I am eating too bigger mouthfuls and too quick so I will take on board what you have all said. THANKS AGAIN I knew I would get the right advice on here!

Anez xxx

Also worth remembering that at 6 weeks your pouch is only about 2 -4 oz in size, which is about the size of a large mouthful ! - so your mouth is literally bigger than your belly

Sounds to me like your eating to much and that horrible feeling in your chest is restriction, when you throw up its because you've eaten to much, with me it can be as simple as an extra mouthful that tips me over the edge, and something you learn to control with time. I personally dont think your dumping, as the others have said.

 

[topsy]

Hi Nez - all the advice above is good but one i remember saying was when you have something in your mouth (and your chewing) put your fork or your spoon down until you have finished each mouthful. It makes me concentrate on what i am doing instead of the old habits of just putting food in your mouth and swallowing and not really thinking about chewing it. It helps me - hope you had a lovely holiday. Sending you hugs and fairy dust xx

 

[kell]

Hope you're feeling ok now

 

[Kazzie 1]

Hi Nez
Hope your feeling better. Thank you sooooo much for posting this thread. I too am doing exactly the same as you (it turns out) and experiencing exactly the same pain and sickness. I thought there was something wrong. I am only 7 weeks post op and trying to 'run before I can walk', I will slow my eating down and take smaller mouthfulls from now on. Its really hard to break the habits of a lifetime isn't it?
x

 

[Kazzie 1]

Nez, i have just realised who you are, you were in the same time as me. i was the one in the bed opposite you. i had complications and had to stay in a bit longer.How are you doing other than trying to move to quickly - same as me!
I know how ur feeling , it flippin hurts dont it, I am still trying to get rid of a quarter of a choc bar that I pushed down about 2 hours ago - how stupid!
I have lost about 2.5 stone now - what about you?
How is the ldy that was in the bed nex to you? Do you speak to her on here?
Hope your feeling better soon
x

 

[topsy]

Yes Karen i'm here too x

 

[Bonita]

Wayhay Karen thats the four of us on the same thread. We only need Gail and we'd all be here.

 

[paulineiw]

I too am 6 weeks post op. I find that some days I can eat loads with no effect and other days I am sick all day, I think it's trial and error, eat small mouthfuls and chew! If I have a bad day I do back to puree for a while. I even managed a slice of toast today, something that made me very sick last week!
I had dumping syndrome last week, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, tiredness, keep off the sweet stuff it's not worth it!
Persevere, it gets better, I just want a meal I can eat with a knife and fork rather than a spoon and bowl!!

 

[Nezzy]

Hi karen so good to hear from you, I have lost 44lb so far but am finding it quite difficult to eat anything but I am getting better, nice to see you on here.

Take care Anez xxxx