5 weeks out and having a lot of nausea

[dvillalon]

I am exactly 5 weeks post-op and I am still having a horrible time keeping solid food down, and sometimes the nausea is so overwhelming I can't even drink water. I'm talking a little sip and I'm fighting to keep it down. My doctor prescribed Phenergan, but even that was difficult to keep down. Does anyone have any suggetions or have any idea if and when this will pass?

[Theresa]

I was having a hard time getting liquids down... warm tea worked... but i had to crush ice in the blender and eat it .... or make a slushie with my zero water.
My protein drinks had to be in the blender with ice too.

it's getting better now but it comes and goes the past few weeks.

I don't eat much at all. But i try to just eat tiny bits several times a day so my body doesn't think its starving.

[Sunflower]

I am still dealing with that off and on, but I'm only 10 days out. I guess your tummy is still adjusting.

[tprincess]

Sometimes it takes a while. Go back to liquids and work slow to build back to solids. I am not surprised that you are having a hard time with solid food. It sometimes take longer than four/six weeks. Just go back to the clear liquid until you can tolerate them more and then SLOWLY start with one solid/semi-solid at a time. This is a HUGE adjustment for the body and everyone is different. But it will get better and you will appreciate the results.

[magimae]

I was on Protonix for acid relief, when I stopped the protonix the nausea stopped. Talk to your doctor about any medication you are on. Feel better.

[Neenster]

I'm in my 10th month and I started getting nauseous in my 5th week as well. It lasted 3 months and one day it just left. But I had it everyday and often vomited 2-3 times a day. I lost a lot of weight because many days, I was only eating 300-600 calories. We did a floroscopy (sp) but nothing was wrong with my stomach. My doctor thought it might be anxiety and put me on lexapro and the nausea left immediately. I was also on heartburn meds from the first month on and we increased them to 40mg of prilosec a day and I'm still on that. I think it was the lexapro that worked though, and a doc recently told me that this is used for stomach issues. Probably calms down the nerves in my stomach?

I want to assure you that it WILL go away. While it's happening, experiment with what works for you. I couldn't eat meat for the first 5-6 months. I lived on milk, yogurt, ice cream (not a lot) and anything that would stay down. And I took vitamins...but there were many days where very little stayed down.

The hardest part was that food was no longer my friend and even after it stopped....and I could eat almost anything I want, I don't want much of anything and I eat only a limited selection of foods (and they change from month to month).

So rest assured....you'll find your answer and you won't die. I was frantic that I wasn't getting enough protein and water, and indeed for a short while I wasn't and my kidney functions wavered (dehydration) but corrected themselves within a couple of weeks and I kept focusing on forcing as much water as I could. But all the worry made it worse I think. So at some point, I realized I was NOT going to die and I was going to lose weight very quickly and so it was a bit of blessing in that way...I probably lost my first 75 pounds in 5-6 months. Not an uncommon story hear. AND I lost my dependence on food and while that was a shock, it was a great gift.

I hope you feel better soon! Stay in close touch with your docs, and listen to your body. And drink as much water or if necessary, other beverages, as you can.

Nina

[Betsy]

I am 2 weeks out and the nausea hit me last week. It got so bad I couldn't drink much at all. I kept thinking, "I'll work on it, I will get better" until I worked myself into dehydration. In the ER and rehydrated (yesterday), I now realize I should not have let the nausea go on for even a day. Call your doctor if your nausea gets to the point that you skip water. Don't let it get too far like I did. First day of home and the meds and already I feel better and am drinking water and broth. Maybe tomorrow something more. Don't let it go on!!!!!

[DS75]

Same thing hit me at five weeks. It turned out to be a stomach blockage. Get checked out by your doctor. Good luck.

[Betsy]

Same thing hit me at five weeks. It turned out to be a stomach blockage. Get checked out by your doctor. Good luck.

I got an upper GI in the ER and other than spasms it was clear. Feel better today than yesterday. Got 54 oz of water and 37 grams of protein down with my nausea meds yesterday.

[DAbrego]

Wow so glad I'm not the only one. The nausea hit me hard too. I'm at 5wks post op and suddenly I had alot of acid and then the nausea. I keep reminding myself the first 2-4 mos are the worst as we adjust to our new stomach and our body adjusts to what we've done to it. Went to the ER today because I couldn't eat enough and they gave me Zofran. I thought the problem was all acid but the meds took the nausea away and now I can eat. Does the nausea last the whole time or just on and off?

By the way drink very warm water, it goes down easier with the nausea.

[DS75]

Thank you, Neenster. Your comments really helped my feelings. I am still dealing with surgical complications and presently, 5 months out, have a stent in my stomach so I am still all soft foods. I have two more weeks with the stent and have been worried about life afterwards. Your comments are encouraging to me. I have also lost 75 pounds, though I can't get my ticker to change.

[DS75]

Betsy, so thankful yours turned out alright. Best of luck to you as we continue on this new journey.