I hope things get better for you soon! Your doc's office should definitely be able to help you!
That all sounds so painful, frustrating, and just terrible. Ugh! I did have nearly 5 months of constant nausea and vomiting. At that time I was also taking Zofran, but in addition I was on the scopolamine patch. I was told the Zofran was just for the stomach nausea, the patch is a gag reflex inhibitor, to stop the actual gag reflex and vomiting. I can say it worked about 80% of the time, when teamed up with the Zofran. I don't know if you have tried them or had the chance to test them and see if they work for you? For most of those months, the only thing I could tolerate without getting sick food wise was chicken broth. I would just add protein to the broth and go from there to keep my protein up, every once in awhile I could tolerate yogurt or applesauce but it was hit and miss at best. Since I primarily stuck to liquids the 'eating slower' wasn't an issue, and over time the nausea and vomiting lessened to where I could try several days of not using the patch. Eventually things improved enough to get off the patch completely but it took a long time. I'm not on solid foods yet either, I'm 7 months out from surgery, my protein intake is all still liquid, I try to eat something solid daily, but it doesn't always happen. I get tired of feeling sick or getting sick from trying new foods just to see if I can tolerate them I end up going back to the stuff I know doesn't make me sick. I did get tested for a possible stricture, but nope, my new belly just really hates the fact that I let a surgeon mess with it and so my 'side effect' from the surgery is nausea and sickness. I did recently get confirmation from a nutritionist that the liquid side of things was okay, because I was meeting my protein levels daily, and taking my vitamins/calcium/iron daily that I was okay to continue as I was getting all the essentials as a bypass patient. He just didn't think my 'quality of food life' was very good and wants me to work on that. Personally, I'm just happy I'm not spending all my time sick nowadays so I just smiled and nodded, knowing that I would continue on the liquid side of things for as long as it takes to adjust to this new lifestyle. I really hope that your sickness goes away soon, it just makes everything so miserable! You are almost two months out from bypass, so hopefully with the other issues you faced beginning to heal, so will the rest of you and getting back to feeling good is on the way! Welcome to the group, I hope you feel better soon!
Thank you so much Pixx! I'm sorry you are still having so much difficulty with getting in solid foods, especially for so long! While I was in the hospital they immediately put me on the patch before I even woke up. I did not get sick, however, I could not urinate... even when I felt I had to. They said that this was a sid e effect of the patch so they removed it and told me not to use another. I have been scaling back towards liquids again as well and trying to add very small bites if chicken and turkey here and there. Soimerimes I can get it down with some pain and no vomiting, other times it is a complete fail. I spoke with my Dr. And have done an infusion today and will be doing another tomorrow. It is a "banana bag" infusion with fluids, vitamins, and nutrients to try to help get me back on track with that. I also go for an upper gi tomorrow as well and will be having an endoscopy soon to take a closer look and possibly widen things. At this point I am willing to try anything to feel better. It is very true that your quality of life is greatly reduced when you can't eat food... not just because you can't eat it but because of the pain and illness afterward and n it being able to actually enjoy that time with family and friends. I have learned that if I really want to enjoy my meals... and my day that I stick to soup and other liquids in those days. I leave the experimental days foie when I know I will hoime and near a bathroom.Oh my Kristin, what a nightmare!
