After my Dec. 10 step1 surgery, I've had the toughest time getting my eating back to normal. I "progressed" to solid foods a few days after surgery, but quickly regressed to the point I was vomiting and needed an NG tube for 2 days. I'm back home now, but have been battling nausea a lot, and still aren't back to solid foods. I'm managing the nausea with Zofran, Phenergan, and cannabis, and that's helping me drink more "full" liquids like soup and stuff, and also to drink more fluids to avoid deydration. So I'm making it, but I'm still wondering when I'm going to start to feel like I WANT to eat. Foods smell good, and I crave them, yet my belly/abdomen area still feels out-of-whack and "not ready to receive solids", if you will.
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One possibility (a stab in the dark): many meds, particularly opiates, can cause nausea. Some people just don't feel right until they stop the pain meds. This may not apply to you at all, of course.
Yes, if you are still on any pain meds from surgery, you may want to switch to something that doesn't slow your bowels. Also, it really can just take a looong time for things to really jump start to where you want to eat again. After both my surgeries, it was over a week before my bowels started back up and a couple weeks later before I was eating normal size meals again. More recently, in early December, I had a bowel obstruction, and it took until December 31st until I finally had a real appetite where I could eat a full meal. It shocked me how long the nausea and fullness and tiny meals lasted. Keep pushing the liquids with your meals and keep up with the anti-nausea. It will get better!!
It will get better, do soft diet first, like chicken noodle soup, take Zofran about 30 min before eating, easy on your pain meds, drink lots of electrolites drinks, try mashed potatoes, toast, one at the time, ensure also helped. I dont want to sound negative but be patience since it last about 4 weeks on average. It will pass and slowly you will feel better. Hang in there!!!
It took me many weeks to stop feeling nausea and to be able to eat.
Thanks for the replies. I meant to mention that I was discharged from the hospital with a PICC line so that I am able to do TPN nutrition therapy at home. I'm still doing that. I'm 6'-4" and down in weight from 170 to 148, and with the trouble eating, the TPN was a "condition of my parole" if you will. Anyone have experience with TPN therapy?
I'm on TPN too.
My big problem with nausea actually comes from dehydration or other medications. You have to make sure you stay hydrated. The TPN helps that.
My big problem with nausea actually comes from dehydration or other medications. You have to make sure you stay hydrated. The TPN helps that.
Did you abruptly stop steroids with surgery? I did, resulted in adrenal insufficiency. Took them months to figure out (it was such a low does of cortifoam enema) good luck!