Can you help

Hi again Nic, sorry to hear you’re still not very good. My husband really struggled to eat the first couple of months, he didn’t want to eat but knew he had to ( and I’m not the best at cooking lol)  6 xs a day and still does but a bit bigger portions now. Before the op he’d never entertain ready meals now he loves them, just had sweet & sour chicken from Aldi and a full one at that, 500 odd calories. I don’t know if he’s drinking enough as he’s only just started to have a drink after meals, before he’d have to wait a while. We’ve discovered protein powder and that goes in whatever I can get it in. 
It’s a new world where foods concerned and a learning curve for both of us,. Never in my life had I looked at the calories now that’s all I ever do (and it’s showing on me as well))))   He’s never felt sick so I can’t help you there . 9 months since his operation. 
Take care Nic xx

Xx

I know Sue it wasn't going to be plain sailing just these Antibiotics not settling with me hope GI nurses  can sort ne out xx

Hi NicNac

my mum doesn’t get very hungry and fills easily, but she was eating very little throughout chemotherapy due to nausea, so it actually appears that her appetite increased post surgery but nothing like it was pre-diagnosis. I think drinking wasn’t a problem but if she drank a lot of water then it kind of fills you up as well- we would make yogurt smoothies, add lots of yoghurt to water + whatever you want in it that way you get a bit of both calories + water, the shakes are probably good for that too. Fortisip is sort of milk based shake, you can get ones which are high protein but you can also get juice ones which aren’t milk based if they upset your stomach, which are like squash. All of these are quite sweet but of course you can modify it like anything to your taste (e.g. add more coffee to the coffee flavoured ones, add tea OJ to orange flavoured ones) and they’re 300kcal per pop so decent snack throughout the day. As Sue said add protein powder if you can tolerate the taste, high calories like halloumi cheese with chilli jam is good too. My mum was on antibiotics for an infection after the surgery and they made her feel sick for sure, hopefully the course will end soon and you won’t have to deal with this. There’s also advice or medication for helping things “go down” more easily if you feel it’s getting stuck etc, you can ask your surgeon (ours recommended metoclopramide). Hope things get better soon, take care x

Hi Sue, can I ask what protein powder you have used? We have tried something from a health food shop, can’t recall what it was but it tasted really horrible and had to throw it away. My husband had a total gastrectomy almost 2 years ago and still finds eating difficult. He is off meat and can’t tolerate anything with slightest spice, he tolerates soups but it would be good if we could fortify with protein. I tend to add double cream to increase the calories and like you, it is also showing on me . Wishing you all the best.

Hi Mystic, yes of course you can ask, in soup I’ve been putting pea protein (pulsin)  I used that to start with as I didn’t know anything about protein, it’s only useful for savoury things, when it’s gone I’ll change to Simply Whey Protein, you can get flavoured ones in that choc, strawberry and plain, strawberry I put in jelly when I make it, chocolate one I put in some milk, give it a good shake and he drinks it under protest I may add. I get them from H&B. I also put grated cheese in  soup as well, anything else just ask x

Also Mystic, have you looked at OPA there’s a lot of good ideas on that site, I don’t know how to put it on here but @Jacquiw10 will know, I can’t even tag her as as that never works on here either. Xx

Thanks here is the link to to the Oesophageal Patient Association.  The site has really useful information.  

https://opa.org.uk/opa-a-guide-to-life-after-oesophageal-gastric-surgery

Thank you Sue, I will give this a try

Many thanks for the helpful link