Hi just joined

Hi and welcome to our group! You have had so much to cope with and the emotional impact is often underestimated!  Eating does get easier and your weight stabilises.

Counselling should help you come to terms with the impact on your life.  I found the Headspace app really helped me to learn mindfulness techniques.  I focused on things that I could control..things that made me happy! 
I am now seven years since the diagnosis and lead a normal life.  So do hang in there and it will get easier! 

Huge thanks Jac for your prompt reply.

I realise its early days and probably being too hard on myself but its just been horrendous.

Its good and positive  to hear you live a normal life now.

i am trying sleep apps too and for relaxation.

Many thanks again X

Hi, so sorry to hear this… I too had a total gastrectomy in 2022. I lost 3 stones in total and had a lot of muscle atrophy especially in my upper arms… I had frozen shoulder in both arms for 5 months and went to a hydro therapy pool to regain movement… I struggled with the eating often as I kept forgetting so I set an alarm… Eating will improve within 6 months if not sooner… I put a stone back on after that 6 months and it’s been maintained. I can eat everything as before still in small portion’s.

I'm glad you are attending counselling it will help you get through it… I went to a local Cancer charity and chatted to the volunteers and helped to unload… 

You will get there I promise… if you need any advice at all I’m here to support you.

Take care 

Michele 

Michele huge thanks.  I cant believe you put on a stone.  Everyone I have spoken with says you don't put it back on.  I hope and pray I put weight back on.

Sorry to hear you then went on to get frozen shoulders as have heard how painful this is.

Yes I guess its the psychological impact this is having on me.  I am quite lucky I can eat more or less anything but as you say in small portions.

If ok I would like to keep in touch with you and ask questions when they arise.

Thank you for your positive reply.

Shirley 

Hi of course you can keep in touch and ask questions whenever you want advice..

Absolutely stunning kitties.  I adore cats.  Such comical and loving pets.

Wow you've been through it.  So glad to hear you are so much better now.  Its bad enough dealing with one cancer!!

I guess its taking one day at a time so need to keep to this and try to be positive.  Hearing your stories gives me hope & positivity.  Huge thanks 

Hi Shirley,

I had my total gastrectomy in April this year.  I totally get the eating timings, also trying to fit fluids into that to is a nightmare.

I was admitted twice to A&E with dehydration. Doctors keep staying - you’ve got to stay hydrated. My reply was it’s not that easy when you haven’t got a stomach - need to eat small and often but then cant drink 30mins before or after meals. I am getting better at it. 

i do hope counselling is helping.  I am only just starting next week and choose to wait till i had finished all treatment. 

I feel that things do get better with time. I was diagnosed In November 2024 and have only just finished chemo a few weeks ago and it is nearly a year already. I am finding my way with eating and once I have my results hope to sort out my wardrobe as everything is too big. 

Counselling may open a can  of worms for me but I feel I need to do this as my coping mechanism has been to march on for the last year and I only cried the day I got diagnosed. As I have come towards the end of treatment I feel I need to off load everything I have kept inside. 

I understand the feeling of being alone. I haven’t meet anyone with stomach cancer, only through this site. 

please take care and sending hugs 

michelle xx 

Hi Michelle

Apologies for long delay but haven't felt great with feeling dizzy, faint and sick.

Was prescribed Creon so figured out its this so had to stop.

Yes hard to eat and drink.  I hardly drink.  Trying to sip more water during the day.

I hope you manage to eat and drink so no more hospital visits.

There are days I don't enjoy or want to eat and other days could eat all day.

I go to Counselling on Friday so look forward to that.  Yes I am finding I get angry with what's happened and a few friends don't keep in touch which I am hurt with so will need to discuss this.

Counselling will do you good so glad you are going.

Huge thanks for replying and please keep in touch.  Shirley X

Bless ya!

I started creon last week, so just finding my way with them. I was put on antibiotics for something else so can’t get a true feeling with them yet as the antibiotics symptoms, have been working overtime.

my drinking fluid has only really got better in the last 8 weeks and I drink more at night. 

I don’t know if it will help but I now eat by time if that makes sense. If I went on feeling something/Hungry I don’t think I would eat a lot. Sometimes i don’t fit in the 6 small meal a day. Sometimes it is 4 or 5. 

i’m sorry to hear that some of your friends have not been in contact through your illness and think it good to speak about it. Through my journey even a few family members have not been in contact. I try to think maybe they can’t deal with it but not to even get a text hurts. But I now put a positive spin on this that I have made many new friends through my hospital Appointments and going to the well-being centre. Friends/colleagues who I haven’t seen for a while have been of great support and even though they can’t understand , just being there has been touching. 

I do hope the dizziness and feeling faint starts to go away for you. Are the dietitian helping? 

take care xx