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Hey everyone. 

 

Just looking for a little advice here. I had my 2nd surgery (creation of j pouch) on March 20. I was in the hospital for 11 days in which I had a blockage so a NG tube was needed. I gagged so much from that I tore my stitches holding my stoma to my skin. After that they found an abscess which was drained but was not an infection just blood. All of this I can and have dealt with but the ass kicker is that I’m barely eating because I have been horribly nauseous since I had the blockage. Has anyone else had this problem? If so was there a cause or did it just take time to go away? I vomited once in hospital but not since.  Just interested if this is normal or something to be looking more into and if not what did you do to cope? I’ve been taking gravol pretty regularly but it offers only some relief.  Thanks for the help guys and girls 

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Its normal I felt like vomiting multiple times after both of my surgeries even while consuming bland foods. The general idea is to start walking around a lot so that your systems starts to function again normally. The nausea part goes away as the gut starts its functioning. For the first week I felt that with anything I ate.

I too suffer from debilitating post op nausea.  Once my gut starts working more normally the nausea will go away.  Taking small amounts frequently can help and pay attention to what your body craves.  For me it is simple carbohydrates. I lived on baked potatoes for quite some time.  I found that gravol just made me sleepy.  I enjoyed lemon ginger tea.

Make sure you are walking and moving as much as possible to get your gut motility going.  Lying on the sofa is OK but the more you move, the better.  Sometimes when our gut has been manipulated surgically it causes nausea too.  It seems our bodies way of saying “don’t do that”.

I had surgery March 9 and it took about 10 days for the nausea to go away only to be replaced by indigestion!  Pantoloc and yogurt to the rescue.

Hope you feel better soon.

I appreciate the topic.  My son has had UC for 10 years, tried every medication, to no avail, so we had to go Jpouch.  At first surgery we are still in the hospital, day 12, some movement with catheter in stoma, but still backs up causing nausea and vomiting.  On IV nutrition, now day 3.  Started back on food yesterday, and by evening the nausea was back, so things are not moving as needed.  We walk the halls every hour.   Any further thoughts from others who have gone before, were getting frustrated on lack of improvement for 12 days.  Has anyone else been this long?

 

I like cold food (ice cream, smoothies, frozen yogurt ...) post-op or hot soup...the only things that I can get down for weeks. Once the gut starts to relax and your body gets past the post-op trauma you may be able to go back to eating small quantities of semi-normal food...for now, your body is telling you something...so listen.

Mrobinson,

As soon as your son feels nausea coming on, tell the nurses and ask for anti nausea medication right away. They don't want you to damage your surgical site by vomiting. Even a small cough can cause blinding pain in the new site; can't imagine vomiting. If for some reason they don't give it to you, ask to see your surgeon or the pain management team leader. Advocate for yourself. Don't suffer!  Ask for a prescription before you are discharged so you can fill the prescription at the hospital pharmacy when you are discharged. You don't want to get home and find you need to run out to the pharmacy.  I didn't vomit after surgery; whenever I felt any nausea coming on I told the nurse and was given meds right away. I walked a lot, but did the most productive walking very late at night when the corridor was quiet and other patients were sleeping, no personnel rushing around me. The night staff got used to seeing me go past them slowly, round and round the nurses station. It was peaceful that way, and tired me out for a good sleep.

Did they send any of you folks home with limited output and diet?   We’ve been here 12 days and I believe they would like to discharge him.  He still has elevated white blood count, which they cannot account for, just a part of the healing process.  We walked 3 miles today in the halls and output has moved backward, along with his appetite.  He has a catheter in the stoma, which got clogged, so a bigger one was put in today.  My concerns of being discharged are monitoring of white blood count, dehydration, increased output, and nutrition.

What is he eating?  Try not to limit food intake, even to avoid vomiting. He won't regain strength if he does not eat properly, especially now when the body needs nourishment.  Three miles is a lot of walking. Protein, at every meal, is vital for the damaged and wounded tissues to begin healing, and to regain his strength and health. I know hospital food is not the best. For breakfast I used to see a dry bagel with a hard boiled egg on the plate. That was all. Lunch and dinner were worse. Who can get strong on that?  I lost 15 pounds in one week. The food has to be appetizing.

Even if you have to bring it from home, see if he can eat a good hot meal, or snacks. Make sure there is a protein at Every Meal: fish, chicken, beef, turn some canned tuna or salmon into tuna salad on toast, or egg salad that is soft and easy to digest (make it with half mayo, and half Greek yogurt for some protein), peanut butter on toast with sliced banana. Will he drink a protein smoothie, such as Greek yogurt with banana (or an avocado) and milk?  Will he eat hot soup? Hot oatmeal (make it thin, not thick) with peanut butter or honey swirled in for flavour.

Most hospitals have arrangements for a special home care / community nurse to visit you at home to check the wound, change the appliance, address your concerns. Check if they have home care process before you are discharged.

Try to take one day at a time. Don't let stress, worry or anxiety overtake you at any point. That will just make you or your son freeze up and you might not ask the right questions or think clearly. Make a list of what you need to do or ask that day, and do your best. Don't stress because guts do not like stress and tie itself in knots. You know the feeling. You will have follow up appointments and they will do bloodwork. If they forget to give you an appointment date when you're discharge, ask for one. My first appointment with my surgeon was one month after discharge.

Drink warm broth, salty, because he will need salt. You can monitor your own (de)hydration. If his urine is dark coloured, he's not getting enough fluids and is a sign of dehydration. Canned broths, until you have time to make your own, will provide lots of sodium and fluid. Throw in some chicken or rice or potato in the broth. Plain water will just go right through him, try canned broths.

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