Regarding the weight gaining after gastrectomy

Fathak · Regular Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 13

Hello everyone,
I'm a survivor of OG junction growth( a point where Oesophagus and stomach meet). The biopsy showed moderately differentiated adeno carcinoma. A complete gastrectomy was advised and I'm back to normal after the surgery followed by chemo and radiation. I look so pathetic after losing 10 kgs of my body weight. Although I eat lots of Kcals per day i'm not able to put on. Please give me some tips to increase my body weight. Thanks in anticipation Sad

mousa

Dear Fathak,

Congratulations on coming through surgery, chemo and radiation! Very Happy

Re your diet, you should discuss with the hospital dietitians who are experts and can give advice regarding your diet and how to cope with any problems.

A friend of mine had a total gastrectomy over 20 years ago and he's still going strong. He never put all his weight back on but is well and happy.

Let us know how you progress.

Fathak · Regular Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 13

Hello Mousa,
i'm really glad to see your response. Now I feel very strong and confident after reading your reply. I would like to know how many Kgs/Lbs your friend put on after the surgery. I'm worried whether I absorb the essential fat and nutritients from what I eat. I'm planning to take consultation from my gym dietician, And also I'm thinking over the food supplemts to gain more Kcals per day. I would be glad if I get to know thiese details. Thank tou so much

anewdawn · Regular Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 30

Dear Fathak,

I lost over 50 pounds when I was dianosed until I finally had surgery. The first year after surgery, it was like learning to eat again. I could only have small bites and then I had to chew,chew,chew. I still wasn't gaining any weight back. But then somethin happened, I started to really feel better. And now my appetite is fantastic. I east just about everything I want to. Everyone in a while the food gets stuck and I have to bring it back up, but that does not happen often. I have put on 20 pounds and my family tells me I am starting to look like my old self. There are many things you can eat/drink to add calories to your diet. If you are able start working out a gym to help build your muscles up. Start walking that helps to build yourself back up. If you would like a list of foods that I ate, please let me know and I will send them for you. The most important this is you made it!!!!! And you will be back to your old self soon.

Dawn

mousa

Dear Fathak,

You got a great reply from Dawn. Let her help you. She has been there, done that.

Good luck and God bless both you and Dawn. Very Happy

Fathak · Regular Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 13

Dear Dawn,
I'm becoming more confident after reading your reply. Your words are really boosting confidence in me. Thank you!! Very Happy

My day was quite bright and cheerful all because i read it early in the morning. I would like to get your diet list. It would be quite helpful if you tell me your eating timings also. Already I have started off my work out. By God's grace I don't get much tired after my workout. All my concern is about weight gaining because I'm weighing only 60 Kgs (My pre-operative weight was 69 Kgs). Although I'm not able to eat much at a time,I'm able to eat normal quantity. Hope I have furnished enough information about me. Awaiting your reply. Thanks in anticipation Very Happy

Regards,
Fathak

anewdawn · Regular Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 30

Dear Fathak,

I am sorry that I did not respond sooner. I too had cancer where the stomach and the esophagus meet. I had surgery to remove most of my stomach and esophagus. I had my surgery May 20, 2004 (almost two years ago) and I am doing great. Please tell me a little bit about yourself. When were you diagnosed and when did you have surgery? What are you eating now? Do you have difficulty with food getting stuck or problems swallowing? I am glad to hear you are starting to work out. It really make a difference in building up your muscles and will help with fatigue. Immediately following my surgery, I had no desire to eat. My mother would fix me a meal and I would take two bites and be done with it. Food was getting stuck and I was very frustrated that I would have to vomit it back up. Then I finally decided the hell with it I was going to eat whatever I wanted and if need be I would suffer the consequences.

So here is how I do it. When I wake up in the morning I have a small breakfast, (cereal, whole milk, slice of white toast with peanut butter).

Everyday for lunch, I meet my mother and we go out to eat at a local restaurant. (Taco's, bacon lettuc tomato sandwhich on white toast and an order of french fries or onion rings, pizza with a salad).

For an afternoon snack, I eat fruit (apples,oranges,grapes)

For Dinner I make a big meal (steak,potatoes,vegetable,salad).

After dinner is my snack time, I eat (ice cream, milkshakes,peanuts)

The important to note is that you can eat anything you want. But in my case I cannot eat too much at one time or I feel miserable. So I eat many little means throughout the day and when I am hungry, I eat I don't wait. Carnation Instant Breakfast shakes are the best. The have lots of vitamins and nutrition plus you can incrrease calories when you add ice cream. I make a chocolate milkshake out of the chocolate carnation packet, then I add two tablespoons of peanut butter. These have lots of calories and tastes great.

I eat lots of popcorn in between meals with real butter. I recommend toasting all bread. Bread tends to get stuck where toast will not. Mashed potatoes with gravy are great. But becareful the gravy does not upset your stomach. Try eating as much meat as you can. But be sure it is tender and chopped up small. I like to go to the Chineese restaurant because there are many meats to choose from and they are high in protein which you need. High protein drinks are good as well (I drink alot of Gatorade. The most important thing is to not give up. If you have a problem eating something, walk away from it for a few minutes and then comeback to it later. As you begin to put more food into your body, your stomach will begin to stretch and it will hold more and you will slowly begin to gain weight.

I hope this helps you. I have alot more to share with you but its getting late here and I have to get up early tomorrow. I hope to talk with you again tomorrow. Stay strong and keep up the good work.

Dawn

Fathak · Regular Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 13

Dear Dawn,
I was diagnosed on 5th of Aug 2005 and it took one month for the consultation. I underwent the surgery exactly one month ie. 5th of Sep 2005. They called the procedure as Transthoracic oesophago deudenal anastamosis with Roux-en-y jejunostomy. They removed the entire stomach, deudenom along with the lower end of Oesophagus. Also few nodes had the metastasis. After recovering from the surgery early satiety was there. I wa able to eat only a small quantity. but now my appetite has increased. Also my capacity has increased.

Occasionally I have nausea after eating. But I would say the symptom has subsided. I have late dumping syndrome. Hope you are aware of this syndrome. As you said I chew well and swallow so the food does not stuck up. I eat what I want to eat. Even I eat then and there as you said.
I eat typical Indian food rather than bread/butter etc.

I eat bananas,milk, biscuits for morning breakfast

steamed rice, gravy, egg, cooked vegetables/meat for lunch

steamed rice, egg, grams for dinner with a cup of milk at bed

between my lunch and dinner I eat boiled sprouts, carrots(as it contains lots of antioxidants)

Dawn, I feel comfortable and confident except for few things. my weight gaining nightmare. wherever I go, people keep asking me about my pathetic look. Please help me to do something about this.

Awaiting your reply

take care

anewdawn · Regular Joined: 29 Jan 2006 Posts: 30

Dear Fathak,

I am sorry that I have not responded sooner. I have a terrible cold and I am not feeling well. I promise to message you as soon as I start to feel better. I hope you are feeling well.

Take Care,
Dawn

mousa

Dear Fathak,

Please again read Dawn’s message to you dated 17 March. There was a lot of good advice there on how to add calories to you diet and weight to your body.

Please also go to www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/eatinghints You can find milkshakes there from 220 to 425 calories.

Also please “google” ‘Nutrition patient education’ and open the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center site. Lots of excellent advice from Increasing Calories, protein, and fluids, to snacks, between meal snacks and ‘power packing’ your food.

You probably need to be taking in 3000 calories per day and your present diet, though a very nutritious diet, is not giving you that. You have to eat small meals frequently to avoid what, I think, is known as dumping syndrome and is unpleasant.

Good luck

Dawn, I hope you are soon feeling better. Take care.

Fathak · Regular Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 13

Dear Dawn/Mousa,
Thanks for the advice and the help you are giving me. I feel immense pleasure to see you both spending your precious time to help people.
I will refer to those sites given here by Mousa. Dawn, please take care of yourself. Don't feel sorry for replying late. I can always wait to see your replies. Even I have a little bit of cold for these 2 days with sneezing. Except for that I feel good. Dawn, you too keep up the spirit. Let me talk to you as soon as you get well. take care

mousa

Dear Fathak,
How are you getting along? Putting on some weight?
Let us know how you are and what you have been doing.
Cheers for now,
Val

Fathak · Regular Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 13

Hi Mousa,
How are you? I hope all are going strong and fine. Sorry I couldn't reply to your previous post. I need your advice/help. Despite being positive, my stregth and Health is deteriorating day by day. Here my problem goes. Couple of days back I started having a weird feeling of numbness on my head( over the scalp) along with hypertension. After consulting my Oncologist and having taken medication for BP (plain brain CT, BP pills), My problem has subsided now. But my appetite has gone down and eat very little after this problem. I slogged and toiled to gain few pounds after having this gastrectomy. Now I'm scared that I might get the disease back. I lost the confidence because my appetite has reduced drastically. How shoud I handle this now. Please help me. I'm going mad Mad

Thanks in anticipation

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