Surgery. It's been 7 months and he's still sick.

wiltingnoh
wiltingnoh Member Posts: 6
in Esophageal Cancer #1
My husband Rod had his surgery back in April. I don't recall the name of the procedure. They removed the dead cancer along with most of his esophagus, and used his stomach to make an esophagus. He had prior heart surgery so they had to go through his back on his right side just under his shoulder blade and also in the abdominal area.

He still throws up daily. He can eat something one day and not the next. Just talking too long will make him throw up. He has lost over 100 lb. He hates the canned drinks like Boost.
They make him sick as well.

He tells me he would just like to have a day or two that he's not throwing up.

Cathy

Comments

  • Laura23
    Laura23 Member Posts: 81
    #2
    Some ideas
    Cathy,

    I am so sorry th hear what your husband has been going through post surgery. My husband had the surgery in August, so I can relate.

    Has your husband met with the surgeon to talk about his eating issues? Has he had an esophageal stretch since then? Sometimes after surgery at the site where the esophagus is rejoined to the stomach, a ridge of scar tissue can form where the food and even liquid can get stuck. It is a simple procedure to have the stretch done and he will have immediate relief if that is the problem.

    A couple of other ideas to try as well. First, can it be either the amount he is eating at one sitting or how quickly he is eating? I know that for my husband, he is eating about half of what he used to eat at one time. He is just eating more frequently. Also, my husband finds that if he eats too quickly, he can get extremely uncomfortable, or can even throw up a little. I would try keeping a food diary for a few weeks to see if you can find a pattern. Write down the food, amount (estimate), time, how long he took to eat it, and any results (throwing up, diarrhea, etc).

    Some people try to fix up the Boost drinks by adding ice cream or fruit and ice and mixing it up in the blender. My husband has tried some other drinks from places like GNC. If he drinks them too fast it gives him the dumping syndrome.

    I am sure that there are others who will have more ideas. There is no reason for your husband to be continuing to throw up every day. I would definitely try to get some answers from the doctor first though.

    Laura
    Wife to Luis, age 51
    Dx 4/11/2011. T3N1M0, stage 3
    MIE 8/30/11
  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,392 Member
    #3
    Perhaps an endoscopy is in order
    Cathy,

    I had Ivor Lewis surgery as well (from your description of the incision locations it sounds like that is the kind of surgery your husband had). I had some digestion issues after surgery for almost a year post surgery. I would have your husband investigate two potential issues with his surgeon.

    1. As was mentioned above perhaps an esophageal stretch is in order. Food trapped at the anastomosis (where the esophagus joins the stomach) can cause nausea and vomiting.
    2. I would also investigate the possibility that his stomach is emptying too slowly. There are some medications that can help with this.

    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    McCormick, South Carolina

    DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
    12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
    2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
    Two year survivor

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!
  • mruble
    mruble Member Posts: 174
    #4
    paul61 said:

    Perhaps an endoscopy is in order
    Cathy,

    I had Ivor Lewis surgery as well (from your description of the incision locations it sounds like that is the kind of surgery your husband had). I had some digestion issues after surgery for almost a year post surgery. I would have your husband investigate two potential issues with his surgeon.

    1. As was mentioned above perhaps an esophageal stretch is in order. Food trapped at the anastomosis (where the esophagus joins the stomach) can cause nausea and vomiting.
    2. I would also investigate the possibility that his stomach is emptying too slowly. There are some medications that can help with this.

    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    McCormick, South Carolina

    DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
    12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
    2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
    Two year survivor

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!

    Good suggestion, Paul
    I second the endoscopy suggestion. My husband had THE but continues to have issues with the rate at which his stomach empties. Medication keeps it pretty well under control but he still vomits occasionally if he's backes up too much or if he eats to much at one sitting.

    Mary
  • jim2011
    jim2011 Member Posts: 115
    #5
    7 months and still sick
    Hi Cathy,
    That is to long to still be feeling really bad...imho. Talk to the surgeon and the nurse coordinator. It may be as simple as a throat stretch. I had 4 of them done since my surgery April 7, 2011 and I think I have it right finally. I also became lactose intolerant after the surgery and that is also common. Boost and those other canned drinks have milk products in them. I also avoid carbonated beverages.
    My advice to you is to talk up a storm with the docs and get to the bottom of why he is having such a difficult time. I wish you the best!
    Jim
  • wiltingnoh
    wiltingnoh Member Posts: 6
    #6
    Thank You!
    Thank you Paul, Mary, Laura and Jim.

    No, we have not been told anything about the stretching. I will ask when we see the surgeon next month. We have been asking all along as to why he is so sick and told that it is normal.
    He did have a endoscopy the last time I had him to see the surgeon. They removed almost a liter of fluid from around his lung too while he was there. We were told everything looked good.

    My husband is a tough old Marine that went back to work only 5 weeks after quadruple bypass surgery. He feels so bad that he has asked me more than once as to being truthful with him about his recovery. The Dr.'s have told us that the cancer is gone and caught very early.

    I will also ask about the meds. that help digestion. No Dr. has even mentioned it.

    Rod doesn't drink milk hardly at all. He use to drink close to a gallon a day before the cancer. The only dairy he does have is some cheese. He seems to tolerate it very well.

    Thanks Again,
    Cathy
  • birdiequeen
    birdiequeen Member Posts: 319
    #7
    wiltingnoh said:

    Thank You!
    Thank you Paul, Mary, Laura and Jim.

    No, we have not been told anything about the stretching. I will ask when we see the surgeon next month. We have been asking all along as to why he is so sick and told that it is normal.
    He did have a endoscopy the last time I had him to see the surgeon. They removed almost a liter of fluid from around his lung too while he was there. We were told everything looked good.

    My husband is a tough old Marine that went back to work only 5 weeks after quadruple bypass surgery. He feels so bad that he has asked me more than once as to being truthful with him about his recovery. The Dr.'s have told us that the cancer is gone and caught very early.

    I will also ask about the meds. that help digestion. No Dr. has even mentioned it.

    Rod doesn't drink milk hardly at all. He use to drink close to a gallon a day before the cancer. The only dairy he does have is some cheese. He seems to tolerate it very well.

    Thanks Again,
    Cathy

    One of the meds that helps
    One of the meds that helps with digestion is Reglan. If he takes it watch him closely for signs of depression or anxiety. Some people tolerate Reglan well others do not. My husband did not but they switched him to a different med that we order from Canada now as it is not approved in US but has worked much better for my husband.
  • Luvs24
    Luvs24 Member Posts: 75
    #8
    Boost!
    My dad had the Ivor Lewis surgery October 7th. We learned that he could not TOLERATE Boost, not that he didn't like it, but that it was like hitting a brick wall after he drank it. He wasn't sick, but more lethargic and uncomfortable.

    His pyloric valve didn't start working right, so he is drinking liquids now until his next endoscopy and hopefully will be able to eat soft foods soon. He is tired of drinking his meals, but given that it could be ALOT worse, he is fine.

    Food diaries and/or daily notes is such a great tool. The days start running together and it is difficult to see patterns or the day to day progress without it.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #9
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

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