Oesophagectomy - diet and hints and tips

Once you have come home from hospital you may find it can take some time to start to eat again. You will most definately not be able to eat the same quantities, or the same types of foods again. Note that this is not forever, your body will adjust to its new stomach over a period of months.

What I wanted to do here is list some tips that have helped me get through this surgery. There are 3 side effects from the surgery on your eating ability which are commenly knowing as 'Dumping Syndrome'. Each side effect also has a list of causes and how to avoid getting the effect in the first place, or how to resolve it once it has started.

1. Tiredness, dizzness and sweating caused by low blood sugar. Your stomach has had its vegas nurves cut. This means it does not know when to release food in to your intestines. As a result your stomach may release too much food too soon. This in turn causes your body to release large amound of insuline to deal with the sugar in your intestine causing in turn your blood sugar level to drop too low.

Causes and Cures

• Eating too much....stick to 6 to 10 small meals a day, at least for the 1st month (I know it's a pain, but do it)
• Eating or drinking high sugar food eg. fizzy drinks/cakes/ice cream. When you feel tired after eating these sorts of foods, have a small spoon full of sugar to bring your blood sugar level back up to normal.
• Drinking after eating. This is a major cause of dumping. The liquid acts like a trigger to the stomach to empty. Have a drink 30 mins before a meal or 1 hour after a meal.

2. Stomach cramps, aches and nausea caused by swallowing too large a piece of food. This causes the small intestine to be stretched causing stomach pains and occasionly the need to be sick.

Causes and Cures

• Eating too large a piece of food or food that cannot be digested easily (bananas). Chew your food throughly. Avoid foods that are hard to break down such as green vegetables. Eat foods that turn to 'mush' easily e.g.
• Jacket potato with cheese,
• pancakes
• mash potatoes
• ice cream
• ice lollies
• soft currys
• crisps
• soft toast
• eggs
• (this is what I currently eat).

3. Slow digestion and constipation caused by your stomach and instine and not performing at peek performance. The symptoms are much the same as in 2 above except the cause is different. There are many more nurve endings in your small intestine, which may be sensitive to food over a prolonged period of time.

Causes and Cures

To resolve this take Maxalon before a meal. This greatly speeds up digestion and pushes the food through to the large intestine which does not have as many nurves.