Can I start with, if you are at all concerned about sickness, fullness after liquids, not being able to eat; do NOT ask in the online forums if it’s normal. Contact a GP and request an endoscopy to rule out blockages.
You see I, having chatted online about my surgery was assured it was normal. Even though I felt something wasn’t right; the chest pain when drinking, constant sickness if my food wasn’t minuscule blended crumbs. I waited 6 months to call my GP, who was brilliant and sent me for a private scan straight away.
Well it’s very lucky I did have the endoscopy. Let me warn you about this procedure before I continue.
This procedure was the stuff of my nightmares, think alien abduction, pipes down throat, gagging, burping, panicking. I wasn’t offered sedation the first time, just a throat spray and a bit of gas and air to calm my nerves. Big mistake. Sedation doesn’t make you sleep but it does relax your body to make this procedure tolerable. So ask for sedation! The nurses however are amazing!
My endoscopy results weren’t good. I had a stricture, which is a narrowing, of the exit of the stomach resulting in no solid foods being able to pass and water drip feeding itself through to my small intestine. This also caused ulcers and infection.
I was now en route to St James Hospital in Leeds where they have a bariatric team for corrective emergency surgery. Not my ideal way to spend Halloween night but life is more important than satisfying trick or treaters.
I spent the night on the surgical assessment unit before being taken to their endoscopy unit the next day.
A second endoscopy was coming as a way of being less invasive, if this procedure failed I was readied for surgery to either re-do the surgery or reverse it.
This time I had sedation, the procedure was a success in that they managed to get a small balloon through to inflate a little; so liquids can now drain, however I need a repeat procedure to widen the exit again in two weeks time.
I was kept in my own room on a ward overnight again to make sure water stayed down and now I’m back home on rest and a two week liquid diet to heal and prepare again.
Always trust your own instinct and don’t be led by others. Stay safe and heal well.
Stop Walking on Egg Shells 