Hello Sazzylou,

Thank you for posting a question. Lucie our moderator asked the nurses to reply as she thought we might be able to help.

It must be difficult seeing your dad so down. But in a way this is hardly surprising as it sounds like he has been quite ill with the pneumonia. You may find that he starts to feel a bit less down once his physical health picks up.

Probably the best advice about gaining weight will come from a  dietician. I would imagine that your dad has already seen one of these professionals, as people who have stomach cancer surgery usually do get referred to see one. But as your dad has lost some more weight, it might be a good idea for him to ask if he can see a dietician again.

Having said this, it might be a bit ambitious to think about putting on weight so soon after the surgery. While it is fair to say that he has lost quite a bit of weight, there has been the added problem of the pneumonia. This alone is enough to cause weight loss. Everyone is different but some studies suggest that it can be about one year to eighteen months before weight can stabilise after having a gastrectomy.  It is relatively common to lose some weight in the first few months.  So tell your dad that up to a point weight loss it is expected and not necessarily something to consider as a big setback.

Dietary advice centres on small frequent high calorie meals and snacks. He should aim for 6 to 8 small meals each day Foods high in fibre should only be taken in small amounts as this can cause fullness. Your dad should also avoid drinking at the same time as he eats.  He should try to make his drinks calorie laden. For example, hot chocolate will contain far more calories than a cup of tea.

It can be very difficult to be specific because after this type of surgery some people find that they have particular problems. For example, some people may not be able to digest milk while others will be intolerant of high sugar foods.  Therefore it is a good idea to keep a food diary and see what is tolerated and what is not.

We have some general information and tips for putting on weight in the diet section of our website. Some of this may be useful for your dad. You can view the information here.

I do hope that your father starts to feel a little better soon. If you have any other questions you are welcome to get back to us directly. If you would like to telephone our freephone number is 0808 8004040. We are here from Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am to 5pm.

All the best,

Jean