Hi Otto

I hope you still cone on here! My husband would like to chat to you. He had a oesophagectomy 5 weeks ago.

Thank you

Kathymay

Hi Kathymay

I do pop on here now and again.

5 weeks in, I suspect that your husband is going through a lot. I remember I did.

How can I help?

Hi, he is having problems with his appetite in that he never feels hungry.....I do encourage him to eat and he does but he is worried that he is not eating enough. He has a feeding tube at night giving him approx 12,000 cals. Any ideas how  he can increase his  appetite? He also has a lot of pain around his rib, on the side of his scar, is this normal? He also seems very down, although his prognosis is good.

How are you getting on?

Hi, he is having problems with his appetite in that he never feels hungry.....I do encourage him to eat and he does but he is worried that he is not eating enough. He has a feeding tube at night giving him approx 12,000 cals. Any ideas how  he can increase his  appetite? He also has a lot of pain around his rib, on the side of his scar, is this normal? He also seems very down, although his prognosis is good.

How are you getting on?

Hi

Glad to hear he's got through the op. The hard work does start now I'm afraid. 
Lack of appetite is one of the side effects of the op. Durin* the op a nerve gets cut and it's this nerve which drives the hunger message to your brain. So what did and what do I do; try and get him into a routine where he has a very small snack/ meal every 2 - 3 hours. Pick something that he has been able to eat easily. Don't put pressure on him to eat but coax him into to it. It will get better but never be the same. I have either a drink or a small snack meat ever hour to hour and a half. I never feel hungry and I often joke with my wife and say "Am I hungry now?".

It took me 6 months to get to some sort of normality as I kept eating the wrong things and getting bad dumping syndrome. So watch out for sugar, doughy bread and hidden sugars.

He is on a difficult journey but tell him from me it will get easier and he will adapt, it just takes time.

If you want anything else from me, please feel free to post a message.