Page 14 - Family Help

Life after an oesophagectomy or gastrectomy

drop. This can make you feel weak, faint, sweaty and dizzy and cause
palpitations. Lie down and rest until you feel better. Then continue to eat
and drink as you would normally.

Your bowels may be slow to get going in the first days post operation due to the
constipating effect of some pain medications. You may be given laxatives to
encourage a normal bowel function. You may also have some diarrhoea for a
while, this is not unusual and can be controlled with medicine if it continues.

Gastric retention and sickness
Food can sometimes remain in the stomach rather too long, causing you to feel
sick and bloated, with, sometimes persistent, burping. This may occur as you
begin to eat slightly bigger meals. It is common and your GP will be able to give
you a medicine (for example, metoclopramide or domperidone) which you should
take half an hour before each main meal to improve the movement of food
through the system. You will not need it forever – just until the body gets used to
the new arrangements.

If you have had an oesophagectomy and there are repeated episodes of
regurgitation or feeling of fullness, discuss this with your Nurse Specialist or
Surgeon – major nerves are severed during the operation and this may be the
cause of the problem. Sometimes an antacid is prescribed, occasionally an
endoscopy is required to stretch the exit of the stomach (pylorus).

Food sticking
If food gets stuck, try sipping a warm drink and walking around. If the blockage
occurs for more than a couple of hours, ring the Nurse Specialist, Surgeon,
Dietitian or hospital ward for advice. Remember, choose puréed foods for 2 weeks
and eat slowly.

Post-surgery scar tissue at the join in the oesophagus may restrict the flow of food
or cause it to stick and cause problems with swallowing. This can be a worrying
reminder of the original issue; however, an endoscopy can be performed to
stretch the join. Some patients need this performed more than once. Please do
not let this situation go on for too long, consult your Nurse Specialist or Surgeon.

Acid regurgitation (reflux)
Sometimes an extremely unpleasant feeling in the stomach may come over you
for a short while, particularly first thing in the morning or at night. Although there
may be no acid burning in the throat the trouble appears to be caused by acid in
an empty stomach.

Some food in the stomach or gut helps to absorb the acid and there are also
medicines which can help to prevent its regurgitation (prokinetics) or reduce its
formation (proton pump inhibitors – PPIs). If you continue to experience reflux,
please contact a member of your clinical team.

Extra pillows or raising the bed head by about 10–15 CMS (4–6 inches) with
blocks of wood or a house brick can be very beneficial and a pillow under the
knees may prevent slipping down during the night. If you have had an
oesophagectomy, whether you sleep flat or propped up, may be affected by the
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