Life after a VAGOTOMY - is it possible?

10 years after a Vagotomy - I'm still dealing with incapacitating and totally unpredictable and explosive diarrhea.  A 62 year old female - I'm now down to 80 pounds.  
I'm looking for suggestions other than "small meals several times a day."  I'm looking for more specifics relative to types of food and specifically safe uses of Lomotil.  

A trip to Mayo clinic 5 years ago indicated no malabsorption problems, and no other problems.   They did an upper and lower GI, endoscopy, etc, etc.
They also suggested up to 6 Lomotil a day, but I've resisted that and have recently read that it can be addicting.  Has anyone had experience with that and can you tell me a safe level for it?
I do smoke but am trying to quit.

Any helpful ideas?
Thank you in advance...

[MacyMaid]

Hi..

I had a Vagotomy and Pyloroplasty in 1970.  WHY?  God only knows.

I had an over eager surgeon who was suppose to be doing a gallbladder operation and did this also when he saw a small hital hernia with some inflammation.

I was 28 at that time and I have no idea what caused the explosive diarreah (diarrhea) and something called the "dumping syndrome" which is when food goes thru the bowels quickly, causing a fast heart rate and an "out of sorts" type feeling.  This would last about an hour and I would have to lay down during this time and sleep.  I am close to sixty now and after about 20 years of this mess, it lessens.  I weighed about 98 lbs. until I had the hysterectomy in 1985 and the premarin (hormone replacement therapy) I believe, is the cause of the weight gain which I needed.  I now weigh in the 140's.  

Oh...try and limit your intake of fluids during meals.

I did show malabsorbtion and took vitanins and Zinc and lived with this mess.  I did not want another surgeon touching me.

It does get better....years later...but I am better and I have heard others getting better also.

I can attest that this thing is no picnic and I feel for you as I have walked in your shoes.

God Bless.

[donnadip1957]

A related discussion, vagotomy pyloroplasty was started.