Post gastrectomy weightgain and absorption

In Sept 2008, I had a full gastrectomy (REMOVAL OF WHOLE STOMACH) after being diagnosed with linitus plastica stomach cancer. My cancer is either dormant in the abdominal lymph area or gone! However, I need to gain weight urgently and to date I haven't found anybody who seems to understand how to tackle this. I am 5'11" and now weigh ONLY 113 lbs.which is DANGEROUSLY SKINNY!!!!
Food is very hard to get down and most of what I am eating is blended up. Fresh homemade warm asparagus soup goes down fairly well. How do I get the nutrients I need to gain the necesaary weight and get my energy back?. I use to be 165lbs and I'd like to get to 145 as a target? Should I be insisting on TPN through a tube or what? I am also vegetarian - no meat nor fish. The health experts say eat lots of fruit, nuts, vegetables, seeds AND NO DAIRY. These things, despite being healthy are not adding me weight. 'Ensure' *****. It is so full of sugar which is not helpful to my Diabetes Type 2 which I am managing quite well without any medication. I am in Toronto, Canada and really don't know who to turn to for help. Sometimes I bring up very thick bile and trace elements of the food if it hasn't agreed with me. I chew very very well to compensate for the stomach and try to eat very slowly. Some say eat all day, graze like a cow, others say eat 4 meals to give your pancreas a rest. Problem is I often do not feel hungry so can't get food in on a consistent basis. I ate a very small piece of cheese pizza last night and I thought it was it all over. A very bad night resulted. I'm also quite dehydrated because liquid is hard to get down too. Any help or advice, resources, links, experience is always appreciated. Anybody who understands this dilemna is asked to contribute here. I don't have time on my side.

The Best of health to you

JT007
Toronto, Canada



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[momskids193]

JT007, I also have trouble stabilizing weight.  I am 5'2" but weigh 95#.  I am on a J-tube feeding 24/7.  I had a gastrectomy a year ago, partial, and have developed severe dumping and gastroparisis.  My dietcian has prescribe Benecalorie to add to my oral food intake.  It has calorie dense iin 1 1/2 ounces and has 330 calories each.  I use two of them which adds 660 calories.  It mixes very good with whatever you are eating and has not much of a taste at all.  You can order it from Walgreens online.  If you are also have malnutrition as I do, you can also add beneprotien.  I hope this helps. Linda

[JT007]

Thanks Linda for your help here.
Is the Benecalorie and Beneprotein in powdered form? My sis-in-law had a partial 20 yrs ago and she still has dumping occasionally. I don't. I am often feeling very bloated and sometimes I bring up bile and occasionally trace elements of the food. I am not familiar with the J-Tube 24/7 thing. Does that allow you to be mobile or are you confined to bed or house. How's that work? I am hoping that I can get some intravenous feed of some sort. Waiting for my oncologist to point me in the right direction.
I hope things improve for you - at least your weight is reasonable for 5'2". I'm in dangerland and gotta get out. My bones are not holding up as well and I have to fight back and when I know how, I will. Thanks for the encouragement. Keep your chin up. I don't know if you ever read the Bible. I found a promise the other day that God will not allow us to have to go through anything that He will not help us bear. I have to believe it because right now, there seem to be few options. JT007