Need Help!

I am 4 weeks post-op and am having difficultly drinking any kind of liquids. It doesn't matter if it is warm, cold or room temp. Every sip or swallow, I feel like my stomach is contracting, very uncomfortable. I have no problems swallowing food, just the liquids. I am having a hard time getting in my daily recommended liquids...I'm lucky to get 25-30 oz. down. I don't have any symptoms of dehydration, but I'm worried about it.

Does anyone have any suggestions or have you experienced this problem. I will call my surgeons office tomorrow to touch base with them, but in the meantime, I thought I'd check to see if anyone on here has experienced this.

Thanks for any feedback!

Marian

Are you taking small sips? I know that if you drink big sips you will hurt more often.

Yes, small sips!

what about sipping on skim milk?

if your drinking cold drinks try warm or hot tea, sometimes cold drinks make my stomach hurt.

After 20 months I still can't wake up at night, and grab a drink of plain filtered water, and down it like I did pre-op. I found early out that if I prepped my stomach in the morning by drinking a protein shake then following with other fluids, it helped a lot. Now if I start out slowly with almost anything, I can build up to larger, and larger sips until I'm pretty normal. Once my stomach is all primed, I do well unless I go too long in-between rehydrating. Plain water was always the hardest for me immediately post-op. This takes time, so be patient, and sip tiny amounts if need be, sip slowly and sip often. Like you said, dehydration can be very problematic, and you don't want to go down that road.

Kat

Early out I had a very hard time with liquids.  Have you tried making slushies and using a spoon.  Until about 6 weeks that was my saving grace to get fluids in.  You can use Mio,  crystal light,  or Dasani Drops to flavor them.

I agree with the slushies - or even just plain ice.  Eat your liquids.  SF popsicles might help in this situation to keep you hydrated for now, too. 

Eight months post-op here and thin liquids still hurt--except I do tolerate warm tea now and powdered orange drink. My surgeon said it might be the pH level and to stay away from Crystal Light, which is acidic, and try putting a cucumber slice in water or to use room temperature herbal tea. 

You can meet your needs with thicker liquids. If the slushies are too cold, take your fluids in protein drinks, Jell-o, diet pudding, soup, etc. You could also buy a thickening substance. I didn't try it, but googling shows some products that will thicken fluids. Nonstarchy ones would be better, I'm guessing. One brand is Thicken-Up Clear.

This will get better.

edited to add: Chamomile tea is the mildest; I tolerate it even on touchy-grouchy pouch days.