Hey there

I'm 3.5 weeks post op and I've noticed a strange reaction I get when I eat anything thats not liquids or full liquids.

Even if its a couple of bites - for example chicken patty, potato, yam, cooked carrot and such.

A few minutes after eating my nose starts running and I have to blow it even few minutes, coughing out phlem, hiccups, burps, minor difficulty breathing.

It almost feels like I'm about to vomit but it doesn't always hurt.

Is this a normal reaction to food after sleeve surgery?

At first I thought it was because I was eating too much but it happens even with just a couple of bites.

Pretty frustrating.

Edited October 11, 201312 yr by SleeveFox

Hi Sleevefox, this is a bit unusual but it sounds like your body is just adjusting to your new condition. Mention it to your physician on your next visit though. It will take your body a while to adjust to your new stomach size and a lot of interesting things happen during this process. You will adjust and learn what works and doesn't work for you.

I suggest that you keep a little journal of your food intake to reflect what you are eating and drinking, the quantity, the time of day and the reaction. It's helpful to you and your physician to determine your progress and how your body is responding. For example, I learned that I can no longer tolerate any carbonated beverages or eat anything within 1 hour of bedtime. This often resulted in gagging or vomiting, sometimes while I was sleeping.

The first three months following surgery were the most challenging for me. I worried that I would never eat more than two teaspoons of food and wouldn't get the necessary Protein and nutrients. I thought that I had made a huge, irreparable mistake. Once I figured out what my body needed and how my new stomach worked it went very smoothly. It's been a year now, I've lost 50 lbs. and am eating small adult portions. I dine out with friends and they have no idea that I had the surgery, they just think that I'm being good with my diet. I have not felt this healthy and vibrant since I was a teenager, over 40 years ago. Best decision ever.

Good luck.

I don't think what you're experiencing is unusual at all. I've read about & experienced almost all of the same symptoms. The runny nose can be a signal that you're getting full. The others are due to eating too much or too fast or both. The feeling of needing to vomit or actually vomiting/heaving I've only had with a couple of foods that my stomach just isn't ready for. Even a food I tolerate one day may turn on me the next time.

Edited October 11, 201312 yr by Peggy D

Apparently it's vagus nerve stimulation which triggers off reactions in the autonomic nervous system. This triggers hiccups, the snots, sneezing. Bottom line, it's your body's way of saying slow down, and more importantly, stop eating...