Hi guys! I haven't been on here for a while but I'm 11 weeks post sleeve and generally feel good. I've lost 20kg and haven't thrown up once! however I've had some issues with stomach bugs - I had h pylori before the op and the antibiotics I took didn't eradicate it so I had to take another course afterwards. In the last 3 weeks I started to have issues with diarrhoea, stomach cramps and sometimes constipation. At the same time, I feel like I'm not digesting food properly. Sometimes it feels like it's stuck in my throat. I also feel my stomach moving a lot and it makes lots of noise! I've had tests and I now have salmonella and c dificil and am on yet another course of antibiotics. Sorry for the long explanation but my question is, are my digestive problems (food getting stuck and "moving around" in my stomach, not the diarrhoea ) normal or would you think they're related to the bugs? My surgeon tells me there's no connection to the op but I can't help feeling the food getting stuck definitely is. I'm eating small and slowly and chewing well - should I try digestive enzymes or something? I have 8 days of antibiotics left.

Thanks guys ?

Wow, you've been through the wringer! So sorry for all your troubles. I had trouble with food sticking in my esophagus. Turns out, the muscles in it don't work correctly. My doctor saw it when I had an upper GI for reflux. Yours could maybe be something similar?

Also, since you've had all the antibiotics, have they had you taking probiotics to reestablish healthy bacteria in your intestines? If not, that could help with the colon problems. Hope you feel better soon.

Hi thanks for the reply! It's weird, I've had a lot of issues but I feel okay about it, I think I would have had them anyway even without the operation!

I was on probiotics but I didn't notice any difference but I'll try them again now for sure. I'll also ask about the upper GI too - thanks for the suggestion

I agree with the suggestion of probiotics. My stomach has moved around and been noisy consistently since surgery

You sure had your share of stomach bugs. One of the things to remember is that antibiotics kill not only the bad bacteria but also the good gut bacteria. So that every time you come off a treatment for antibiotics, you should immediately reestablish you colonies of good gut bacteria. The way you do this is by taking some probiotics for a while.

Only start taking probiotics after you have ended your antibiotics.

Good bugs eat fiber. Make sure you're getting some healthy fiber in your diet. Beans, peas, raspberries, figs, oatmeal, apple ,broccoli, squash, flax, lentils, chick peas.

Feeds the good gut bugs and helps firm up stools. Introduce beans and peas in very small amounts to avoid uncomfortable gas. You will develop a tolerance to them if you go slow:)

Natural probiotics....yogurt, sauerkraut, miso paste, pickles, olives, kefir, tempeh, Kombucha tea, apple cider vinegar with the mother, kimchi.....anything fermented. (that said, you should use caution to find only SAFETY REGULATED products until you are on the mend)

Great advice thank you