Im not sure if anyone else has had these difficulties but it doesnt hurt to ask. I am 3 weeks post op about to be 4 this thursday. I have just started stage 2 of my diet plan last week friday to soft/mushy foods. Ive been experiencing some difficulties swallowing even with the smallest bites and yes i do chew until its practically gone and nothing to really swallow. I am unsure whether or not i am full or satisfied. i am not familiar with what it should feel like to be full or satisfied. it doesnt feel like its stuck but it just isnt very comfortable to eat. its a feeling i find hard to explain. its starting to bring me down because im not comfortable eating.

Ive also been experiencing shortness of breath from about a week post op to now. I have had some issues last summer with having heat induced asthma but my inhaler hasnt been helping much either. I noticed in week 2-2 1/2 post op it started to get better and i was just about to finish the liquid stage of my diet plan. once i started my soft/mushy food stage it had come back and i have a hard time standing to help my cook in the kitchen i get short of breath and have to hurry to my room where the AC is full blast to help me calm down and catch my breath. It isnt like i cant breath at all it feels like when your outside on a humid day for too long and your having a hard time breathing normal you end up noticing your yawning more to get that deep breath you feel might relief yourself or trying to take deep breaths to relief yourself.

and lastly ive been experiencing some stomach pain in my actual stomach (my pouch) before realizing i have to use the bathroom. is that considered dumping syndrome? usually i dont experience it until about 2-3 hours after lunch and it happens once a day except for yesterday i did not need use the bathroom apart from not be too expressive but to urinate.

i know my water intake and protein intake hasnt been the best since my post op and i did just start my iron supplements alone with other vitamins 3 days ago but has anyone else experienced these feelings?

The best course of action is to call the doctor. It sounds like a hiatal hernia to me but I’m not a doctor. Going back to the previous stage in the meanwhile seems like a wise thing to do. Not sure about dumping syndrome. This is a legitimate reason to call the doctor.

Thank you for the possible idea of what it may be but I do know it is not a hiatal hernia my mom just had one removed a few months ago...

doesn't sound like dumping syndrome. That happens pretty quickly after eating and usually includes things like sweating, heart palpitations, dizziness, and severe diarrhea. Sometimes nausea, too.

2 hours ago, Avb830 said:

Thank you for the possible idea of what it may be but I do know it is not a hiatal hernia my mom just had one removed a few months ago...

Call your doctor. We can only guess, and that won't help you. Good luck.

I am 3 weeks Post op...I too start to get a full feeling and then just stop. Not sure what that “restriction “ actually feels like. I spoke to my Dr about the shortness of breath, she stressed to make sure I’m getting in my fluids and maybe bumping up the b12 vitamin. Check with your Dr, they know best?

Learn to eat until not hungry, not full, just not hungry. I bought children's flatware and I sit and read and take small spoons of the food. It takes about 30 minutes to eat. I stayed with the same soft for days, then went to another. It is like introducing food to a baby. You should never eat more than a quarter cup. If you eat too much you get uncomfortable.

I’m glad you asked this bc I’m about 3 weeks in and having almost exact same feeling. I tried walking stairs and I’ve never had issues and now I’m winded so easily. It’s also hard to eat. It hurts in my chest after I eat.

did you start feeling any better?

Not sure about the eating issues, but I was constantly tired during the first like 5 weeks. I would also run out of breath easily and just overall weakness and inability to stand for long periods of time... (even "normal periods of time").

I read this is normal - when I googled about these symptoms - some people said they had that for up to 2 months post-surgery. you're getting way less calories than your body is used to & so you don't have the "fuel" your body was previously used to.

Your body will get used to the lower calorie intake.

I would definitely consult your doctor to verify that everything is okay though. S/he might want to do some testing to see if something more is going on.