How do you get enough calories?

I eat ground Hemp Hearts which I buy from Getchia .com We need high density low volume foods and this is 170 calories per ounce! So I make a breakfast mix of hemp hearts, hemp powder which is 100 calories per ounce, ground pecans 180 calories per ounce and ground pumpkin seeds about the same-I do add 1.75 ounces of boiled yellow potato as I need carbs but I work with a nutritionist doctor so being only 110 pounds now I made the right mix for me. I also eat 7 ounces of banana and 1.5 ounces of kiwi before that mixture to get other nutrients I need. For my second breakfast I eat oatmeal with a teaspoon of ground dried mullberry with a small amount of ground pecans- I have also added 1.5 ounces of chicken as it is about 50 calories per ounce. you could add more of the high caloies foods I listed like hemp hearts as it is high calorie organic, and has both fats and protein, and with a nutritionist you can work out the right density of calories and the right volume. I cannot eat foods with low calorie per ounce as they would take up too much volume. I had a full esophagectomy and they pulled my stomach up so I too have nothing but a small pouch for a stomach. Each meal is carefully worked out for the calories and volume and the right amount of protein, fat, carbs and fiber. If you want my nutritionist doctor name and e-mail it is brooke.bussard@gmail.com. She is away for two weeks but very good. I order the hemp hearts and hemp powder from get chia com in 3 pound bags and refrigerate. There is Liquid Hope or Nourish, each bag is about 470 calories on amazon all organic, vegan no onions or milk but not sure if you want it or could digest it as it has so many ingredients though also no artificial sweeteners. It may be too high in fat for you with no stomach, you may need a bariatric nutritionist, It
is made by "functional formularies" and your doctor could call and get free samples, I used it in my j tube and after and stayed 108 pounds before and after the operation and appealed three times and got my insurance to pay for it while I was using it both in the hospital and when i got home. I could tell you my lunch and 4:30 meal but I think you have to make your own. I do eat sourdough bread toasted made by "organic bread of heaven" which I order from every three weeks 65grams at lunch and 70 grams at my 4:30 meal as it is carbs which I need and I add sprays of extra virgin Olive Oil. FOr lunch I puree a small amount of carrots, bok choy, fennel and einkorn with two teaspoons of Kale powder as I need vegetables and grain. You will develop your own mixes, but I think you should consider no onions,, no broccoli or cruciferous vegetables, low fodmap is safer for us, no raw vegetables, I cannot digest avocados, artichokes,or any artificial sweeteners, I never drink alcohol and I had to give up chocolate. I would not recommend coffee regular or decaf. I hope this gives you some information. I'm 7 years out, but I did develop a para conduit hernia, but my thoracic surgeon says since I am staying the same weight, not throwing up and rarely have reflux, not to do anything about it.

@naoshapiro1 appreciate the feedback, but if eating veggies, carbs etc how can you get the calories you need?

I need 2,700 calories per day to maintain my weight, that comes out to 450 calories per "mini meal". I haven't had the surgery yet so not doing it yet, but been running numbers and looking at all of this and finding anytime I involve veggies or carbs (bread etc) I come up FAR SHORT of the calories I need. It's almost as if I'm going to need to be on a carnivore diet using lots of healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil and the like in spades.

BTW, also having to re-research all of this as my surgeon just informed me it will likely also be a full gastrectomy as well; bye bye stomach.

@franscg1946 I have a nutritionist doctor and my sister is a retired OB/GYN vegan counselor and I don't think it's a good idea to eat high fat to gain weight. I think it's important to eat the right amount of protein, carbs, fats, and fiber and after esophagectomy, I don't have any appetite I eat to live. I don't live to eat the food I eat is healthy and it keeps me alive and while I may like one of the foods I eat or two every day mostly I eat because it's healthy. I know it's depressing but if you want to be alive and love the sound of birds and love to be with your partner, then you eat to live it may take counseling to get used to this idea but just to have a diet high in fat somebody told me that I should eat coconut oil because it's easy to digest and my cholesterol level went up. I don't wanna die of a heart attack or a stroke so it's very important to be healthy but that's up to the person. Good luck. I hope your husband will not be in any kind of pain or discomfort.

I hear ya my friend, had surgery April 25,doing pretty good with calories, I need about 2500 a day I do single piece toast in morning, with heavy peanut butter and real butter,with couple chips and hoy cookies dunked in my coffee,followed by banana hr later,then pop open a 350 cal protein drink 8 oz,and take 4 drinks approx every 45 min and by 11 am have 900 cal....lots Hunter sticks,cheese sticks,heavy whipping cream in coffee great calories, whole yogurt, fatty as I can get it,olive oil like you said,love dry roasted peanuts, great cal and protein, my chemo doc says I should sip on another protein drink throughout day...best of luck...

Do you have a sense of what is usually done in performing a typical esophagectomy?

During a standard esophagectomy utilizing a gastric pull-up, roughly 40% to 50% (and up to 60% in very narrow designs) of the stomach's lateral portion—primarily along the lesser curvature—is cut out, stapled, and discarded. The remaining 50% to 60% along the greater curvature is fashioned into a narrow tube.What is Removed and DiscardedLesser curvature: The inner curve of the stomach is excised using a surgical stapler.Left gastric vessels: The tissue and lymph nodes along this path are divided and removed.A portion of the fundus/cardia: The top area near the original gastroesophageal junction is often resected to ensure clear margins if disease is present or to properly shape the conduit.What is Kept for the Tube (Conduit)Greater curvature: The larger outer curve of the stomach is preserved.Right gastroepiploic artery: This blood vessel is carefully kept intact to supply vital blood flow to the newly formed gastric tube

Thank you for the responses thus far. I'm very actively trying to keep a positive attitude and thinking positive. Tough ask of me though as up till now I've been quite the cynic in life, but I'm doing my best to stay and think positively.

I know that's what I have to do to survive this. Terrified or not.

I just found out, 5 days before surgery, surgeon called me to tell me it's likely going to be a full gastrectomy as well.

Trying to think and stay positive.

I think most people had similar concerns as you do prior their Ivor Lewis. I see some very good suggestions in your thread (not sure about eating the fat on chicken or steak though). Oily fish like salmon, shrimp, tuna and more are heart healthy and high in protein and calories. It's hard to stay away from added sugar, but I'll treat myself to ice cream if I need some extra calories. Two years ago, I weighed 168lbs and now I'm 155lbs. At 5'6", that's a healthy BMI. I'm 68 and working out 2.5 hours per day, 5 days a week. I've built up good muscle, but getting enough protein is a challenge.

Everyone is different, but I appreciate how you can be fearful since its a major life change. As best you can, recognize that your new normal is exactly that and will take adjustments. Attack it with a positive attitude and you'll succeed. Best to you and your family.

Concentrate on what’s best for your cancer treatment. Eating will never be what it was before the operation but eventually it becomes less important. Everything will be starting at square one. Tackle each issue as it happens try not to project too far into the future. Meet with a nutritionist if needed. See how it goes it might not be as bad as you’re anticipating. I never had a feeding tube. Some days I can eat some days I don’t feel like it. Take it one baby step at a time. Everyone is different but there is a lot of helpful information on this site and others.

Don’t be terrified. It’s a new lifestyle but you will adapt.

Don’t take the “every two hours” schedule too literally. I snack/graze all day long, maybe on trail mix, snack bars, or a couple of cookies. Usually I can eat snacks an hour apart.

Restaurants are a challenge. Rich foods are generally off limits, and typical portions are twice as big as I can handle. We end up splitting portions and/or taking home leftovers.

My surgery was last fall. I lost 20 lbs by the first of the year and maybe another 5 since then. In my case, weight loss is a silver lining. If I were worried about my weight I feel confident I could step up the snacking to compensate.