Abstract
The purpose of this study was to elucidate changes in symptoms, eating behavior related with changes in symptoms and principal factors influencing eating behavior associated with the return to the workplace of postgastrectomy patients. A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among 34 male postgastrectomy patients.
The results showed that dumping-syndrome-like symptoms (systemic symptoms and abdominal symptoms excluding diarrhea) and late hypoglycemia-like symptoms tended to persist, worsen, or occur anew after returning to the workplace. Many such patients complained that it was difficult to assume the supine position after meals at work and that their degree of caution during meals decreased. They also reported that the quantity ingested and small-stomach symptoms did not serve as a guide as to when to stop eating, and that they had been eating more. Late hypoglycemia-like symptoms after returning to the workplace tended to be associated with difficulty in assuming the supine position after meals, a decrease in rest time after eating, small-stomach symptoms that served as a guide as to when to stop eating, and a longer interval between meals.
The results of the survey suggested that support for health maintenance after postgastrectomy patients return to the workplace requires specific behavioral instructions, such as to take rests after meals, even at work, and not to allow the intervals between meals to increase, as well as to adjust the workplace environment by making it possible to take rests without feeling uncomfortable doing so.
