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Had my surgery yesterday - Raphael - Part 2 of 3 - Closed

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 10/20/2009 12:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Marie and Rafael, thankyou for the updates...I wish you both a good recovery. I will be reading your updates.
I am starting to think I do have a weak weak valve but also my esophagus does not clean itself from the acids going up too- dont know the name for that case , ah.

Friends, you can have soft vanilla custard pudding with 0 fat milk, prepared, with stevia instead of sugar. it is 150 calories , not much carbs, filling, no fat, and yummy as a comfort-relaxing non-fat food.

Here's a little recipee for a non-fat comfort food-

1. mix 2 spoons vanilla custard powder with 1 cup 0 fat milk and stevia in a pot
2. throw into pan
3. sitr in pan on stove for 5-10 minutes until it naturally thickens
4. and enjoy!

Rafael, I walk inside the house- well i created a pattern from the balcony to the other balcony, since i dont feel like going out for a walk...too ill... i put mp3 on with oldies music (my fav)...it's pretty healthy...and writing also helps take alot of the stress out...especially writing poems or kind stuff for people we love...
Posted 10/20/2009 4:53 PM (GMT 0)
Jules, thanks for the recepie. i will defenitly give that a try.

Yes, comforting distraction is a great way to forget about the daily troubles of life.

My brother in law has dropped off a set of blueprints for me to work out a price for a huge job hes competing fo(probably $1.5 million or so in electrical alone). I havent done one this big in a while and now I remember why I love this part of the job so much. Its so relaxing to me to go through them with a fine tooth comb counting devices to put a price to. I defenitly enjoy the back side of construction better than being out in the dirty, dusty field beating up my body. I enjoy a wide variaty of relaxing music so popping on some "electronica" per say and doing a set of blue prints is soooo relaxing for me!

I'm having a good morning. I hope every one else is too!!!

Rafael
Posted 10/20/2009 11:13 PM (GMT 0)
glad to hear all is well raf!
griff
Posted 10/21/2009 3:14 AM (GMT 0)
 

Hi -All.

Hi Jules,

Thank you for vanilla recipe, Jules

Jules, do you happen to know if apples and pineapple are acidic?

I heard about apple cider vinager from the mother - do you know anything about this?

Can we drink it a lot?

Hey - Rafael, - that is a big project. Sound like a lot of responsibility.

Sound like you luv what you do - that is a good thing.

Attending to my little girls now - she is goo-goo -gaa -gaa - and crying now *:)

Take care -all

C-ya later.

Marie

 

Posted 10/21/2009 12:32 PM (GMT 0)

Marie,

Hello! Pineapple juice and all citrus (orange, lemon, etc) are full of acid. Best to take a sip and see how it goes. You might need to avoid it altogether.

However there is another article that states certain fruits and vegetables that have a calming effect on the stomach can help control the symptoms of acid reflux. These include bananas, apples, figs, pineapple and papaya along with carrots and cabbage. So there you go,  I just muddied the waters.  smhair

Gentle Hugs to you this fine Wednesday morning.

Kitt

Posted 10/21/2009 3:17 PM (GMT 0)
 

Good morning to you, Kitt.

How are you been?

Thank much wink Kitt - I am gonna try them.

I've been on a very strick diet - brown rice, green veg and some fruite.

Lossing a lot of weigh with the diet, trying to stop the reflux thingy.

I feel like whoping down a Big Mac or the entire Pizza or Big New York Steak or El Pollo Loca Chicken or Filet_O-Fish & that chick Filet from that famous fast fast (forgot the name)...

Ok Marie need to stop - Someone please call the cop on her. She is *Out or Order .* idea

She is out of control *hehehe* 

Take care, Kitt.

Marie.

 

Posted 10/21/2009 3:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone,

Glad you are slowly improving.  I am a year out of surgery and everything is great.  However, these are some things that I have found.

1.  for the burping - no straws (until completely healed) Watch how you drink liquids, make sure you are not swallowing air.  And actually if you can burp, your wrap is not too tight.  And Marie, you do not want a tight wrap - that causes way too many problems.

2.  Gas - yep, still have it.  I use gas-x and it does help but gas seems to be a problem after the wrap.  Probably has to do with what I eat.

3.  No carbinated drink - at all until you are healed and then you can try and see if it helps.

All of you who are afraid to eat.  If you are at least 3-4 weeks out.  You have got to get over being afraid.  Chew chew chew and don't wash it down with liquid.  Chew until it is liquid.  But start eating things that taste good to you and you will stop the weight loss.  Eat often if you can't eat much at a time.

Good luck all - will be watching you progress through reading your post. 

Jayne

Posted 10/21/2009 3:37 PM (GMT 0)
 

Hi Jayne,

Morning -

Glad to hear you are doing well after a year out.

Jayne, do you recall after your surgery, do you experience any reflux after your first few weeks out of surgery? If you do, what week do you feel your reflux subside???

Thank much.

Marie

 

Posted 10/21/2009 3:55 PM (GMT 0)

Marie,

I did respond but it looks as if it didn't go.

I didn't have heartburn, just a cough with lots of mucus.  It is 100% better and was from the start.  But I didn't have any damage to the esophogus and I think that is why I did so well so soon.  I was back at work in a few days.  Soft food until I went to the dr.  Ate small meals - no more than 1/2 cup at a time just real often.  This kept the gas pains away.  The one time I at a cup I had the pains.  Walk a lot it helps.  Keep a postive attitude and outlook, I think this helps the esphogus relax and heal quicker.

I still have a cough but it is an allergy cough. 

Jayne

Posted 10/21/2009 6:58 PM (GMT 0)
Jayne, thank you so much for posting. Especially nice to know where you are a year out. Glad you are doing well.

I have been taking the prilosec for 4 days now and have started to feel a difference in the pain I have in my seophogus. Its slowly starting to fade and the paipitations are less noticable. I had good luck with the prilosec helping my esophogus heal the first time I was told, after my first endoscopy, that I had the erosion in my esophogus. It seems to help generate growth of ne tissue in the esophogus.

I'mnot afraid to eat anything, per say. I just stay away form fatty/oily foods. It just groses me out now for some reason. its a life style choice that I have come to like. I have built my self up to try "good food" that I used to eat before the surgery only to be let down when I have eaten them now. I have come to love salads and vegetables so much now. I have not have meat since 4 months before the surgery. I eat a lot of beans which help suplement more iron than eating meat, anyways. I eat apples allmost every day and have tomatoes in my salads too with no issues. The only thing I stay away from is acidic fruit though I have tired some rasberries and boisen berries which can be acidic but have never caused me any issues. I can aslo eat tart frozen yogurt which is pretty acidic. I have come to the conclusion that I no longer have any symtoms of GERD and can eat a normal diet but I choose to still stay away from sertain things by choice because I can no longer stomach thyem or they just plain gross me out. skull

I do have to wash down my food because my wrap is tighter than I think it should be but other than having to take a few sips of water, AFTER my meals, I dont have any issues with it being so tight. I actually prefer it this way as I can drink water and go straigtht to bed with no reflux scool

Marie, youll get to a comfortable point soon enough. Its just hard because it seems like that time will never come. I'm proof that you do get better. Remember, I have been suffering with discomfort every day since 2 days after my surgery. Its about time I get some damm relief!!..LOL!!

By the way, I'm doing better today than yesterday. yeah   Hope every one else is doin well too!!

Rafael

Posted 10/21/2009 7:08 PM (GMT 0)
Rafeal,

It does sound like you are really getting better and learning what works for you.  That is the main thing.  It is funny how our tastes change isn't it.  I am sorry that you had erosion in the esophegus but glad that it seems to be getting better.

Hopefully you will never have reflux again.  And thank goodness for the Nissen wrap.  Think where you would be in a few years.  And it sounds like you made sure you had a great surgeon.

I also had a great surgeon, a bariatric surgeon in Little Rock, AR named Mark Gibbs.  He did a bowel resection on me 2 years ago last July and I did great (I have chrons) and so far the chrons is in remission.  I had some complications and had to a blood transfusions after the surgery so I was in the hospital a week.  However, I was back at work 2 weeks and 3 days after the surgery.  So when I needed the Nissen I went back to him.

Nissen makes a big difference in you life so take your time and heal and enjoy life after the Nissen.

Jayne

Posted 10/21/2009 8:49 PM (GMT 0)
jayne & raf:
glad to hear everyone is well! a year out wow! glad to hear it! i haven't tried carbonated rinks and doubt i will for a long time. I just had a pb & j though i cut the crusts, and everything was fine. I still get slight burning in my stomach and along the left side of my body later on in the day for some reason... i am 3+ weeks post nissen so im still healing, any advice?
ive been eating chicken, rice, fish, etc, all of it going down well. I still get burping gas which has gone down considerably, but i doubt it will ever leave for a long time.
my biggest issue is still this weird burning and this spitting up yellow stuff/red junk. they told me the red stuff is either from my teeth or my throat and not to worry, sigh'
griff
Posted 10/21/2009 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
Jayne, yes learning what works is the main thing to do after the surgery. I allready had it in my mind before the surgery that I was going to quit eating certain foods after the surgery and I'm proud that I'm sticking to it. I have lost 32 pounds and feel great. I'm at 185-190 and want to loose another 10 or so when I get back in to moving faster and being able to run. I am defenitly looking forward to enjoying life after my wrap.

Jayne, have you ever vomited after the wrap? I'm afraid to eat at parties or anything with Mayo at a buffet, or any buffet food for that matter, because I'm so afraid that I will get sick and throw up. I'm afraid that I wont be able to do so and it will screw up my wrap.


Wow, griff. Spitting up stuff, andy kind of stuff is scary!! I hope its what they say it is. I've been dying for a PB&J but since my wrap is a bit tight I'm afraid it will get stuck. I dont eat much break at all. Baked Pita chips or croutons in a salad are the closest I have gotten to bread. I find it wierd that I dont crave or even want to eat bread. I get my fiber from fruit and veggies.

The one thing I have been craving and might give a try this weekend is Salsa(just tomato, onion, and cilantro). I have not had anything spicy since the surgery and dont know how my stomach will react to it. This weekend were having a party for my sons 1st birthday and there will be alot of food I want to try.....I'm dying for some Nachos!!

Rafael
Posted 10/22/2009 11:18 AM (GMT 0)
Rafael,
No haven't vomited and with the flu and all going around have worried about it.  I think I will ask the dr for some med for nausea just in case.
I bet you won't have any trouble with spicy foods now that your reflux is fixed.  So have fun, eat and enjoy.
Jayne
Posted 10/23/2009 2:38 AM (GMT 0)
raf,
yeah i feel ya too im scared of barfing... especially since when i did rite after surgery i dry heaved and it felt like the worst thing in the world. im supposed to go on a boat trip coming up and im thinking i may bow out...

ive actually eaten a lot of bread products.. i chew the crap outta them.. or when i had pb & j i heated up the bread slices... and when i ate i doused it with water.. yum!
you feeling great? no reflux??
griff
Posted 10/23/2009 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
To Marie !!!

Read all the thread, woah! interesting news from anyone...

Marie, dear, listen...I want to tell you something important...

there are two different types of "acid foods" so dont confuse acid( when used alone) with acid (When used against alkaline)

acidic (alone) means when you eat the food, it tastes/is acidic , so if it touches inside our esophagus/stomach, it burns like "lemon, orange or lime"

acidic-(residue which is used against alkaline food) means something "completely different"- it means that when you eat it, it makes the cells of the body "not able to flush out toxins well to clean themselves"

after surgery, we need food that is "high alkaline" so our body's cells can flush out toxins and recover well!

google the chart for alkaline foods, and choose the alkaline foods you can "swallow well" and eat those!

yogurt, chicken, meat, fish can be "good proteins/ or contain some types of probiotic" but these are acid-residue foods, meaning they do not allow our cells to flush out toxins well

rice, bread, custards are also healthy but they are also acid-residue foods, meaning do not allow cells to flush out toxins

the only sweetner that helps cells flush out toxins not acido-residue (toxin) is Stevia

check the chart for alkaline foods, i recommend it so much

p.s- there are lots of soft alkaline foods that you can chew/ swallow well after surgery like "cooked zucchinis, VERY mashed potatoes mixed with water, fresh apple juice...watermelon...."

Goodluck Marie

 

Posted 10/23/2009 3:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hey anyone, I was wondering if u can help me answer the following questions...Im trying to figure out if my GERD was/or looks like yours...before....if you can tell me, ill be grateful, but only when you have time and energy to reply...i understand !

1. When you had reflux, did it happen on drinking water?
2. When you used to drink water, did you feel water plus acids rush back up to your esophagus and stay there?
3. did you feel some liquids in your ears or sinus, something like that?
4. did you feel the sphincter is loose/not closing , so like acids are in the esophagus for 30 minutes up to 1-2hours?
5. on an empty stomach for a long time maybe, did you sometimes also get reflux and did you eat to take the acids back down?
6. did reflux always show in esophagus transit test?
7. did you do SOLID esophagus transit where you eat something and then the food shows either to get stuck while eating or go down well?
8. do you know why you developed a hernia or have any idea? I know how I developed mine


thankyou

Post Edited (jules12345) : 10/23/2009 11:22:42 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/23/2009 6:42 AM (GMT 0)
Jules,

1-No
2-Yes on the going back up but not with the stomach acid. Just regurtation.
3-No
4-yes
5-yes
6-Never had thattest done
7-?
8-I have been told by 4 different doctors that there is no way of finding what causes the hernias in people. Some are born with it and some just develope.


Griff, I'm doing better. Just got back from running my buggy atthe track. I had so much fun and didnt break anything.

I cleaned the garage today and feel soooo tired. The pain in my esophogus is only present when I excert myself now.A few palps come with the pain but as soon as I sit down and relax and my heart rate goes down I feel better. I can tell that its slowly goind away!!...YAY!!!!!

I hope every one else is also doing well!!!

P.S Jules, thansk for all your great info about acidic foods. I've had food with lime juice in it with no problem.
Posted 10/23/2009 4:35 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Rafael for answerin the questions! Hope you are healing well...

IF you wanna know anything about diet stuff, just let me know...
I've made people lose as much as 100 pounds in my domain:)
I miss being productive...Now my productivity is cut into half due to my reflux.

I am going to see a surgeon on wednesday...get the tests done in november december and see what motility disorder along with Gerd, I think I have...and then go for whatever necessary surgery...Heller Myotomy with 360 wrap or ...nissen or ....who knows!

tk!!!
In my next post , ill give some important info DOCTORS dont tell people!!!
this info is....after 7 years of working in this domain!
Posted 10/23/2009 4:41 PM (GMT 0)
Only for people interested:

I wanted to share some nutritional info with everyone (for those interested):

I want to tell you that if we do not feed our body with "vitamines , minerals", it will borrow from its organs. Alof of people believe that the basis of many diseases like arthritis is that the body was borrowing from organs to compensate for what it lacks...a body begins to lack when we do not feed it the required vitamines and minerals...

Foods that are pure carbs (rice, pasta, bread) have 0 vitamines/minerals and only have calories in them for energy...Also, pure proteins (meat, yogurt, chicken, fish) have no vitamines in them. However, some proteins contain minerals like calcium or Omega 3 fat, which we need. But we do not need alot of calcium/fat in our body...we need "only the required amount"...What we do need are different amounts of vitamines, and minerals found in fruits/veggies (mostly the alkaline ones)....Most proteins make our body acidoki- meaning the cells in our body "Unable" not eliminate toxins well...this is why they always say "have protein but have limited portions of chicken and 1-2 cups milk maximum or 1 bowl of yogurt, not a pot-full"... in fact, this is why atkins diet made alot of people sick....because their bodies become so akido (Acid residue or acidosis), they couldnt eliminate toxins due to the high amounts of protein.

I worked with a diet instructor alot, and i saw people heal from a beginning -onset of leukemia!!! I was shocked. But what the herbal instructor did was deplete the body from foods that "cause more toxins on the cells" and put them on a very very high alkaline diet, until all the cells of the blood cleaned themselves from the virus. Then , the cells also got alot of vitamines and minerals, that they were able to be strong and improve. The more alkaline the food, the more the body's cells clean toxins out, and stay healthy.

The protein-pump inhibitor medicines also make the body akido (acidosos)- meaning they eliminate the ability of many cells to throw out toxins. cells that do not throw out toxins become sick, and degenerate. This is why protein pump inhibitors increase gastrin in the stomach, an acid that promotes cancerous cells. I wish I can stop those pills soon.

Take care all...bless you and happy healing .
Posted 10/23/2009 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
 

Hi All,

Thank you, Jules. I will check out the food things.

I had really bad reflux last nite - burn & hurt so bad - but somehow did a small mediatation & slept well through the nite.

1.

Most of the time.

I get reflux when drinking water. I used to drink a lot of H20 when I didn't have this crazy disease!. Now - I don't drink that much water because I am scare of the  reflux burn...

2.

When I drink water, stomach acid (sour/bitter) come right up to my mouth - both before and after surg.

3.

I don't have liquid in my ear, but I have acid and bile in my mouth, I clear my throat constantly.

Taking PPI help me clear my throat less.

4.

I know my LES is wide open - the manematry test show...

I can't tell, but my acid most of the time appear in my throat - burn and sour/bitter.

5.

Eat - if I am hungry and forgot to eat, I will get reflux really bad.

I notice, after eat, I feel less degree of burn. But the burn will climb itself back eventually.

6 & 7.

I did the white chalk test - not sure what that test call, where they give you some white chalk to drink and ate a small portion of hamburger. I it didn't show reflux on those X-ray machine.

My 24PH test shows really sever reflux before surgery.

8.

I think my LES is wide open and it is easier for some part of the stomach to move upward...

I heard my dr say - very very extreme physical can cause the stomach to push itself upward.

I never heard of this - but since he mention very very physical that cause hernia, so I guess if one is very very sick and vomit so hard - I mean really really hard, I wonder if that can cause some part of the stomach to punch right upward - ... I don't know - just wonder if that is one possibility...

Thanks.

Take care.

Marie.

 

Posted 10/25/2009 1:50 AM (GMT 0)
hoping everyone is well ive had a bad night lst nite and today's been rough...
hope things turn around:(
griff
Posted 10/26/2009 9:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hello all
Hello Marie, Hello Raf


Thanks for answering the questions ...

Marie , i was trying to figure out why we get reflux on water...and i got 2 explanations in my head:

one is our stomach has "bile" in it , which came from the intestine into the stomach, so drinking water opens our valve, and the bile goes up...(since i dont see why we'd release acid on water, especially we're taking protien-pump inhibitors)

the second is our stomach does alot of spasms and so it pushes whatever acid in it up...


how is your reflux now Marie?
Will you consider doing the PH test...?
I know I shouldnt say this, but I'd always do it after surgery to make sure the reflux is not that bad
I really hope you do well and all goes well in the upcoming week

Rafael, I was thinking that your very tight valve may be a good thing. It's better to have a tight valve, and eat soft food all the time, and drink water using a straw, than...have reflux with an "ok" -somwhat loosened valve.... I was thinking to myself which I want between the two, and Im personally going to tell my surgeon to make sure the valve is tight than have it a bit loose and i still have reflux after surgery...

I'm also going to tell him I've had achalasia few times when my food went back up, and like 5 times - painful esophagus spasms where my LES tightened so badly, i felt i couldnt breathe....

I personally think I have some problem with my esophagus

BEST wishes all
I wish we'd all heal well...
Posted 10/26/2009 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
griff, by the way

what are you experiencing???
Posted 10/26/2009 10:11 PM (GMT 0)
burning in lower left part of my stomach... which is bizarre... everytime i wake up in the last week i spit up yellow nasty stuff and it causes my teeth to bleed.. acid or bile or i dot know but my throat's not been my friend lately.. and the surgeon's office never even freaking calls me back ugh!
also since surgery and losing weight from it.. my wrists and hands have been hurting bad and i don't know why, so i gotta have that checked out, plus these neck and back issues.
i still been getting minor heart burn... so maybe my valve is too tight and squeezing some acid up, i dont know til someone gets back to me.
griff
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