Lap Nissen surgery tomorrow

Good luck in eating the chicken. I had problems with eating anything more solid than soupy grits for the first few weeks.
Be careful of noodles... they like to go down before their fully chewed. Then they try to come back up. :P

Sleepless77          I had the TIF surgery on april 9 of this year.    5 days after my surgery I felt the same sinus drip feeling I had before.

I went to Pittsburgh, Shadyside hospital for my pretesting.    My surgeon has studied both procedures and has stated that he is not doing the TIF surgery any more because of too many failures.

After my surgery (10/20) Hubby asked him what happened with the TIF surgery and DR Jobe said that he could just see the stitches hanging there.     I am pretty sure I did nothing to undo the surgery.    I did exactly what was on my papers diet wise and what I was able to do physically.

I dont think I would have the TIF surgery done.....but that is up to you!

Dear Sleepless

I am a 59 year old woman.    I never knew I had a problem with acid reflux until December last year.

I thought I had a problem with my throat.   I went to a ENT   nose throat doc.   He told me it was acid reflux.    So I started taking Protonix that did clear up some of the problems, but I have arthritus and all these aches and pains so I blamed it on the protonix.   

I saw in our local paper about a Dr doing the TIF surgery so I said thats for me LOL.

I went and had that done.  hmmmmm didnt work.  I was so disgusted.

I then found this forum on the internet.    I also found my dr on the internet.   I didnt even check out any local surgeons because at that point I considered this a redo and some of the surgeons in this area and drs didnt even know what the TIF surgery was.

I am doing pretty good pain wise and feel pretty good.   I want to do more, but sure am not.

I still have some burning, but havent decided if it is from reflux or if it is from some of the meds I am already taking.    I have burning on my tongue and in my nose.    It doesnt seem as bad today.    There are several things that could cause this and one is a side effect of the protonix itself.   So I am just kind of waiting it out to see.    I have a 2 week check on nov 9 at the surgeons office.    After this appointment I am going to hopefully take myself off the protonix and see if that is whats causing this.     Also I might be able to stop taking some of my blood pressure meds.      Hoping my blood pressure drops LOL.

Thanks for the luck in healing......I need it

Sleepless, welcome to HW.
I was wanting the TIF until my surgeon told me it wasn't for me (too big of a Hiatal Hernia). From everything I've read I'm glad he changed me to a partial wrap.

The recovery is not that bad, honestly.
You'll have five little bandaid holes on your stomach. A little tender, but not really that painful (around a 3 on the pain scale, if you touch them). Inside you'll be a bit sorer, but not that painful (about a 5). Mainly my pain came from hiccups I had from overeating.
Most pain will be gone by week 2. They give you pain killers to get through the recovery, but I only took them to sleep the first three days.

I was too until I found this site. I was surprised at how easy the surgery and recovery went. I was thinking I was going to be in terrible pain and not be able to ever eat normal again.
But here it is at my ten month aniversary and I'm feeling great! I eat anything I want even peanut butter! Which used to burn me something terrible.

I wish you both well.
My recovery was surprisingly easy. I went in expecting the worse and found it wasn't as bad as I had imagined it to be. I had never been in the hospital except for an allergic reaction in the ER.
I had so many fears of the hospital. To me hospitals were for the severely ill and dying. I was scared of everything from wearing the gown to the pain of the surgery. The thought of not being able to control what was going to happen to me scared me terribly.
When I found this site it helped me face my fears. I found by being well informed my fears gradually faded. Take it I was still nervous, but not to the point I wanted to run and hide.

Hi drgrcr

I started eating some solid foods on Wed. a week from my surgery.

I cooked some white rice, small carrot pieces, small pieces of chicken, with small pieces of potato and some broth.    I need to be very careful and chew or it gets stuck.    I need to eat slower.

I love meat, the chicken was wonderful but did get stuck some.    I also added some oatmeal instead of the cream of wheat.    I had a sweet potato.   Couple little bites of hamburger, but was afraid of that because it isnt as soft.      I am going to have some catfish tomorrow but will spray my frying pan with pam and put a lid on it so it will be very soft.    Kind of bland but I like it.   I put a little salt on it and kind of like it.

I am still having some burning on my tongue and in my nose which I had before, I am not sure if this is from the reflux or maybe from being deficient in some vitamins from the acid reflux pills.    I have added some chewable vitamins and also was taking liquid B complex, that the acid reflux pills are known to block your B vitamins.     I did quit taking my acid reflux pills and maybe that was a side effect of them.   Time will tell. 

 

Pat thanks for the best wishes.     I also wish the best for you.

Have you scheduled your surgery yet?

hi pat

Things are not getting stuck so much.

I still have some burning but it doesnt seem as much.    I was afraid there was a problem with my wrap, but dont think things would be getting stuck.

It has been 11 days since my surgery so I know it is really too soon to be thinking I shouldnt be having some burning.    After all things have been really changed inside.

The surgical tape is curling and starting to fall off.    I really havent had much pain.

I think I am doing pretty good.

When is your surgery?

Hello Dencha, how long ago did you have your wrap?

I haven't been scheduled yet. Still workin on getting my esophagus healed.

Hey Mitsie, how about an update? how is going with the recovery? eating steak n taters yet? I am looking forward to a Nathans hot dog.......

Hi Mitzie,
Don't worry! The things you're describing are TOTALLY normal. Coughing up a "hairball" of food, and getting some burning...things to be expected. You'll be eating small bites and chew, chew, chewing for several more weeks. It's a gradual improvement as you heal. By four months, I was eating pretty much everything...went on vacation...out to dinner.

You had major surgery on your esophagus/stomach...you're going to feel some burning.

You'll always want to chew your food more carefully--even when you're fully healed. There are changes that will always be with you, but those changes are a great trade-off for the problems that led us to seek the surgery in the first place.

Have a good visit with your doctor. Let us know what he/she says!
Take care,
Denise