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Posted 1/16/2011 1:18 AM (GMT 0)
I just had my nissan fundoplication 9 days ago on Thurs Jan 6 and I have been dry heaving alot from carnation instant breakfast, cream of chicken soup, ensure, and alowala drink. Is this normal after surgery? it feels like the drink sits near my throat after having it and then the dry heaves starts. I was frustrated today and I decided to have a donut because I knew I was good with that before the surgery. It was hard to get down and when I got it down it was uncomfortable and I dry heaved again. The surgion doesn't seem to concerned. I already had a barium swallow test post surgery and it showed no more acid reflux. I am just worried because I am alergic to milk and I am running out of options on what I should drink since I need to be on a two week liquid diet. The foods that I know I am good with is cream of wheat, apple sauce, italion ice, jello, and apple juice.
Posted 1/16/2011 1:48 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the Wrapped Club,
You've definitely have a problem.
Get you some soy milk. Avoid the milk containing products.
Other foods to try: broth, chicken soup minus the chicken pieces, vitamin water, popcicles, fruit juices.
No bread! This includes donuts.
Posted 1/16/2011 5:02 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Fran,
Welcome to Healing Well, and our Wrapped Club!yeah yeah yeah yeah!

Does your surgeon know about your milk allergy? While each surgeon is different, and many require liquids for an extended period, it's not a universal requirement. My surgeon had me on liquids in the hospital, and soft foods until I saw him on Day 5. At that point he told me that I was free to eat anything that could be chewed to a liquid. He warned me against breads and steak, but said that if I took small bites and chewed thoroughly to a liquid, I could eat anything I wanted.

During the first two weeks after surgery, your wrap becomes increasingly swollen. It peaks at two weeks, then starts going down. Because of that, your swallowing can get worse before it gets better. Since your choices are so limited due to your milk allergy, you might discuss the possibility of a more liberal food plan.

I was happy to be my own "blender", creating liquid nutrition through chewing real food. If something I tried didn't chew to a liquid, I discreetly deposited it in a paper napkin.

I think surgeons worry that their patients will overdo it, chew incompletely, and end up with something stuck. Really, it's not all that hard to be aware of what you're eating, take small bites, and chew completely.

That said, if you are sticking to a liquid diet, Joy's soy milk idea is a good one. They've got flavored milks that are quite good.

Give your doc a call and see what he/she says about food choices.

Take care,
Denise
Posted 1/16/2011 2:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Denise,

You stated that the wrap becomes swollen during the first two weeks and then starts going down. I think I am experiencing this now. I am on day 10 and I have been having apple sauce. I noticed with the apple sauce when I swallow my upper back hurts a little and then it takes a second for the apple sauce to go down. Is that normal? When I swallow you could pretty much hear when the liquid or apple sauce goes down like five seconds later.
Posted 1/16/2011 2:34 PM (GMT 0)
totally normal, fran.
Posted 1/16/2011 2:44 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Fran,
That is absolutely normal. It is disconcerting when you're in your early stages of recovery and you are doing well with swallowing, and it begins to go downhill. We're used to things improving gradually, and when it becomes more difficult to swallow, rather than easier over time, it can be disconcerting.

It's amazing how many people have this surgery without the proper preparation. Your incisions will heal, you will get stronger, but your internal healing will take longer. While there is little evidence on the outside, your upper GI tract has been moved, wrapped, and stitched. Your stomach has been through a lot, and will take time to heal. I've heard it described as "your insides have been subjected to the equivalent of an egg beater"!

A Nissen fundoplication creates a new valve for your stomach. It provides your dysfunctional LES with a backup system to keep food and acid in your stomach. It's a great procedure, and has helped many. That said, the surgeon works to create a delicate balance--making it tight enough to keep acid and food from escaping, but loose enough to allow food and drink to pass through.

In the early stages of recovery, you can imagine that your esophagus and stomach react to the stretching and stitching. Other surgeries cause swelling, so of course, this one does as well.

I don't know if you've been told what to expect in the near future, but it's very likely that your swallowing will be challenging for some time. It will gradually improve, but you will have to be very careful to take small bites, and chew, chew, chew. I was told that 90% of the recovery occurs in the first 6 months, and the remaining healing by the end of that year.

Most people experience fullness after a very small amount of food. This is due to swelling in the stomach that is interpreted as fullness. This subsides gradually as well. While there are individual differences, I was eating normally by four months.

If your wrap is tight, you may have a little backup from time to time, even after you're completely healed. When I drink water very quickly, it tends to back up a bit, and takes time to drain out of my esophagus. This is a very small inconvenience, compared to what I suffered before surgery. Your GI tract has been revised, and you're likely to notice some changes that you will adjust to over time.

However, what you're experiencing now will definitely pass after healing occurs.
You can drink some room temperature water (ice water can cause spasms) or warm tea to help facilitate your swallowing.

Sometimes people get what has been described as a "hairball"--a bit of food that gets stuck, then coughed up. I was told that it is best to remain calm, and drink tea or water--that eventually whatever it is (within reason!) will make its way through the wrap.

I'm glad you've joined us. This forum is a great sounding board. Many here have gone through just what you're experiencing. No question is "stupid"...we've all asked them! We're here for you, so ask away!

Take care!
Denise
Posted 1/19/2011 1:40 PM (GMT 0)

It has now been 13 days since my surgery and I am regretting ever having it done. Before the surgery I was natious and vomiting but I wasn't vomiting all my foods. I had my safety foods I was always able to eat. Now since my surgery I am dry heaving all the time. Yesterday was the most. Dry heaving after cream of wheat which was always my safety food before my surgery. The last couple of days I have a constant feeling to dry heave all the time. Is that normal? I was even fighting not to dry heave the hole day yesterday. It feels like my throat is tight now making dry heaving really easy to do. The surgeon wants me to get another barium swallow test and possibly admit me to the hospital today. I will keep you all posted. I hope the dry heaving gets better.

Posted 1/19/2011 2:07 PM (GMT 0)
Fran,

I am so sorry to read of your continued problems.  I think your surgeon is doing the right thing so I hope the issue can be identified and pray you will not have to go to the hospital. 

Do let us know what is happening and trust that we are here and we care.

Kindly,

Kitt

Posted 1/19/2011 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
So I went to the hospital as an outpatient for the barium swallow. The surgion said that I now have a motility problem that I did not have prior to surgery. She said that the liquid sits there for a little bit before it goes down. She also said my esophagus is swollen. She prescribed me a steriod to take for the next five days. She told me the dry heaves, motility problem, and esophagus being swollen will get better in time. I just have to ride it out. I am hoping for the best.
Posted 1/19/2011 10:01 PM (GMT 0)
I certainly hope you will feel better soon. I wonder if it is an allergy?
Posted 1/19/2011 10:40 PM (GMT 0)
I don't think it is an allergy because I am dry heaving over everything it seems like now as days go on. I dry heaved over cream of wheat twice yesturday when I was always good with it. It is weird the first two to three days after surgery I didn't dry heave over anything. I just drank this ensure apple drink but I put two ensure drinks in a cup because I am concerned over callories. i finished the drink in a half hour and then I dry heaved. I was full from the drink. I just have to learn maybe to eat lighter and see which things work. I have some things that work for a day or two and then it doesn't. I almost feel like part of the problem is that I have this extreme dry mouth so my body is dry heaving from the dry mouth.
Posted 1/19/2011 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
Curiouser and curiouser....
It's a possibility.
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