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Tif surgery scheduled 9-26-11

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Posted 10/19/2011 11:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Bill I am not exactly sure what kind of tear but it certainly wasn't as serios as what you had it seems.
Posted 10/19/2011 11:31 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Kristi I will tr the Gas X for sure because this is uncomfrtable. I have only ever taken rantadine (Tagamet) for my daily heartburn. My doctor told me to keep it up for 2 weeks. I also go back and see him in 2 weeks.
Posted 10/20/2011 12:22 AM (GMT 0)
Bryan-
Glad you didn't have to go through what I did. Mine was the exact shape of the endoscope end. To fix it they ended up destroying my nissen.
Hope your recovery is quick and easy.

Take care,
Bill
Posted 10/20/2011 6:52 PM (GMT 0)
Howdy Y'all.
Its day 3 for me and I actually feel pretty good all thing s considered. I have had 2 real good nights of sleep. (Weird dreams codeine induced I am sure!) The only real pain I have is in the center of my chest when I swallow or move wrong. I went for about a 1/4 mile walk this morning.

My doctor prescribed 875MG of AMOX/K CLAV antibiotics that I am suppose to take 2 times a day till gone. The pills are seriously HUGE! 2x the size of a lipitor. I was really scaed to try and swalow one of these. My First attempt Tuesday evening I tried splitting into 4 pieces. The jagged edge actually hurt as I could fell it. The I tried smashing and mixing with jello, that was YUCK! Last night smashing mixed with Sherbert.....YUCK! Well this morning since things were feeling pretty good I tried to swallow one whole and it went down pretty good.

Been burbing a little today and I know I am not suppose to be burbping. Not eating anything I am not supose to. I think I need to slow down while eating(actualling eating is drinking at this point). I have already lost about 5 pounds but all in all feel pretty good. I need to lose about 50 pounds so the weight loss is welcomed.

All in all Day 3 is an imrovement!

Bryan

Posted 10/20/2011 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
Glad to hear you are doing better Bryan! I was nervous to take pills the first week as well but took them with no problems. My doctor didn't tell me I couldn't burp. I had toBurp and it was a little painful but got better every day. I slept well with the drugs they have as well. I miss that! ;) Glad you are having a good day! They will continue to get better and better. :)
Kristi
Posted 10/21/2011 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
Well Day 4.
Had my first protein since the surgery this morning. Nice to have something besides broth and sugerfree jello! Just finished about a 1/2 mile walk. It went pretty well. Still have a semi constatnt pain in the middle of my chst and when I swallow and the liqued gets to the valve area I think. Hop that is still normal. I assume it is. I have the rest of today nd the weekend and then back to work Monday. I am getting slightly bored and a little depressed bout the longevity of this diet I am on. Trying to stay positive. Still no reflux so far which is a good thing.

Bryan
Posted 10/21/2011 11:42 PM (GMT 0)
The diet is a necessary evil! It has been the hardest part for me by far! I tried not to think of how long it was going to be, just get thru one day at a time.
You are walking a long ways for day 4. I didn't have the energy for that at all! Good for you! I notice when I do too much it hurts at my surgery site. You might be over doing it and maybe that's why your chest hurts? Just a thought, I don't know. Or maybe it's where the surgeon messed up your esophagus?

Hang in there!
Kristi
Posted 10/22/2011 1:36 AM (GMT 0)
Kristi,
Yes for sure the diet, I love to cook (Hence the name griller) and eat and .....drink beer! LOL Your right I need to try and quit thinking about how long I have to go and focus on one day at a time, just like when I quit smoking. Unlike quitting smoking I actually get to eat and drink beer again!

Walking is not a problem at all for me and I don't think it is the cause of my chest tightness. We will see. Since Monday will already be week one over I just have one more week to go and I revisit my surgeon so we will see if it still prevails or what he has to say about that. If it gets worse instead of better I will contact him early.

So how goes with your after 3 weeks? Find any good recipes? I mixed creme of mushroon soup (fat free) with beef broth tonight for dinner. It was real good. I had Acorn squash soup (comes in a container like the broth) mixed with chicken broth for lunch. That was good too. Had a milk shake made with a protien drink and no sugar added ice cream for a snack tonight. Once I got over feeling sorry for myself today wasnt to bad a day.

Chatting on here is nice as welll.

Bryan
Posted 10/22/2011 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
Bryan,
This forum has helped me a lot as well. Nobody can understand or help better than people that are going thru or been where you are now. I'm grateful we have these forums.

I wish I loved to cook! I'm working on it but it is not my favorite. My first two weeks I drank, Boost (Has more protein than Ensure), jello, cottage cheese, chicken broth, cream of chicken, drank the broth from the wonton soup and egg drop soup from a local chinese resteraunt, warm milk with honey before bed, yogurt, pureed butternut squah with sweet potato and broth...That was good. The diet seems like it will last forever but obviously it won't.

I am three and a half weeks out and doing well. I'm feeling more like myself and have more energy everyday. I have noticed the past few days the the heart burn is not as bad as it was. I hope I will get better everyday! I'm still on my ppi's so I am still really nervous when I stop taking them. I have been on them for 9 years so I wouldn't be surprised if I have a rebound effect. We shall see. I'm going to try to wean off my meds on Monday, my 4 week mark.

Kristi
Posted 10/26/2011 5:21 PM (GMT 0)
4 weeks and 2 day post Tif surgery...

I am burping the same as I did before the surgery (sounds like a drunk sailor...usually from the reflux), my heartburn feels the same. I'm still on the same amount of medication. I am very bummed. I decided I'm going to try to wean off my ppi's and just use zantac and see if I can tolerate it. I'm still hoping with time and healing my body will respond to the surgery. I don't understand why the surgery isn't working for me. I'm not over weight and I'm following the diet.

Sheldon, I know you didn't think your surgery worked...were you experiencing the incessant burping? How did you come off your ppi's?

Kristi
Posted 10/26/2011 9:57 PM (GMT 0)
Hey, Kristi:

I still burp, but I know that I can and not hurt my TIF. It actually feels better if I burp than try to hold it. I figure as long as I don't have any reflux into my esophagus or throat, I am doing fine and the valve is working.

Give yourself some time. These things don't heal right away; that is the reason for the 12 week diet. Our stomach and esophagus has been traumatized, so they need time to heal completely. I know the diet is not fun, but it is a necessary evil. Just imagine what the first thing is you will be able to eat after the 12 weeks! For me it is a sugar free snickers mocha! I have been wanting coffee for so long! ha ha.

When did your doctor say you could come off of the PPI's? I hope you will have no problem getting off of them and using Zantac.

Keep positive! Now that I am home, I will keep in touch.

Janice
Posted 10/27/2011 12:11 AM (GMT 0)
Kristi,

When I thought that my TIF was not working I had some of the same symptoms as before my surgery. I was waking up at night and frequently had a gnawing pain in my sternum. The burning in the roof of my mouth, the bad taste, heart burn while exercising, and drinking water all the time did reduce over time. I now wonder if the waking up and gnawing pain were from something else.

At just over 4 weeks there is still have time for healing and your TIF to tighten. My surgeon continually said it would improve for 3 months. The surgery is traumatic to the stomach and takes time to heal. I took Nexium for 3.5 months and felt better when I went off the Nexium. I would check with your doctor when to stop the Nexium as the acid may slow the healing. Reducing stomach acid is one method to get gastritis to heal.

Even though I have made significant improvements I continued to have stomach pains and wake up in the middle of the night. My surgeon thought that it was gastritis and I had an endoscopy today. Surprise, I have two ulcers that have almost healed. None of my previous endoscopies had shown any ulcers so they must have developed after my TIF.

This has been a long journey. I have now had a mild hiatal hernia, gall bladder removed with stones, hereditary hemochromatosis (high iron) diagnosed, severe reflux, gastritis, and ulcers. All this, and the first two GI doctors sent my home with "no problems."

Sheldon
Posted 10/27/2011 12:19 AM (GMT 0)
Kristi,

I did not answer your question well so here is another try. My burping seemed to slow down over time but I don't remember when, maybe about 6 weeks. Could your TIF diet be making you burp?

I went off my PPIs cold turkey at 3.5 months. I stopped taking them five days before my second pH test. The second day I had significant rebound but it settled down and the pH test showed little reflux on the sixth day after I had stopped.

Good luck and let us know how you are getting along.

Sheldon
Posted 10/27/2011 1:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

I am at 11 days since the TIF procedure and I must say I actually already feel back to normal for the most part. I really have no more pain. I did seem to burp quite in the days after the surgery and it hurt like heck! I also had a very tight chest area, with chest pains and lots of gas. All these things have now subsided and for the last 3 days life has been pretty good....except for the soup diet!

The only thing I am noticing now is a coating in my mouth that is just a little uncomfortable and feel the need to brush my teeth way more than I used too.

On day 2 while still in the hospital i received my breakfast that included beef broth, jello, cranberry juice, and coffee of all things. Shortly after they brought me the breakfast my surgeon came in to check on me and I asked him about the coffee. He said it was ok if I drank it and the reason they say no caffine is becuase it is acid creating but he said "hey you have a brand new valve" if you want to have your morning cup of coffee and it soen't bother you, go a head" So I have been drinking a little coffee since day 1 and it does not bother me at all. In fact I have not had any heartburn or reflux since the surgery. My surgeon told me to stay on my Zantac 150 for the first 2 weeks and I have but prior to the surgery I still had some reflux and heartburn every day even taking the Zantac.

I have follwed every other aspect of the diet though except for the coffee and things seem to be going well.

 

Posted 10/27/2011 4:00 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your replies Janice and Sheldon!!!  Bryan, it's good to hear from you...I was wondering how you were.

Janice, I am curious about the 12 week diet because my doctor gave me a six week diet?  I know we go off how we are feeling but I was hoping to eat real food at six weeks?  To answer your questions...My doctor said to go off my ppi's week 2 or 3.  My doctor is not a specialist, he is a general surgeon that was trained back east.  (My insurance would not cover a specialist) Having said that, I still like him and think he did a good job but I know he doesn't have a lot of experience with this surgery.  I live 3 hours away from my doctor now because of a recent move so that's why I am relying a lot on this forum for experiences and information.  Which has helped me more than I can express!!!  You have been in my thoughts and prayers Janice, how are you doing?  I don't drink coffee because I am mormon but if I did...that does sound good!  :)

Sheldon, thank you so much for sharing your experiences with me!  It has been very helpful and comforting to know that I'm ok...and will be ok!  The mind is a crazy and powerful thing...I just need to reel it in and relax I think.  I can relate to some of your ailments.  I had my gall bladder out in 2005...Ok, that's the only thing I can relate too.  :)  Glad you are healing!!!  I hope I don't have gastritis, because of your help, I know I need to wait 3 or 4 months for another scope.  My doctor suggested it when I told him I was still experiencing heart burn at week 3. 

Bryan, glad you are doing so well!  I think you might be experiencing thrush like I did after my surgery.  I would talk to your doctor if I were you.  I had the same symptoms and wished it would go away but it just got worse.  I called the doctor and he called in an antibiotic and it is much better.  Keep us updated.  :)

Have a good day everyone!!!

Kristi 

Posted 10/27/2011 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
I was a little curios about the 12 weeks diet comments as well as my diet is also a 6 week diet with back to eating regular foods at week 7. I have seen that 12 weeks is the total time for healing and on the 6 week diet it is still recommending 4 to 6 meals a day of smaller qty's but Ijust assumed that was a "way of life" suggestion.

Either way, Day one of week 7 is on my calander. I fantasize about what I will eat that day at least 20 times a day! LOL

Bryan
Posted 10/27/2011 6:37 PM (GMT 0)
Kristi and Bryan,

I am following the 12 week diet on the Endogastric website. I am my surgeon's first case in our area, so everything is new to him and the hospital that I had my TIF done at.

If your doctor gave you a 6 week diet, please follow it. You will be back to eating normally before I will, so good for you!.

I plan on taking it slow so I don't have any problems. I am my surgeon's "poster child" for TIF, so I am going to be his test case. The problem here is that no insurance carrier wants to cover the surgery, and I got tired of waiting after 9 months to get it done, so I decided to be the first to have it. I am not worried, because he is one of the best surgeons in our area, and GERD is his specialty, so I know I am in good hands. I see him on Nov 3, so we will see what instructions he gives me next regarding my diet.

I know that Sheldon followed the diet on the website, but I don't know if he did the 12 week plan or not.

On the 12 week diet, week 8 is the magic week in which I can have meat, bread, fresh veggies. That will be almost back to normal.

Both of you keep thinking about what you will be able to eat after week 6 and have a bite for me!!!

Keep positive.

Janice
Posted 10/27/2011 6:45 PM (GMT 0)
Janice,
Yes I see the the 12 week diet where week 8 is essentially back to close to normal.

Nickname ladytex, can I assume you live in TX? I live in Austin.

Bryan
Posted 10/27/2011 9:57 PM (GMT 0)
Bryan,

I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, but I now live in Idaho. I will ALWAYS be a Texan!

Glad you are doing well with your TIF. The soup isn't fun. I changed things up by making a squash puree, which has a little more consistency and seems to stick with me a lot longer than just broth.

I think that by the time all of us are through with our diet program, we should eat differently. I plan on staying with small, 4-5 meals a day, chew my food slower (which is quite a chore for me) and occasionally splurge by eating out. My poor husband will have to learn to eat slower too; he is finished way before I am now!

Janice
Posted 10/27/2011 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I did the 12 week plan on the diet. The way I read the diet, and my surgeon agreed, is the liquid for 2 weeks, soft foods for 5 weeks (7 total weeks) and the last 5 weeks don't eat any fibrous foods. The fibrous foods are celery, pineapple and I can't remember the other one or two foods. It is basically a 7 week diet and don't eat celery, pineapple, and a couple of other foods the last 5 weeks. I will suggest that you take it easy after 7 weeks. I found that my stomach was not ready for too much volume, spicy, fat, or alcohol.

On the diet I drank 2 Ensures everyday for the nutrients and protein. I still have an Ensure most days for breakfast. I also ate cottage cheese or yogurt most days.

ladytex - Good luck on your TIF next month and I am glad that you get it worked out without your insurance cooperation. This insurance is frustrating.

Sheldon
Posted 10/31/2011 6:08 PM (GMT 0)
Howdy y'all!
Hope everyone had a good weekend! today is the the last day of week 2 for me! I have my first follow up Dr. Appoinment this week and get to intoroduce a few more things to my diet. I must admit I worked on my outdoor bar over the weekend and the 5lbs limitation is very hard when trying to do ANYTHING. I most likley violated it a few time but not by much. I also "treated" myself to a couple beers.

After the first week I felt back to normal and continued feeling great this last week. This I know is masking things that still need to heal and I need to be better. I will be honest with my Dr. and see if he give me 10 lashed with a wet noodle....if he does I will probably want to eat it! I love Pasta!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Bryan
Posted 11/8/2011 5:01 AM (GMT 0)
Hello All
Just had the tif surgery done 10/31/11 and was wondering if anyone has had there surgery done in pa? I've read a lot of threads and I have to say it's a little scary wondering if this was the right thing to do. I've had nausea for about a week so far. Going to see my doc at Lankenau hospital. Today was the first day I've gotten out and walked a lot . No major pain in shoulder getting better.
Posted 11/8/2011 3:46 PM (GMT 0)
Glass12,

I think in the end you will be very glad you did this. Get out and walk as much as you can, it will help you feel better. I was walking 1/2 mile by day 4 and a mile a day (1/2 mile twice a day) by the end of day 6.

I am on day 1 of week 4 and feel great. I did start having heart burn again at the beggining of week 3 as I stopped taking my rantadine. Went to see my surgeon last Wednesday. He told me I was right where I s/b and to take my rantadine as needed. He opened my diet up to include ground beef and baked chicken.

I am enjoying the side effect of weight loss (down around 20lbs so far) so am sticking to my diet pretty well but have had a few slpurges. Took one rantadine 3 days ago and really have had insignificant heart burn since then.

Stay positive, try getting back to normal (except for diet) as much as possible and I think you will start feeling better!

Bryan

Posted 11/8/2011 5:55 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Bryan
Just saw the doc seems I might need to clear myself out due to med and so forth.I'm going to start walking more and see how I feel in 2 days. Just hope the nausea goes away and I'd feel pretty good about doing this. Nice to know there are others who have gone through this.
Steve
Posted 11/9/2011 4:34 PM (GMT 0)
6 weeks and 2 days...

Not doing well. My Dr told me when I got out of surgery to stop taking my nexium 2 or 3 weeks later. I waited over 5 weeks. I was off them for a week with a lot of heartburn. (I still took zantac morning and night...sometimes 3 times a day if I couldn't stand it). I'm extremely discouraged. I started back on the ppi's last night and this morning but that seems to of made my heartburn worse?! I didn't know oatmeal could be so acidic! I'm do annoyed and tired of feeling like crap all the time! I don't know what to do.

Kristi
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