Hospital stay after Nissen?

How long were you in the hospital before going home after your nissen procedure?


How did you feel and what was your reaction when you first woke up?

Tony great story....thanks.

The pain level after wasn't that bad from the incisions?

Thanks

I had surgery at 9:30 on a Tuesday morning. It lasted about 3 hours. I had a large paraesophageal hernia repair and nissen. I woke up in recovery not knowing for sure if I'd had the surgery. Then I started feeling very nauseous and realized I was waking up from anesthesia. I couldn't see anyone but started repeating that I was going to throw up. A nurse was right there and put something in my IV and I felt better. about that time I felt like I'd been run over by a truck and started asking for pain meds and the nurse took care of that right away. The only pain I felt then was my left shoulder and about that time my daughter came in to see me and started massaging me. I remember repeating constantly that my clavicle hurt. I'm not usually a very demanding person but I sure was in recovery. I guess anesthesia will do funny things to you.

I left the hospital Thursday morning. My surgeon told me ahead of time I would stay 2 nights if everything went according to plan. My surgeon visited me 3 times in the hospital. I've seen him twice since being released 6 weeks ago and will see him again next month. He is very big on follow up.

I was in a lot of pain in the hospital if I didn't ask for pain meds. I learned that if I didn't ask I didn't get them. Meds were put in IV the first day and a half and I was given pills after that. I never needed nausea meds after recovery room. The whole day of surgery I was not allowed any liquids which was very hard. They gave me sponge pops which helped. Chapstick helped too. The second day I had italian ice, coffee, juice and broth. The second day I was given cream of wheat and applesauce before I went home.

My surgeon released me with instructions to eat soft food and chew well. I never had a problem swallowing or getting anything down. I didn't feel hunger for about a week. I used pain pills for about 10 days. I found if I propped myself in a chair I had no pain at all. I slept that way for a few nights. It took about 5 weeks before I could sleep flat on my back. Walking didn't hurt at all. The most difficult thing was getting up and down.

I was out and about in less than a week. I made a point of going out everyday. It helped me to not feel like an invalid. I had plenty of energy but I made sure not to overdo it. I made lasagna for Christmas Eve, 11 days after surgery, and was able to eat it without consequence.

I had pain when I stood up, sat down, got out of bed, etc for about a month then it suddenly disappeared. My surgeon said it may have been an internal stitch. Now, not quite 6 weeks post op, I can't even tell I've had surgery. When I saw my surgeon last week he told me to eat whatever I wanted. I had a big chopped vegetable salad (all raw). So good, no problems. I have never taken PPIs and have never felt heartburn or reflux in my life so nothing has changed in that respect. I do have asthma and that has cleared up for now. We'll see about the long run.

Initially, I lost about 10 lbs but that has probably come back as my clothes fit just fine. Well, that's my story. It's more than you asked to know but the info may be useful to someone. BTW, I'm a 59 year old female. Good luck to you!

Starry

Post Edited (imstarryeyed) : 1/23/2012 1:07:12 AM (GMT-7)

Hi Maximus,

I had my surgery at ten in the morning one day and was released about ten AM the next day.

I didn't know what to expect in recovery, but really I felt fine.  I had no NG tube (a few, I guess do), and really was just cold, so asked for another blanket.  (They keep those rooms like iceboxes.)

When I went back to my room I was groggy, but really had no pain.  (As Tony said...great painkilers)  I did notice some difficulty with swallowing water, but that passed once the anesthesia had more time to wear off.

I was happy that the general anesthesia didn't bother my asthma.  I guess they add some meds--probably albuterol--to the breathing tube during the surgery.

I was glad that I'd researched things, as the hospital gave me things on my tray that I shouldn't have had.  Ginger ale is one of them...carbonation can cause bloating. Also, a straw..another way to introduce unnecessary air into the stomach.  Lastly, caffeinated coffee--very acidic.  My reactive stomach couldn't tolerate coffee well anyway.

After a couple doses of IV pain meds, the nurse suggested I go to oral liquid Loritab to ensure that my pain could be controlled with that once I left for home. 

My frustration was the difficulty getting liquid pain meds for home.  Are they worried that the patient won't take the correct dosage and will overdose?  I have no idea how surgeons can send us home on a liquid diet--or even a soft diet--and expect us to swallow large pain pills.  It seems to be a consistent conundrum for post Nissen patients.

I was anxious to be released.  Finally a doc from the surgeon's practice stopped by and did the paperwork, and I was able to escape the clutches of the hospital.  It's been my experience that it's easier to recover at home (barring serious issues) than in the hospital.

It's good that you're gathering as much information as possible.  Being educated on the subject will enable you to better handle the surgery and recovery.

Best wishes,

Denise

Starry, I have a huge type 4 paraesophageal hernia and have been to 2 surgeons. One said he would do the repair with a lap procedure and the other said he would only do it with an open procedure. It sounds like you had it done with a lap procedure. Any suggestions for me? I am 58, have had this a long time (at least 8 years) and have 2 teen kids still at home that I need to taxi around everywhere. I want the quickest recovery time, yet want the best results. Who did your surgery and where do you live? I am so scared!
Deb

My surgery was 10 years ago, so probably hospital stays were a little longer, as Nissen's were still pretty new.  I was admitted on a Tuesday morning, and had surgery on the same day.  I was discharged on a Friday afternoon.  I remember coming partially awake in the Recovery area doubled over in pain because my abdomen was sore, and someone gave me a shot in the hip, and that was the last that I knew for awhile.  I also remember having problems breathing in the middle of the night, and no one seemed to know why.  Then, a nurse came on early the next morning, and discovered that someone had put the nose piece to the oxygen in upside down!  Outside of a really dry throat, and the tubes driving me nuts, I guess that I felt fairly good during my stay in the hospital.  I don't think that I even had to spend much time laying down when I came home.  I wasn't given liquid meds, but pills to take.  I remember being on a soft diet for a brief period of time.  They even had me on this from thursday on at the hospital.  I was on a 5 lb lifting restriction for about a month.