7 days post-op, I would have chosen to live with the reflux

Yes, I have Zofran. It sure does the trick when I need it.

Glad to hear it! You made it over the hump. Mazeltov :)

I have noticed that as I go back to some normal foods, per my surgeons request, I am having intestinal cramping. Yes, I am chewing slowly and eating very small portions, but I can 't handle it. I am going back to soft and bland. Should I call my surgeon?

ELOY

I didn't start soft foods until the beginning of the 3rd week.. baked and broiled fish and such.. well cooked veggies etc.. some people can tolerate going back to a regular diet sooner than others.. I was a big chicken so I took my time going from one level to the next with my diet.. I am still not comfortable with a lot of breads and I cannot eat beef except for ground beef.. (I had my surgery April 1, 2011). If I eat something my stomach doesn't like, I get nauseous. So I just make a mental note to try it in a couple of weeks.
I am not deprived of anything at this point.. just a couple of things that I cannot not tolerate yet. I eat most anything I want.. I am fortunate that I have kept all of the weight off that I lost.. this I have tried to do, I feel better...
Still at this point I do have some problems with gas build up depending on what I have eaten. I find that I have more gas if I eat something that my stomach is not happy with.. not necessarily a gassy food though.. it can be just about anything.. I must say though.. I am happy with the results of my surgery and happier still that my recovery was relatively uneventful.. whenever I had a problem with diet, I did what you said.. went back to soft and bland for a day or two and went on from there... I can say that I still practice what Denise suggested... I try to continue to let my recovery flow. don't rush.. I am doing well..

Anytime you are uncomfortable with something happening in your body.. don't hesitate to call your doctor, but...
Please continue to come to the forum for answers to questions.. to vent your frustrations and to tell us of your triumphs.. we will always be here for you...

Reach for the Sunshine.. Rainbows will follow..
Sandi

Eloy,

I asked on Nyteller's thread.  Have you discussed your desire to start back on pilates at four weeks post op?  It seems premature to me.  Please touch base with him/her before going back to full exercise mode.

You wouldn't want to undo the healing that has occurred.

Denise

Hi Eloy,

Happy Exercising!  Just listen to your body.  Have a wonderful trip and celebration!

Denise

Returned from New Mexico and had a wonderful time with my family. The worries I had regarding the challenges of my recovery and eating were resolved . I was careful not to eat too much sat a time, and I found that although I could eat anything I wanted, if I didn't stick to soft and bland my stomach cramped up horribly. I have finally gotten used to the fact that food isn't as important as it was before my surgery. I can survive on small meals, more times a day, because if I get really hungry and try to eat quickly the food sticks and it's painful. I am 5 weeks post op and know now this is a long recovery process. I am interested to hear from others who are at this time in their recovery.

I remember my surgeon saying the stomach and spleen share blood vessels that are severed during the fundoplication. On top of that your stomach was pulled around and stitched to itself. That's why so much pain is centered in that upper left area. Nobody else knows whether you need to take a pill or not. Doctors will tell you it is best to stay ahead of the pain as it is very difficult to get under control after you have tried to tough it out for whatever reason. As for eating, my dr. was adamant about 2 weeks on clear liquids. Unfortunately, everything was just too sweet for me. I resorted to straining the veggies and meat from Campbell's Chunky soup. I then pureed the good parts for later. The broth is thicker but still manageable and is quite tasty after jello and juice. I also added baby cereal to broth to give it a little body, ( just a teaspoon or so). Ensure, smoothies and other thin milk-based drinks should go down fine. But, again, there is that sweetness factor. There are tons of baby foods out there too, but I found my blender (Ninja) to be my best friend for several months. Good Luck!
Peggy