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6 weeks out after TIF and hernia surgery

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Posted 2/15/2012 8:00 PM (GMT 0)
Well I decided to update on how I feel working on week 6 after my procedure. So here it

goes. . .

Well I certainly feel better. I had symptoms I never thought were symptoms of GERD such as a

scratchy voice that I have had most of my life. (29yrs. old) It early wasn't till after I could start

working solids into my diet that I started feeling slightly better for having the surgery.

Now that i've worked into week 6 and am eating solids (chicken, salad, bread, etc.) and

drinking (Lemonade, OJ, etc.) I must say I have had little to no reflux. Occasionally I feel like I

need to burp up but, I tend to think that is more from habit than anything being wrong.

I also have significantly improved breathing which was horrible before, as I used to not be able

to run a block without having severe burning in my throat. I still feel pretty tired on and off

and did have bad anxiety for the first 2 weeks after the surgery but, all of that has gone away.

Anyways that is a generalization of how I feel while on week six. Ask me anything you want

about how I feel now as I could of written more. turn smilewinkgrin
Posted 2/15/2012 8:46 PM (GMT 0)
Panicky Survivor

Glad to read your update and to know you are doing well.  Thank you for taking the time to share with everyone.

Posted 2/15/2012 10:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Panicky Survivor,

I am glad to hear positive results post TIF. I have read several that talk about continued reflux post-op. You are 29 and I am 30 so we are close in age. How long did you have reflux prior to surgery? Are you very active? If so, are you back to working out? What is your routine and what did your doc say about working out? How do they repair a hernia with the TIF. I know how they do it with the NIssen but how do they get it to hold with your TIF? Are your lifting restrictions "lifted"? It sounds like you are doing okay with citrus...can you consume other triggers like tomato and spicy foods? Thanks for the info.

Take care,

Liz
Posted 2/16/2012 6:39 AM (GMT 0)
It really only got severe over the past year or two but i have the symptoms for over 5 years and just never noticed much.

I was quite active before my surgery. I used to power lift weights and bicycle 3-4 days a week for a few hrs. each time.

As for working out afterwards IDK. I mean after two weeks I was told by nurse at the surgeons office that I could lift 25 lbs. and lift 5-10 lbs. weights. I refrained from lifting the 5-10 lbs. weights to maintain my manhood. However as of this friday I am going to start doing some cardio on the elliptical and maybe go with some weights around 20-25 lbs. and take it slow to see how I feel. I honestly searched the net and found nothing on working out after the TIF procedure.

My hernia in my stomach was repaired laperscopically (SP) with 4 small incisions across my lower abdomen, that you can hardly even notice now.

Heck I ate tomato bisque my second week and last Sunday I had few spicy chicken wings.
The best way to go about the diet is to try things in small amounts and see what they do to you.

I must say the suckiest part of this long term for me will be the lack of carbonated beverages, especially beer. However it is much better than the esophageal cancer I was told I might get if I didn't have the surgery.

Also I would recommend the TIF procedure over Nissen as it is the better of the two from a recovery time and from lack of scar. They just put a tubed machine down your throat and go to work, where as the Nissen from my understanding involves them cutting you open. The surgeon who did my procedures (Glen Ihde) whose been doing acid reflux and stomach type surgeries for 13+ yrs. said the TIF was by far the better procedure. Anyways that's what i'd recommend.
Posted 2/16/2012 7:20 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Panicky Survivor,

What were your symptoms pre op?

Also, did you get immediate relief of your symptoms post op?

I recently had a Lap NF 10 days ago and doing well. Although my throat is still a little sore, it has gotten better since Day 1 post op. My stomach incisions have healed fast and the pain in my stomach is barely noticeable. I was debating of what procedure to go with TIF, Lap NF, even considered the LINX. But overall I'm glad I did the surgery and glad I'm on the other side of the fence recovering.

Thanks for your story and I hope to see more updates of your progress ;)

Max
Posted 2/16/2012 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Panicky,

I have to tell you that I laughed out loud when I read that you had refrained from lifting the 5-10 lb weights to preserve your manhood. Hahaha. I understand. I weight train 5-6 days per week as well. In addition, I teach group fitness classes...anything from kickboxing to weight training to ab classes. I understand that ab work might be a no no if I were to ever have an antireflux surgery. Yikes. Interesting to hear that your surgeon said the TIF was the way to go. What did he say regarding the success rate of the TIF versus the Nissen? I read online that it was something like 70 something percent after 2 years for the TIF whereas the it was 90% for the Nissen. The TIF has sounded more attractive to me from the beginning due to the decreased invasiveness as compared to the Nissen.

Thanks for your responses. It's helpful to have this information should I decide to go with this procedure in the future.

Take care,

Liz
Posted 2/17/2012 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
I also am six weeks out from tif and I can't even tell I ever had a problem before surgery its the greatest thing ever
Posted 3/16/2012 7:29 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Panicky,

I am 21 and am going to have the tif procedure with the hernia repair as well by  Dr. Glenn in Dallas. I was curious to know was recovery painful when you woke up and how long was it when you felt back to normal again?

Post Edited By Moderator (stkitt) : 3/16/2012 9:43:49 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/12/2012 2:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hi aa1479 - /wow 21 is so young - lol I had my TIF surgery 2 weeks ago and I was a little mad at my doctor because I wasn't warned about just how painful it was right after surgery. I was led to believe I could resume normal activities almost immediately. I hope I don't scare you away from having it but be prepared because it was VERY painful right afterwards and for about 3 - 4 days. Your throat will feel like it had a jack hammer drilling away in it - it was so very hard to swallow - he did tell me I would have pain in my chest & shoulder because he didn't want me to worry I was having a heart attack. That hurt pretty bad too but the throat pain went away in about 4 - 5 days and it took about 10 days for the chest pain to go away. You will also have a lot of gassy burping, or what I call "internal hiccups" that hurt in the chest area but it's not unbearable. Yesterday was exactly 2 weeks and other than some occasional burping/ hiccups I'm feeling so much better now. Just make sure you tell the nurses the day/night in recovery how much pain you're in and be sure to ask for pain medicine if they don't automatically give it to you and if you need it because that saved me -they asked me my pain level 1 - 10 and I said 110! (maybe I exaggerated) but as soon as they put it in my IV I fell asleep. You should ask as soon as you need it. They will give you a prescription to take as needed after you're released - I needed it for about 4 - 5 days. I also had a hiatal hernia repaired. Anyway good luck - I have a ways to go in recovery but so far I'm glad I did it. The brochure on after the surgery says you can return to work 3 - 7 days after surgery - everyone is different so you may not be as bad as me. I have fibromyalgia so that may have contributed to my pain level but just be prepared. I am retired so I didn't have to go back to work lol Good luck!
Posted 5/8/2012 5:55 PM (GMT 0)
Im 4 weeks out....had both the tif done, a hernia repair, and my gallbladder out all on one (fun huh)
From what i've read, at 6 weeks it appears you can eat quite a bit. maybe i'm just getting stressed out about it, but i feel like my progress with food should be better. i cant eat any meat aside from fish...and if i dont take tiny bites and at least put 10 seconds in between bites, i'll end up with pain and/or having to throw it up. im still stuck on protein shakes, soup, mashed potatoes, etc. It makes me wonder if they didn't give my esophagus enough room? or everything is still a bit swollen...any insight??
Posted 5/10/2012 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
i have to ask about all of you guys that had tif with a hernia repair. i too wanted the tif but had a large hernia and my dr told me that i had to have the nissen because the tif could only be done in the case of a wrap. he said that when a hernia was involved, the tif could not be done. i am 4 weeks post nissen right now and feeling great but just wonder why my dr told me this if it was not true.
Posted 5/10/2012 3:42 PM (GMT 0)
It depends upping the severity of the hernia. I'm sure you could have gotten the hernia repaired and then a tif after it healed. Don't see why not. They told me my hernia was pretty bad (was making me throw up a few times a week) so who knows.
Posted 5/22/2012 3:43 AM (GMT 0)
I had a really large hernia repaired with my TIF and the results at week 14 aren't so good haha. My doctor was able to do it even though it was quite severe. He did say before the surgery that my hernia was the largest he's ever seen 0.o

I wish I was informed about the hernia size and appropriate surgery before hand.
Posted 5/23/2012 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
I am scheduled for the TIF next month. Your posts are very helpful. I have had reflux for years and take Dexilant daily last 2 years. My cardiac doctor recommended I look into the TIF procedure. I also have a small hiatal hernia that is small enough it probably can be fixed with the TIF.
Glad to hear so many that have done well with this procedure.
Posted 6/19/2013 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
Reading all of these posts has been very helpful to me.  I have been reading so many negative things on here about TIF so has been nice to read some positive outcomes as I am scheduled next week for TIF w/hernia repair at the same time here in Dallas although by a different doctor. 

Curious how everyone who has had both procedures is still doing?  Was the 12 week diet really hard?  How soon were you able to work an adult beverage back in? 

Thank you.

Posted 1/23/2014 4:29 PM (GMT 0)
Seeing Dr Ihde today for the follow up after the scope. I have a Hiatal Hernia and am in need of the tif. I have also only read negative things about both. Pain in the shoulders for 6 months and loosing the ability to swallow quality of life decreasing ect. I am very active and cycle 120 miles a week. I do not want anything to interfere with my job and my fitness. So basically very worried and thinking about pulling out of all of it.
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