thanks alot denise - 3 months post op today april 11th

Post Edited By Moderator (stkitt) : 4/11/2012 10:43:18 AM (GMT-6)

I've done great since my surgery.  I'm at 3 years post op.  I had my surgery because my reflux was affecting my lungs.  I have asthma and my lungs are very reactive, so even though I didn't have a lot of reflux it was causing me to have sick, sick lungs.  It was hard to convince my GI doc that I ought to have the surgery, since my reflux was nearly "normal" and he was worried that the surgery wouldn't help.  Thankfully, I finally convinced him (my primary care doc was the one who really kept pushing) and had the surgery.  It worked!  My lungs are great now.

I eat very normally now.  There's really nothing I can't eat in regards to my wrap.  I do have a very sensitive stomach, and so I avoid coffee and drink tea instead.  Also I drink beer and don't have wine too much...just some red wine with dinner once in a while. 

I do have difficulty swallowing large pills (I never did before surgery) so I take my calcium and flaxseed oil in liquid form.  I can take small to medium sized pills.  Just not the jumbo kind.

The only other think I'd say is that if I eat a lot of raw veggies my wrap can get irritated.  It's no big deal...It'll just feel a bit irritated for a few days and then settles back down.

My asthma doc wanted me to have my wrap checked, and I had the 24hr PH monitor.  Before my wrap whenever I went without PPIs I got wicked pain and reflux.  After my wrap, no pain at all.  Amazing.

I will tell you this.  Because I'm very sensitive to reflux and I have asthma, my family doc and asthma docs want me to continue with 40mg Protonix before dinner, and I also continue to have the head of my bed elevated.  These are just to ensure that my lungs are protected. 

The surgery does not bring reflux to zero, or we wouldn't be able to swallow food.  That's the reason they want to be proactive and make sure that I don't get even a little reflux in my lungs. 

(Before my surgery I took 40mg Protonix morning and night, as well as Zantac 300mg at bedtime and my lungs were still horrible.  I was taking a lot of steroids as well, ad now I'm taking a tiny fraction of the inhaled steroid I was taking before surgery, and my lungs are great!)

You can look forward to enjoying anything you want to eat, once you're recovered.  The things I can't handle are because of my very sensitive stomach.  Others here can drink coffee and wine without problems.  It all depends on your sensitivity.  I'm unique in that way...because my stomach is so sensitive, I think my wrap is more sensitive as well.  I've never really heard anyone here say that raw veggies bother them once they're healed.

Happy healing!  Hope I answered your questions.  If not, ask again!

Very best wishes,

Denise

I know...I'm fine with a small salad, but if I eat a big dinner entree salad I suffer.  I also love raw carrots and celery, but have to limit them.  Sometimes I just throw caution to the wind and enjoy whatever raw veggies I like, knowing that I'll pay.  Still, at times it's just worth it!

Denise

Welcome to Healing Well!  Thanks so much for sharing your story.  I very much hope that you'll copy and paste your post onto a new thread with a title like "Redo after 10 Years" or something...Here's the link: GERD - Heartburn

I think you have a tremendous amount to offer others here at the forum if you're willing to stick around and weigh in from time to time. 

Like you, I had the surgery three years ago because of severe asthma issues caused by relatively mild reflux--much of it, I'm sure, silent.  Also like you, I've said that I would have a redo in a heartbeat.  I could not go back to living the way I was prior to surgery. 

There are several members here who've had redos, including Bill, one of our moderators.  I'm sure others will be by to share and support.  Still, it would be much, much easier to find your post if you'd start a new thread on the main page.

Again, thanks for stopping by!

Very best wishes.  Keep us posted.

Denise