I've started a blog on my successful Nissen fundoplication

I had a successful NF, and I want to share my story with you. I've started a blog and will update it once or twice a month.

http://www.nissenfundoplicationsuccess.com/index.html

Debra

I quit caffeine a year ago when I realized it made me anxious and also irritated my stomach, and I sleep better without it. I think each person is different...some may be able to drink caffeine after Nissen, and some may not. I drink a decaf mocha each morning, and I'm super happy with it.

Also, alcohol tolerance is individual. Because I have gastric-emptying problems, food and liquids tend to sit in my stomach, which is probably why alcohol bothers me if I have more than a few glasses of wine a week.

Carbonation is off-limits for many people after Nissen because some of us can't burp (I can't), so the bubbles can cause uncomfortable trapped gas. I have had a glass of champagne and two beers since surgery; when I drank them, I chased them immediately with simethicone, and I was OK. I used to love beer, but my stomach is better when I have wine.

I decided to get really healthy after this surgery, since I lost 15 pounds from it. On a daily basis I eat a lot of fruits and veggies, protein, whole grains, low-fat dairy, etc. When I eat like this, I feel amazing. Also, I tend to eat small meals frequently (I ate this way before surgery, too, due to early satiety).

But, I also can go out for Indian food, Mexican food, pizza, burritos, etc., when I feel like it. My food restrictions are really few and far between. I went to Philadelphia two months after surgery and had Afghan food, Cuban food, and cake, and it was all good!

My surgeon said I could go back to work in a week, but I really don't think I could have gone back to work for a month (I wasn't employed at the time of my surgery). My doctor said I would need narcotic pain meds for maybe a week; I took them for 2.5 weeks. This gives you an idea of the range of healing times: From one week for a fast healer, to 4 or 5 weeks for a slow healer.

The surgery is painful, but the pain is well-controlled by pain meds. I started walking immediately after surgery; I'd walk around my building for 10 minutes at a time, a few times a day. I didn't do much else...read, watched the political debates, and rested...for the first two weeks. Three weeks after surgery, my friends took me to an A's game. I felt fine, but I was still on the pureed diet, so I had to bring all my food with me.

I had a lot of fatigue for about 6 weeks, and I was also trying to deal with hiccups (I just updated my blog about hiccups).

The hardest part of the recovery is eating. The first month you eat small bits all day long. You have to eat very slowly and tiny bites of food. It's quite time consuming. Also, your stomach is healing, so you may go through a lot of gas/bloat, soreness, fatigue, etc.

xoxoDebra

Post Edited (Sparklingsoul) : 12/30/2012 1:14:28 AM (GMT-7)

Thanks for sharing your blog.  I'm sure it will help a lot of people.  As you know, there are many very negative and scary posts that keep people from going forward with the surgery. 

I waited 6 long years in which it sounds as if I was suffering from asthma issues much like yours.  In my case the GI doc wasn't cooperative and didn't think that my asthma was related to my reflux, as my DeMeester score was never really high.  Fortunately I had an amazing PCP who fought hard for me.

You are right about having a support group, but that group needs to be a positive force in your life.  Getting into a "poor me" discussion isn't all that helpful.  Instead, a group who shares their experiences and looks for positives is the key. 

It's important to vent to others who understand, but a group that is stuck in the negative doesn't help anybody.  Get the negative out...vent frustrations and worries...then look for answers and be proactive.  We all have our ups and downs, but our job as a support group is to listen and understand, then help ourselves move forward into a more positive attitude.  It's not always easy! Who am I trying to kid...it's never easy! 

That's what drew me to this forum.  I found it shortly before my Nissen (Feb. 2009), and the members were extremely supportive and shared really helpful information.  That's why I stuck around to "pay forward" the help I received.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences!

Best wishes,

Denise