Having NF on Tuesday

Welcome to Healing Well!  I had my Nissen a little over four years ago, and I am able to burp, so never really had much trouble with bloating. My surgeon informed me that I wouldn't be able to burp or vomit post-op, and I've found I can do both.  I suspect he gives that warning, because it's a possibility.  I do always carry anti-nausea drugs (my most effective is Compazine suppositories) with me wherever I go, just in case. 

You many have already seen it in the Resources section, but here's my early recovery journal:

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=45&m=2183443

My doctor set me free on Day 5 0r 6 to eat "whatever could be chewed to a liquid (creamy consistency)."  He warned me against sandwiches, untoasted bread, and steak. If you read my journal, you can see that I had uncomfortable symptoms of wrap swelling, which is very normal over the first two weeks or so.  My surgeon also warned me of that..."Your swallowing will get worse before it gets better". 

My rule of thumb was this;  I listened to my wrap and stomach and if I tried something that caused discomfort, I just stepped my diet back to liquids/soups, etc.  and tried it again after a little more time had passed. That said, through trial and error I discovered many things that I could comfortably eat very early on.  The main thing is to remember to take very small bites and chew, chew, chew.  If something doesn't chew to a liquid, deposit it in a handy paper napkin and don't swallow it. 

I enjoyed using my teeth as my blender...chewing is most of the enjoyment of eating anyway, isn't it?  If you follow the rule of listening to your wrap/stomach, and taking small bites with lots of chewing, you'll do just fine.

One other thing...I was told here (and by my surgeon) that if you forget and swallow something that's not chewed well enough, it may get stuck at the wrap site, but don't panic.  Just relax (you'll get some painful spasms for a bit) and take sips of room temperature water or tea.  It'll go down eventually...no need to choke it up like a hairball!

No iced drinks (can cause spasms) and no straws (introduce unnecessary air into your stomach).  Stay away from carbonated drinks during your healing stage.  Some people who  are Coke addicts just leave the soda out to go flat, then drink it.  I'm four+ years post-op, and I can drink two or three servings of soda without a problem.  I also enjoy beer, and have no problem with that.  The only thing that caused uncomfortable bloat for me was two glasses of champagne.  Ouch.

I've found that if the gas in your stomach gets ahead of your ability to get rid of it (you can use Gas-X after the fact, and BEANO before eating gassy veggies), the gas starts pushing against the wrap and makes it impossible to burp.  Then you'll just have to be bloated and wait until the gas makes its way out the back door.  The gas issues improve dramatically once the healing has progressed.

This surgery takes a full six months for most of the healing, and a year for the rest.  The most important thing is PATIENCE.  Surrender to your recovery and let your body take the lead.  You can't rush the healing, and if you can accept that fact, you'll do just fine.  It's the people who want to rush their recovery and stress out if it isn't meeting their expectations, that have the most trouble coping.

Glad you've joined us!

Happy healing!

Denise

You won't need the narcotic pain medication for long at all.  Be sure to buy some liquid Tylenol, because you'll be switching to that pretty soon.  Really, the surgical pain is minimal with this.  You will probably get some referred shoulder pain, which is very uncomfortable.  If you walk, walk, walk--even when you're still in the hospital...just drag that IV pole with you--the pain will lessen.  I found the more I walked the less it hurt.

Keep asking those questions!

Denise

PS--I didn't get any panic attacks from the meds...

Nine weeks is a little early, but you can experiment.  Some sips?  Yes.  Several beers?  Probably not.  Still, everyone is different.  Just be sure to listen to your body and follow its lead. I'm sure I tried some beer throughout my recovery, but I don't remember drinking a whole glass until we went on our vacation at four months.  Honestly, it's hard to remember, so don't hold me to it.

I didn't journal my recovery after the early recovery time (I wish I had!), but I did find a 4 week post that I'd put on a different thread.  I added it to my original journal, and I'll copy it here.  It includes answers to questions I asked the surgeon at my four week follow up.  It might be helpful as you make your plans. 

Here's my four week post:

4 Weeks Post Op Thoughts

Just posting for all those people who are cruising the internet to learn more about the surgery as they try to make a decision:

As I've said in previous posts. If you have all the tests (I think manometry is especially important, because as you'll see in posts here and other places, swallowing problems can be a result of the surgery) and select a very experienced and competent surgeon (if you live in a reasonably large city with a good hospital system (my city is not that big--about 250,000--but has 4 hospitals, with a complex of 3 in close proximity, and a medical university) you won't have to go looking in a big medical center--you will do just fine.)

It seems as if a tight wrap (especially if coupled with swallowing problems) is the biggest issue. Perhaps with people who have had severe GERD for a long time, and have suffered esophageal strictures in the past this is an issue as well--I'm not sure. That was not the case with me.

Anyway, as of about week 4, I've been able to eat virtually anything. (I do find I still have trouble with melted mozzarella. It's not the bread of the pizza, it's the cheese. If I eat a pasta dish (crepe manicotti/eggplant roulettes, with melted mozzarella, for example, I have to remove the melted cheese first. I am not great with pasta or noodles, either. Bread is fine, though. Everything needs to be chewed to liquid...don't get me wrong. You have to be aware of your healing and be a responsible eater!)

That said, I never in a million years, thought the recovery from this surgery would be this comfortable and easy. Honestly, the many gastritis/GERD bouts I've had were FAR worse to recover from than this surgery.

I visited my surgeon at week 5, and asked him several questions:

1. I asked him how much weight I could lift…he was a comedian...
"How much could you lift before surgery?" So I guess I'm okay to use my own judgment.

(Note...I have a weak core, so this only applies to weaklings like me, but in the past year I've lifted a very heavy box filled with books twice, and each time I had definite pain at the wrap site.  The second time the pain lasted for a week or so  I think I could blow out my wrap lifting something very heavy, so I try to remember that and ask for help.  Just an FYI.)

2. Any activity limitations?
None

3. Eating?
He said that I can eat anything that I chew thoroughly. Even steak, he said, can be chewed to a liquid. On the other hand, mashed potatoes can be swallowed in a big "bolus", and cause problems.

4. Alcohol?
No problem...

5. Why do I feel full so quickly after eating just a small amount?
He said it's because the swelling causes a stiffness, and that stiffness makes you feel more full than you actually are. The resident I spoke to after surgery, said you lose about 15-20% of your stomach capacity with the surgery. (Actually at week seven, I am able to eat more than even last week.)

6. I asked him about the effect of coughing on the hernia repair. (I have asthma. Although it has responded amazingly to the surgery, and is MUCH better than it was before the Nissen, I had a lung infection that hadn't resolved, then last week got the flu...To make it even more fun, the tree pollen is giving me fits.)
He said that "even water can erode stone". He said that there is a cumulative effect of coughing, straining, etc., that will eventually weaken the repair. These things are unavoidable.

7. What size bougie did he use? 56 French (He uses the bougie to ensure that wrap is not too tight.)

From what the surgeon said, you should be just fine at 9 weeks.  That said, everybody is different, and surgeons tend to underestimate the challenges and length of recovery.

Happy day!

Denise