I've been wrapped like a Chipotle!!!

Hi Ian,

Welcome to the Wrapped Club! Please be sure to stay ahead of the pain with your meds.  If they're aren't doing it for you, then call your surgeon and get it changed.  The type of surgical pain you're experiencing won't last long, but you should not have to deal with it.  Meds should take care of it.

Be sure to have some liquid Tylenol or Motrin on hand for when you don't need the heavy duty meds.  It will happen before you know it.

It sounds as if you have a good attitude, and that's half the battle.

Hang in there!

Take care,

Denise

I just tried to swallow half a pill and it got stuck and spasmed--ouch! Ali- So are you able to swallow with less difficulty at day 6? Dencha- How long does it take before I can swallow like a normal human being? I'm hungry, but swallowing is makes eating very difficult and miserable. Any advice is welcomed.

Hi Ian,

You have to be patient with the swallowing issue.  Your esophagus/stomach have been through a lot.  I remember not even wanting to swallow my saliva on one day when it seemed I was making an inordinate amount of it.  The first few days are challenging with swallowing issues.  It's all normal. Remember that your upper GI tract has been revised and while you've only got a few little slits in your abdomen to show for your surgery, your insides have been traumatized.  It will take time.  Trust.

The first days are definitely a challenge.  That is normal and to be expected.  I remember at one point it felt like I was swallowing a big gulp of air with my food.  Also as the swelling progressed I could feel a lump at the wrap site.  Listen to your body and just relax and go with the flow.  Stop watching commercials for restaurants and food for a while!  Stick with liquids or very soft, liquidy foods for a while.  Still at times, no matter how liquid a food is, it'll hurt to swallow.  It's not forever, though!  It will improve over time, but you'll have to tough it out right now.  It'll all be worth it in the end!

Hang in there!

Happy healing,

Denise

Get a pill crusher for your meds...open capsules and put them into a little applesauce or yogurt.  I can't take huge pills to this day, but others don't have a problem.  For me they get stuck, so I take smaller alternatives.  Go figure...

Ian,

At that point I just started spitting my saliva into tissues!  Even though it hurts, don't forget to sip room temperature water.  No carbonation, no straws, no ice.  Warm tea can be comforting for some.  It can relax the esophagus.

Hang in there!

It gets better!!

Denise

Hey Ian,

Glad you are finished with the procedure and back with us. The first few days of recovery were the worst for me. Swallowing was a challenge up until about day 6 of recovery and I started to eat solid foods. It was all broth and shakes from day 1-5. Swallowing at your stage will be painful but I found comfort in that pain, it let me know that my wrap was actually working. Now I am at day 10, I hardly noticed unless I take an oversized drink. I still have a problem swallowing medications though. I usually dissolve them in water and drink them.

I took Bill's recommendation and slept in my reclinder for the first 6 days of recovery because it hurt lie flat. Then on day 6 something clicked and I was able to lie down flat without any problems what so ever.

I did not have as much pain as you are experiencing. The only time I took my pain med was at night and I ended up having a bad experience with mixing two of my meds that did not like each other. As a result, I only used about 25% of my pain meds.

You are going to weak for a while. I took several naps during the day until day 6 when I went back to work full time. Stupid decision on my part to go back to work fulltime on day 6. I hit the wall everyday about lunch time but I pushed myself and made it through the entire day. I really should have only worked half days this week but I am ok now.

Looking forward to your next entry. Welcome to the healing club!

Rob