Confused and need advice

Brandy, I was inhaling stomach acid for a long time. The pulmonoogist did a bronchoscopy in June. He could see the acid in my lungs. That is why I had this surgery.

I agree with marko about the pain meds, I think you will do better once you get off the narcotics. I was done with them on day 7. Have you tried ibuprofen or Tylenol instead of the oxy?

My bowels are also messed up, I will discuss with my surgeon tomorrow. I took a small dose of some of senna and colace last night, it helped. I guess the miralax is not working. I do not like relying on this stuff, just like I do not want to rely on pain meds.

Marko - I was seeing my allergist for asthma symptoms and immunology problems. She said my bad symptoms in January - May were not related to my allergy problems and suggested seeing a pulmonologist for a bronchoscopy. The pulmonologist was concerned I had colonies of antibiotic resistant bacteria in my lungs. That was scary waiting to get those results! I had been on antibiotics for 5 months, for pneumonia, sinus infections and flu like symptoms (I had the flu shot, though). He went in and did 19 samples and biopsies for infection, but found stomach acid instead. He then mentioned the possibility of cancer in my esophagus. That was even scarier! It then took 6 weeks to finally get my endoscopy to rule out cancer. There is a long story about why it took those 6 weeks... It was a miserable time for me this summer, with many doctors involved. I was so stressed, I gained 10 pounds eating crud to 'self-medicate'. I was already 15 pounds overweight, so that didn't help matters. I'm looking forward to losing the 15, the 10 is now gone.

He said yesterday, I'm his 3rd patient that he has found this. He said I will do very well once the lungs are healed, as his other 2 patients are doing great following their Nissens.

I had very little wheezing, I could usually hack the stuff up that was causing it. I also was not exercising or doing a lot of normal activities for me, as I would get so short of breath. I'm still short of breath often, but like we both know, that will take time to heal.

I picked a pulmonologist based on his credentials. He is also a med-school professor at a University in Chicago, but thankfully with an office near my home. As a teacher, I knew he had to be up on all the most current info available.

I did get my flu shot while there yesterday.

I leave home in about an hour for the long trek into Chicago for my surgeon appointment. Thankfully, most of rush hour should be done. Rush 'hour' is several hours each direction in Chicago traffic. I will be drinking more coffee today, for sure.

Lajenner --yes I have tried Tylenol I've actually been on it since I was released ..for example if I take Oxy @9am then I take Tylenol @11am then Oxy again @1pm and so on. My pain is a lot more different then most ppl due to being a past drug user. I stared when I was 12 years old and quit because I OD'ed on methenphedamines on my 20th bday and had a major heart attack then while I was held in the hospital I went through a chemical induced detox. Now being 9yrs sober I still have issues w picking, itching and radiating pain. So now even when I try to quit smoking I get I major pain like my bones r breaking w every moment. It just means I need to b out of pain completely before I'm off narcotics and when I do get off of them it can't b "cold turkey" I will have to do it lil by lil or ill b hurting way more. I'm still having good and bad days plus my docs said ill b on pain meds until 4-6 wks . I've also notice we r all on different diets even tho our surgeries r within days of each other.
I had to have my surgery because I was puking at leave 6x a day and couldn't eat anything wo bloating. Plus my reflux was all day everyday while being on 4 different PPIs and 3 nausea meds (which I am still on-but not as much)

Lajenner- thank you so much. I've had a rpugh rd to get to where I am. And I've done all of it wo family support. I feel the same way that I wish I would've had a different childhood then many. & yes I'd rather not go into too much detail on an open post . I believe my email is posted --I'll check and I am fine w whomever would like to email since u r rt we have become friend on here. It's funny how a surgery can bring ppl together. Tho it's hard to get real personal on an open feed.

Marko99

Sorry not to have answered you sooner.. My symptoms of clearing the throat, coughing, throwing up acid upon laying down, asthma, copd/lung congestion etc.. pretty much all went away almost immediately. I was one of the very fortunate.. I had almost immediate relief. I was at my wits end with the reflux.. I had taken PPI's for about 13 years. and everything just kept getting worse as time went on...
The decision to have the surgery was an easy one for me.. I was tired of having to depend on medication to help me when it wasn't.....
I will never regret having the NF. There are still a couple of things I have to watch when it comes to my diet, but, this has helped me stay at a healthy weight.....

Brandy
I had the complete Nissen not a partial. I had a very large hiatal hernia to repair also. Please listen to your body when it comes to your diet. at the stage you are at, you are just at the beginning of your recovery.. if it has a bad reaction when you eat it.. back off and wait a week or so and try it again.. don't push your self.. it took years for you to get there.... give it time to heal. Just remember that what ever you do, chew chew chew......
the dumping will come under control as you slowly introduce more solid food into your diet.. but remember, it will come back to remind you if you eat things you shouldn't or if you do not chew chew chew....

Just remember both of you... listen to your body... if it says NO... then don't do it!!!

watch for the rainbows....
Sandi

Lafenner, That had me use one in the hospital, and then it disappeared by the time I left, It did cross my mind as to what happened to it, guess I was under the influence and just plain old wanted to go home, I remember those first few days as brutal, I'm sure you will agree. I don't know whats going on with me, I'm
not as happy as everyone else on this form with having it done. I do believe I needed it, took to many tests for them to be wrong, & I remember how long the problem of reflux was with me I was on PPI's for years with them working less and less all the time. I have my 6 week follow-up on the 24th and at that time I will actually meet with my surgeon if there is still issues then I guess he will hear about it from me, I mean what else can I do, but start up my PPI's again? I was told at my 2 week follow-up that at 6 months they would do a PH test on me. One thing about my case that I have to kind of question why but my wrap was a hybrid a cross between a Nissen and the Hill, I remember the surgeon saying something about the best of both worlds. Guess that remains to be seen. I'm not having any heartburn so to speak so something must be working.
Kyheart, Thanks for your response, that would be awesome if that happened to me the way it happened to you, like I said in my last posts I wake up some days with throat clearing and the feeling like I have a lung infection or a waud of mucus I could cough/spit up. I have this strange feeling it might be an allergy to something. I am going to my ENT's on Tues. and get allergy tested I might just be amazed by the results. I know life needs to start to improve it's amazing how the last year has changed, and to think this all blew up last Nov. with my wife getting sick, I remember watching her telling myself I was in big trouble (she was sick for about a week) I was a good nurse for her then Wham my turn, things just never really got better from there. And here I sit 10 plus months latter, 35 lbs lighter, & 1 surgery under my belt. We sure do take our health for granted.
Anyway thanks for your response, my wife has put up with a lot from me.

I feel discomfort and back-up when I eat too fast or too big a bite. I ate a little too quickly last night, then took a few sips of juice. The juice came back up. It's a constant battle to remind myself to slow down, especially when I'm eating with others. It happened last night because I let myself get distracted, while enjoying a meal with family.

We really have to take it slow, chew it until it's liquid and swallow. I've heard WLS patients are told to chew a bite 20 times. I typically find that 10 chews is enough. I believe our recovery is somewhat similar to theirs.

Try that brownie again, today, but smaller bites, more chews and slow down. You'll realize you can enjoy it.

Brandy
How severe is your pain that you are still on RX meds for it?? I am just wondering because I was on on pain meds for about 3-4 days after my surgery.. Have you discussed your pain level with your surgeon?? Just seems a bit long to be on them after surgery. I had the complete Nissen Fundoplication.. I was on soft foods after 3 weeks an I stayed on the for another 3 weeks and then started on fish and ground beef etc.. chewed to a liquid.. just chew chew chew... but I wouldn't have attempted it at 15-16 days.. others could but I had to many issues when I tried.. but it will come..
Take care and I hope you do well
Sandi

Sorry guys I've been away for a few day. I landed in the hospital - bruised my ribs tire lining (not stitches thank god) and had some swelling. It sat my recovery time back 2 wks. I was super nausea and since I can't vomit I heaved and that's what it did in combo w straining and lifting. :( . I still feel nasty but I am gonna respond to your msgs and give any advice I can. What I meant by "wo family support" was relating to my past. I have no blood family I speak w besides my kids. Which is fine w me since most of them r using and unbeneficial to my recovery. Anyways....Marko - yes my life is a complete 180 turn around fm my old life. I am on my way to being healthy and I have an amazing financé w a fun loving and caring family. I agree and know what u mean by now leading a happy but boring life. I'm finding out I have more me time to do the things I love. Me and my hunny r gonna start water sports and rock climbing when u recover. Ty for the congrats and ya I know we r eating the same type of foods while others like Laurie are earring prime rib --so unfair lol. It's strange we all r getting a sinus type cold at the same time mayb it's surgery related? I was very worried about ur brownie experiment. I will not b trying anything like that until much later in my recovery. I am craving yummy foods but I am just making a list of ones I get after all this.
Eating fast has always been a problem of mine just w this surgery it makes me seriously slow way down. Kyheart--surgery was also an easy decision if me. I was dealing w PPIs of all kinds for nearly 7 yrs I thought it was because I had such hard labors. I also will never regret my NF. I know once I'm heal my quaility of life is going to b amazing and I know this situation is better then what it was. I have listened to u a lot and my body's words is probably my only way of knowing what's going on. I think most of us had a full NF and I also needed this to maintain healthy weight. It's really hard to explain my pain. It's really not like any one else's. I explained it a couple post back . I don't understand y u guys all were suggested to take off pain meds so soon. My docs told me fm day one I would b one pain meds for at least a month.
I am clueless I any breathing type things. I only had inhalers that's all.
Lajenner- I also feel discomfort then my hiccups r terrible then I'm fine. Nothing comes up all the way I really believe my surgery was perfection cuz it's doing exactly like the docs said plus they said my surgery was "textbook" and my anatomy "was beautiful" .
Well I hope everyone is doing great and feel free to email me but in here works best for me I have wondered and missed u all :)

Hello Marko - ya I was away for a few days. My post op is Friday and ill post details on fri or sat. Idk what's going on but my pain has not gotten much better and now I'm dealing w injuries which suck to say the lease. Lol about trying hospital food ! Good god that whole experience of going back was terrible becuz since my surgeon isn't in the town I live in. So I have to travel 4-5 hrs to c him ppl were real rude and barely knew about my (our) surgery . They basically had the "deer in headlights" look- rather annoying. I think I will start liking it I mean even w my complications I'm still happy about no reflux and no puking even tho Pukin is completely impossible so when it's attempted I sound like a cat hacking up a hair ball 😖.i think u should not trying thicker foods yet . I'm not allowed until wk 5-6 . Yes that mean yummy brownies fm wifey is a no-no. Trust me the diet of liquid ish crap is boring and not good but u gotta find something that is yummy and if u have to eat the same breakfast lunch and dinner every day that is ok . I eat super running strawberry oatmeal , bean bacon soup , mash Tatoes gravy and Icecream oh and peaches w my boost and yogurts . U gotta find a happy medium. My throat hastened real strange but there's 2 infections (colds) going around where I live so it might b that . I've lost since 12-9-2012 (which is when my surgery was original scheduled- then denied due to being too fat & meds) to now 21 days post op 58 lbs but I let myself go for over a yr cuz I'm a great cook like five star and I fell In love. Mix those two it's instant fat us I'm only 5'7". I'm totally in ur boat w nutrition. My nails r even showing signs of malnutrition :(. Plus I'm wrk and tired all the time . My dumping issue has gone away thank god. It was truly the worse ever but doc said the senna was the reason. Really retry oatmeal but very watery it's actually very good. Tea is very soothing too. Coffee is harsh on ur body in general my docs said no soda or coffee for 3 wks .

Kyheart- my surgeon is the one that said I will need pain meds for 4-6 wks plus crush my meds for 2-3months (which I take 12 prescriptions and 6 OTC meds to compensate for being Hypokalemic ) idk y all the docs r different. I had a full wrap. My hernia was the size if a baseball. It was causing my heart and lungs to freak out (I have CHF) so I have a lot of medical conditions. Feel free to ask me anything I'm an open book to help whoever I can. I haven't gotten a chance to eat meat I can't even tolerate baked potatoes or veggies unless they r caned in soups.

Lajenner- I am having the issue w eating too fast too but I have the hang up and the coughing and the pain. I have to sip a fluid orir fells like I may chock to death. I haven't had any food come back up.

To everyone-- I hope y'all get better ...chew chew chew is the best advice ever. Write down ur questions for your docs they need to know everything.

Hi Folks...I've been sort of following this thread (have been travelling for work quite a bit lately so I haven't been on much) and I have to say, after catching up I admire the three of you for the recovery you've made not only from this surgical procedure, but from other challenges in your life. This procedure is only one in a series of steps in whatever healing is coming your way; Just take it easy and let your body tell you when it's ready for the next step.

Marko, as for the stuffiness and congestion, it's not necessarily common for this procedure specifically to have that as a side effect. However, it IS common from being hospitalized and operated on, in general. You've had a lot of poking and prodding and a plethora of medications flushed through your system in the last few weeks (you've made it almost a month!) and your body is likely tired and "not in the mood" to fight a cold when it has bigger things to worry about (like healing from a Nissen Fundoplication ;)). If you're not eating properly and keeping extra hydrated you won't have enough energy to fight a cold on top of healing from a major abdominal procedure. Exercise will definitely help not only your body, but your mind too. I'd be cautious on lifting too much for the next month or so. But that shouldn't stop you from taking a long walk, using the treadmill, elliptical or even swimming. Also, if you had significant scarring in your throat and sinuses from acid reflux, the mucous is likely produced by the tissue healing (much like when you get a sore throat or a sinus infection) as this type of "fluid" is produced by cells during the healing process as the tissue heals.

Marko one thing to note is that everyone's healing is unique to themselves. Diet tolerance will be the one stand-out thing that will be especially unique to you and your healing process. Two people could have the same surgery on the same day and have two different healing experiences. Don't be discouraged by what other people are doing and feeling. Let your body take its sweet time in getting better. Some are faster than others at getting back to their normal eating routines. You'll get back to eating a fabulous steak dinner eventually, have no fear!

All of you...be well and take care. It sounds like you guys are doing great and are on your way to feeling good once again. I'll say it over and over, having the Nissen procedure was one of the best decisions I've ever made and I'd do it again and again if I had to. A little bit of recovery time and a crappy diet for a few weeks is better than dealing with the pain and discomfort I had when my GERD was at it's worst.

-TonyG-

Had my post op today not good news ill post 2mrw in detAil for everyone Ty for the support.

I'm sorry everyone. At this point I just had my post op at 3wks 3days. What I meant by no good news is I am suppose to feel crappy like no desire for food, weak, pain , tired, & nausea 😷for at least another 3 wks! 😠I need Zofran but my insurance doesn't cover it. I dry heave so hard that I literally have brushed my ribs 😭. I am grateful for no acid , no dumping and no actually vomiting but I just was expecting to much I thought if be able to work out soon and all I got was yoga. Thanks every one for being concerned☺️. I just needed an eye opener and realize I just had major surgery things r not suppose to b easy rt away it's all about getting up when u feel down . I also started Reglan today it helps some. Still soft food only for the next 3 wks. Also I did speak to a nutritionist and I have to eat more often but same types of food.

Marko- yes we all will make it and we just need to b patient and learn to love our new anatomy. Oh it's definitely definitely left over from surgery. I also had severe anxiety & I completely exploded on my fiancé which we have forgiven each other ...man it was bad! It was all my fault cuz I'm hypersensitive and defensive. I feel like we r living the same life. I was told all the same stuff. I'm also very jealous of Laurie... She's a day or two ahead if ne but I asked q's and my doc said tighter wraps take longer to heal but r the least likely to come undone. So I guess that's good news.

Tony - Ty we all appreciate ur words and wisdom :) u really have helped so many if us . I'm making the approach of one step at a time & chew chew chew & rest A lot! I agree w everything u r saying ...really. We all need time to heal and we all r on different paces. Tho is hard now I know it's the best thing I've done medically .