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David's Nissen Journey ~Surgery 11/1 Part 2 of 2

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 12/10/2013 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
That stinks. I hope some of that improves for you.

I've found that drinking coffee/caffeine is a dangerous thing to do, as there is some pain that comes in my stomach after drinking it. I can't tell how to describe it, some of it feels like a gassy pain, the rest is something I can't put my finger on.
Posted 12/10/2013 5:12 PM (GMT 0)
I get that with coffee as well. I switched over to Tazo focus tea. It is really good and has caffeine but doesnt hurt my stomach.
Posted 12/10/2013 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
You are so helpful! Thanks Stephanie.. I see that Walmart sells it, I'll go pick some up later this week. Maybe it has more to do with the coffee than the caffeine? I drink coffee at work when I know I really need to concentrate, but at an obvious price.
Posted 12/10/2013 6:41 PM (GMT 0)
My GI doc told me that its the coffee's acidity which is hard on the stomach and kidneys and bladder and not the caffeine. I got the idea from her. :)

The Tazo focus tea tastes like chocolate mint and oranges all at once. its actually quite nice. I know they carry it at meijer, not sure about walmart.
Posted 12/11/2013 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
When I got to work today, I started reminiscing of how I used to cough the entire day and even drink and eat things to try and manage my symptoms. It’s wonderful not taking any meds for GERD at all, and not have any of those symptoms. Even with this slow process to eating like normal again, it’s all been very worth it. There is still a lot of healing going on, and will be a while before I can eat like I did before, but still.

I will say that I tried drinking a Neuro Sonic drink, this lightly carbonated caffeinated drink this morning, which after taking just a few sips, brought a little bit of acid to the back of my throat and caused me to cough a bit. It's more of an irritation that causes me to clear my throat more than anything. Compare that to what it was like before my surgery, it was coughing so hard and so continuously that I'd throw up at times. This is the only thing that causes those old symptoms to flare up a bit. But on a scale way less than it was before.

Maybe as some more healing happens, I'll find the rest of these symptoms will go away, and maybe I'll actually be able to do caffeine. Still plan on trying that tea we were talking about before and see how that goes. I'm not giving up on caffeine completely, I'd like to see how it all goes.

Post Edited (Diaas2) : 12/11/2013 9:49:36 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/12/2013 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
bump
Posted 12/12/2013 3:51 PM (GMT 0)
David,  I fixed your links - sorry for my snafu.

Kindly,

Kitt

Posted 12/12/2013 4:11 PM (GMT 0)
That's fine! Thank you
Posted 12/15/2013 4:02 AM (GMT 0)
Week 6

Today I was able to eat pizza, it was thin crust, but it's going down pretty well. There was Canadian bacon and pineapple on it, so there was melty cheese that used to get stuck, the meat which at one point would get stuck, and the pulp of the pineapple, which at one point would definitely get stuck too. But not any more.

My stomach capacity has grown a lot more too. It's not like its the same post surgery. But its still big improvements. Now that I think about it, it's a lot easier to drink too. Still not like I can chug anything, but again still.

Most importantly, little to no reflux at all. When I feel like I've eaten to capacity, I can feel my wrap holding everything in place, keeping anything from the stomach from rising. It's like I can feel a slight muscle actually there (the wrap), holding the opening of the stomach to the esophagus closed. Don't think that's a bad thing at all, that's a feeling that assures you that you know it's doing it's job. Something that I am grateful for.
Posted 12/20/2013 2:42 AM (GMT 0)
I was even able to drink coffee today. I cleared my throat once or twice, but even now sitting here, I don't feel anything at all. Despite being able to eat anything, minus salads, tough meats, and whole fruits, if I eat too fast, things will for sure get stuck. I'm not complaining though. I don't think anyone would understand to what level I feel better. It's almost like you can't. Because it isn't just about the lack of symptoms, but the sensation itself of not having them. I pretty much never stopped coughing, it was almost always like that since birth. The only thing my pediatrician told me was don't drink orange juice, don't take hot showers, and take these allergy meds. I still look forward to being able to eat like normal again (normal speed, consume combination of textures at once like maybe a sandwhich), but I'm only seven weeks out.
Posted 12/22/2013 4:46 AM (GMT 0)
I'm dealing with another issue, I believe that I've slowly developed a fracture in my right foot. It's very tender and definitely hurts. This has been a continuous problem, I've had three metatarsal bones on three separate occasions have stress fractures, one one the left foot and two on my right. This time on my right foot again. I have been doing NO running, just normal walking. I had no trauma that I know of. Ever since I began taking those PPIs this has been a problem. I've been off the PPIs since the 1st of November. It's just surprising that these issues keep lingering.

Also, I'm going to break the cycle of all this positive posting cr**, because I'm seriously frustrated with the difficulty in eating thing. I keep throwing up the first few bites of what I eat most of the time when I begin eating. Today it happened both times I started eating, but then afterwards it all started going down again. The moment I add liquid to wash it all down, the liquid just sits on top of the soft/solid food going down and can't help to push it past my wrap. So I end up having the esophageal spasms where it feels uncomfortable and I regurgitate anything at that point that is struggling to get past my wrap.

I suppose I should be happy all things considered. But it really is frustrating.
Posted 12/22/2013 3:10 PM (GMT 0)
David, so happy to hear you're recovering and eating more interesting things. How are your energy levels? Do you feel you are back to pre-surgery levels yet?
Posted 12/22/2013 3:19 PM (GMT 0)
Hey just read your post from yesterday, sorry you're feeling frustrated. Eating shouldn't b so much work so I understand your frustration. Yep, this condition and recovery suck at times, just does. It's a roller coaster but best wishes for an upswing in your condition and spirits.

Barb
Posted 12/22/2013 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi David. What you describe with the first part of your meal being regurgitated sounds very familiar. It's like I have to get air out before I can get anything down. It does get really upsetting, I've had a few wobbles. It's as though I have to be positive for everyone else's benefit and I hide what I'm feeling...had a few tears today,it all got a bit much.

Don't feel like you have to be positive all the time, you need to vent too, this recovery isn't the smoothest ride ever,you're entitled to your bad days.

To be honest it makes me feel better to know others are struggling too, I feel bad being the one with the worries and moans sometimes. It feels a bit lonely hearing loads of successes when you're having a rough time. I'm pleased for those who are doing well, I really am, but it makes me feel a bit inadequate when I'm having a hard time.

Reading that back, it sounds really selfish...but I wrote it with genuine motive so I'm leaving it lol!

We'll get there, mate. Slow but sure.
Posted 12/22/2013 10:41 PM (GMT 0)
Barb,

Thank you for your support. I'm finding that my energy levels have improved, but I do feel tired sooner than I did before. A lot in part because of the speed at which I can eat, which is till rather slow. Another thing is my stomach capacity. My capacity has surely improved a lot from my earlier weeks in my recovery, but we were talking about some pretty small stomach capacity right off the bat getting out of surgery. Significant improvements, but definitely still small capacity in comparison to what was normal before.

Because of the slow eating and small capacity, I have to eat many small meals throughout the day. Each time I eat it can take a range of energy, depending on what I'm challenging my wrap with, and that can be a factor of how much energy I have left over too.

When my stomach grows, so does the length of my energy levels. Sort of how the size of your gas tank has an impact on how far you can drive.

zeldagoblin,

You're right, I try not to be overly negative, and also, I think I've been fixated on the improvements in my symptoms that I'm simply not used to. You're not being selfish at all. It makes me feel better too to hear you say that. I'm pleased with the improvements with the symptoms but the eating can be a huge frustration. Especially recently. I know I'm being impatient.

I'm also surprised that I've still lost weight despite the improvements that I (have) had with eating. Not a lot, but I went down from 155 to 151 in the last several weeks. I don't have a scale in Akron, so when I went back to Toledo where we do have one for the holidays, I was surprised to see the number. I was expecting it to at least be the same, or go up a bit.

I'm glad to read what you're saying about not having to be positive all the time. Not all the time do I feel great, sometimes I'll feel great with no symptoms at all and then post about it, then find that I have some lingering symptoms come back after I said it, and feel like I'm about to completely contradict myself and confuse everyone. Just like the post I had a few times above. I've had some mornings where I have had some symptoms come back.

I look forward to getting to the point where I can eat anything again. And to be able to eat at normal speeds!!! Eating can be incredibly time consuming. Thanks for letting me vent.

Post Edited (Diaas2) : 12/22/2013 4:07:16 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/23/2013 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
Diaas2-

Don't rush to eating larger meals. It takes like 6 moths to a tear to get back to fairly normal eating, but you still need to chew VERY well.

You will have ups and downs through this. We have had some people with really easy recoveries lately, but that is far from the norm.

We have to come to realization that this recovery is long and slow. Baby steps is needed. Measure your improvements in how you feel over all each week vs each day. I can't count how many people come here after surgery and are completely sure the surgery has failed only to come back a few months later and say how much they feel and how much they are doing.

Small improvements is what to expect. I can't stress enough how difficult this recovery can be, but in the end, a year, it's all worth it. If it wasn't a good option I wouldn't have done it 3 times in 5 years. Of course my case is far from the norm. I had an incorrect surgery the 1st time and had that corrected and was good for about 2 years. I firmly believe I would be on that 1st redo if I hadn't had a torn esophagus that tore apart my wrap from what had to be done to save my esophagus.

I can definitely relate to setbacks and severe issues. I was scheduled to have my esophagus removed twice when the tear wouldn't stop leaking. I spent over 2 moths unable to eat or drink with 2 chest tubes, a PICC line, and a feeding tube that ran 24 hours a day in my small intestine. 6 months after it finally healed shut I had another redo and then had to deal with the recovery all over again. I lost over 40 lbs and spent almost 2 years getting muscle mass back in my legs, arms, and chest.

As for the 1st bites coming back up. try to drink something warm before eating. It helps to relax the tension in the wrap. Also try to feel when it gets stuck and try to relax the wrap area. Take a few small drinks spaced about a minute a part and feel for the food to go down. Also wait 30 second to a minute between bites. If you concentrate on the wrap area yuo will eventually be able to feel it go through. Also sitting up very straight will help it go through. Sometimes getting up and walking a bit will help to. The idea is to get those 1st bites to go through.

I have faith you can do this. Patients is the key.

Take care,
Bill devil
Posted 12/23/2013 12:07 PM (GMT 0)
Bill, I can't even imagine all you've been through. Thanks for sharing your journey and wisdom.

David, thank you too for sharing your journey, the highs and the lows. It benefits all of us who have had the surgery after to know that whatever we're feeling, it's normal. And please don't worry about contradicting yourself-none of this is black or white. Each of us falls somewhere on the spectrum of recovery and the one thing I've got from reading everyone's stories is that this is a roller coaster ride! It changes day to day and even minute to minute. It really helps me to know that others have experienced the same good and bad.
Posted 12/24/2013 12:14 AM (GMT 0)
Bill,

You're right that a lot of people seem to have had some pretty easy recoveries recently. The big difference is they all seem to be able to eat more, sooner. A lot sooner. The other big difference is that I've not had any of the unpleasant gas building up in my stomach. It all goes right back up and right though continuously. (A lot more gas going through) Also no burning sensations. But I have been clearing my throat a lot from the small amounts of thick mucus that likes to linger in the back of my throat. Still acidic, causes me to cough, just not in the chronic manner I did before. Sometimes as you can see from some previous posts, I've experienced none when I've gotten lucky.

What I take away most from what you said is observe changes over a week by week basis, instead of the day by day thing. That makes things easier, less of an obsession of what's going on day by day. That kind of thought process is a lot more comforting. I noticed you mentioned on here that your first wrap was way too tight, and made getting food down much more difficult. I can see that you can relate with my eating frustrations on that level, actually a whole lot worse from what I gather even.

You seem to have all the right words to say, not going to lie you're pretty awesome. Thank you!

Barb,

It's no problem, I think we all take away and benefit from these journals just as much as we share. With the help of others on this forum I'm so much more aware of what's normal than I would be if I wasn't. Hell, the medical staff are effing useless when it comes to preparing me for any of this. I've gotten nothing but useless general one-liners from them. You (can) fit all of their advice in one god da** small little paragraph. I have all kinds of hostility built up from their absolute complete uselessness. Good surgery, useless, nonexistent guidance.

Right now, the lingering advice from my surgeon: Pasta. I see you in two months.

No exaggeration. *Angry pissed off breathing*

I'm sure you can see how much I benefit from posting in this journal. Just look at that awesome response I got from Bill. Thanks Bill! All of my sanity comes from this place.

Post Edited (Diaas2) : 12/23/2013 5:20:09 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/24/2013 3:29 AM (GMT 0)
Diaas2

You are welcome. The only people who can possibly understand what we go through with this recovery is those who have actually been there. I laugh at so many of the things people are told about this recovery from doctors. I tend to shake my head a lot in frustration too!

We are here to help you, whether to help with advice, experience, or just to listen to you vent off frustrations. \we have been there and understand.

Take care,
Bill
Posted 1/6/2014 1:31 PM (GMT 0)
9 weeks.

Things are getting a lot easier to get down. Combinations of textures like bread, meat, vegetables I'd imagine wouldn't go down easily together at the same time unless they are really saucy, like the Totino's pepperoni pizza rolls, which I eat quite often now. Eating single textures at a time is not too bad. (I'm not even going to attempt whole fruits like clementines for a long while, as that is for sure the most difficult to eat out of anything, because of that thick pulp.)

The other day I got a tray of 64 Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets with barbecue and Polynesian sauce. Those can get down provided I chew them well and drench them in sauce constantly.

Something happened where some of those at one point got stuck, inside the wrap, not above it. So I was heaving trying to regurgitate the food that was inside the wrap for the first time. That's a new experience for me. It's like I was trying to throw up, but without the spasms coming directly from the stomach.

I can tell eating is getting easier, but since progress seriously is in very tiny baby steps, there is no such thing as, oh, let's eat completely like normal again all of a sudden. Stomach capacity has grown slightly over the last few weeks too.

Lastly, drinking is slightly easier, but it is still not possible to continuously take gulps without pausing. I can tell that there is still a need to pause after several gulps.
Posted 1/9/2014 2:10 PM (GMT 0)
Not a good day today, actually over the last few days. Have been having a lot of acid reflux going to the back of my throat, a lot of clearing my throat and needing to have productive coughs to clear it away from the back of my throat. Always an annoyance. Hoping it will get better.
Posted 1/10/2014 1:19 AM (GMT 0)
I just weighed myself at a few tenths of a pound under 150 pounds. It's upsetting. I am still having problems eating anything like normal. In fact, I'm no where close to eating like normal. Just because I CAN get food down, does not come close to being able to eat like normal. I still have to eat extremely slowly, get full fast, and get food stuck easily. I'm upset.
Posted 1/11/2014 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
I've found some new foods that can help throw more calories into my body. The key is to not miss any meals, no matter how "busy" I am. Acid reflux symptoms are a lot better yesterday and today. I'm thinking its going to be better to post less often, so people don't get on board with my physical/emotional roller coasters that I've been having recently.
Posted 1/11/2014 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Diaaz,
You are always going to have to chew your food thoroughly and eat more slowly. The surgery created an unnatural barrier between the esophagus and the stomach. Instead of that weak LES, that allowed you to swallow food nearly unchewed and with abandon. There's something keeping acid out of your esophagus that is also creating more resistance to swallowing.

This will improve with healing, but you'll always need to eat more slowly. I'm 5 years post op, and am always the last one finished eating. It's well worth it, though, and actually, even our unwrapped friends would benefit from that eating behavior. Chewing is part of the digestive process.

Happy healing,
Denise
Posted 1/11/2014 6:40 PM (GMT 0)
A few of my friends would laugh at that fact, as I used to be the first one done eating most of the time. What irony. You are totally right though, of course. I can live with that, as you mention, chewing more is only a good thing. Today is one of those days where I feel pretty good. Thanks for the encouragement.
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