Recovery following open repair for paraesophageal hernia

Hello, I just had open surgery to repair my paraesophageal hernia almost three weeks ago. Everything went well and I had a good follow up with my surgeon last week. I'm reaching out for two reasons. One is that I have a very hard time getting comfortable; I had a full wrap and I can feel almost a solid block just below the center of my ribs... Is that just the swelling still, maybe? As well, I haven't had any solid food yet and have no desire. I'm thinking that my body will let me know when it's ready for solid, but I'm also a little scared of food getting stuck, so I'm wondering if I should just try something even though I'm not hungry and I have no desire for solid food.
Any ideas or advice you have are greatly appreciated!!

Don't worry, completely normal. My first anti-reflux surgery was like that (anterior fundoplication).

It took me about 1.5 months to not be as 'invalid' as lets say an average 60+ year old. Think of the 'solid block' as a good thing, it means the wrap is fully in tact and working as intended. You will notice that it may do a contraction of sorts while eating, which is the wrap tightening as the stomach fills.

If you want to try some solid food, begin with something like potato or egg and chew up very well to the point where it is almost a liquid. It might also be wise to take a powdered form of a good multi-vitamin if you are feeling a bit slumped for energy.

I'd say in about a week or so you will notice that painful sensation decrease very slowly. As far as getting comfortable goes, I cannot recommend much more than lying flat on your back and staring at a ceiling for periods of the day. If you have panadol and anti-inflams take them too.

If this sensation goes on for too long then I'd suggests seeing your surgeon. Although you haven't complained of terrible gas bloating or dysphagia (inability to swallow) so I can't imagine the wrap itself is too tight.

Hope this helps.
M

Welcome sbird.

You're just getting started. You haven't even hit the worst. That comes after first week. Sorry. It'll get better after 2 weeks. You had a life-threatening condition. If the stomach had rolled ....

But you're on the way to better than before surgery. The shoulder pain will go away soon. It's from the gas they use to blow up your abdomen. Keep taking the pain meds. There's nothing unusual about pain at this point. Your body just had a big change - whole stomach up in your chest - wow!

Did they do a barium swallow after surgery to look for leaks?

Do you see your surgeon at 2 weeks?

I had GPEH too. It's lots worse than just a fundo. Look up some older posts - search box at top of page.

Keep posting. We're here for you.

sbird -

My repair was 5 years ago this month.

I went to a very highly recognized thoracic surgeon in a large university. My gastroenterologist said he was the ONLY one to see in our area, had the best outcomes. With a GPEH I wouldn't even consider just a general surgeon.

First I had to jump through the testing hoops, after waiting a month just to be seen. I had to get my GI's office to make calls just to get an appointment. So, finally after waiting 5 1/2 months after my wreck, I got my surgery. I was getting really scared because I could feel the stomach trying to roll when I was lying down. My lower esophageal sphincter was stuck completely open the whole time. Multiple meds to keep my stomach non-acid kept me from burning out my esophagus.

These things need a team of experts. They're not a one-surgeon job. There are 5 holes punched in us. Maybe one guy can hold instruments in 2 of them. Even the anesthesiologist has to be a specialist for surgery this complex. Mine was nearly 5 hours.

The swelling is what gets worse for a while. The esophagus in most cases has to be "let down" so it's long enough to get below the diaphragm far enough so the wrap can be put around it, and it can't be pulling on the diaphragm. That alone is tricky. You wouldn't be happy if they just sliced along it, cutting nerves and blood vessels.

I just drank liquids for a couple of months, very slowly adding a little thickness. I had a hard time with soft foods even at 3 months. I must say though, I was over 60 and post polio, which had affected my ability to swallow. I still have a hard time swallowing things like beef or uncoated tablets unless I drink something slippery like milk, not just water. But I had these problems before surgery, so I'm back to my normal.

I wasn't able to burp, much less vomit, after surgery. I can now burp pretty well, but still can't vomit. So I keep anti-nausea meds, mostly Zofran, on hand all the time. I got the flu once and the ER docs thought I was just a drug seeker because I was heaving like mad but nothing was coming up. At one annual checkup, a resident wanted to do a dilation on my wrap, so I refused to let him even do the routine scope to look at my throat. I don't want my wrap messed up. It's working fine! Don't even consider dilation for some months unless you can't even swallow water. We went through a lot to get the esophagus to close and we don't want it wrecked.

You can look up lots of stories - just put GPEH in the search box at the top of the page.

Enough of my novel. There's plenty to keep you busy in old posts. Lots of links to look up there too.

ok I looked up the gpeh on this site.. that's exactly what mine was too. per the surgeon it was a 3.