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Partial Fundoplication and Hiatal Hernia Repair this Friday

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Posted 2/28/2018 4:37 PM (GMT 0)
I also have to say that my stay at the hospital has gotten me to loving italian ice. Went ahead and got some a few days ago...Just wish they had a lower sugar version.
Posted 2/28/2018 5:05 PM (GMT 0)
Leo:

This about the time (10 days - 2 weeks), when peak swelling occurs. Small setbacks do occur, give yourself a few days and try the cream soups again and you should have no problem. I know you have the additional issue of weak peristalsis, but you should be fine when the swelling goes down.
Posted 2/28/2018 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I actually started the day off pretty well, but am starting to have some pain now (not reflux). Looks to be around the area of the wrap, and I can feel the pain in that area kind of seep to my back also, in that same area. Might have to break out the painkillers.

Even though I'm sure it's from the surgery, I would normally visit the hospital just to put my mind at ease, but I have a phone interview today. Sigh...Oh well.

Post Edited (leo77) : 2/28/2018 12:40:51 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/28/2018 10:46 PM (GMT 0)
Got through the phone interview...Took a painkiller (Norco). If I happen to get to the next step in the hiring process (which is not a guarantee), I will have to fly for 3 hours for the on-site interview...Hopefully, If they move forward with me, I am healed enough by that time.

Update: getting through the end of the day now (day 12). I had some troubling stomach pain for a few hours, but now it seems to be better. I think I'm going to finish the day with some chicken broth and italian ice, and relax and watch Netflix (Black Mirror) the rest of the night.

Post Edited (leo77) : 2/28/2018 7:36:02 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 3/2/2018 3:45 AM (GMT 0)
Day 13 nearing its end now...I'm finding that food goes down just a little bit easier now. Had some soup with small pieces of potatoes and zucchini, and put some diced deli turkey in, as well. You get the initial stage where food gets a bit stuck, but that seems to go away quicker.
Posted 3/2/2018 5:40 PM (GMT 0)
Just hitting the 2-week mark today (14 days)...Good news and bad news. The good news is that foods are going down a little easier (like the day before). The bad news is that I noticed some bad reflux last night. I had noticed a few times where I had some small reflux episodes, but the episodes were usually mild and went away pretty quickly.

So, a bit discouraged, but I'm just going to follow through with the entire healing process, and see where it takes me. I also stopped Nexium two weeks ago, so my stomach acid must be abnormally high with the rebound acid.
Posted 3/2/2018 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
It's probably just rebound acid and will subside shortly.
Posted 3/3/2018 6:50 PM (GMT 0)
Day 15 - No reflux today. Just extreme soreness around my wrap area - Seems to make sense, since I'm around the time when peak swelling happens.

Update later in the day: had some abdominal discomfort. Not sure if its related to dumping syndrome, or if it's just gas. I don't have any of the other "classic" dumping syndrome symptoms, like dizziness, faintness, fatigue, etc. Just the abdominal discomfort. Also trying more challenging foods, and progressing bit by bit.

Ham and eggs + mashed potatoes - had it on two separate occasions, and it seemed to go down well. Tried some Mexican salad with avocado, refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, etc., as well as a small amount of enchilada, rice and beans. Had some initial trouble, but it ended up going down after about 15-20 minutes.

Post Edited (leo77) : 3/3/2018 5:37:36 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 3/4/2018 12:35 AM (GMT 0)
Just a quick tip to some of those out there...I, like many others here, have very poor peristalsis/motility. For what it's worth, I think it's actually strengthening just because I have to swallow "harder" to push the food down past my wrap (research shows that patients with any kind of fundoplication develop stronger motility after their operation), but besides that, there are a few things that can help esophageal motility, and can maybe help if you need to push food down your wrap.

First is the effect of hot liquid on peristalsis. It has been proven with medical studies that your motility strengthens when you swallow hot liquid. Second, is something called peristaltic reserve - Essentially, if you have 3-4 rapid swallows in a row, it activates something called "peristaltic reserve," which will temporarily boost your peristalsis. These two things might help you the next time you have food stuck at your wrap.
Posted 3/4/2018 5:20 PM (GMT 0)
Morning of day 16. Woke up with some slight wrap soreness - kind of seeped into my back. Seems to be gone now. Something that started yesterday and that I feel today is this abdominal discomfort. Not sure what it is - I think it happens after I eat, and I have been starting to eat more challenging things, but I also have had it at other times; it can be exacerbated a bit when walking. Will have to see how I feel later today, and whether I want to get it checked out by a doctor.
Posted 3/8/2018 2:38 AM (GMT 0)
Day 19...some small improvements in eating. Haven't touched any kind of gluten/bread type foods, but had some generic crackers and Cheez-it's today...Really satisfying after not having them for so long. Also had some Indian Food for lunch (just the soft stuff). Nothing too major - Still worried about that abdominal pain/discomfort. I feel it sometimes when I walk, but can definitely feel it if I bend/lean over.

Post Edited (leo77) : 3/7/2018 10:00:54 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 3/14/2018 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
Day 26 - progressing with food. Felt like I progressed a lot after 3 weeks. Have had salmon with mashed potatoes, roast dark meat chicken with cooked vegetables, etc. Generally, the dysphagia/stuck feeling isn't there, or if it is, it's there for a much shorter period of time.

Tried to have a burger from McDonalds yesterday - They call it the "Mac Jr" - burger, bread, cheese, sauce, onions, lettuce, pickles, etc. I hadn't had a burger in at least a month, so I was craving one. Ate about 1/3 of it, and felt fine - and then, as I ate more I had some difficulty. Seemed to last 15-20 minutes, and was definitely uncomfortable, but went away eventually. As I said before, I started eating crackers - these have been really nice to snack on every once in a while.

Had a bit of protein shake and some crackers today...Felt a sharp pain on the middle-right part of my chest. It was definitely brief, but pretty sharp, so that was worrisome...Not feeling it anymore though. I'm still very early in the process, so I guess I should expect some things like that.
Posted 3/18/2018 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
Day 30 - Everything progressing nicely. Consistently having the best sleep of my life.

Noticing certain things that many people take for granted - For instance, when the entire family is together and watching TV, or chatting...I would usually make sure to sit upright, or stand. Now I'm just relaxing on the couch with my feet up. Feels good.

Doing more or less the same with food...Having about two cups of strong coffee per day. Had a small piece of some toasted french bread yesterday. No real problems. Had a lot more today, and had a very unpleasant dysphagia/nausea situation for about 15 minutes. Took a Zofran, and the food eventually passed/went down.

It's funny, it might sound weird, but If I have an occurance of dysphagia/food sticking, especially if it's MILD, it almost makes me feel a little happy that the wrap is there, and doing its job. I would gladly live with some mild dysphagia the rest of my life to not have reflux/heartburn.

Right now I'm feeling really good - I'm hoping/praying that my condition stays as it is (or better), and that the reflux doesn't come back when the swelling/inflammation goes down.

Post Edited (leo77) : 3/18/2018 2:25:05 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/18/2018 8:22 PM (GMT 0)
And just another thing...I'm so glad to be off of PPI's. I swear, I think those things are poison. Now, and when I tried to quit them in the past, I noticed I felt a lot better and had much more energy when I was not on them.
Posted 3/22/2018 9:46 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Everyone,
I'm new here, and just today was approved for surgery on May 11th. I've suffered from GERD and Barrett's Syndrome for years. All the usual stuff, acid reflux in the middle of the night, waking me from a dead sleep, now I sleep elevated. Coughing, my voice changing from all the damage to my esophagus (some say I sound more sultry now because of its raspyness..lol..but I digress)

I've been reading some of the stories, Leo's yours in particular and am glad to see you healing and getting more food choices. I'm worried about my surgery. My coughing is so bad at times, my asthma really took a turn a few weeks ago, and the heartburn was so intense. What happens if you cough too hard post op? How bad can the shoulder pain get? Is the stay only 1 or 2 nights in the hospital?

I work FT, and am expecting to stay home for at least first two weeks, is that normal? Does anybody go back to work during week 3 or 4? I live in a two story house, will I be able to climb stairs when I go home?

I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just so nervous and don't know what to expect. The only positive thing I can see from it so far, is the weight loss I'm hoping to see. I had to lose 30lbs before the surgery, and I've done that. I'm hoping it will keep that way. I went on a total Keto diet, and now I'm worried I'll gain weight back with the strict diet post op.

Thank you all for sharing your stories and questions, it helps to know I'm not alone.
Posted 3/28/2018 4:40 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your chronicle, Leo! My surgery is a week from today and each day I get a little (ok, maybe a LOT) more nervous. Good to read that you've had good results. I hope you continue to do well!

What were your instructions about lifting? I read on some site that there's a 3 month limit of lifting no more than 25 lbs. My daughter is having a baby the first of June and I'll be caring for the big sister, who weighs exactly 25 lbs. I'm nervous about not being able to lift her.

Thanks again and keep posting!
Posted 3/28/2018 12:10 PM (GMT 0)
Abuelita64:

I can answer some of your questions. If you feel the need to really cough hard, hold a pillow against your stomach to lessen the impact. The shoulder pain can be intense, the best way to remedy this is to start walking as soon as possible and steps shouldn't be a problem. Most NF surgery's done via lap are overnight stays, unless there are complications. As far as losing weight, most people lose initially and then put it back on when advancing their diet. My NF surgery was a complete success, but I will tell you that the recovery can be difficult and you can expect some small setbacks along the way. I was in my 50's when I had surgery, and found that my biggest complaint was exhaustion. Everyone's recovery is different, but I did not return to work for 2 months. I think you are being realistic with returning to work at 3-4 weeks. Good luck
Posted 5/7/2018 10:45 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

Just thought I'd update...Getting pretty close to 3 months post-op. So, I DO have some reflux - sometimes it's better and sometimes it's worse. Overall, its not as bad as it was before the surgery...Meaning, I don't get the extremes in pain that I got prior. Just a reminder, I got the Dor fundoplication (because of weak peristalsis).

I've also been off of Nexium for about 3 months. I'm really stubborn and don't want to go back to those, so I'm trying my best to deal with the reflux with Tums/H2's/etc., but preferably, with diet and lifestyle modifications (exercise, small meals, etc.). I find that a keto-type diet helps quite a lot.

One thing that was a bit frustrating, though, is that I told this to my doctor, and asked if I could get a diagnostic test (i.e. barium swallow) to see what's going on there, and he was really opposed to it. He was skeptical that it mattered at this point, and said I should continue with my diet, exercise and maybe start back up on PPI's (which I won't [PPI's]). My other doctor doesn't want to do a barium swallow because he said it would "expose me to un-needed radiation."

Anyway, that's what I have to say for now.

Post Edited (leo77) : 5/7/2018 8:01:50 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/8/2018 3:44 PM (GMT 0)
Leo:

Honestly, you are really early into your recovery, give yourself some time. Unfortunately, some people do continue to need medication (not necessarily PPIs), during their recovery. Although I understand you wanting the barium swallow, I think it's too soon to worry about it. I did have a follow-up endoscopy about a year post-surgery, with no issues. FYI - I had the full wrap.

Sharon
Posted 10/8/2018 2:07 AM (GMT 0)
Thought I would update this - about 8 months post surgery now, I think.

Overall, I think I'm doing well. I stopped PPI use the day before my surgery, and haven't had one since. I kind of manage my GERD with pepcid, as well as being sensible with my meals.

One of the most important things for me, though, is that I run 3 miles a day, almost every day. I have been gradually building myself up to this point over 4 months (maybe more). I don't know why, but vigorous exercise, like running, is something that helps with my remaining GERD symptoms. Sometimes you might have GERD after a large meal, and that would be a horrible time to run, but sometimes you have GERD when you haven't eaten in a while. If I feel this, I sometimes go for a hard run...and believe it or not, it helps the GERD symptoms go away. I don't know why this happens for me, but it does.

Overall, I think stopping the PPI's and exercising vigorously has helped me a lot.
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