Nissen fundoplication and hiatus hernia repair... my experiences

So I'm in a lot of pain and confused due to the morphine, I don't react well to opiods and have trouble talking or making sense! When I first woke, I felt really sick but this wore off. Back in my room, I have some massage things applied to my legs to keep the circulation going. I'm struggling to turn at all due to the incision wounds, and the trapped gas they pumped in hurts so much. It also hurts to breathe. After a while I'm brought water with a straw to drink. I kinda wonder about the straw but use it anyway as I can barely move! I drink very little but my throat is sore and I wish I could drink more. I had a hydration drip during and after the op but once the bag was used they removed it.

My husband comes to see me and I manage to get out of bed for a short time. He massages my neck and shoulders as the pain there is really bad, presumably the gas. I get tired and tell him to go home. I barely sleep that night, the hospital is too noisy and also I find I need to wee to least once an hour!

Day 2, I wake and just want out of the hospital. I get my things together and am horrified when I realise I can't put a bra on because it is going to rub on the higher incision. This is not good - I have big boobs! Not much I can do for now so I have to go au natrel....urgh! I get discharged with soluble paracetomol and dissolvable strips for sickness. The journey home isn't great, every little bump hurts. When I get home I sit on the sofa and recline a little. I don't do a lot for myself other than get up to go to the toilet. I mainly nap! However I do get my husband to walk down the road and back with me which takes around 10 mins, I only have water and apple juice on this day and barely any of those despite trying to keep hydrated. I just don't have space for anything. Luckily this also means I'm not hungry! When I go to bed I keep waking because of the incision pain. I fnd that its easier if when i turn to my side, theres a large fluffy pillow to prop myself up on. Also my legs feel horrible in the surgical stockings I've been told to wear day and night for 2 weeks

Day 3

Not slept much but realise everything feels a little better. Incision pain eased a little, doesn't hurt as much to breathe - well only when taking a deep breath. Gas seems to have almost dispersed but still my neck and shoulder feel achy and i keep needing somewhere to rest my head. Another day like yesterday but I don't nap as much. Can't concentrate on anything for long though! Today I drink an Actimel which is OK cos as it has bacterias in it, they eat the lactose of the yoghurt meaning it's ok for me to eat - I'm severely lactose intolerant and also vegetarian. It tastes sooooo good and because it has a thin texture, it goes down easily. I go for my usual walk but also go round the bock later on. My voice has been really thin and quiet since the op, i put it down to the sore throat I had when I woke, and although it seems to get slowly a little better, it's still really pathetic and doesn't always come out right! So annoying! I decide to wash my surgical stockings today, the instructions say a cold wash is fine but don't tumble dry. i cold wash them and pop them on the radiator for half an hour to dry. When i put them on again, my feet start getting cold. After a few hours of getting more stressed about this, i ring the hospital who tell me I must have shrunk them and to take them off. I have to go back to the hospital for more and to check they had been sized correctly in the first place! This time they give me 3 pairs and tell me to keep them away from heat at all. Since the op, my tongue has been white and occasionally feels like it has a thick layer on it. This is nasty and I keep trying to brush my tongue but it makes no difference.

Day 4 and the first day I'm left alone in the house. I get up and have a shower, then have half a sachet of pureed fruit baby food. not much choice out there for the vegetarian lactose intolerant baby lol! I'd tried very small amounts of this yesterday without having any issues. I then walk down the road and catch a tram to the supermarket, where I find a soup that is almost suitable... it has onions in it but very little so I decide to try it anyway. Also get a jelly. Back home I'm feeling pleased with myself. I have a little Alpro Soya chocolate milk. Later I have a tiny amount of soup and its good! I have another walk to some nearby shops, what would usually take me 30 mins takes 50. I need to nap when I get home. When i wake I eat a little jelly. I can't finish it so I put it in the fridge. A little later, owwww! I get such a pain at the wrap site. Dunno if this is the jelly going through, or wind. I never really burped before the op so I;m not sure but it feels like wind. It hurts so bad, I have to get up and move around. I feel nauseous and have to have one of my anti nausea strips. It starts to subside a little after 15 mins but I don't feel it has gone totally for over an hour. I call the hospital for advice and they ask about my bowel movements. I've only had the tiniest one the day before, didn't really count, so they say they think I am constipated and so the wind has nowhere to go! Will call my GP tomorrow to see what I can get to help.

Surgical stockings are really driving me crazy today. I email the surgeons secretary to ask her to find out how long the surgeon wants me to wear them. She comes back to say, when I'm at a normal level of activity. I think I am moving plenty so reply to say what I had been doing. She replies to say she'll speak with the surgeon tomorrow and get back to me. God, I wanna take these things off!

All pain levels seem better each day. Still got a white tongue though and the taste in my mouth isn't great. No more to eat after the gas incident but will have to try again tomorrow... I need to get something inside me to get energy!

Thanks 1039smooth for your comments. Ensure looks good but expensive and not too easy to source here in the UK. I presume Lactaid is something to help me digest lactose? Over here we just have tablets to take before having something with lactose in...

I don't drive so no worry with seatbelts. When my father in law drove me fro the hospital, I just kept a hand underneath to stop it rubbing. its trams all the way for me!

My gastro knew of my concerns re manometry and pH test but asked that i tried it. It was obvious it wasn't going to happen right from the start, but the findings of my scope and my symptoms meant both the gastro and surgeon were happy to proceed without these tests. Good job really cos there really was no way they could do them on me.

Today I have tried to make a puree of carrots and sweet potato. it was vile. I did try to eat a small amount and could feel it sticking in my oesophagus. It took time and water to make it go down. no bad effects though. Other than that I had 2 actimel, some water and some apple juice. I've had a walk round several blocks, and I walked 15 mins to the doctors to get something for constipation and some more ant nausea meds. I only have a few left from hospital and I want to be prepared! Hmmm. consitpation... well I had a small bowel movemnet this morning, hooray! Then later I had a rather wet and explosive one haha. So right now I am not constipated! Best to get meds anyway cos it will likely happen again i think. The doctor was awful, she said i couldnt have the anti nausea films I had had from hospital cos they were too expensive. Then after I left the surgery she called to say, oops, theres lactose in what I prescribed, it's probably only a little bit but check with the pharmacist. Pharmacist says there's loads in there, no use if I have a severe intolerance! then doctor calls again to say erm the constipation meds have lactose in too... I have to go back to the surgery to get a new prescription and ended up getting the films anyway... only to find no pharmacies in the area had either meds so I've had to order them in!
Met the husband at a supermarket after work to see what i may be able to try. Got some soya yoghurts to try a thicker texture. Got some kids smoothies that contain strawberry, banana and apple juice. If they are too thick I can blend them more. Also some more actimel type drinks but supermarket own brand, much cheaper!. Got some lactose free butter and lactose free spreadable cheese for in a few weeks when i can manage mashed potato

Pain - even less pain on deep breathing today, yay! Slept well last night too, just soreness now when I sleep on my side. Incision near my bra - I've cut a piece of cotton wool and stuck it over and now have a normal bra on! No pain but it is a bit itchy. All incisions are though, i think its the glue they used on them . It's starting to flake and peel a little now. Healing is looking good to me. Still bruised around them, especially the far left one!

Tongue still white and mouth feels a bit gloopy from time to time. Bad taste almost gone now.

I did a hiccup before, it wasn't too painful. Keep feeling like I am burping but nothing seems to come out... but I think a tiny amount is coming out each time as it feels good after.

Oh, and the best thing about the day - no more surgical stockings! Surgeon said as long as I kept up my level of activity I could lose them

Laura, we are about the same as I had mine on May 31, 2018. I had a better experience and was asleep before they did anything. I woke in the operating room. I went to my room an hour later. Mild incision pain. I had Tylenol at bedtime and went home in the morning. I’m learning how to eat by trial and error. My incision sore are almost healed. I went back to work yesterday and, although very tired, I’m ok. I’ve had no heartburn at all, discomfort usually passes quickly. I’m eating eggs, yogurt, popsicles, vegetables, soup, lunch meats, etc. I’m sure hoping I can have a Diet Coke some day! Good luck and hope it goes well for you

Hi Laura, I have been reading your journey since surgery. I am glad that you decided to post it here. This will help many others that are potential surgical candidates. Yes, I am sure that you were quite terrified reading some of the stories here at HW. We just have to remember that many of the people that post in public forums do not always have the outcome they wanted after surgery. There are so many different variables & reasons why a person may have issues after surgery.

The total recovery can be pretty lengthy, expect some speed bumps along the way, but do not get discouraged if you hit one. The food issue is something to pay mind to, do not compare what you can or cannot eat to anyone else. Everyone is different just don't force food, eating several small meals a day can help avoid a lot of things.

I hope your recovery continues on the good path. We have a member named SharonZ that posts & helps out a lot in this forum. Keep an eye for some of her posts here. She is quite experienced in this area & offers great tips.

Nothing really changed yesterday.

Today I woke up and my legs were achy again, they have been since surgery. At first I thought it was the surgical stockings and it was a little better once they came off. But i keep getting bouts of...discomfort, like a cramp might be about to start. In both legs but more the right. I called the hospital who were like, hmmm well maybe you should get it checked out or maybe wait till tomorrow and see your GP. I asked, if not DVT, what do you think it could be? They didn't know. So off I went to A&E. Luckily I was seen quickly and they took blood. Its come back as slightly raised. This could be because of my recent op. It could be the way my blood reacted with the serum in the tub. Or maybe it is DVT. Good old NHS, the scan department was closed so they gave me a shot in my stomach which is was they would do if it was confirmed DVT... just in case. And I have to go back tomorrow for a scan.

If it is DVT then I'm gonna have to continue having daily injections until I can manage pills again.... I'm only 10 days in though so that will be a while! And I go on holiday in less than 3 months and so I'm worried I won't be able to go.... I'm not a happy bunny right now and my anxiety is not helping. Roll on tomorrow morning... I just need to know either way.

Other than that, all is going fine. Potato is my friend, I can manage it mashed and it feels like it fills me a bit more.

No real updates... have had scrambled egg which seemed fine. Have found that the nutritional drinks my GP prescribed me give me diarrhoea... Going to see gp tomorrow to discuss this. I feel ok apart from anxiety problems, every twinge scares me!

I'm a few days off 6 weeks now and things are much better. I'm still not back at work because my extremely restricted diet means I still tire very easily. I'm hoping that when i see the surgeon on Thursday, he'll allow me to return to the restricted foods which means I will have a lot more choice of food! Also hoping I can start taking tablets again soon. I can take lactase tablets to allow me to eat dairy. Also I usually take iron tablets as my iron levels are low and so this is probably not helping with my tiredness!

I'm eating more now, been having fish, potato smily faces, veggie fingers, even has a small portion of baked beans with no bad effects. Having crackers with lactose free cheese spread. Also, Danish loaf as its so light and airy, been having toast and also sandwiches using this.

I had one bad night when I ate too quickly and too much and had pain for hours. Learned from that!! I'm gonna continue to only eat small meals and slowly for some time and try to increase portions bit by bit.

Thanks Susie! I've been for my 6 week appointment with the surgeon, he's really happy with my progress and said I can remove all restrictions from my diet, just keep with smaller meals and eat slowly and figure what works best for me. Seems like a good plan, I can't eat a lot anyway!

He also told me that he took a biopsy during the op and found I have Barretts Oesophagus, so it's back to the gastroenterologist for me to decide what to do next. I was told I might need an ablation and wil need to be monitored with a gastroscopy about every 2 year. Wonderful. I'm not happy about this, but there's nothing I can do but wait to see the gastroenterologist and follow his advice. One of the reasons I decided to have this surgery to was prevent getting Barretts, so I'm a little peeved! Nothing was noticed during my scope in January so it looks like it's a very new thing. When I had the Nissens there was acid and bile sitting in my oesophagus when they went in, no wonder I've been having problems!

I had the pain for quite some time, and waited until 6 weeks were up to drink alcohol. I can only have a little at the moment!

I seem to always feel slightly off, I know its only coming up to 7 weeks but wondered if anyone else felt like a pressure part way up their oesophagus a lot of the time? It feels similar to reflux but with no acid or burning feeling, it also feels a bit like I might need to be sick at times but I'm not. I guess this is something that should esae with time, but can anyone reassure me?

I have ondansetron but not needed it yet, it never gets bad enough. And I am gonna keep my alcohol intake down because I don't wanna put myself in a position where I make myself ill! I've found that by sticking with less food that I feel ok most of the time so will keep doing this until my body tells me to eat a bit more..

HI Laura me having my surgrey nissen fundoplication and hiatal hernia back in may 2017 I got great advice form these blogs even after six months I did not feel any better so making it now been a year and three months later I am still learning what I can and can not eat.. One good benefit for me was getting back in the gym last July after ten years not working out at the time of my surgery I weigh in at 206 I drop 26 pounds by September 2017 now my current weigh is 185lbs and trying for a new goal of 170lbs letting the workouts do all the work at this point but between six months to a year you will figure out
whats best for you and your intake everyone is different in there recovery you will learn a lot like I did over the year of my documenting my recovery I decided to stop post in my blog just was checking on my own trend and look to see how other people was doing so I decided to reach out to you today you just have to give it time take care in your own recovery

Well my gastro tells me the symptoms I am having are very normal and nothing to worry about. That makes me feel loads better! He also says that my Barretts has been caught so early that he should be able to laser it off and if successful, I will no longer have Barretts - I will be cured! Gonna get scheduled in for that soon, it's just done during and endoscopy so it's simple.