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Had my surgery yesterday - Raphael - Part 1 0f 2 - Closed

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 9/2/2009 11:50 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Rafael,
Glad things are turning a bit for you. You're 3 weeks out, so the swelling is probably starting to diminish. Also, it takes time for your esophagus to heal after years of acid. You'd be the best one to know if your palpitations are GERD related. Many GI docs don't make the connections that we can. I was told that my asthma wasn't caused by my GERD by more than one GI doc, yet the surgery has provided total relief (I do have allergies, so at times I have a bit, but NOTHING like the uncontrolled, constant wheezing, coughing, mucous, etc.)

You're just 3 weeks out from a huge revision of your GI tract, so try to be patient. You'll have some ups and downs, but you're headed towards a better life! My asthma didn't clear for 2 and a half months, so have patience with your GERD-related symptoms. It takes time for your body to recover.

Mary,
Hang in there...it'll take time, but you'll be doing great before you know it. If you can surrender to the process and let the recovery lead you, it'll be a lot easier, and you'll feel a lot better. You can't rush this.

Have a great day, everyone!
Denise turn
Posted 9/3/2009 3:06 AM (GMT 0)
Thnak you all for the replys. It does feel very good to finally see results.

Today was a good day though I have been having some stomach cramping due to constapation. My lower left side hurts. Not surgery related othe than the fact that I cant eat enough to have regular bowel movements.

I had a fast morning today. I saw my family doctor who I thanked for getting the ball rolling and helping get to where I am today. He reminded me that he promised that he wouldnt give up on me when he couldnt narrow down what the problem was. i wish there were more doctors out there that cared that much about people like me. I thanked him for doing so.

After that I went to the auto parts store with my dad to get some parts for his car. We were gone a total of 1.5 hours and when I got hokme I felt ery tired. We drove My SUV as it has a more cushioned suspendion than his little mazda Protoge. I can feel ever pebble on the road in his car! When I fgot home I felt that I had over doen it a bit and rsted the rest of the day finally taking a 2 hour nap in the late afternoon.

I had 3 slices, about 1/2" thick of a Californa Roll. Yes, Sushi. It had cooked crab, avacado, and tiny slivers of carrot. It was ssoooooooo delicious!!

I have had some palpitations come back. Veryy, very light flutters that the average person probably wouldnt feel but i'm so in tune with feeling them that I know they are there. I have had maybe a total of 20 all day and I know that soon they will be gine for ever. Even if they dont, I can deal with them so light.


I hope every one else finds themselfs in as good of a mood as I have been the last few days, and that you all continue to heal well.

Good nite,
Rafael
Posted 9/3/2009 7:21 AM (GMT 0)
 

HI All,

Hope everyone is doing well tonite :)

Rafael, I saw your post. Wow, I am so happy for you. You seem to doing very well. Keep it up, friend :) Rafael, did you have your surgery at USC

1500 San Pablo  Hospital?

I live in Los Angeles,CA.

I am heading to USC for surgery next week. My dr finally give me the green light to move forward.

Very scare Yup - nod nod  - but at the same time - haffy - cause - I hope I can get my life back and move forward with so many things that I want to do with my family & kids. I am a beach bump -sunset -

Thank everyone for all being so cool and all the wonderful help.

Take care, all.

Marie

Posted 9/3/2009 7:29 AM (GMT 0)
Soooooooooooo glad its workin out for you rafeal :-) :-) :-)   When i had my surgery my palpitations were gone too.The surgeon had a blank steer when I told him.You are so corect my friend.Its deff related :-) :-) :-) oooooooooooood luk
Posted 9/3/2009 2:44 PM (GMT 0)
Great new Rafael I happy you are feeling better and I pray thins only keep improving for you.

Marie congrats on your surgery date. Thinks will only get better for you. I understand about your feelings toward surgery I am always a little nervous before I go in my self. Things we feel so much better afterwards. Keep us posted and you will be in my prayers
Mary
Posted 9/3/2009 5:08 PM (GMT 0)
Marie, that is where I got it done. Who are you scheduled to see there? I had it done by Dr. Katkhouda who is the professor of Lap Surgery there but I'm sure every one else there has learned under him so even if he doesnt do yours, you will still be in the best hands in SoCal. I have not had any issues with the wrap or acid reflux since and dont expect to. My issues where with the pre and post op swelling. I waited 2 months in pain just to see the Dr there and get it done in that hospital after reading that they are the best. The thaught of surgery is nerve wrecking but soooooooo worth it! Just take care of yourself afterwards and you will recover in no time.

Thanks to everyone for the good vibes and well wishes!!!
Rafael
Posted 9/3/2009 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
 

Hi Rafael and Mary,

I went into USC for the Pre-OP today. The Dr. told me everything seems ok.

So I will be going in next week - for the surgery.

I see Dr. John Lipham at USC. He is a pretty cool dr.

Rafael, I think I  saw the  Dr. Katkhouda name show up at one of the brochure at USC today while I was there today for the Pre-OP.

Everyone there seem so nice and so helpful.

They explain everything about the procedure -like what to do before the nite to prepare for the procedure, etc.

Rafael and Mary -

What type of food and med you need to prepare  before the surgery?

I want to get those ahead of time before I am going in for the surgery.

I know right after surgery, I may be in too much pain to go anywhere to buy any food or med... Will you experience a lot of pain right after surgery -Will the pain subside a week later?

Mary and Rafael -

Thank much for the very kind words - You all been so awesome.

Please take care *Big Smile*

Marie

Posted 9/3/2009 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
Rafael-
I haven't been on here much lately with trying to get myself healed and ready to go back to work next week. I am very glad to hear things are improving though. This is about the time things should start to really excel, but if you over do it remember to go back a couple steps and let things calm down. It gets real easy to rush it from here on out.

Take care,
Bill
Posted 9/4/2009 3:16 AM (GMT 0)
Hello all. Bill, I am taking it one day at a time still. I defenitly sont wantto take any steps back. Though I feel more energy than I have felt in a loooong time I know I have to take it easy for our familys sake.

Marie, it sounds like you will be in great hands there no mater what Dr does your surgery at USC. I did a lot of reasearch before deciding to have my surgery there and I could not find one bad thing about that hospital. The staff is great and very eager to make you feel at home after the surgery. My nurse would come in every couple of hours and was allway there in a few seconds just after calling them to my room.

Pre surgey, there isnt much prep other than having a harty meal as it will probably be 48 bours before you eat any thing.

I was fine after the surgery for the first 8 hours or so after all the surgical medication had wore out. After that the pain of the gas they inject in to my body set in and the fact that by that time I was going on 32 hours with no food didnt help eather. They gave me morphine when ever they could but for some reason my body metabolized it very quickly. The morning of the day after surgery they gave me some broth, jello, and decaff tea and just that helped a lot with the pain. They were then able to give me liquid Vicotin which was a blessing. After medication I was able to get up and walk around which helped with metabolizing the gas left over in my body. When they release you make sure you have some kind of pain medication. The liquid Vicotin works really well. It helps me sleep too.


My wife went out and bought me all flavors of Swansons broths, jello, apple sauce, pudding, and oatmeal. I also started to drink Vitamin water. I feel that it helps because it high in "B" vitamins which help with my energy level. My nissen is perfect. The acid cant come up but I can burp when I have lots of air in my stomach. That helped to start eating more solid foods by week 2 like mashed potatoes, chicken noodle soup, basically any thing semi solid that can be chewed to a soft paste.


Last nite was hard again. The inflimation and palpitations come back. I couldnt figure out why I got inflamed again after 1.5 good days and then rememberd that when I saw my family Doctor yesterday he asked me to lay down and he checked my stomach by pushing on it. He caught me off guard and I didnt expect him to do so. IT HURT! A few hours later and the inflimation and palpitatins were back. Thats the only reason I can think of what could of sent me a few steps back. But this evening I can feel it going down a bit again and the palps. are subsiding again.

Thanks again to all for the good words. Have a good evening.
Rafael

Post Edited (rlopez75) : 9/3/2009 9:41:10 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/4/2009 4:40 AM (GMT 0)
Marie
What I got to be ready for the days following surgery weas having plenty of things to drink, I bought some baby food, differant soup broths and some meal replacement drinks. I also got saome gas x melt tabs. I don't know what kink of medication you take now but I had some diabetes pills that I need to take so I also bought a pill crusher since I could not swallow whole pills. I knew my pain mediction was going to be in a liquid form so I also purchased a medicine dropper. Take care and make sure to relax as much as possible after the surgery good luck to you and keep us posted
Mary
Posted 9/5/2009 3:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hello all.

The last few days have been a bit hard, again. I didnt think that when my family Doctor checked my stomach by pushing on it, it would have sent me back a week. I'm sore all over like I was during week 3. I cant believe I let him push on me like that nono  . I should have known better. I dont think he hurt anything permenantly, though. My wrap is still in tact. No reflux, buring, flem in thorat, and I can feel it dialate when I swallow food. actually still hurts a bit when that happens after not eating for a few hours. It feels inflamed again with the palpitations having come back. Its that burning pressure in my chest again. cry

I'm going to vegg. all weekend to see if I can get past this, AGAIN. I'm coming on a month out this monday.......I need to get better...ugh! smhair

Rafael

Posted 9/6/2009 2:11 PM (GMT 0)
rafael-
Definitely protect that stomach. The doctors don't seem to care if they hurt you or not. I went through that while I had my stay at the hospital. I finally told them bluntly...Don't you dare push on my stomach again! They got the hint and didn't do it anymore.

Take care,
Bill
Posted 9/6/2009 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
This really scares me now about going to work. My doctor is releasing me full duty knowing that part of my job is in the jail. At least my supervisors are willing to let me break in gradually. I am sorry you are having problems Rafael I will sy anextra prayer for you
Mary
Posted 9/7/2009 5:26 AM (GMT 0)
Mary, defenitly watch your stomach. I still cant stand to even lay my arm over my stomach when I sleep on my back. Even the covers bother me some times. If the will give you light duty that would be awsome for you.

I work for my sister and her husband and I was told yesterday that there is no work rite now. So it looks like I will be going from disability to unemployment. That is a huge difference and I dont know how we will get by then. This sucks!

My inflimation seems to be the same and so do the palps. I have run out of ideas of what I can do to try and help my recovery other than resting. Some days the palps are very strong and other days theyre just flutters. But its hard to take a deep breath all the time. It seems like I have gone no where as far as recovery since my Dr. hurt me. Tomorrow will be a month and again, i'm not where I expected to be. What hurts me the most is that I thought I would be able to carry my 10 month old son by now but that doesnt seem that will be happening any time soon.

On the bright side I had a slice of bread, toasted, cut in 1/2 with a hand packed burger patty that my wife made.I topped it off with a bit of lettuce and a sliver of tomatoe. I guess it was just a few ounces all together. It went down well and didnt get stuck at all but i still chased it with some Vitamin water just to make sure. I also had 1 egg ansd2 strips of well cooked and dried bacon for breakfast, and for lunch I had a cup of cereal with vanilla soy milk. It seems like my eating is the only thing thats improving as I'm able to eat hartyer food less times a day. Better that than nothing, I guess.

Hope you all are well and healing fine.
Rafael
Posted 9/7/2009 5:57 AM (GMT 0)
Oh Rafael get well soon :-) :-) :-) .How are you now.Hope things get better soon...
Posted 9/8/2009 1:38 AM (GMT 0)
Hello every one. I got to the bottom of what the problem has been with me the last week or so.

After My Dr. hurt me I started drinking the liquid Vicotin, again. Yesterday I noticed that after I took it during the late afternon it hurt very much going down. It burned!! At this point I had been taking it no less than 2 times a day not knowing that the taking t was the reason for the pain. Last nite I took some before sleep and boy did it burn!! I had a hard nite with lots of palps and even some reflux type burning. Thats when it clicked that the Vicotin was making my stomach and esophogus hurt, instead of helping.

I didnt take any at all today and even though the inflimation is still there, the palpitations have not been as persistant as yesterday when I was taking it. I came to the conclusion that the Vicotin was doing the same thing to my esophogus as the stomach acid was before the surgery. That explains why before I saw the Dr. last tuesday I was feeling better. I hadnt stopped taking the Vicotin, 2 days defore.

On a good note I have began to be able to eat 4ozs of an 8oz Lean Cuisin meal! I am so excited that my dinners are so delicious!

Be well,
Rafael
Posted 9/8/2009 3:06 AM (GMT 0)
raf: u try liquid motrin?
griff
Posted 9/8/2009 3:26 AM (GMT 0)
No. Only childrens tylenol which is about 99.9% suger...blaah!

I have to admit that I had come a bit dependent on the Vicotin. But knowing that it was hurting me instead of helping me broke that real quick. I wont even touch it again. I rather deal with the pain that hurt my self like that again.

Rafael
Posted 9/8/2009 3:39 AM (GMT 0)
Your doc say this has happened to others before with the liquid vicodin??
Posted 9/8/2009 4:42 AM (GMT 0)
 

Hi Rafael and Mary

How are you both today?

Rafael, sorry to hear a bout your recent pain from the recent doctor visit. I hope your pain will soon pass & get back to normal quick.

Hey please take care of yourself, Rafael and take it easy.

Thank both - Mary & Rafael for very helpful  tips.

Over the weekend, I was out shopping for some stuff that I will need - for the surgery. I got some gas-x-malox and beano and some soup thing.

While I was out, I also eat some hamburgers (which I was scare to touch for a long time). Wow - it was so good, but I pay for it with so much burn and pain.

I will have mine on Wednesday. Am kinda scare -but am crossing my fingers.

My reflux is so bad - everytime, I drink water, in a minute I will get burn throat . Sometime the burn stay on for a long time. - it hurts.

Hey Rafael and Mary, do you guy have acid reflux symptom -  burn throat before the surgery?

It is so painful. My throat is so raw right now.

Take care, all.

Thnak you.

Marie

Posted 9/8/2009 3:00 PM (GMT 0)
I had a constant throat irritation and pain. I had to keep something nearby to drink because I was constantly coughing due to the throat feeling scratchy and irritated. I was constantly clearing my throat. Now I have none of those symtoms.
Mary
Posted 9/8/2009 4:57 PM (GMT 0)
Griff, I havent seem my doctor regarding the probllem with the Vicotin. I dont feel that I need to. At this point its just feedback from using it and not using it. I'm pretty good at reading my body, unfortunatly. What my GI specialist did tell me before the surgery is that narcotics can cause irritation and even stomach ulsers when used for long periods of time. The Vicotin is alcohol based too, just like Nyquil so you can imagine what that does to an allready inflamed and eroded esophogus like I have.

Marie, I didnt have pain with the burning untill the last six months before my surgery. Some nites the burning was so bad I stayed awake untill 2-3 in the morning, untill sleep eventually won over the pain. I stayed away from fatty foods during that time. I would have a burger only if it was char broiled so teh fat could drain away. I have not had a steak for all most a year now. Even now I stay away from any thing fatty or with heavy fats or cream. When I open up the Progresso soups that I eat I skim all the fat off of the top. You have to remember that fat is hard for your stomach to break down and eating it will cause your stomach to produce more acid than necessary for a normal meal. Even after surgery you should stay away from fatty foods. I hate pain so much that I will give up fatty, fried foods for the rest of my life!!

Dont be scared about your surgery. Like I have said before, the pain I'm in right now will pass so dont let that scare you. Learn from our mistakes. We that have had the surgery can tell you what we did wwrong that made our progress worse.

I should have never let the Dr. push on my stomach. I should of quit the Vicotin after 2 weeks. Cowoy felt good after 2 weeks and over exserted him self and probably hurt himself to the point where he thinks he needs a re do. You might feel like a million bucks after the surgery but please remember that this surgeryis very decieving. Even if you feel 100 times better the week after surgery you will not bee 100% for a few months.

The surgery is for the best. God is with you. :)

Rafael
Posted 9/10/2009 10:24 AM (GMT 0)
youre all so supportive...i even get tears when reading your writings because for once people can understand what im going thru...Im only 25 but my reflux is so bad (Due to a very very defective sphincter) and when I EAT, acids crawl up to my tongue burning me so badly, I cry my eyes out...when Im working, I get reflux sometimes on an empty stomach imagine? I need to eat then to keep the acids down....I take 2 protein pump inhibitors per day but my metabolism is reallllly not doing well with these meds..i got BEAU'S lines on my nails which are a reflection of a systematic disease or maybe I dont know a reflection of what! I need to do my tests soon!

because I am young, docs dont want me doing surgery

one doc recommended I do the new LINX surgery but I am currently not in the US and did not apply for it:(

any one did the LINX surgery:( is it good? should I apply for it? is there something in life that will get me thru this pain:(
Posted 9/10/2009 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
YOu might want to get a second oppinion I don't think age is a factor in doing this surgery. This surgery has been done on children. The reflux medication never gave me any relief. The only thing that did work for a little while was gaviscon. I am not familoiar with the LINX surgery. I had the nissen fkundopliction. I have not had any of the major problems I had before the surgery. Hope you find some relief because I understand how the distresssing this disease is.
Mary
Posted 9/10/2009 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
jules,

i am 22, and my doc insisted (because of my defective spinchter and the 8 plus ppi's ive been on) i get the surgery because im young.. he said children get it done, older people get it done so do younger... insist and push alil!!:D
griff
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