Sicking up after Nissen - what happens?

The doctor will prescribe an anti-nausea med for you to take if you feel the need to puke.
Some people have throw up after healing, but it's not fun.
The key is if you feel it's going to happen get that pill in quick or drink the liquid.
Since my surgery I've felt it coming and was able to swallow my pill before it got worse.
I get the flu shot, Tdap, and pneumonia shot to prevent those types of illness that can cause coughing or nausea.
As far as food poisoning I never eat anything questionable.

Wow. Thanks girls!

I'm not so much worried about the right after part.
They've had me on phenegran daily since June and I assumed they would keep me on it.
I can't even remember the last time I threw up since I started taking it - it's just that it happened so often before - that I wondered what would happen once I'm healed if I dont keep on taking it.
You can take meds if you're sick to prevent vomiting if you know you need it, but for me, spontaneous barfing has always been an issue related to getting too nervous, some sights, and some smells. You cant plan for that and it has always been instantaneous - as in - I smell a skunk or whatever and boom, I'm vomiting.
I just didnt know what would happen if THAT happened once I got better.
I have read that I'll need to make sure it doesnt happen for the first 4 to 6 months but I assumed that at some point I would stop taking anti-nausea meds and go back to living a normal life. Maybe not?

I can be careful, get shots, avoid sick people, even hold off on my favorite foods for a while - but eventually I'm going to want my life back and sushi is my favorite food in the world. I cant accept the idea of never eating it again - but it comes with the risk of getting a bad piece and getting sick. It's only happened to me once but it can happen and I wondered if that would mean (I'm embarrassed to type it) something like an "emergency evacuation" from the other end that hit as fast as my stomach normally empties - I'd just die of humiliation - or if it meant that the vomit would rise and get caught, maybe choke me, once the surgery is healed, if it couldnt get out past the wrap.
It's sort of a comfort to know that you WERE able to do it when you had to.
I can't thank you enough for telling me that.
I was positively obsessing over it......

....because I'm not sure I would ever go get my stomach pumped no matter what happened.... crowded and loud places are very hard for me to deal with. As a high functioning autistic person I have structured my life so that I am rarely, if EVER, in a situation with lots of people around me where I have to deal with lots of background noise. I find it very upsetting.
The ER is a terrifying and upsetting ordeal for me.

I'm lucky because my gastroenterologist has an austistic son and was familiar with us - sometimes it's hard finding doctors for us - and he and my surgeon are friends.... so my special needs have been and will be addressed with my care and hospitalization.
No loud ER rooms involved! : )
I'll likely be on anti-anxiety meds along with painkillers and anti-nausea meds for the duration of my stay in the hospital so I'm not too worried about that part - and since the rooms are private in Memorial I won't have to deal with a stranger who might want to turn on the tv. or have strangers in to visit.

Oh dear, I'm rattling on.

I just meant that I'm one of those people who often won't go for help so the information you've given me here is more valuable than you know. It means my body might be able to fend for itself if the time comes that it needs to - which is a relief.
Just in case though, I think I'll ask for suppositories to keep on hand.
I already keep phenegran but wasnt sure if I would be able to swallow it after the operation.
Some people on here have said they had a hard time getting water down which I find to be very scary but I also understand that it passes when the swelling goes down.
I've already started shrinking my stomach with a liquid diet so that that feeling won't be too new for me afterward.
I don't like sudden changes - I prefer slow preparations. : )

I dont know what I would have done had I not found this message board.
I was utterly terrified of what was coming before I did - so, thank you again.
Thank you so much.

Zhykitty,
Ask away...any tiny, niggling worry you have in your head...lay it out here, and we'll do our best to answer your question.

We were also where you are, and found this forum to be a wonderful, supportive, and informative source. Doctors don't know what we know...we have been through it. They know the technical piece, and the medical ins and outs, but we know what really happens and how to deal with it!

Any question you ask will help some other lurker or new member looking for the same answers!
Don't worry. It's not that bad. You'll do just fine!
Denise

Hi ZhyKitty,
Glad you're asking! No sense if worrying about something if you can get some answers. That's what's so great about this forum. It helped me tremendously before, during, and after my surgery!

Right after the surgery, you will go to the recovery room. You'll still feel a bit sedated, but you'll wake up and hear lots of goings-on around you. Someone will notice that you're awake, and ask you if you're comfortable. You'll be really cold, so they put some heated blankets on you. You might be thirsty, so they'll give you a spongeful of water (as I recall). They'll ask you some questions and chat to determine when you're ready to be moved back to your room.

I really don't remember any pain. I was worried I might have an NG tube (in your nose to your stomach to suck out any blood, etc.). Very few do have them, and didn't need it. Most don't.

I remember thinking how much better it had been than I'd imagined.

Back at my room, they'll hover over you, making sure you're comfortable, and that your IV is all set. (They'll have one for administering necessary meds for a while.) You will have a little pain from the incisions, but the pain meds will take care of it just fine.

In order to get out you'll have to be able to walk to the bathroom and urinate. You'll also have to be able to swallow. I remember my first sips of water were a bit difficult right after surgery, but once the anesthesia wore off completely, it was really quite easy to drink. Of course you have to take it easy.

My night nurse suggested I walk a lot...every time I went to the bathroom, I hiked around the square that was the hallway in my section of the hospital. I did a lot of walking, to avoid the shoulder pain caused by gas built up in your gut. The surgeon pumps your abdomen full of air so he/she can see what he/she is doing.

After breakfast, some talks with staff, when the doctor finally gets there to release you, you're heading off for home.

As far as getting out of bed, roll to your side, and push up with your elbow. At about the same time, swing your lets over the side of the bed. You won't want to strain your abdomen by sitting up the normal way.

Really, you'll be quite able to take care of yourself if you take it easy. Be sure you have chairs everywhere, in case you want to sit down. (The narcotic meds can make you dizzy). Be sure to have Liquid Motrin or Tylenol on hand. You'll want to switch to that within a couple days. The incision pain is very little. My rib area incision hurt more because I was coughing nonstop with my asthma. The incisions hardly hurt at all, and you won't even need the Motrin/Tylenol long at all.

Be sure to prepare whatever types of food you'll need, so you won't have to do much preparing. Check with your surgeon about what his eating protocol entails.

As far as smoking goes...I'm not a smoker, so I have no idea. Maybe someone else will have some experience with that.

Hope that helped put your mind at ease. I'm with you. I'd much rather be prepared.

Hi there, I had a Nissen Fundoplication with a 360 wrap 8/6/10.  I had a morphine pump and a nasogastric tube until 0500 the next morning.  I was sent home with Vicodin and used it for a few days.  I am able to belch.  The surgeon sent me home with Zofran for any nausea. It dissolves under the tongue.  He told me to call any any time for refills of it.  In my case, I lost the morphine pump button and the NG tube caused severe pain in my throat and ear.  Once the pump button was found I was again without pain after a few hours.  It was heaven after the NG tube was removed.  The incisions healed quickly.  They were very small.  As far as the smoking, I don't think you'll care at that point (I'm a former smoker.)  I'm eating carefully and have no heartburn or reflux.  I take my daily medication for other conditions in pill form.  I was off of work (desk job) one week and 1/2 days the second week.  I wish I would've had at least two full weeks off but I survived.  I'm grateful that I could have the surgery.  I wish you well.

ZhyKitty I just had the surgery on Monday I didn't have any problem with pain they kept it undercontrol very well. The question about the cathater is yes they put one in while you are in surgery and take it out before you wake up. And as long as you are luckier than I was you don't have to have it put back in in other words if you can go to the bathroom your good. I couldn't go and had to have another cathater put in actually twice because my bladder wasn't waking up I guess. I took me a long time to come out of the anasthesia about a day and a half to come out completely. I ended up staying 3 full days because of the bladder and Nausia issues but they took good care of both. You will do great.

It's not that bad getting in and out of bed just roll to your side and go very slow your body will let you know if you are pushing it too hard. My blood pressure has actually been really good since I was in the hospital have not had any medication for it since sunday the doctor just told me to monitor my blood pressure and as long as it doesn't go to high not to worry about taking it. I can swallow fine I can belch a little but it hurts. I have not been very hungary just eat a little bit to keep my energy up I still try to drink a lot of water and juice. And yes I can go to the bathroom now without any trouble still on the flowmax for a while will go to the uroligist next week to see when I can stop taking it. Don't worry about asking so many questions that's the only way you and others like us learn.

I slept in the recliner for the first week because it was easier getting in and out of it than the bed. I later slept on my right side because it felt more comfortable.
They did not give me a catheter with my surgery. I asked my surgeon if I would have one and he told me no because my surgery would be a very short time. My surgery took only 40 minutes.
I found out about the phenegan burning veins during my hospital stay. They put Demerol on top of a shot of phenegan and messed up my vein. My arm was swollen and tender for two weeks. I had to keep ice packs on it to keep it from hurting.
To keep your stomach from hurting when you get up and down you need to bend from your hips and lift with your legs. It's rather tricky, but it works great.

Do you have a comfortable couch? It might be easier to getting on and off.
The pain wasn't that bad. To be honest I'm having more pain with my bad back right now than the pain I had with my surgery.

I understand. My house has been packed to the rafters before, too. Just be careful getting up and down and don't strain yourself.

ZhyKitty, I had a hiatal hernia repair too with the Nissan fundo. Surgery lasted 3 1/2 hours. I think you will do very well. Off topic: I discovered Idahoan Potato brand makes individual servings of mashed potatos. Tasted good and convenient to toss an envelope in my purse for work. I will keep you in my thoughts.

I've only found them at Walmart.