Having Nissen this week

Nice to meet another southern belle! And Teacher! :)
If you make your grits super, super thin you can handle it. I mean it must be like grit soup.
Don't worry after four months you can have all the chocolate and diet coke you want. You can drink diet coke during recovery but it must be flat (as a pancake) to drink.

The anethesia is nothing. They gave me a shot before they did anything to me in the OR. I slid onto the table, was told to put my arm on the rests sticking out and I was gone! I woke up several times in the recovery room. I was very groggy for a couple of hours and then I was fully awake and feeling okay.

Welcome Gee Gee!
I too have had the Nissen and the hiatal hernia surgery.I am 11 weeks post op. I am 62 and I am a transplanted southerner(Kentucky) does that count?? ;-) I grew up (13 years old & up) eating the finest in southern food and that includes grits... YUM! My 2nd day the surgeon had me on full liquid. That is broth, juice, jello, cream of wheat, very thin... etc. I was in the hospital from Friday am until Sunday afternoon. They gave me broth, jello and tea on Fri. after I woke up from the surgery. I must say that I am very susceptible to meds that relax you. I was given something in pre-op and before they got me to the OR I was out. I didn't even know that I was being slid onto the OR table. I don't remember waking up in the recovery room, the first thing I remember was when they were wheeling me to my room. I had some pain but not in my stomach, it was in my shoulders. It went away by late Saturday. I found that if I walked it helped. The pain in my stomach was controlled easily by IV pain meds in the hospital. I stopped those late Saturday and started on pain killers in pill form(crushed) mixed with pudding. I stopped taking pain meds by Wednesday or Thursday. I did not have to take any more PPI's after the morning of my surgery. Some have been told to continue them for a while. I did not eat anything but liquids for 2 full weeks. I did add soft boiled eggs smashed between the 2nd & 3rd week. I started on broiled & baked fish the 3rd week.
The best advice that I can offer is what my surgeon told me. Let your body tell you when you are ready for the next step. If you try it , and it doesn't agree, take a step back for a few days and try again.

Good Luck and keep in touch with the forum. I have been here since 11 days post op. I have been given an enormous amount of good advice, suggestions and support.
Sandi

Dear CGail -
If you had a problem with certain foods before, you will have problems with them in the future, maybe worse. Definitely skip the sodas. Gas is pretty awful to deal with after a wrap, at least for the first year, maybe forever if they do it tight enough to work properly. Food sensitivities DO NOT go away just because you have surgery.

If you've had a problem with some particular sort of anesthesia in the past you have to let the anesthesia dept know in advance, like today. Don't wait until the day of surgery. If you're just worried in general, they'll help you if you tell them when you go in. Ask for something for anxiety as soon as possible.

Don't try eating anything ahead of schedule. Stick with broth and gelatin for several days. Don't add Boost until doc says to.

Ask for, demand meds for nausea before you leave the hospital. Put this on a list of things to do before you go home! If you vomit and wreck your wrap at home it's too late to call in for a med.

Thanks everyone for the food advice, and info on the anesthesia, too. I did tell them during my pre-op workup that I thought I would need something for nausea during the surgery because of the past experience. I will also make sure I get that nausea med before I come home.

I probably will be very careful with the eating schedule, since it took me so long to make up my mind to do this surgery!

Hi Gee Gee,

I'm glad you've joined our forum! Like you, the kind people here at the HW GERD/Heartburn forum gave me the courage to go forward with a much-needed Nissen surgery.

Guess what? A teacher! I retired after 25 years last June, and I'm having a wonderful time babysitting our first grandson two days a week. Don't worry...you'll be fine for babysitting in the fall! Are your kids teachers? (Mine are!)

You've gotten some great advice here. I've been AWOL because of some major family/social activities, but I'm trying to stop in and post as much as possible.

Everyone is different. Every surgeon's protocol is different. I'm a big foodaholic, and fortunately I was matched up with the right surgeon, as he trusted me to select foods sensibly, and set me free to eat whatever I could chew to a complete liquid after Day 6. I was very happy, because chewing was a lot more satisfying than turning on a blender.

I believe that more docs are following a protocol similar to Joy's, although I've found a number of others in the "Wrapped Club" who were set free to eat sensibly.

As Sandi said, be sure to listen to your body. You'll know what you can and can't eat. If your doc gives you the OK to eat foods that can be chewed to a liquid, you'd better believe they have to be chewed to a liquid, or you'll be hurting.

Also...take tiny bites and chew chew chew chew chew. Stay away from cold water...room temp is better, as ice water/very cold water can cause spasms.

Try to walk right away in the hospital...as soon as you feel you can...as it will help alleviate the shoulder pain, which is really annoying after this surgery. At least it worked for me...the more I walked, the better my shoulder felt.

Remember...the wrap will become increasingly more swollen during the first two weeks, peaking at 14 days, so don't be surprised if your swallowing gets worse instead of better. During those rough times, you'll want to eat very carefully. But don't worry...things will get better.

I believe most people get full extremely quickly (1/4-1/2 cup). This is due to the swelling of the stomach...the stomach perceives swelling as fullness, and you'll feel stuffed after eating very little. This gradually subsides over time.

I also emphasize the importance of getting anti-nausea meds and carrying them with you wherever you go. I carry Zofran (tiny tablets you melt under your tongue) and Compazine suppositories...you know where they go! The Zofran is extremely expensive, so I just got a few, and fortunately haven't had to get a refill yet.

Best wishes for a great surgery! We'll be here to welcome you to our "Wrapped Club" when you write your first post after your surgery.

Good luck! You'll do fine...
Denise

Yes, Joy and Denise, I truly think that teaching does have an effect on your digestion! Just think how many times you crammed in that last bite, jumped up and said,"Oh my gosh, they are dismissing my class 2 min. early!" (I taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grade) Now, I sit at the table with two year old twins, and a three year old and say, "Slow down, Dathan, chew your food, No, Daelyn, we do not throw our plate like a Frizzbee when we are finished, and Oh, what nice table manners, Wyatt, look how he is using his napkin!" LOL..... But everyday, I am thanking God that I was able to retire and keep these babies so that they wouldn't have to go to daycare right away. And, yes, Denise, my kids are high school teachers!

Yes, I am nervous, I should be up giving my house that last clean up, but my husband will make a great mess while I am in the hospital, so why worry! I am hoping that tomorrow when I wake up for the second time, I will be reflux free, no more choking to death in the middle of the night! I have to be there at 6am and it is an hour drive. I am an early riser, but not THAT early!

Hi Gee Gee,

I'll be thinking of you tomorrow...you'll do just fine. We'll be ready to welcome you to the Wrapped Club when you feel up to writing your experience after your surgery. If you have any questions at all during your recovery, ask away!

Best wishes!
Denise

Hi there -

I think if you were feeling well enough you'd be on the forum since your surgery was scheduled a couple of days ago.

I'm watching for you and hope to see you up and posting soon.

My own surgery may be this coming Friday.

Keep us posted1

Hi CrabbyGail,

Are you taking tiny bites and chew, chew, chewing? You're only about a month out, and you still need to be careful. You should be able to eat a grilled cheese sandwich if you just nibble and chew thoroughly.

You also need to be sure that the bread is toasted to a very crispy consistency. Otherwise it just kind of balls up and can never be chewed to a liquid. That's definitely a recipe for getting something stuck. Toast is the only way to tolerate bread during the early months. I remember going out to eat and nibbling on just the crust of the breadsticks!

If something does get stuck, don't panic. If you have some warm tea handy, it can help to relax the esophagus, and non-iced water should help to get things through. It has happened to all of us at one time or another. When i was a new Nissen patient, It was described to me as a "hairball" experience, to be coughed up just like kitties do. Generally, though, you can get it through with patience and relaxation techniques.

Hang in there. Before you know it, you'll be eating all the things you want to!
Denise