HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

ESOPHYX TIF surgery & recovery update

Support Forums
>
GERD & Acid Reflux
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 7/8/2011 5:39 PM (GMT 0)

Hello all, I had my surgery on 6/30 Thurs., came home on Sat. I had a sore throat for a couple of days and some stomach spasms (cramping w/sharp stabbing feeling) lasting for approx. 6 seconds. The sharp pain is finally gone (had this for 6 days, this was happening 4-6 times per hr.).   I was on a liquid diet for a week and today was my first soft meal, cream of wheat, scrambles eggs and hazelnut coffee/hazelnut creamer (it was like a desssert). Couldn't finish it all but I took small bites and waited a min. before the next. So far all is well. Didn't even burp which I guess may be a good thing. I'm not sure what to expect but the fact that before this procedure I would have burped at least 25 times by now. I was given nausea meds to take up to 3 times per day but I stopped that 2 days ago, also stopped all pain med after coming home. The only real discomfort was my sore throat and rather than take pain meds I chose to tolerate it. So from now until my follow up in 3 weeks I don't know what to expect. Is some burping normal? What if I can't and don't burp? Also, if at my follow up the Doc says all went well then my next step is to have a stomach emptying test as my Doc says I may need. I told him when I eat (this was prior to surgery) 6 or more hrs. will pass and I feel as if I ate 20 mins. ago. Also we will proceed with planning to do the esophageal ablation to deal with Barrett's which was still present when he did the esophyx. Also, I am to continue all PPI's for the next 2 mths. They didn't work for me before surgery but I'll follow his orders. Hope to be off of them completely. If anyone else would like to share their progress I would love to know what your experience has been like. My procedure was a partial wrap due to the fact I have a very poor motility issue (esophagus).

Posted 7/8/2011 6:01 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome fellow Wrapper!
It sounds like everything's going fine. I had a partial wrap, too, I was burping from day one. However, everyone is different in recovery.
For the first 14 days you'll continue to swell making swallowing a little tricky. You might want to stick with liquids or things that can be chewed to a liquid until then.
Posted 7/8/2011 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the advice. It's not like those smoothies I was downing were so hard to tolerate. :) The morning after surgery they brought me broth, soy milk, jello and coffee. Lunch came around and it was beef broth, mashed potatoes, pudding and soy milk. Dinner came (sat right next to lunch that I hadn't even started). I had cream of chkn soup, pudding and jello. The next morning for brkfst they brought me scrambled eggs, cream of wheat, soy milk and coffee. They wanted to see if I could at least swallow ok before discharging me. Then my Doc gave me a post op plan which states to follow a FULL FLUID diet for one week. I will listen to my body, take it slow and stay positive.
Posted 7/8/2011 10:23 PM (GMT 0)
CaliLady

I am glad your surgery is behind you and I believe you are on the right track...............listen to your body and go slow.  I have not had the surgery so I am your bonafide cheer leader to help you get through the post-op weeks.

Gentle Hugs,

Kitt

Posted 7/9/2011 7:10 PM (GMT 0)
Calilady - Did you have a wrap or TIF? I had a TIF on 4/14 and am still on Nexium. I went off Nexium at 2 weeks and had some of the worse acid reflux that I have ever had and the doctor told me to go back on Nexuim. I was on a liquid diet plus yogurt and cottage cheese for two weeks and then soft foods like mashed potatoes, noodles, and tofu for 5 weeks. I think that the TIF surgery made my gastritis come back and now I am on carafate to calm down my stomach.
Posted 7/10/2011 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
Tandem Rider...I had the ESOPHYX TIF but w/partial wrap. A full wrap would have been ok if I didn't have a motility problem. My Doc suggested a partial wrap to start off and if that was too tight (making swallowing diificult) then he can do a procedure to stretch the esphagus a bit. I went w/the TIF because of my limited choices due to the motility issue. I have been on Prilosec 40mg (1 per a.m.) since 11/2010. In April he added Pepcid 40 mg (1 before bed). The only thing these meds did for me was after a few mths on Prilosec the gnawing pressure (no burn) in the center of my chest decreased by 50% however by April I started getting severe burning in my mouth, gums, lips, tip of tongue and down the back of my throat. Also, I was hoarse 3-4 days out of the week. My esophagus has been damaged big time, thus I have Barrett's. I am to stay on current PPI's for 2 mths following surgery. After that my Doc will let me know of the new game plan.....stop PPI's cold turkey, wean me or stay on a bit longer. The point of having surgery was to get off these meds and hopefully repair the LES so that I don't reflux causing continous damage to my esophagus. I'm amazed at how many ppl have been on PPI's for mths even yrs. I was told and have done my research that long term use has it own set of problems. Me being a woman and under 50 I was facing bone fractures. Too early for that. Besides, the meds didn't work for me so why put them in my body? I am on my 10th day and I have no pain from surgery, no acid taste (I have silent reflux too) and haven't burped. I have had a few hiccups which hurt a bit. So as I recover I will continue tp pray that meds are not in my future and that I will never ( or close to it) experience the pain I did prior to surgey. Maybe I won't be completely cured but a major improvement is what I'm shooting for.
Posted 7/10/2011 4:13 PM (GMT 0)
CaliLady - Thank you for your reply. I now understand that you had both and I wish you well on your recovery. I know that the diet gets old but stay with it as it is important for the success of your TIF. My reflux was not as bad as yours but it gave my the gnawing pain in my chest and interrupts my sleep for 2 - 4hours every night. I have been on PPIs for 8 years and now think that I will always be on them (I am male and 61.) Blood tests can show the calcium in you blood and you might ask your doctor if that shows that you are digesting the calcium.
Posted 7/10/2011 5:37 PM (GMT 0)
Tandem Rider....I wish you well too:) I have taken Calcium supplements since my twenties and prior to beginning the PPI's my primary doctor ordered a bone density test...my first one and this will be used as a baseline for before PPI's and after. My GI doc also says to continue w/my vitamin regimen. Before going on PPI's I added vitamin D-3 (1000 mg) per day to ensure that the calcium gets absorbed. I will ask (insist) that I have another bone density test in Nov, 1 yr after beginning PPI meds to see if I have a risk of fractures or other issues. Bone fractures do happen in men as well so have you been advised of the risks of taking PPI's long term. I'm really hoping my surgery was a success because meds didn't work for me at least the ones I was on. Perhaps if my Doc tried other meds, dosages or a combination it may have helped. But with me having dysphagia, poor motility, LES and Barrett's this seemed like the best route for me. This Doc understands me in that I am proactive w/my health and filling me w/meds and telling me to "wait and see" if Barretts progresses to cancer is not acceptable. This is what my first GI Doc perscribed for me. That's when I asked for a referral to another Doc who is more agressive and "up on things". He got what I was saying and I now have a Doc that respects my desire to have a happy, good quality of life instead of settling for what one Doc told me. I have learned alot from the other members on this board. All treatment is not a one size fits all but the end result is we all want to feel healthy and that this GERD is a real issue and impacts us greatly. We are all struggling to find what works for us and we are all on a mission or at least to give insight so that they may have the support. I found that here. One question....what did you mean when you wrote "I had both"? My procedure was done through my mouth (TIF) and the partial wrap (270 degree) was done. The top of my stomach was pulled up around my LES and then clips were used to hold in place. This took about 2 1/2 hrs. When I go for my follow up I will see the pics as well as the report on the biopsy of my esophagus. Have a nice day and good health to you! By the way, how was your recovery process? I also went w/ ESOPHYX TIF because I was told this was reversible should I need to do so. I'll ask to have a blood test to check if I am digesting calcium....thanks for the advice.
Posted 7/10/2011 6:16 PM (GMT 0)
CaliLady - You are on top of it and good for you. I thought that you had the TIF and the words "partial wrap" made me think that you also had part of a Nissen (sp) Fundoplication wrap. I had not heard of having both but thought that maybe you were a special case. I think my TIF was about 290 degrees and 3 cm. long. My procedure was like yours. I am some better on reflux but still not sleeping and I think that I have some reflux. The pain meds upset my stomach and I refluxed some food the first night in the hospital and have wondered if I tore some of the staples loose. I think that my gastritis is back and I have some spasms from my stomach or esophagus. Like you, I liked that the TIF is reversible and the stomach can release gas. The Heart Burn clinic at my local hospital recommended the TIF and my surgeon had done about 40 when mine was done. This has been a long journey for me also. Since I started 10 years ago I have had my gall bladder out because of stones, found hemochromatosis which is a genetic trait for high iron, gastritis, and the reflux. The treatment for hemochromatosis is to draw out blood so I have had 9 units taken out in the last 18 months and my iron is now normal. Two or three units per year should keep my iron in the normal range. Each time I thought that I had found the answer to my not sleeping. Good luck on your TIF recovery and your treatment for reflux.
Posted 12/15/2013 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
I had tif in oct I just started having some reflux and had some spasms that went up my throat clear up to my ear anyone else had this happen?i still have to watch the small amounts I eat and not spicy.
Posted 3/7/2015 3:41 AM (GMT 0)
Has anyone here decided to go with Linx rather then TIF? I have a consult on Thurs for Linx but may not qualify since I have Barretts and HH.

Post Edited (GIANI) : 3/6/2015 8:57:34 PM (GMT-7)

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply