Hi, Alexis!
I don't know if you remember me. I had a large paraesophageal hernia and had a nissen wrap on Dec 13th. I was a nervous wreck before. Everything turned out so much better than I expected. I was afraid of complications and of having the surgery changed from laparoscopic to
open but none of that happened. I was prepared to be on a liquid diet for weeks but I could eat regular food within 10 days. That may not be the case with you because every surgery and every person is different but just know it may be much easier than you think.
I am still having pain. That is probably because the hernia repair was large- about
10 cm. Other than that, I have no complaints. I was Christmas shopping 6 days after surgery, I felt so well. I did sleep in a chair with my feet up for a few nights because lying flat hurt. I still keep a pillow near me for comfort. I used a pillow in the car for the first week or so. I held it to my stomach to protect from bumps in the road. I was a passenger, not the driver.
I was in the hospital 2 nights. I used pain pills for a week. I ate a lot of yogurt, soup, cream of wheat and warm tea at first but the surgeon said I could try soft foods after leaving the hospital so I tried small amounts and chewed well and found everything went down well. I don't eat meat and have not eaten much bread (crescent rolls) but I loved eating saltine crackers after the soft diet. Another thing- I couldn't wear a bra after the surgery and that drove me nuts . I wish I'd had a tank top bra but I didn't. I ended up wearing an old, stretched out bra when I went out. One of the incisions is right on the bra line.
I wish you the better best and will send you healing thoughts!
Starry
Post Edited (imstarryeyed) : 1/2/2012 10:38:03 AM (GMT-7)