Wow, great smilies on this forum! I am a veteran of one of the world's great forums, which was very well moderated and I met the most amazing friends there (in person, cross country.) Well my soap is dead but I am not so here goes:
I too had a NF w/hernia repair. I'm 2 weeks out of surgery and my surgeon wants to see me in 3 months; off the PPI, one week prior to test...
This is a major milestone in itself.
I've been reading about
people's experiences post-op and I'd like to share my experience pre-op as well. My 'journey' (effin' hell!) and what I've learned, applicable to others, I hope.
I had been suffering for 3 1/2 years, slept on my recliner for 2 (I'm back on it currently; it's deeper in the mid-section) and a hospital bed (with modified mattresses) until the surgery on March 19th.
I was turned down by 4 hospitals, even the Mayo Clinic (17 tests in total) before FINALLY a terrific surgeon in Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles said, "yes, you are a candidate for this procedure." I don't know if it was political (read: $) or what but had they said again, "Sorry, graze" (yes, heard that from a renowned hospital), I probably would have to be institutionalized for a psychotic break!! This disorder has been so debilitating (and frustrating being denied care) that I spent 20 months in an out-patient mental health program. All I did was declare daily, "I just want to lie down. I need surgery!" I bored the crap out of me!
Please allow me to say that I lost a bunch of friends and family members who sadly, did not believe me. (The SOC boards saved my life with the camaraderie I found there.) In addition, I have no parents, spouse, siblings or children to help me (I'm 55.) I also sold my car (too sick to take care of it) and the cash has allowed me to hire someone to help me in the early days of recovery. Who knew how hard some seemingly easy tasks were ('can you put on my socks, please?!')
During the first 4 months of retching nightly (I lost 35 lbs in 5 months), I did a huge amount of research on GERD and HH's (I have 2 degrees and many nurses in the family.) Much of which didn't work (meds could not fix a HH or relaxed LES.) I moved to CA many moons ago when I was juicing, and taking boatloads of vitamins because I perceived it as a healthier place to live. *cough*
I hope I know from whence I speak.
I had the most rigid diet but very specifically laid out. I panicked ('no bread for 6 weeks, are you for real?') The hospital stay sucked (everybody OUT of my room, I'm trying to sleep here!) but I was mostly prepared with probiotics, prebiotics, lots of ALKALINE items (coconut water, chlorella for greens/chlorophyll, etc.) I even took a picture of the 1st weeks diet cause it was so bizarre (Malt-0-meal, baby food, yams (no skins, yum), tapioca, jello, ice cream and green tea.) I longed for the first Saltine (with sea-salt, of course) and ate so many (before bed) and blew up the next morning. O.K., not so good.
Many of the items on the plan are truthfully NOT good for you. They are the sort of things that create gas/AR, etc. to begin with. Ensure: not good. I used pure brown rice protein mixed with cottage cheese (or dissolved in chicken stock) then discovered that my beloved can of tuna has like 40 grams of protein in a serving. And, it went right down.
So, you can have sugar, cake, pie and
cookies after a week or so. BAD! I indulged in an angel food cake and vanilla meringue
cookies. My tummy became an incubator; put me in the oven and press bake!
But, So Delicious makes a great coconut milk (not everyone's cup of tea, I know) ice cream. Every ingredient is alkaline and a virtual zero glycemic index.
Also overindulged (iHop) and had the so-called dump the next day. Thanks for the explanation on that posters.
I don't know if you're allowed to post links so if you're still reading this, please understand that in order to facilitate the best all-around healing process, one must reduce the amount of acidity one's diet alone, has caused.
Just because it's on your diet plan, doesn't mean it's not going to combine in your mouth, esophagus and stomach in an acidic way. Proteins and carbohydrates don't digest together. Fruits need to be eaten alone. Using alkalizing drops even in your tap water will help to reduce acidity (I use in my soups too/tea.) Another thing that is something to consider is "Pulling." This technique (new to me) can help reduce the toxins and acids, starting in the mouth. I use coconut oil myself but can be done with others as well (olive, etc.)
I hope all this pontificating has helped another person in their recovery.
I came here today because of wound pain (left side) and to see what is normal in terms of healing. I hope I have given posters some hope in their recovery as well.
Link removed as it leads directly to the sales of this person's work.
Post Edited By Moderator (stkitt) : 4/6/2012 6:01:50 PM (GMT-6)