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Posted 4/14/2012 8:14 AM (GMT 0)
It is day 3 post nissen fundoplication surgery and it seems for the last day or so i have received a tirade of abuse from my parents about what i should and shouldn't be doing irrespective of how my body is feeling. I keep getting told i should be eating more...when half a bowl of soup in one sitting fills me up more than is neccessary and causes me pain and being told to force more food down me. I keep getting told i ought to not be in bed and that i should always be sitting downstairs and walking round all the time. All well and good but i am still in excruciating pain. All this telling me what i ought to do and not to do and basically saying to ignore my body is really getting me down and i am torn as to what to do. I am physically exhausted and trying my best to eat etc..i keep saying i only need a few mouthfuls little and often and that i am moving as much as my body physically allows me yet still this is not good enough. Literally feeling so low at this point.
Posted 4/14/2012 12:20 PM (GMT 0)
Do what you feel is best, your family is not you. If you are concerned talk to your doctor but don't let other people tell you what you should do. I just ranted about something like this the other day.
Posted 4/14/2012 2:36 PM (GMT 0)
Politely but firmly tell them to back off. You probably can't eat more than 1/4 cup right now and no one should be forcing anything on your stomach right now.

They are right in that it is better to be mobile, but extremely light walking is enough for you at the moment. You are DAY 3 post-op. Take it easy.
Posted 4/14/2012 2:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hi fightingspirit!

Oh, my goodness!  I think you'll need to have your family come to this forum and read what we say about the early days and weeks of recovery.

You can ask them to read my early recovery journal that clearly discusses the fact that our stomachs can tolerate only tiny amounts of food during the early weeks.

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=45&m=2183443

If you overstuff your stomach at all you will be in more pain.  Everyone who has a Nissen surgery has varying amounts of pain afterward.  Take comfort in the fact that you're in the worst stretch right now and things will improve over time.

Half a bowl of soup is TOO MUCH at one sitting.  That much can be sipped over an hour or so, little by little.

I'm sure they're just trying to help, but you need to let them know that you're communicating with others here who've been through the same surgery and support your desire to listen to your body and follow its lead. 

You can't force this recovery.  It will take its sweet time.  You can help it along by not pushing things. 

Are you taking your pain medication regularly?  How is your shoulder pain?  That is the one thing that could improve with walking around a little.  Still if your other pain is overwhelming and hurts more when you're up and around, do WHATEVER it takes to feel better. 

Perhaps your family could fix up the couch for you so you could rest and recover in their company.  Please tell them that experienced people who've gone through the same recovery you're experiencing have said that they need to let you make your own eating decisions. 

Eating too much at this point can be a HUGE pain trigger.

Some of this problem could be coming from your surgeon's cavalier attitude toward how easy this recovery is.  In my own experience, and the experience of others here, surgeons don't know anything about what it's actually like, and definitely underestimate GREATLY the difficulties and challenges.

That said, having had the surgery three years ago, I can say that you can look forward to a much improved quality of life once your recovery has been complete.

It takes 6 months for most of the healing to occur and a full year for the rest. You will experience gradual improvement over that time. Please continue to post here so we can support you through the healing process.

We're here for you!

Hang in there,

Denise turn

Posted 4/14/2012 3:14 PM (GMT 0)
Show your family the after care brochure!!!  It says to eat 1/4 to 1/2 cup per meal and to have 5 of those       "small"   meals a day ...  just like you think you should have!!  You're right, they are wrong.  Yes, walking after the surgery is important but walking JUST A LITTLE and increase JUST A LITTLE EACH DAY.  Bed rest is needed for several days after surgery!  Surgery puts your body and mind through so much and it needs rest and sleep to recover.  So show them the brochure if you have it, otherwise ask your doctor to send you one!  Good luck - don't let them make you feel low.  It's easy to get depressed while you're recovering and they don't seem to be helping at all.  I hope you feel better and you will, within a few WEEKS, not DAYS!

 

Posted 4/14/2012 3:22 PM (GMT 0)
Here are a couple links that can help you with post-Nissen eating, just in case you weren't given anything by your surgeon:

http://www.oregonsurgical.com/patient_prep_gerd.htm

This one had a good link at the bottom of the page with PDF eating guidelines document.

http://www.preopguide.com/PostFundoDiet.html

http://www.nissenfundoplication.com/nissen-fundoplication-diet

Remember that when these recommendations say small meals they mean that they are (when compared to people who haven't had the surgery and aren't at the recovering stage) TINY MEALS.  Always listen to your stomach.  When it feels full, stop. 

Some people don't notice they're full until it's too late, so you may want to limit what you're eating on your own.  At your stage in recovery, a quarter cup was the MOST I could eat at one time.  You'll lose weight, but don't worry.  Once you're healed you will gain it back.

Hang in there! turn

Post Edited (dencha) : 4/14/2012 11:09:22 AM (GMT-6)

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