Toupet Fundoplication and Hiatal repair on 24th April

I thought I would share my experience with everyone as this site has been really helpful to me prior, during and after the operation. I am a 49 year old female living in the UK.

I suffered from reflux for over 3 years and I have been taking 80mg of Omeprazole per day amongst other medicines like Ranitidine and Domperidone as and when I needed them.

The operation was booked for Wednesday 24th April 2013 at Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge, UK. I was pleased that I found out that my consultant surgeon was one of the top upper GI surgeons in the country. The meetings with the consultant and sister nurse before the operation were thorough and I was reassured in myself that I was doing the right thing.

I was a little anxious on the day but my worries were put at ease as soon as I was prepared for the operation. Everyone was just so nice and their manner and expertise to be commended. My surgeon told me I was to have a 270 degree wrap as he thought this would suit my condition better. I also had a very small hiatus hernia to repair.

So off I went into theatre at 3.30pm ish and the next think I knew I was in recovery around 6pm and sipping water very slowly. I was ok but had a splitting headache, I was given morphine which then made me feel sick but this was counteracted with an IV anti sickness drug.

I was taken to the recovery ward where I was pleasantly surprised to have my own room and en-suite, could not believe this was on the NHS it was like being in a hotel in a new building at Addenbrookes. I was monitored all night and my blood pressure taken every two hours. I was given more pain killers for my headache which seemed to be the only real pain I was experiencing, I had soreness on the cuts on my tummy but nothing major.

The care from the nurses, catering and cleaning staff were fantastic and I was very grateful for this. I was able to sip black tea (I took my own decaff tea bags) the next day and eat a smooth yoghurt very slowly (took about 4 hours). I was also able to sip apple juice in very small amounts. I was well enough to be discharged in the afternoon and was home by 4pm the day after the operation. I was not discharged with any meds as I did not need them. I was told to take paracetamol if I needed it. They had said I could have Tramadol but I know this has made me feel sick in the past so I said I did not want it, I have not needed it anyway. That evening I was exhausted as had had broken sleep the night before so I went to sleep about 7pm and slept for 10 hours. I still had the headache which was annoying but no pain in my shoulders as some people have experienced.

Day 3 Friday
When I woke I had decaff tea and a smooth yoghurt (this took a few hours to eat though). I crushed up some co-codamol as my head was still pounding and mixed it with some juice as I was unable to swallow tablets. My lovely mother also popped out to get me so liquid paracetamol from the chemist to make life easier. During the rest of the day I drank more tea, water and apple juice (small amounts) and also had some baby food that I had bought, banana yoghurt which was actually really nice. Still got headache but have been up and down the stairs in my house with no problems.

Day 4 Saturday
Headache a bit better thank god. More water, juice, decaff tea, decaff cappuccino sachet, half a cup of smooth chicken soup and a thin cup of soup today. Getting a weird feeling sometimes when the liquid goes down, I get a pain that shoots up from my oesophagus to my head for a second or two not sure what that is but it goes very quickly.

Day 5 Sunday (today)
Not sure what happened during the night but woke up with pain in my head at the front top left and the lower back of my head on the right. It feels tender to touch. I have some muscle relaxant tablets for previous problems I have had with a stiff neck and headaches, due to stress and sitting at my computer for long periods for my job, so mixed a crushed one of these with juice and that has sorted it out. The body has been through major surgery so I am hoping it is just the way my body is saying okay bit stressed today!

Today I have had around 2 small glasses of apple juice, small glass of water, 2 cups decaff tea, 1 cappuccino sachet, baby food yoghurt and a very small bowl of homemade soup. All fine digesting so far, not had too many problems with gas, about the same or less than before the operation. I have had a couple of tiny burps but not that I would really notice. No bloating so far and it is great not to be taking any PPIs anymore.

So, so far so good. I know it’s early days but I feel so much better than I did before and would reassure anyone having this operation and I am so glad I went ahead. I think it is prudent that you research your consultant surgeon and ensure that it is the right operation for you. My symptoms before the op were not as bad as some people experience, but I can already notice the difference and improvement. Make sure you stock up on liquids and soft foods too. My surgeon said I could have soft foods now but to be honest I don’t feel quite up to take yet, just taking day by day. Back for a check-up in 6 weeks at the hospital and then off on holiday in June to Turkey, I can’t wait!

Good luck all

Jane.

Day 6 Monday
Had good night’s sleep and slept through. No pain on waking and feeling quite good. Had a Nescafe decaff cappuccino sachet with no problems, more soup and yoghurt during the day. Started making banana smoothies with yoghurt, mango and orange juice and banana, really nice. Put in a spoon of Complan as I need the energy.

Day 7 Tuesday
Woke up feeling good and no pain, my friend took me to see the nurse to have my dressings changed, all looking fine just a small bit of bruising. Had a decaff coffee with my friend and then went home, another friend visited this afternoon which was lovely but felt tired at the end of the day. Today I had a banana smoothie, 2 cups of soup, some yummy chocolate ice cream, tea and a digestive biscuit (dunked in tea to make it soggy).

Day 8, Wednesday
Woke up very early not feeling so great today and headachy, so had quiet day in bed, reading and watching tv, bliss. Think not resting as much yesterday took its toll. More of the same food and drinks as yesterday.

Day 9, Thursday
Much better today. Spent the morning writing up a report for work on my laptop in bed. Today had a strawberry yoghurt with a cut up banana which I chewed well before swallowing. Weather lovely and warming up now thank goodness. Popped out for a coffee and short walk. Bit tired when I got back so rested the rest of the day. More soup and ice cream and loving lemon sorbet. Must remember to not drink soup too quickly, when I do I get a pain that runs from the back of my throat to my head in sharp pain, not nice. Feels like a tension headache??

Day 10 Friday
Had good night’s sleep and had a good pamper this morning as girls do! Had more of the same food today, ie smoothie, decaf cappuccino, soup, ice cream and lemon sorbet and decaf tea all going down fine. Weather lovely so sat in the garden with my book, bliss. Drove for the first time this afternoon just to see a friend a few miles away for a cup of tea in her garden and then home again. As it is Friday I drove to the pub to meet up with friends at 7pm for an hour, no alcohol just cranberry juice, then started to feel tired so went home. It was good to get out though, beginning to feel like a hermit. Had a small bowl of soup when I got home and hot chocolate and digestive biscuit dunked in it and relaxed in front of tv.

Day 11 Saturday
Another good night’s sleep, and glad to say after 2 days I have been to the toilet if you know what I mean! I took some Senokot last night and this obviously helped! Trying to eat lots of fibre in my smoothies and soups but probably need more to help this side of things. Had the usual decaf coffee and banana and yoghurt smoothie for breakfast, note to self, DRINK SLOWLY, got another headache again. I have not taken any pain killers for a 2 days now which were primarily for my headaches, as no pain elsewhere. However, I know when I drink too quickly as I get this pain still, which goes from the back of my throat to the front of my head, like a tension headache, has anyone else experienced this? It is really uncomfortable, I have taken some a crushed up an anti-inflammatory tablet in juice and this helps relax my muscles and the pain.

Have lost 10lbs so far, which I am pleased about, was a little overweight before the operation, but will be happy to lose a stone so back to just under 9 stone again which I was before taking the PPI’s 3 years ago. House beginning to look like a florists, no complaints there!

All in all though, recovery going well and hope to be back at work sometime next week. I work from home for a petroleum association creating artwork and doing business management, computer based, so should not be too taxing as long as stress kept at bay and I don’t get too tired.

Will report back next week. Off to enjoy the lovely English spring weather in my garden.

Best wishes all and would be grateful for the feedback on the headache thing if any of you have experienced this too.

Thanks

Jane