Posted 9/2/2014 12:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Denise, thanks very much for the reply. I have posted a new forum as you suggested, here: https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=45&p=1&m=3167958#m3168676
I have been doing better. I started getting aches/pains in under my left rib and in my stomach close to the sternum like I got from the reflux before I had surgery. I didn't even seem to feel this immediately after surgery, I thought it went away. But I have been using an ice pack like you suggested to help, and it does at times. One day last week though I had a bad headache and had to take a tylenol and that did not go down well at all, the pill pushed and hurt and got stuck but finally made its way through with a vengeance. It was sometime after that I noticed the aching which I assumed was from being irritated. Ever since that though, swallowing has gotten much better. Almost alarmingly better. After carrying groceries home and bending over and doing things at home I'm worried that I've done something to undo what was done :( its easy when you feel good to start doing things that you maybe shouldn't be. At the time it didn't seem like I had over exerted myself but maybe I did. I can't seem to get the feeling out of my head of what if its come undone or what of it didn't work? One thing that hasn't happened is that I have not regurgitated any food which would happen all the time before, although I also haven't had a lot of food at one time. I still seem to hiccup when what it feels like would normally be food trying to come up. I had a great meal tonight and everything was so easy to swallow, it didn't slide down all slowly like things had just a week prior, and things weren't 'pooling' at the wrap site. It almost makes me more concerned than relieved as it hasn't even been a whole month yet from surgery and I feel like I should be in worse shape still. Is it supposed to get so much better SO all of a sudden?? I don't have my follow-up with my surgeon until september 10th. Everyone seems to be very assertive in getting a surgeon that specializes in this nissen surgery specifically but mine is younger and more new at it, has done between 40-50 of them. He is a general surgeon that specializes in laparoscopic surgery. I am hoping this does not mean the effectiveness is lessened or that he wasn't "skilled" enough to do it. I felt very confident in him and he seemed so as well as he's done them before. I had heard he is very good at what he does. I really just hope that this is normal. I am still on my nexium until I see the doctor next week, so I suppose I won't know for sure if its all worked fully until I'm off them and see that I don't get heartburn anymore. Perhaps the aching I get is from a bit of costochondritis that I had in the past which is some inflammation in the cartilage lining your ribs. I feel depressed lately and not hopeful :(
Can someone (Denise or others) give any more insight into my story? I really appreciate any advice. Thanks so much!
Melanie