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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 4/19/2014 3:16 AM (GMT 0)
Hello All,

Haven't posted in a while. Been busy helping my sister when I could due to her car accident 3 weeks ago today. Came home from hospital last night finally. Wheelchair bound for some time to come still but she's managing.

I am 7 weeks post op today. Doing fine. Accomplishing more b/c I started dabbling in food recently. Suppose to still be on fluids until end of month but was just getting too weak. I barely touch food but when I do it triggers pain in my left shoulder. I believe it's nerve pain. It's deep within the clavicle region. I thought some was from being active but I realized today it's from trying to eat. Any thoughts on this? Anyone else get this. Makes me want to run from food period. All I had was mashed yam, mashed potato, both with gravy. I'm talking about a large tablespoon in total. I drank warm tea with it.

Some food items will go down yet others, even though same consistency, get stuck. Most things get stuck but eventually go down. At 7 weeks I'd think I would be able to handle this. Other than this and other obvious results of the surgery ( loud growling tummy, excessive gas, etc) I'm doing well. I know I have to go for a Barium Swallow after I see my surgeon May 6th. Possibly an endoscopy too he said.

Been missing this forum.

Debra
Posted 4/19/2014 6:49 AM (GMT 0)
Does doc know you are "dabbling in food"? Maybe your body just needs a little more time to heal before solid foods. Idk. As far as the feeling weak, have you been drinking things like ensure/boost with more calories and nutrients? I'm sure someone who has been thru this will post soon with some good advice!

Sorry to hear about your sister's accident, but glad she is on the road to recovery (even if it's a slow one, progress is progress).

Hope your recovery keeps moving along and things get easier with each passing day!!
Posted 4/19/2014 7:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sunny13. No the Dr is not aware I'm dabbling in food yet. He wants me to start end of month, a week before I go see him. I have been having Boost yes but just so sick of them. I actually can't bear to drink them now but get one in a day still. They make me nauseous now. I'm trying other drinks. I do blend smoothies too. It's just not enough to sustain me. I've lost 33 lbs and I don't lose weight easy. A couple tablespoons a day of mashed food with gravy should be more than fine by now. I want to exercise again but my body not up for it. I'm very active so this is driving me nuts. Just curious if others still struggle with so little intake at this point, especially the nerve pain. My GP told me they probably did a bit if a vagotomy as well and did but my Vagus Nerve, not just work around it.
Posted 4/19/2014 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I struggled. The day after surgery or not too long after that, I felt this excruciating pain in my shoulder. I'm pretty sure it was just trapped gas.

Watch the smoothies. I wouldn't try to do anything with orange juice, grapefruit, etc., because they're so acidic. For a long time, I was only drinking Ensure. Switching up the flavors is a good thing. I got tired of the strawberry, but have really loved the vanilla. Even though solid food goes down for the most part, I usually have one Ensure a day.

I'm still not doing great 8-9 months out, so maybe I shouldn't give any advice.

I also struggle(d) w/ my strength. Early on, I had trouble even loading my cooler of my day's nourishment into work. Doors at work gave me trouble. Those things got easier, but I'm still not doing much from a physical standpoint mostly out of fear.
Posted 4/19/2014 11:11 PM (GMT 0)
Yes I had extreme pain in my left shoulder right after surgery that got worse over first two days. Ended up going right across both shoulders and upper chest in the front. I ended up with Emphysema under the skin so I swelled up and my tissues crackled when you pushed on all the bubbles under the skin. They thought my lung was collapsing but it wasn't. I can't even imagine returning to work yet. Did you lose a lot of weight? I still avoid acidic foods. Probably partly out of habit still. Do you still get pain? I think I'm just in for a long recovery. My gallbladder ended up with sludge. Was back in hospital two weeks after surgery. Then had an anaphylactic reaction to the CT contrast dye. Been a long 7 weeks but still happy with original results of the surgery. Just the kinks to work out.

Debra

Post Edited (Wendy Workout) : 4/19/2014 5:25:14 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/20/2014 12:07 AM (GMT 0)
I've broken my collarbone before, and this pain was worse. It just passed on its own and I think it only happened that time.

I have no advice for the emphysema aspect of things.

I went from about 225 to 180. During some points where I got to where I could eat whatever, I got back up to nearly 200. Now I'm in the 190 neighborhood.

I ate a grapefruit 1-2 months ago and it tore me the hell up. Ironically, I had eaten two prior over the span of a couple weeks before I ate the third which is the one that got to me. I had burning pain in my stomach right after I ate it. The burning left overnight, but the pain was there the next day and for some time after. I think my problems now still stem from that.

Gallbladders are a pain based on experiences others have told me about. My uncle and a friend have had theirs removed. The friend has had some trouble post surgery. I'm unsure of my gallbladder health.

I went to the ER around two weeks after mine, too. I thought I was getting blood clots in my legs from inactivity. Yeah, they missed a nerve or something in my CT scan and it swelled my forearm up to twice its normal size. The swelling went away after twelve hours or so and it was excruciating.

I'd had some issues with my stomach the past few weeks. I'm taking Bentyl for it as needed. Pre-surgery, I didn't have any stomach problems from what I could tell. The last couple days I've developed some heartburn. I'd like to think the wrap is still good because I had such trouble eating early on. A little tight beats a little loose I'm led to believe. The heartburn is a little concerning. I'm trying to hold off until August for an endoscopy. August will be the one-year mark.

I love the name Wendy Workout by the way. I hope some of this is of some use to you. My thoughts are often unorganized and I tend to ramble.
Posted 4/20/2014 12:21 AM (GMT 0)
No worries, I ramble too. It is a safe place to share where people actually understand what you are going through. Plus you can get some answers. People who do not suffer GERD or who have not had this surgery just don't understand. I get many quirky feelings and pains but only the eating difficult is my main concern along with the shoulder pain. Without those the rest would not stop me, unless my gallbladder acted up again that is. lol I'd like to just get moving and back to training for my half marathon. I used to be an avid long distance runner until having my kids. Then it all stopped. I have a very bad back so hoping it will heal enough to let me run fully again. Yoga really helps with my back pain.

Sounds like you are having some struggles of your own. They are never much fun. I didn't expect to be all smooth sailing after surgery but at least be able to eat. I was 222 pre surgery. Now I'm in the high 180's. Not complaining about that though, just the weakness. My tummy has never been happy. I've always had bloating etc but not the gas I have now. It's insane! When my Mom passed 1.5 yrs ago I knew a liquid diet stopped my bloating. I couldn't eat after she passed but believe it nor not, I felt the best physically. No tso much this time.

Wendy Workout out was a name given to me in my teens when sports and running were my . I want that life back now. My kids are both in school now and I have some time to focus on me again.

Debra
Posted 4/20/2014 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
I was just saying that to someone else today. People are in the field, but if they haven't experienced it, they can't truly 'appreicate' it for lack of a better term.

The shoulder pain still causing you trouble is interesting. Forgive me if you have covered this, but are you burping? The gas just might not have anywhere else to go.

My back also sucks. I've considered trying yoga, but when I know me like I know me, I know my brain can't shut off enough to get the maximum effect of it. I'm one of those wrestling fans and something called DDP Yoga is really taking off. DDP is short for 'Diamond' Dallas Page. I've considered giving it a shot. My back issues I think caused my hiatal hernia in the first place. I once did a back/core exercise called a pelvic tilt incorrectly. The motion of the exercise defines what a hiatal hernia is based on the motion. Not everyone agrees this is the cause by any means.

The weakness really sucks. Bill from here recommended I walk up and down steps with gallons of water to see if that would help, but I've yet to do it. Lifting gallons of milk to pour, hauling my cooler into work, and opening doors at work gave me trouble for a long time. I'm very, very weak now. Incorporate things back in slowly. My surgeon recommended working with light weights, but I really don't do it.

My dad passed in November, so I get how you feel. It changes everything. My mom told me the other day my dad's stomach/bowels were never right after his dad passed in 1991.

Lately, I've been obsessing about what my stool looks like. No blood was found, but now I have to go get some more samples to see if there is bacteria, parasites, or anything of the like.

I think you'll get there. Come here and vent when needed and take care of yourself. I'm not always sure how to take care of myself to be honest. I think that's gotten me in this mess in the first place. I don't anticipate living a full life at this point. Just depressed is all.
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