SweetieUK troupet recovery journey

Hi all,
just decided to tell you about my road down the surgery route. I am now 3 days post surgery, had a troupet 270 fundoplication, as opposed to a nissen, (my surgeon prefers this - less complications). The surgery went well, although I did have a issue where my spleen was partially adhered to my stomach and a small repair had to be done there! Woke up in recovery room - and the shoulder pain was horrendous! I should have been a day patient - but due to the spleen issue and the shoulder pain - I was immediately transferred to a ward. Took 2 doses of pain relief before I could get any comfort, although I wasn't given anything stronger than paracetamol and codiene, but they did work eventually!
I would say to anyone, and I'm sure I've read it here before - the shoulder pain is eased by walking - so my night in hospital was sleeping a little, walking around my hospital bed (was in a little side room by myself) and sleeping a little bit more. My nurse during the night was an absolute angel, changing a fixed drip stand for a one I could move about, and the more I walked the better I felt. I can belch - and the more I moved the more I belched - so I started to shift that gas!
In the morning I was much improved, but was not discharged until my bloods were checked due to the problems with my spleen in surgery. Wasn't too upset, had a really good chat with the surgeon, and was told to go straight on to a sloppy diet - which I am to follow for 2 weeks before gradually tackling more adventurous foods. I was also the wrap is sitting perfectly - so that was great!
Since coming home I find for the most of the time I feel OK - but tire quickly. I have been taking short walks - but can't go so far, as I feel like if I try to take a big breath - it's too painful. The shoulder pain is a lot less, but I still have to take pain killers twice a day - and for some strange reason my left shoulder was the most painful days 1 and 2 - but today it is my right shoulder!
Early days - but I have had no acid reducing medication since Thursday - and my nose has stopped running, as well as losing the horrible taste I have had in my mouth for the past few years!
Looking forward now!

Thanks Alcie,
They did send me home with plenty of pain meds, enough for a week, and I see my doctor on Friday - so that's good. I've been fortunate up to press, not felt sick, but I do get dizzy from time to time. Even after the general anaesthetic I was fine.
I will stick to the sloppy food for now - I was going to try a bit more texture today, but I'm scared to even try swallowing a very very small pill (they gave me a pill crusher to bring home in hospital) so it'll be baby food again (home made of course!).
Will go for another little walk today - try to go a little further each time! Hoping to be fitter and able to eat most things for the summer

Hi Nannynaomi
I'm getting there! I'm just very tired right now, looking pale and interesting. Living the high life - eating tinned custard and mashed bananas! I did initially wonder - when coming round from the op - why I put myself through it - the pain was so intense, but I do feel better now, and as far as not taking ranitidine or anything like that - is wonderful. I'm managing to keep the pain relief to a minimum, which is good as codeine is known to cause constipation issues! I was not given anything stronger - and I'm happy at that. I've been lucky not to feel sick either - just a bit dizzy after eating. Just atking it sloooooooowww!!

Hi Sweetie UK (Irene),
SO GLAD to see your journal started here! I will be following you, nanienaome, and others for all the information I can get and wish you all a speedy recovery.

So glad you are taking it slow, SweetieUK, you already know it will be well worth the extra care at the beginning. I have learned so much from so many of you already!

Any advice on specific questions I should pose to the cardio-thoracic surgeon I will be meeting with on Weds., March 25th?

I am taking all of my medical records, scans, meds & supplements list and want him to know I've done some serious research on my condition and the possible surgical procedures. I know I will have to get in shape, too.

Best to you all and I will be following this thread!

Hi!
Still recovering OK, still taking pain relief and still eating mushy food - too scared to do anything else just now! I actually forgot to mention to all you people who have long hair, and think it's a good idea to tie it back for surgery - make sure your hair bands do not contain any metal - mine did - and I had to take mine out! Luckily I'd tied my plaits so tightly they kind of stayed in!

@ Linda Sue - I think you need to ask these things at the surgeons appointment a. How many times he/she has done the procedure ? b. has he/she had many re-do's, c. Can you re-do the 24ph test as the first one was done with medication (which kind of defeats the object of it!) Good luck with that one - and let me know!

@ Law Chick - Thanks for your kind thoughts. If you go for surgery make sure you have something warm to wrap round your shoulders! It will be money well spent!

Hi Andy,
I have not had any pain at my wrap site at all - all the pain I have is in my shoulders, when I eat I get shoulder pain - and it is with me most of the day/ night at the moment. I have not had any trouble swallowing - but I have liquidised everything since the operation so far - I even crush all my tablets - and will continue to do that until next week.
Before the operation I had to stick to a very strict diet and lifestyle, tried 2 types of PPI's neither of which were good for my general health - both caused issues with crippling fatigue, cramp and in the case of pantoprazole - an almost complete loss of taste! I latterly was on ranitidine 300mg twice a day, which kept things reasonably at bay (but causes terrible constipation) - unless I had something I shouldn't and then I used gaviscon advance as a top up. Without these, and the lifestyle / diet changes, it was just awful. I had a cough I couldn't get rid of, I got really bad acid if I ate the wrong things, I would regurgitate in the night - which is horrible, My nose was always blocked, throat sore and I always had a horrible taste in my mouth. On a really bad day I would wake up with a very heavy feeling in my chest - like someone had been put a weight on my breastbone! Occasionally I would get a horrible dizzy feeling. If ever I ate food that was too rich - it would make me sick within an hour of eating.
My surgeon asked me in the first meeting if I ever got reflux with PPI's - I said yes - as I did, and I told him I'd top up with gaviscon advance - he said if you have to do that the medication is not working!
I am so far very impressed with the toupet wrap - but I was told that it was sitting perfectly - and that's maybe why I feel the way I do. I have not had any medication aside from pain killers. I know I've had the op done as I have no reflux at all ! ( and the scars of course!)

Hi Linda Sue,
I'm doing fine - getting a bit more texture in my diet, still finding swallowing OK - and can take very small tablets un-crushed. Saw my doctor yesterday who says I can go back to work in 2 weeks time - so plenty more time to get my strength back, as I find I'm full of energy first thing - then run out of steam in the afternoons.
NHS is the UK's National Health Service,which we pay National Insurance for, it is open to every UK resident, so sometimes you have to wait a while for things to be done, but they do get done. You can go private over here - and it would be a lot faster, but it's very expensive.
I'm only taking pain killers at night, I just get a bit uncomfortable lying down now, and they just help me get a good nights rest.
I have removed what was left of my steri-strips from the surgery - and once fully healed, there will be very little to see. Looks like I have 5 cat scratches of varying lengths at the moment. They did get very itchy in the last few days!
Only thing I can note today, is I've got a bit of a croaky voice - but I know that things aren't healed yet - and I'm surprised that didn't happen earlier!

Not long now Linda Sue! Hopefully this time you will get some answers! I'll be thinking about you - and you must tell me how you get on!

Hi SweetieUK,
I met with surgeon this morning and liked him. He has scheduled me for a barium swallow tomorrow a.m. and I will be having another pH monitoring test WITHOUT acid meds! I must be OFF all acid meds for 7-10 days! I'm NOT looking forward to the additional pain I will have to endure but maybe it won't be as bad as I think.

After I see him for follow-up after these tests, (April 20th) he will determine what happens next. He made it clear that the only way he would consider surgery for me is if he truly believes it will SOLVE my problems and not make things worse. I will keep you posted.

How are you doing? Are you feeling better each day? Being a good girl with your diet, enough rest, etc.?

Hoping I'm not developing dumping syndrome! Last couple of days have been draining to say the least, have been feeling a bit spaced - and have gone to the toilet a lot more than usual! It could be me adjusting, so I'll see how it goes the next few days - but it could also be the fact i'm no longer taking pain killers - and the ones I was using are well known to give you bad constipation - so it could be my bowels rebelling!
Just keeping well hydrated and eating as much wholefoods as I can with a restricted diet!

Thanks Sharon,
I'm just glad it's happened when I'm not back to work yet!

Hi Linda Sue,
Great you have got that test out of the way - shame about the journey there! I always set of early for anything like yourself, but it can be a panic when you think you are going to be late! Hope you have got yourself some short acting anti-acid meds to help you through to PH test. I used gaviscon advance liquid until a day before my test - I don't think they sell this in the US, but I'm sure there will be something similar. I was taking it 4 times a day to help me cope! Good luck with that - usually day 3 is when the reflux really kicks in when you are on PPI's.
I've done some reading today to see how I can help myself. I haven't had liquids with my meals for a long time, I tend to drink 30 mins before a meal and maybe 30 mins after - I think the problem has been not enough protein, so I'll be trying to add things to my meals to address that. I don't have a nutri-bullet - don't need it with having a food processor and a hand blender too - been using the hand blender mainly - as it is super quick for doing small portions for myself.
Let me know when you get your test date.

Hi Linda Sue,
Best ask when they call what you can do to help with the reflux rebound. On the plus side you will give a positive ph test if the acid is bad! I would try and think of all the foods that give you the least pain and stick to them. Remember when you have your 24hr test to eat trigger foods, after all this is why you want to get better!
It's hell! But worth it in the end!
I hope the test isn't too far away!