Having hiatal surgery May 31st--nervous

Makana26, sending you positive & healing thoughts for your upcoming surgery. My thoughts are with any surgery is being prepared before & after surgery. Make sure that you have food items that you can have on hand. Plenty of bottled water, if you read have a new book on hand to help get your mind off of things. Any distraction that will help in your recuperating stage.

Take care.

I have no advice as I haven't had the surgery, but you will be in my prayers Makana26. It's natural to be nervous, but you will heal and you will get better! Take it slow each day and don't rush the healing process.

Hi Makana26. I'm not scheduled for the surgery yet. I'm still in the investigative stages. I had the barium swallow (it showed reflux), the endoscopy (it showed an agitated esophogus), a catscan and on Tuesday I have the esophogeal mamontry test. I had trouble swallowing solid food for the past 3 months, however the PPI treatment made my stomach go all haywire and gave me bad reflux and digestive issues, so surgery may be my only option.

I've read about a lot successful surgeries and I know you'll do well! You and your husband have got many great years ahead of you! Keep us posted!

Makana64 - all the best for your surgery. It is major but undertaken only if needed & beneficial. My Collis-Nissen was 9m ago (at age 71) and has been successful although there have been stages to go through, and patience is helpful! Here are my suggestions: Be sure to follow surgeon's/dietician's advice to the letter, especially on diet. Expect weight loss for some time - after 8m I was still slowly losing weight but now just starting to stabilise. Recommended to take more protein and try to eat more! As the surgery involves both losing a little stomach capacity and losing a part where there are appetite hormones (acc to surgeon), my appetite remains limited. After 6m I developed discomfort which surgeon said due to 'sluggish oesophagus' & I relate to that as I'd been eating so little. I managed this by increased physical activity, upright always when eating, more liquids, a little more food, and chewing even more than before. Message from me is that it does take time and effort but I've had no more reflux, take no medication, and am fully active & enjoying my new weight! Trusting that your surgery will sort you out nicely. Good luck.

good lcuk I kow you will recover full (positive thoughts)

Thanks for your post. Activity is mainly plenty of brisk walking, a bit of gardening, and running up & down stairs all day. We get out & about most days (both retired). Stamina not too bad, energy level good during the morning, sometimes longer, but I have fibromyalgia so there are occasional doing-very-little days. Regarding your work, don't know but it seems quite soon to start an intensive work schedule. Your surgeon will hopefully advise on that at follow-up appointments. May depend on how complex the surgery turns out to be. Mine was more demanding for the surgeon than expected, but follow-up gastroscopy showed all neat and successful! Very best wishes.

Thank you Jacpye and Maggie. Surgery is tomorrow and will post when I can. I appreciate that work might have to be rethought. I can set my own schedule, so will see how I feel as the summer progresses. I appreciate all help on foods. Maggie it makes sense to avoid as much sugar as possible. We drink smoothies from fresh fruit and veggies, but want too see what dietary stuff I'm sent home with. Yes, I understand about stomach going back where it should. That must feel great. Best to you and please continue posting.

Congrats, Makana - result! Thanks for letting us know.

One week today recovery from three hour esophageal hiatal hernia surgery. Overall, I am doing well with food, sleep, and decreasing pain. Eating chicken noodle soup and scrambled eggs with protein shakes still my main source of food. I have a cough that seems related to surgery. It is getting better. I am up and about but tire easily. Tomorrow I will walk around the block to see how that goes. I am so happy that I had the surgery. This month I turn 75 and look forward to years free of GERD and distress of having my stomach up in my chest. So glad that I did this. If you are deciding to have surgery, do a lot of research and ask questions. In my case, my life will be a lot more comfortable postnsurgery. I go back to work on the fall and will be ready.