New to group and looking for advise

Hi everyone. I'm new to the group and not sure how this all works so I'm counting on you to help me navigate this site and find the information I need. I am a 67 year old female who is contemplating surgery for GERD.

Symptoms: I do not have heartburn and rarely ever have. Any activity (even just walking more than 50 yards) causes my stomach to hurt and I feel nauseous. Feels like something is coming up in my throat. If I am able to sit down immediately sometimes it will pass. If not I throw up suddenly. (I always carry rolled up Walmart bags in my pockets) I don't throw up after eating but usually hours later so certain foods do not seem to trigger it. Until I started taking daily Prilosec I tasted the acid but now that taste is gone. This has been going on for about 6 months now. This has interrupted what little social life I had as it is very embarrassing to be standing in a grocery store throwing up in a bag. I had a EGD and Upper GI Barium test. Results showed that there is a lot of acid in my stomach, my esophagus is wide open and I have a small hiatal hernia.

Physical History: I am real short - 4 feet 9 inches. I am not over weight - currently 89 pounds. I have lost 10 pounds in the last year due to Trigeminal Neuralgia messing with my taste buds. I am a smoker and will probably always be one. I am a slug. I used to be active but when medical problems entered my life I slowed down to a crawl. In my younger, wilder life I did many recreational drugs and loved my cocktails, but for the last 15 years I finally grew up and am now a very sedate old person. Actually, down right boring.

Medical History: Since 2011 I have gone downhill. 3 surgeries for Vulva Cancer plus radiation. Luckily no chemo and now cancer free. Ended up with ostomy bag but no problems with colon, just too much tissue removed during surgeries. (BTW- I actually love my bag most of the time.) One surgery for para-stoma hernia. My lower lip was replaced due to basil cell cancerous cells. One Carotid artery cleaned out and checked yearly. Then rheumatoid arthritis showed up but is pretty much under control. Trigeminal Neuralgia hit one day in 2016, was intense for about a month and left a few lasting effects such as no moisture at all in left eye, left nostril and no taste buds in left side of mouth. TM did a number on the left eye optic nerve and I am now partially blind in left eye (but I still drive locally). The pain of the TM is in remission but there is no cure and it could come back at any time. Doctors look at my list and refer to me as a "complicated case". My body betrayed me!

So now that I have bored you with my past, on to the crux of this post. The docs have recommended fundoplication surgery. I have done a lot of reading about it and have some questions that only people who have experienced it can answer. I think my biggest concern is the inability to burp or vomit. Is this forever? Does it hurt? How does it feel. I read that it is "uncomfortable" and you are bloated. How uncomfortable? I have never been bloated. Does your stomach stick out? How long does it last? The doctors are very vague about this. I am looking for honest answers as I am a coward when it comes to pain and this scares me about having this surgery. Also, I have a very limited physical support group, so if I have the surgery I will need to prepare food in advance and have it ready in the freezer. I am curious as to what size portions I need to fix and for how long. Due to the loss of taste buds, I am very limited in what I can taste (one of the reasons for my weight loss). Can you eat chocolate? Beans? Can you drink through a straw? Some article say yes and others say no. I am sure that all of these questions have been asked and answered in this forum, so if you can help me with your answers or tell me where to find the posts that help, I would be most grateful. I am looking forward to learning a lot from you guys.

Many thanks from Trollsize

Thanks, this helps. I already live on Zofran if I plan to go anywhere.

Thanks for the info. I'll look it up.