It's been exactly one year since my lap toupet and I can say unequivocally that it was the right thing for me to do. I've had an uneventful recovery, just what everyone hopes for and, I'm just...
Matt, I'm sorry about all the stress you're under. It sounds like you're a good son helping his mother through a terrible time. I'm much older than you are but both my parents, now long gone, we're...
Gerdie Girl, Call your doctor about your bladder infection and get that under control as soon as you can. You need all your strength for your recovery and having to deal with this complication saps...
Sam, You only learn the foods you can swallow and which give you trouble through direct experience, I'm afraid. Everyone is different but there do seem to be some standards that cause a lot of us...
Congratulations, Sam. Isn't it great to have surgery done? It does sound like you're recovering remarkably well and while you may be progressing faster than many others do, I really don't think your...
Linda Sue, I'm so sorry to hear you've hit a bump in the road. I think you're doing what you can by resting and watching your diet right now. Will you stay out of work for a while again? About 3...
Eonflux, I'm wondering if you've had any success in locating a surgeon. If you're interested in the name if my surgeon, add your email to your profile and I'll send it to you. I'm unsure about...
USC Medical Center has a full department of surgeons who specialize in fundoplication surgeries, including some of the leaders in the field. My surgery was done by one of their surgeons who is a also...
Kendrick, I had a 9cm hiatal hernia and partial fundo two months ago. Recovery has been smooth and I only wish I had done this a long time ago. There are MANY, MANY success stories on this forum and...
TWO MONTHS AFTER SURGERY. Recovery could hardly be smoother. I have no pain (and never had very much to start with),can eat anything I want to and I can now bend over without feeling like I might...
Just as a point of contrast: I lost no weight during recovery. I am now at about 2 months out from surgery and have neither gained nor lost weight. Everyone is different! Peg...
Agordan, Good luck with your surgery. It sounds like you are well-prepared and will know what to expect. The recovery can be complicated so don't hesitate to ask questions on this board. I find it...
Linda Sue - what great news! It sounds like you're doing so well. You'll be tired for a while so get all the rest you need. My first two weeks home I was like a newborn- I'd eat some broth or later,...
Linda Sue, Good luck tomorrow. You're READY and in a short time you'll be feeling better than you have in a such a long while. Take Denise's great advice to just go along with your recovery. Your...
Dee dee, It seems that doctors vary quite a bit when it comes to post surgery diet restrictions. Mine told me to keep to a liquid diet for the first two weeks. He defined liquid as "anything that...
I was initially unable to complete the manometry that was an important part of my pre-Fundo work-up. I had a large paraesophageal hernia that diverted the direction of my esophagus and when the tube...
Check the 6/11 entry by acidrefluxman. This report made the national news earlier this week and triggered a lot of discussion. Since you have an appointment with your doctor, it would be timely to...
Bella, Given the big story in the news this week about a link between PPIs and some people having heart attacks, I think your doctor will be more likely to listen when you tell him about...
Paula, Each diagnostic test focuses on a separate part of the digestive process and, taken together, they give your surgeon and doctors valuable information about how to treat you. Every person is...
I think you're doing an amazing job preparing for your surgery. Stopping smoking alone has to be the single most important thing you can do right now and it's sure to have significant benefits in...
Gina, There was enough pain immediately after surgery for pain meds. I think I took something for the first three or four days and then stopped. The shoulder pain will continue but decrease over...
My surgeon said I could shower two days after surgery. When I did, the bandages over my incisions got wet and started to loosen. After about a week of showers, the bandages had pretty much fallen...
I too knew I had an HH for years and was on 80 mg Nexium for quite a while thinking that was the best I could expect when, about ten months ago I was hit with this general feeling of overwhelming...
Tea or whatever works. Tonight my hubby wanted pasta. I had prepared his favorite and had some in the freezer after my surgery three weeks ago and although it sounded sort of heavy, I thought, "okay,...
This is NOT a boring story! Congratulations on your successful outing! You made great choices and had a great experience. Doesn't it feel grand to eat out? I'd say you ought to plan for a birthday...
Best wishes, Sunshine/Dorothy. You've been through so much and now is the time for all that to change. Do what your doctor tells you to do, don't rush yourself, just go with it. Good health is on the...
Oh, Linda Sue! I so feel for you to have your surgery date pushed back. That happened to me also and it was a huge disappointment. One week can be a very long time, especially when you've already...
Gerdie girl, I was also very concerned about not burping or vomiting but when I was waking up after surgery, the first thing I recall happening through my haze was that a little burp slipped out....
DAY 21. Three weeks since surgery. No problems swallowing. No pain, except upper back once in a while, especially when I'm tired. A few episodes of diarrhea so I'm still being careful to eat small...
I lived on Cream of Wheat every morning, mashed potatoes in the evening, creamy soups for lunch, a protein shake every other day and after the first week, soft-serve ice cream every few days. Not...
Do not feel hopeless. I know how fearful you can be facing this surgery but I also know how wonderful it us to be on the other side of surgery, recovering and facing a brighter future than you could...
My surgery was three weeks after all my tests were in and my doctor and I agreed a toupet was the right move for me. That was the first opening he had on his schedule. Peg...
So far it's only been that one day and I'm tending to think it was too much strong coffee. I'm still eating some solid food but in pretty small amounts and am doing alright. I've sort of been...
At 2 weeks post fundo, it's too soon to tell if my hair loss will stop or even reverse. I've had anemia for several years that I am assuming was caused by my hernia and I think also directly caused...
Day 14. My first complication. I was hit with a case of diarrhea mid morning, the first time that's happened post op. But I was feeling pretty good and very optimistic so my husband and I set out to...
Yes, hiatal hernias can be very disabling. I found myself, just like you, weak and in bed for a few days at a time and then I'd start to feel better. I had a very large hernia that had pushed through...
Day 10. Steadily progressing so far. I still occasionally get pain at the base of the back of my neck but it's much diminished. I haven't had any pain meds in a week. My incisions have become itchy...
Day 7 Post Nissen. I'm feeling more alert. The only pain I feel continues to be an area on my upper back just below the neck and on both sides of my spine. But the pain is diminishing and for a few...
You poor dear! As much as I'm sure your prefer being home, I'm glad you did you back into the hospital where you are taken care of and watched over. Are you still there or back home again? VERY good...
I'm relieved to know that they can be swallowed whole right after surgery. My surgeon has taken a conservative path all along and insistent on crushing pills for now. Since my GP put most of my meds...
Thanks, Elke. My Primary Care doc went over my meds and told me some could be on hold until I start eating a wider diet. I'll gladly take the reprieve. I've had mixed opinions on chocolate. Actually,...
Deaner, Your pre-op situation was similar to mine. Only occasional GERD symptoms that I thought and may have been because I was on a high dose of Omneprozole and then, later, Nexium to control the...
I'm in the US and it took 4 months from initial tentative diagnosis until the test were complete and surgery done and that seems pretty standard. I've followed a few Brits who went through the NHS...
My doctor said that I would be off work for 3 weeks and he was very clear that I should lift nothing over 10 lbs under any circumstances. I'm only less than a week into recovery but I would have to...
What about the generic, Omneprozole? I used it for a long time before it stopped working for me....
Thanks, Sharon. I'll call a compounding pharmacy today....
For those post-Nissen, how long did you have to crush pills? I'm not very successful with this. I used a pill crusher and then put the powder into chocolate pudding but the taste was still way too...
I was amazed that I could have virtually my whole stomach in my chest and not know something was so wrong! Or that none of my other doctors ever guessed. But then I suppose it isn't something they...
Do you feel any relief when the bubbles burst? I would guess they are burps and since they don't hurt and just happen, I'd take it as a good sign. I was told that I wouldn't be able to belch after...