Finally had my Nissen surgery

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MountainReader

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I just returned from the hospital. I had a Laproscopic Nissen Fundoplication yesterday. All went well. I've got six small incisions. One in the belly button, one a couple inches above and the others on my rib lines. I pretty much spent all day yesterday sleeping off the anesthesia or just zoning out. My left side is etremely sore. It is difficult getting in and out of bed. That is one of those things you really need those core ab muscles for. I'm on a complete liquid diet for the next two weeks. My hospital meals consisted of: water, chicken broth, tea, apple juice, jello, Boost and a popcicle.

I had some nausea yesterday afternoon and last night. I called for the nurse because my doc told me the sooner they gave meRAB to stop the nausea, the better. I was really frustrated the first time because the nurse took her time, then finally sent a CNA with SODA CRACKERS. I don't know what they were thinking....there is no way I can eat crackers for a very long time. I eventually got my IV meRAB though. I had a couple doses of morphine, but am now on liquid lortab. A word of advice: if you ever have this surgery, take the pain meRAB in advance of getting up to go to the bathroom. Again, using the muscles to get out of bed hurts ALOT. Also, the gas they put into my abdomen caused me some pain and made it difficult to go to the bathroom. That was much better today.

By this morning, I was feeling much better and was able to take a shower. They said it wasn't a problem to get the steri-stitches wet that much. When I had laproscopic shoulder surgery earlier this year, they made me wait about four days before I could shower so this was a pleasant surprise.

Another pleasant surprise is that I am able to do a bit of belching. That helped with the gas in my system from the surgery. At first I was worried that maybe things were too loose, but I had lots of people tell me how incredible this surgeon is and how well he does this surgery. Until I see any different, I am going to trust that everything is as it should be.
 
im so happy for you MR now its all just going to be good and you will be up and munching on yummy stuff in no time..make sure you rest heaps and look after yourself. its good that you can still belch as that will help with all the gas they pump you with...........thinking of you in your recvery
ness
 
MountainReader,

Yay, I'm very happy that your procedure went well! Hopefully soon you will be able to eat most things without a problem. Please update us on your recovery progress. Take care of yourself:)

Crystal
 
I've heard that not being able to belch or vomit was before Nisson surgery. I think things are much better now and feel you are finally on the right road. I'm still not sure what's going on with me? Really think it's a corabination even though I've treated them all. I'm not too upset about my delay since I've been down this road so many times before and feel I know my body better than any Dr. sometimes. I'm not die hard on all the tests they put you thru either as I know you can be one way one day and another the next. As long as I got the cancer of throat out of the way, I feel better about things. That's always been my concern.

Question? Why would the GI doc prescribe Cetrecell (probably get in trouble for this too) when I have D nearly every day? I told her that and seemed she was more concerned about my bowl habit changes than reflux? Whatever, she's going to be out of town for couple of weeks and I need a break! Cough my head off today but feel it's the ragweed in our area getting to me.

Take it easy and slow! You want to do everything possible to get this right!

Char
 
CharBerry,
I'm not sure about the Cetrecell. How long have you been having "D" everyday? I've never had much trouble with D before, but I started having it daily at the beginning of June when my reflux began really flaring up. For the longest time, the doc just said it was a side effect of the PPI's they kept trying on me. All my blood and sample tests have come out good so he kept with that theory for months. I go in for a colonoscopy next week.

For some reason, after over 4 months of coughing, it got better about a week before my surgery. Until today, I hadn't coughed in two weeks. Today I had a couple small coughs. It could easily be allergy related for me right now too. Also, I had had more to drink than is recommended for me right now before the coughs so it could have been that also.

Take care,
MR
 
Mountain Reader,

So glad you got it over with and on the way to recovery and hopefully the end of acid reflux for good! I had to cancell my scope for tomorrow since we had a terrible storm last night and now it won't be until Nov. I'm so afraid I'm going thru all these test all over again for nothing since nothing has shown up this time and I know he will not do the surgery. My husband wants me to continue though.

Please keep us posted on your progress as we seemed to have had many of the same symptoms and breathing problems. I wish you the very best!

CharBerry
 
Charberry, sorry you had to cancel your scope. Waiting can be hard, not just for the testing, but for the results as well.

Most of my tests this year were repeats of ones I had about 3 1/2 years ago. I think even before all the testing and various meRAB I was on this summer through my GI doc, the surgery was a foregone conclusion. My Pulmonologist told me back in May, after the Barium testing, that surgery for the reflux was really the only thing that would help me get my asthma (coughing) under control. He referred to the reflux as a 'swallowing disorder' that I needed to physically get taken care of in order to get my breathing issues under control.

I feel like I am healing up ok from the surgery. I've been walking quite slow and I am still quite sore, but getting in and out of bed is getting a bit easier. Most of the pain is from the center to the left side of my stomach. The bloat from the gas used during the surgery is going down. I've tried to get in plenty of liquiRAB. Being on a liquid only diet is getting old fast. I'm glad it is only for two weeks. Only 9 days left until I can eat 'mush'. I'm still a bit concerned about the fact that I have had some belching. It is a shallower belch than before, but I really thought I wouldn't be able to belch at all. I talked to someone at the doctors office today. The doctor wasn't in the office today though so I'm not sure if I should be concerned or not. Not much I can do about it at this point though.
 
Mountain Reader,

Seems like in the past 6 months or a little longer that I've had the D really bad. Nearly every day. I'm drinking that stuff and haven't been too bad this week, but that's what I do sometimes. Go back and forth from C to D. Figure IBS related to GERD. My LPR has been really bad past couple of days but I do think a lot is related to allergies. Trying not to take the allergy meRAB since they make me so tired and I need a lot of energy right now. I wouldn't worry about some coughing. I mean, it's not like you're never going to cough again. I know the feeling you have though.....Like don't let this happen again. Take care and continue to give us an update.

Char
 
Two weeks post Lap Nissen Fundoplication surgery. I have gone an entire week without my reflux cough. I have had some belching, but my surgeon says it is just air caught above the wrap. I'm still taking my Prevacid Solutabs on the advice of my GI doc. I go back in to see him in a couple weeks so I will be able to ask him about how long I should continue taking it at that time. I will also be following up with him at that time regarding the results from the tests taken during my Colonoscopy yesterday.

So far, I am hopeful that the surgery has worked to keep my reflux from triggering my asthma. I have high expecations of getting through the winter without any major attacks.

Charberry, I am really intrigued by your experiences with "D" as they relate to reflux. For the longest time, I really didn't make the connection. I'm almost 5months into dealing with this. The D began when my reflux began flaring again. My GI doc started me on some strong probiotics today because he suspects my system is out of wack from antibiotics I took when my cough first flared up last spring. So far, the first dose really upset my stomach, but I will be able to tell in a few weeks if it is helping at all.
 
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