Back from Doctors...first post op appt.

[Guest guest]

A good visit. I got my bandages removed. Incisions look good and I can

take a bath again...I love a candle lit bath that smells good when I'm

stressed out. I also got the green light to eat whatever I want, but

carefully...small bites, chew well, sit up straight, drink water

afterwards. I can tell things are going down really easily, so tonight

we went for what I wanted the most...a steak! Little bites, chewed well

went down very easily. It was heaven. My husband asked my doctor if he

could still heimlich me if he ever needed to...had no idea he'd been

thinking about this, but SURE! He said no problem. Comforting, huh?

I started the argenine last night, and ver interesting results so

far...have no idea whether it could actually be from the argenine or

just a good day. I had none of the white foam that I had been getting

on an empty stomach for the last three days. I also didn't spasm last

night or all day. Anyway, I'm thinking postive, and will keep taking

it, hoping that it will help the spasms.

I found out that the shoulder pain is a referred pain from the stitches

that he put into the diaphram to hold and anchor the stomach wrap. I

had much less, almost no pain with that today. He said that it will

continue to fade as I heal. I still have no reflux. The white foam is

just spit, he said, from spasms. But when I have the white foam, I am

not in any pain. Interesting, then...two kinds of spasms. He said

reflux would bring up food and would burn or hurt. So, I'm not

refluxing. I'm glad for that.

Joop (the guy in Holland who knows so much about argenine) answered an

email I wrote him. He recommended 500 mg. before breakfast, before

lunch and before dinner. On the bottle it says to take it with a

carbohydrate drink, so I'm drinking it with juice. He said it helped

his reflux and his swallowing. Here's to you, Joop!

I'm hopeful. Both of my doctors agree to give it a try and want to know

if I am helped by it. They just have no idea what the long term effects

are. So what else is new???? There are MANY studies being done with

argenine now, he said it effects SO many bodily functions and organs. I

plan to take it for two weeks, see if I'm really improved with spasms,

then go off of it and see if I get worse again.

JC, I am so sorry for all of the trouble you have had for so long. I

hope you can get some help that will really HELP! I would imagine that

there have been improvements in the surgeries since the early days. DId

you have your surgeries done thoracically or lap? As far as not

recommending a wrap, I had one, and I'm wondering if having surgery

twice caused more scar tissue for you that way, and maybe that's what

happened? We talked about scar tissue today at my doctors appointment.

He said that comes much later, as it takes time to build up. I sure

hope I don't have a problem. He told me that MOST don't. I'm thinking

deep healing thoughts for you. I'm glad you found us...this group gets

to feel like family very quickly. I am also curious to know if you had

very much dilation at the time of your surgeries (one or two). Hope you

get the help you need and deserve!