Re: Myotomy and wrap done! home from the hospital

September 27, 2003

Hi Tim;

I was thinking about you yesterday. I can't believe you're home already! I'm sure the swelling is normal. I remember saying Chet wasn't 100% right away either. Now he's doing great. ( Last time I heard ). I'm hoping Debbi will answer your "uvula" question. Could the swelling be from the tube they insert while you're "under"? I'm glad you were able to have the lap instead of open. I had two open myotomies, so I can't really relate. It must have been pretty scary when your breathing was affected. I remember eating a lot of soup, pudding, for the first few days. My best advice is not to eat anything too heavy, stick to small amounts of anything you do try. I wouldn't try any bread until the swelling goes down. Definitely no meat. I know it's tempting to do a "test" to see if the surgery was successful, but you already acknowledged the swelling, so just wait a few weeks. I wish you the best of luck and I'm looking forward to hearing about the foods you are eating.

P.S. If you read the posts over the past few weeks, I mis-read a post from . I have since apologized, but has quit the group. Her "Nasty" comment made me feel pretty guilty, but has explained "Pickering". (Thank You ) I'm hoping didn't quit over my "Nasty" comment to and it truly means someone asking the same question that has been answered over and over (and over). I often suggest to new members that they make use of the "search" feature. It is truly helpful. Any way, , I did apologize as soon as I read Maggie's e-mail. Again, I am very sorry.

All the best, .

-- Myotomy and wrap done! home from the hospital

Hi All,I had a lap hellers myotomy and a toupet fundoplication done yesterday morning, and I am home now! I've experienced just a little pain in the incisions or around the les- hardly worth mentioning. I was able to eat 'liquid' diet stuff (broth, jello, yogurt, fruit juice) at the hospital yesterday for lunch and dinner (to use the terms very loosely).Here was kind of a weird side effect -- last night, I noticed that my throat was pretty sore, and my uvula (sp?) was very swollen -- it touched the back of my tongue (this has happened to me before whenever my throat gets really irritated, like from a bad sinus infection). In fact, it kept interfering with my breathing & kept waking me up all night. Before I was released this morning, i tried to eat the thin cream of wheat-like gruel I was served, but my uvula made it too annoying. I talked to the surgeon this morning about it before discharge, and he seemed unconcerned. It's still swollen now, but hopefully that will go away soon.Anyway, I am home now, and I am trying to take things slowly (per the advice of many friends in this group, including ). My surgeon seemed a little cavalier in his advice about the foods I could eat immediately -- he said to eat 'what I could tolerate'. He didn't give me a definitive plan. At home today, I continued to eat the same foods that I had in the hospital, like purreed fruit, broth, jello, and I will likely do the same tomorrow-- if for no other reason, I want to let my throat and uvula heal. I also felt slight 'twinges' of soreness from what I assume to be my LES when I swallowed a big bite of pureed peaches. Anybody want to share their experiences Is a little discomfort normal? Also, how big / small were the first few post-myotomy meals. ( I know that I could likely find this info in historical posts, but sitting up at the PC to do long searchs is kind of a drag right now!)I have to admit, I don't exactly feel like I could go out and eat a steak yet (not that I would try so soon). Could others let me know how they felt the first few days, etc., and how long it took for them to 'go for it', and tackle a real meal?This group really contributed to my decision to get the hellers myotomy. I feel that the info I learned here helped me to have intelligent conversations with my GI and surgeon, and I was able to make an informed decision. Hopefully, I will feel as good as others who have posted say that they now feel! Sorry this message is a bit of an e-bomb-- I guess I am a little excited. I will post more when things change.Thanks much.Tim

September 27, 2003

HI Tim

I Couldn't agree with you more. I was given the exact same advice.

I am now almost 2 weeks post your exact same surgery. Back to work

tomorrow, but I think I will ease my way back into it.

Well I'll see how things go anyway. I have not also experienced much pain

from the surgery. I stayed on morphine for about 3-4 days and then onto

Valtarin, panadiene, and paracetamol. Have not been using any pain relief

for the past week. I am still being careful about lifting things, as I

don't want to do any possible damage.

I have not had your problem of the uvula swelling. But I have had an ahce

in my LES. I just gathered it was from the swelling at the surgery site.

Your problem may just be a little roarness from the tubing used during

surgery. Give it a few more days and then maybe give your doctor a call.

You want to be sure than sorry.

I am now eating foods that I haven't eaten in months and it is only 2

weeks post op. Pasta with plenty of sauce, is just one step up from puree,

you'll be there very soon. Every day seems to get remarkably better than

the last.

Well this has ended up being a bit of a mouth full. Hope it has helped you

in same way. If not just to let you know that we out here understand.

Regards

Kim from NZ

Quoting timstutes <tim.stutes@...>:

>

> Hi All,

>

> I had a lap hellers myotomy and a toupet fundoplication done

>

> yesterday morning, and I am home now! I've experienced just a

>

> little pain in the incisions or around the les- hardly worth

>

> mentioning. I was able to eat 'liquid' diet stuff (broth, jello,

>

> yogurt, fruit juice) at the hospital yesterday for lunch and dinner

>

> (to use the terms very loosely).

>

> Here was kind of a weird side effect -- last night, I noticed that

>

> my throat was pretty sore, and my uvula (sp?) was very swollen -- it

>

> touched the back of my tongue (this has happened to me before

>

> whenever my throat gets really irritated, like from a bad sinus

>

> infection). In fact, it kept interfering with my breathing & kept

>

> waking me up all night. Before I was released this morning, i

>

> tried to eat the thin cream of wheat-like gruel I was served, but my

>

> uvula made it too annoying. I talked to the surgeon this morning

>

> about it before discharge, and he seemed unconcerned. It's still

>

> swollen now, but hopefully that will go away soon.

>

> Anyway, I am home now, and I am trying to take things slowly (per

>

> the advice of many friends in this group, including ). My

>

> surgeon seemed a little cavalier in his advice about the foods I

>

> could eat immediately -- he said to eat 'what I could tolerate'. He

>

> didn't give me a definitive plan. At home today, I continued to

>

> eat the same foods that I had in the hospital, like purreed fruit,

>

> broth, jello, and I will likely do the same tomorrow-- if for no

>

> other reason, I want to let my throat and uvula heal. I also felt

>

> slight 'twinges' of soreness from what I assume to be my LES when I

>

> swallowed a big bite of pureed peaches. Anybody want to share their

>

> experiences Is a little discomfort normal? Also, how big / small

>

> were the first few post-myotomy meals. ( I know that I could likely

>

> find this info in historical posts, but sitting up at the PC to do

>

> long searchs is kind of a drag right now!)

>

> I have to admit, I don't exactly feel like I could go out and eat a

>

> steak yet (not that I would try so soon). Could others let me know

>

> how they felt the first few days, etc., and how long it took for

>

> them to 'go for it', and tackle a real meal?

>

> This group really contributed to my decision to get the hellers

>

> myotomy. I feel that the info I learned here helped me to have

>

> intelligent conversations with my GI and surgeon, and I was able to

>

> make an informed decision. Hopefully, I will feel as good as others

>

> who have posted say that they now feel! Sorry this message is a bit

>

> of an e-bomb-- I guess I am a little excited. I will post more when

>

> things change.

>

> Thanks much.

>

> Tim

>

September 28, 2003

,

Thanks again for the advice. I truly believe that you have nothing

to apologize for. Sharing your opinion is not tantamount to

insulting someone. Healthy disagreements should be part of any open

forum, as long as no personal insults are involved.

Take care,

Tim

> Hi Tim;

> I was thinking about you yesterday. I can't believe you're

home

> already! I'm sure the swelling is normal. I remember saying

Chet

> wasn't 100% right away either. Now he's doing great. ( Last time I

heard ).

> I'm hoping Debbi will answer your " uvula " question. Could the

swelling be

> from the tube they insert while you're " under " ? I'm glad you were

able to

> have the lap instead of open. I had two open myotomies, so I can't

really

> relate. It must have been pretty scary when your breathing was

affected. I

> remember eating a lot of soup, pudding, for the first few days.

My best

> advice is not to eat anything too heavy, stick to small amounts of

anything

> you do try. I wouldn't try any bread until the swelling goes

down.

> Definitely no meat. I know it's tempting to do a " test " to see if

the

> surgery was successful, but you already acknowledged the swelling,

so just

> wait a few weeks. I wish you the best of luck and I'm looking

forward to

> hearing about the foods you are eating.

> P.S. If you read the posts over the past few weeks, I mis-read a

post from

> . I have since apologized, but has quit the group.

Her

> Nasty " comment made me feel pretty guilty, but has explained

> Pickering " . (Thank You ) I'm hoping didn't quit over

my " Nasty "

> comment to and it truly means someone asking the same

question that

> has been answered over and over (and over). I often suggest to new

members

> that they make use of the " search " feature. It is truly helpful.

Any way,

> , I did apologize as soon as I read Maggie's e-mail.

Again, I am

> very sorry.

> All the best, .

>

> -- Myotomy and wrap done! home from the hospital

>