Guest guest Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Hi, can anyone inform me as to what takes place with a heller myotomy. What pain if any, recovery time etc. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 I had a Heller Myotomy by open surgery 2 weeks ago, (26th September) Can't really give you a real detailed explaination but other on the board will help. (, , Notorn can you help?) The surgeon told me that they cut about ten 10cm of the oesophagus to open it up again and then wrapped my stomach around the bottom part of the oesophagus to stop any reflux.(bit more complex than that but thats the jist of it) I had an epidural in my back for 4 days and there after didn't feel the need for any pain killers. Two weeks on the incision is still tight(My incision starts just before the navel and goes up to my breast bone so about 5-6 inches long) and it does stop me from standing up straight at the moment but it will improve in time. I have been told I can return to work in about 6 to 8 weeks. But it could take my body 3 to 6 months to recover complety from the surgery. If you need any further questions answering don't hesitate to contact me and then can give you more details in post surgery. Are you having this procedure? If so when and will it be open or keyhole? Pippa (Northants, England) > > Hi, can anyone inform me as to what takes place with a heller myotomy. > What pain if any, recovery time etc. ? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 My Heller Myotomy was December 5, 2005, and I was pleased to have the pain level much lower than I expected. I have six small incisions in the upper abdomen. After surgery there was nothing to eat or drink until a barium swallow showed no leaks. Lifting was restricted, and eating was a relearning experience beginning with a mushy diet for several weeks. I spent two nights in the hospital,and the procdure made a drastic improvement in the quality of my life. What is your name, where are you, when is your surgery scheduled, who is your surgeon? This group is a blessing, and there are always people here to give support and be the voice of experience. Jo > > Hi, can anyone inform me as to what takes place with a heller myotomy. > What pain if any, recovery time etc. ? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Thanks for that info. Yes I am having the procedure done on 27/10/06 hopefully via keyhole surgery. Were you told prior to the procedure that it would be open surgery? I have been told that initially it will be keyhole, but if complications arise ,they will revert to open surgery. Once again ,thanks for the info. Regards Ray >From: " Pippa " <kevin.brown150@...> >Reply-achalasia >achalasia >Subject: Re: Heller myotomy >Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 08:13:38 -0000 > >I had a Heller Myotomy by open surgery 2 weeks ago, (26th September) > >Can't really give you a real detailed explaination but other on the >board will help. (, , Notorn can you help?) > >The surgeon told me that they cut about ten 10cm of the oesophagus >to open it up again and then wrapped my stomach around the bottom >part of the oesophagus to stop any reflux.(bit more complex than >that but thats the jist of it) > >I had an epidural in my back for 4 days and there after didn't feel >the need for any pain killers. > >Two weeks on the incision is still tight(My incision starts just >before the navel and goes up to my breast bone so about 5-6 inches >long) and it does stop me from standing up straight at the moment >but it will improve in time. > >I have been told I can return to work in about 6 to 8 weeks. > >But it could take my body 3 to 6 months to recover complety from the >surgery. > > >If you need any further questions answering don't hesitate to >contact me and then can give you more details in post surgery. > >Are you having this procedure? > >If so when and will it be open or keyhole? > >Pippa (Northants, England) > > > > > > > Hi, can anyone inform me as to what takes place with a heller >myotomy. > > What pain if any, recovery time etc. ? > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 I'm in Australia . >From: " Brown " <kevin.brown150@...> >Reply-achalasia ><achalasia > >Subject: RE: Re: Heller myotomy >Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 13:50:22 +0100 (GMT Standard Time) > >Are you having the procedure done in the States or in the UK. > >I was told before hand it would be keyhole but the day before surgery it >was >changed to open surgery the surgeon said he would rather open me up as he >though it might get a bit complex and would have better access via open >surgery. > >At the end of the day I am now eating (mushy diet at the moment) but it >goes down and stays down and that fantastic after living on one cup of tea >a >day. > >Take care > >Pippa (Northants, England) > > >-- Re: Heller myotomy > >Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 08:13:38 -0000 > > > >I had a Heller Myotomy by open surgery 2 weeks ago, (26th September) > > > >Can't really give you a real detailed explaination but other on the > >board will help. (, , Notorn can you help?) > > > >The surgeon told me that they cut about ten 10cm of the oesophagus > >to open it up again and then wrapped my stomach around the bottom > >part of the oesophagus to stop any reflux.(bit more complex than > >that but thats the jist of it) > > > >I had an epidural in my back for 4 days and there after didn't feel > >the need for any pain killers. > > > >Two weeks on the incision is still tight(My incision starts just > >before the navel and goes up to my breast bone so about 5-6 inches > >long) and it does stop me from standing up straight at the moment > >but it will improve in time. > > > >I have been told I can return to work in about 6 to 8 weeks. > > > >But it could take my body 3 to 6 months to recover complety from the > >surgery. > > > > > >If you need any further questions answering don't hesitate to > >contact me and then can give you more details in post surgery. > > > >Are you having this procedure? > > > >If so when and will it be open or keyhole? > > > >Pippa (Northants, England) > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi, can anyone inform me as to what takes place with a heller > >myotomy. > > > What pain if any, recovery time etc. ? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ><< imstp_hall06_chubb1_en.gif >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 STOP HAVING BOTOX! The generally accepted opinion even among all of us here, based on what our doctors say it that Botox causes scarring and makes further treatment more difficult. I'm rushing.. so this may sound harsh.... you need better doctors who know about achalasia. Read through the posts, start anywhere. Sandy in So Cal. >> Hi, I am new to this group and would like to know from anyone if they > have had the Heller Myotomy and if so, if it was successful. I was > diagnosed about 5 or 6 years ago and I have been having botox > injection. > > The times in between the injections are getting less and less. My > surgeon and I talked more in depth about the myotomy today and I would > to hear from some of you guys that have had it to find out what your > outcome was, etc. He did say that if I have the myotomy, I would have > more reflux and there is another surgery that would be performed at > the same time as the myotomy to hopefully prevent this. I don't know > that he ever told me the medical name for this procedure. > > Is there anyone that can shed some light on this? I would really > appreciate it. > > Thanks. Peggy> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 Hi Peggy, My husband Jack had the Heller plus Dor wrap in June. As far as swallowing goes, he can eat just about everything now except for rare meat or anything very dry (although liquid helps--his favorite is beer!) He had two previous Botox injections, but as the surgeon explained, Botox is a foreign protein and your body builds up immunity to it, so the interval between needing shots gets shorter and shorter. If you are in your 80s and don't have as good an immune system, Botox is probably better than surgery--but Jack at 65 saw the interval go from 15 months to 4 months--thus the surgery. The main problem now is lower GI distress--maybe dumping syndrome, maybe not--it seems to be mainly gas, but with a sense of urgency that feels like, but isn't, diarrhea. He tried giving up sugar (which he needs to gain weight), but it didn't make much difference. He saw a dietician, who suggested that he eat live culture yogurt to repopulate the gut bacteria that were knocked out by antibiotics given before surgery, and also recommended that he quit taking Prevacid; the Dor wrap should prevent reflux and a little stomach acid would help his digestion (even his surgeon had told him that). So whatever the reason, he is doing better now, although he still doesn't have much appetite and feels full very quickly. But on the high-calorie diet he has gained two pounds over the last week, where he had been steadily losing before this. So yes, the surgery is great--but like any surgery, there can be complications and side-effects you have to learn about. That's why this board is so wonderful! Dawn in Atlanta achalasia , " Peggy Bodiford " <pbf5959@...> wrote: > > Hi, I am new to this group and would like to know from anyone if they > have had the Heller Myotomy and if so, if it was successful. I was > diagnosed about 5 or 6 years ago and I have been having botox > injection. > > The times in between the injections are getting less and less. My > surgeon and I talked more in depth about the myotomy today and I would > to hear from some of you guys that have had it to find out what your > outcome was, etc. He did say that if I have the myotomy, I would have > more reflux and there is another surgery that would be performed at > the same time as the myotomy to hopefully prevent this. I don't know > that he ever told me the medical name for this procedure. > > Is there anyone that can shed some light on this? I would really > appreciate it. > > Thanks. Peggy > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 thanks dawn. I am 48 and have the botox injections 4 or 5 times. the time in between is getting shorter and shorter. i am going to make an appt. to talk with the surgeon to get his take on things .... i am in no hurry to do this right now since my last injection was yesterday. hope your husband is ok .... Thanks, Peggy Re: Heller Myotomy Hi Peggy, My husband Jack had the Heller plus Dor wrap in June. As far as swallowing goes, he can eat just about everything now except for rare meat or anything very dry (although liquid helps--his favorite is beer!) He had two previous Botox injections, but as the surgeon explained, Botox is a foreign protein and your body builds up immunity to it, so the interval between needing shots gets shorter and shorter. If you are in your 80s and don't have as good an immune system, Botox is probably better than surgery--but Jack at 65 saw the interval go from 15 months to 4 months--thus the surgery. The main problem now is lower GI distress--maybe dumping syndrome, maybe not--it seems to be mainly gas, but with a sense of urgency that feels like, but isn't, diarrhea. He tried giving up sugar (which he needs to gain weight), but it didn't make much difference. He saw a dietician, who suggested that he eat live culture yogurt to repopulate the gut bacteria that were knocked out by antibiotics given before surgery, and also recommended that he quit taking Prevacid; the Dor wrap should prevent reflux and a little stomach acid would help his digestion (even his surgeon had told him that). So whatever the reason, he is doing better now, although he still doesn't have much appetite and feels full very quickly. But on the high-calorie diet he has gained two pounds over the last week, where he had been steadily losing before this. So yes, the surgery is great--but like any surgery, there can be complications and side-effects you have to learn about. That's why this board is so wonderful! Dawn in Atlanta achalasia , "Peggy Bodiford" <pbf5959@...> wrote: > > Hi, I am new to this group and would like to know from anyone if they > have had the Heller Myotomy and if so, if it was successful. I was > diagnosed about 5 or 6 years ago and I have been having botox > injection. > > The times in between the injections are getting less and less. My > surgeon and I talked more in depth about the myotomy today and I would > to hear from some of you guys that have had it to find out what your > outcome was, etc. He did say that if I have the myotomy, I would have > more reflux and there is another surgery that would be performed at > the same time as the myotomy to hopefully prevent this. I don't know > that he ever told me the medical name for this procedure. > > Is there anyone that can shed some light on this? I would really > appreciate it. > > Thanks. Peggy > Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 Hi Peggy and welcome to the group. You will find all the answers to your questions here and never hesitate to ask. I had a laproscopic Heller Myotomy with a wrap 8 weeks ago at the Cleveland Clinic. I live in Richmond VA. Dr Rice performed my surgery within 5 weeks of my first call. I have to stress the importance of going to a surgeon who has performed this surgery many times and ask for references. I have had A for over 25 years and learned how to manage until this past year when I began having trouble getting liquids down. Today I feel great! I am eating whatever I want and feel like a "real person" again. Please feel free to give me a call 804-814-0052 and I will be happy to talk to you about my experience. Good luck and keep posting in VA oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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