Re: Myotomy story and question

[Guest guest]

Hi

>Dr. DeMeester at USC

Which Dr Demeester did the operation, Tom or ?

I was referred to him 3 years ago, never called him up.

Ray

>

> Hi,

> So I underwent a lacroscopic Heller myotomy with Nissen fundoplication two

weeks ago with Dr. DeMeester at USC. And I must say overall it went far easier

than expecting. So here's my story, so others can have another story to know

what to expect.

>

> I'm twenty year old college student studying in LA and first started having

symptoms of achalasia about a year and a half ago. I have vast appreciation for

those of you who have had to go much longer suffering from achalasia, because

just that year and a half was enough to severely drain me. After the standard

misinterpretation of achalasia as acid reflux, I was first diagnosed with it

last January, at which time I was referred to Dr. DeMeester. After

procrastinating a bit on getting all the phone calls done and the paperwork in,

and then the having to wait for an appointment, and then having to wait a bit

more for the tests to be done again at USC, I finally finished the conclusive

manometry/ endoscopy in early July. Amazingly enough, after all that I managed

to get in for surgery about two weeks later.

>

> So I went in in the morning with my parents, and after a bit of waiting and

getting ready, the last thing I remember is being wheeled in the hospital bed

down some hallway before groggily hearing people talk around me in the recovery

room. I remember being surprised that my greatest pain was actually in my

shoulders instead of my chest area, and that persisted for 3-4 days. Together

with the rather painful morphine shots and a good novel, I was in a lot better

condition than I expected to be in right after surgery.

>

> The next morning they had me up and walking. Getting in and out of bed was of

course the hardest part and seemed like a crazy idea at the time. They also

wheeled me down for a some other chemical and barium swallow to check to make

sure there was no perforations and was given some absolutely wonderful chicken

broth, jello, and flavored ice slush that afternoon. After one more night in

the hospital, I was out the next afternoon, and man was I ready to get out.

>

> Helpful hint: If you feel like you need to cough, hold a pillow tight over

your chest. It greatly reduces the pain in the abdomen from coughing.

>

> Though they prescribed me some hydrocodone, my pain was actually small enough

to just be on some over the counter Tylenol and not have to deal with the side

effects. After the forth day or so I could actually have been on no pain

medication, but things were just a bit more pleasant being on some. The biggest

thing was being tired. And standing up much gave me a bit of vertigo. After

about a week one of the biggest challenges I faced was actually keeping myself

back and not treating myself as back to normal. I went on a bit of a long walk

with my parents and was a lot more sore the next day.

>

> So now its been two weeks and I'm back on solid food. Yay tasty fish. A

trivial amount of pain from surgery and NO PAIN WHEN SWALLOWING!!!!!

>

> Though I need to ask other people who have gone through this: even though my

pain is better than what I previously considered normal, when should I expect my

mind to be back to normal? I'm still sleeping 10-12 hours a night (probably

because I can't find a reason to get up and my bed is comfy), but I just have

difficulty concentrating and pushing myself to work like I did before. Even

simple things like revising a paper I just can't seem to dig in and think about

them as clearly. Does the General Anesthesia actually lower brain function for

a time, or am I just tired and need more rest?

>

> When should I be able to push myself as hard and efficiently as I did before?

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Congrats ! 

 

Happy to hear that you are now on the other side of the surgery and well on your

way!  I had my surgery at UCLA, very similar experience.  I think that with

most surgeries you must give it that full 6 weeks to heal, anesthesia can cause

you to be tired for awhile, it's normal.  I think I felt very good by 6 weeks

and I felt even better at 3 months, things will get back to normal for you

soon.  I just completed my first year and feel great, no problems.  I wish you

all the best! 

 

Julee So. Calif.

From: cclee271828 <chrissie.c.l@...>

achalasia

Sent: Thursday, August 4, 2011 3:03 PM

Subject: Myotomy story and question

 

Hi,

So I underwent a lacroscopic Heller myotomy with Nissen fundoplication two weeks

ago with Dr. DeMeester at USC. And I must say overall it went far easier than

expecting. So here's my story, so others can have another story to know what to

expect.

I'm twenty year old college student studying in LA and first started having

symptoms of achalasia about a year and a half ago. I have vast appreciation for

those of you who have had to go much longer suffering from achalasia, because

just that year and a half was enough to severely drain me. After the standard

misinterpretation of achalasia as acid reflux, I was first diagnosed with it

last January, at which time I was referred to Dr. DeMeester. After

procrastinating a bit on getting all the phone calls done and the paperwork in,

and then the having to wait for an appointment, and then having to wait a bit

more for the tests to be done again at USC, I finally finished the conclusive

manometry/ endoscopy in early July. Amazingly enough, after all that I managed

to get in for surgery about two weeks later.

So I went in in the morning with my parents, and after a bit of waiting and

getting ready, the last thing I remember is being wheeled in the hospital bed

down some hallway before groggily hearing people talk around me in the recovery

room. I remember being surprised that my greatest pain was actually in my

shoulders instead of my chest area, and that persisted for 3-4 days. Together

with the rather painful morphine shots and a good novel, I was in a lot better

condition than I expected to be in right after surgery.

The next morning they had me up and walking. Getting in and out of bed was of

course the hardest part and seemed like a crazy idea at the time. They also

wheeled me down for a some other chemical and barium swallow to check to make

sure there was no perforations and was given some absolutely wonderful chicken

broth, jello, and flavored ice slush that afternoon. After one more night in

the hospital, I was out the next afternoon, and man was I ready to get out.

Helpful hint: If you feel like you need to cough, hold a pillow tight over your

chest. It greatly reduces the pain in the abdomen from coughing.

Though they prescribed me some hydrocodone, my pain was actually small enough to

just be on some over the counter Tylenol and not have to deal with the side

effects. After the forth day or so I could actually have been on no pain

medication, but things were just a bit more pleasant being on some. The biggest

thing was being tired. And standing up much gave me a bit of vertigo. After

about a week one of the biggest challenges I faced was actually keeping myself

back and not treating myself as back to normal. I went on a bit of a long walk

with my parents and was a lot more sore the next day.

So now its been two weeks and I'm back on solid food. Yay tasty fish. A

trivial amount of pain from surgery and NO PAIN WHEN SWALLOWING!!!!!

Though I need to ask other people who have gone through this: even though my

pain is better than what I previously considered normal, when should I expect my

mind to be back to normal? I'm still sleeping 10-12 hours a night (probably

because I can't find a reason to get up and my bed is comfy), but I just have

difficulty concentrating and pushing myself to work like I did before. Even

simple things like revising a paper I just can't seem to dig in and think about

them as clearly. Does the General Anesthesia actually lower brain function for

a time, or am I just tired and need more rest?

When should I be able to push myself as hard and efficiently as I did before?

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I am glad to hear things went Well for you. About Anesthesia, it takes some

time. best advice I can give is drink lots of water. That should flush things

out of your system alot faster.

Blessings,

JC

==========================================

Check out cool people with Achalasia on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/coolachalsia/

>

> Hi,

> So I underwent a lacroscopic Heller myotomy with Nissen fundoplication two

weeks ago with Dr. DeMeester at USC. And I must say overall it went far easier

than expecting. So here's my story, so others can have another story to know

what to expect.

>

> I'm twenty year old college student studying in LA and first started having

symptoms of achalasia about a year and a half ago. I have vast appreciation for

those of you who have had to go much longer suffering from achalasia, because

just that year and a half was enough to severely drain me. After the standard

misinterpretation of achalasia as acid reflux, I was first diagnosed with it

last January, at which time I was referred to Dr. DeMeester. After

procrastinating a bit on getting all the phone calls done and the paperwork in,

and then the having to wait for an appointment, and then having to wait a bit

more for the tests to be done again at USC, I finally finished the conclusive

manometry/ endoscopy in early July. Amazingly enough, after all that I managed

to get in for surgery about two weeks later.

>

> So I went in in the morning with my parents, and after a bit of waiting and

getting ready, the last thing I remember is being wheeled in the hospital bed

down some hallway before groggily hearing people talk around me in the recovery

room. I remember being surprised that my greatest pain was actually in my

shoulders instead of my chest area, and that persisted for 3-4 days. Together

with the rather painful morphine shots and a good novel, I was in a lot better

condition than I expected to be in right after surgery.

>

> The next morning they had me up and walking. Getting in and out of bed was of

course the hardest part and seemed like a crazy idea at the time. They also

wheeled me down for a some other chemical and barium swallow to check to make

sure there was no perforations and was given some absolutely wonderful chicken

broth, jello, and flavored ice slush that afternoon. After one more night in

the hospital, I was out the next afternoon, and man was I ready to get out.

>

> Helpful hint: If you feel like you need to cough, hold a pillow tight over

your chest. It greatly reduces the pain in the abdomen from coughing.

>

> Though they prescribed me some hydrocodone, my pain was actually small enough

to just be on some over the counter Tylenol and not have to deal with the side

effects. After the forth day or so I could actually have been on no pain

medication, but things were just a bit more pleasant being on some. The biggest

thing was being tired. And standing up much gave me a bit of vertigo. After

about a week one of the biggest challenges I faced was actually keeping myself

back and not treating myself as back to normal. I went on a bit of a long walk

with my parents and was a lot more sore the next day.

>

> So now its been two weeks and I'm back on solid food. Yay tasty fish. A

trivial amount of pain from surgery and NO PAIN WHEN SWALLOWING!!!!!

>

> Though I need to ask other people who have gone through this: even though my

pain is better than what I previously considered normal, when should I expect my

mind to be back to normal? I'm still sleeping 10-12 hours a night (probably

because I can't find a reason to get up and my bed is comfy), but I just have

difficulty concentrating and pushing myself to work like I did before. Even

simple things like revising a paper I just can't seem to dig in and think about

them as clearly. Does the General Anesthesia actually lower brain function for

a time, or am I just tired and need more rest?

>

> When should I be able to push myself as hard and efficiently as I did before?

>

>

>