Hi, so sorry the same thing happened to you too, we must be the unlucky ones. The actual cut all down my stomach is healing well and isn't too sore but just to the left of it is very uncomfortable, hoping this eases soon. It is 13 days since my op now and I'm also having problems with constipation and this morning felt quite nauseous. How has your appetite and eating been. I haven't felt hungry since the op so feel like I'm forcing myself to eat small meals 4 or 5 times a day and they are small. Not found any problems swallowing but do feel like it all sits very heavy high up in my stomach and just below my chest. Have also experienced very mild heartburn type symptoms when before I only suffered acid reflux. Have you had anything like this. Thought maybe it was because I wasn't eating enough. Not quite the recovery I was expecting but am hopeful it will be worth it in a few weeks. How long did they give you as a recovery guide for being opened completely?
I was able to swallow normally straight away which was surprising and glad of as it was one of the things I was frightened about. My progression with food is quite slow, I should be pretty back to normal at 8 weeks but I only reverted from soft sloppy 2 weeks ago. My portions are still small and like you I have that feeling that food sits just below my chest. I have felt that since my foods become more solid. It's hard to remember just how much ur stomach has changed and I often eat too quickly as I always did prior to surgery. I have lost over a stone now. Not complaining about that at all lol. My scar has healed really well, it still gets very sore though it is difficult to wear bras as they rub on the scar. I too have pain in the left side which I asked about and my gp said its where the spleen and stomach is so it makes sense I guess. I was discharged on senokot and movicol which still wasn't helping, so my gp advised fybogel due to the lack of it in my diet so that will be reviewed in a week or so. Can I ask how big your scar is? Does it bother you? Mine is about 20-25cm. Can I ask if you suffered with any breathing issues? I have been diagnosed with dysfunctional breathing following the operation. I was supposed to have had physio following the op (it's common practice for open surgery apparently) but I never, and I also caught bronchitis whilst being in hospital so it didn't help. I had heard prior to surgery a lot of people get breathing issues.. It's a slow process and more so for us with the open surgery which is a feat in itself to recover from let alone the actual fundiplication aftercare. You sound very positive though and I am sure you will recover very quickly.
P.s I was off work for 6 weeks and still felt I wasn't ready but had to go back as SSP is rubbish lol.. I think recovery is varied dependant on age and health I presume. I am still very limited at doing certain things around the house etc and I'm 38 with 3 kids so it's a hard slog. Also, with regards to heartburn etc it's one thing I haven't had thank god. I have read if you over eat or over drink it can undo the fundiplication so I'm weary of this as I don't want to go through that again lol.
I am just short of 8 weeks post op and have done ok. I now get some mild heartburn which I never had before and still get tired off and on. I eat ok but haven't tried red meat, pasta, rice etc. Chest tightness occasionally and some anxiety .
Jennifer
I was quite surprised about swallowing as I too had gone in with the warning that I could possibly have difficulty swallowing and unable to burp but I have managed both well. I am still putting food in a blender because I thought maybe the puree was too thick so made it a bit smoother. My scar is from just under my breasts so a bra is uncomfortable and it goes down to the start of my belly button, its quite numb feeling still. I'm actually not too bothered by the scar as I just think of myself as lucky to still be alive but prior to this hated the way my stomach was after 3 c sections. I have had difficulty taking a deep breath on and off especially after they warned it was important to prevent chest infection or phenomena. Was just told to stay on top of pain medication but any mention of physio wasn't followed up on either. I have my 6 week check up with the surgeon on 21st June so will be keeping a diary and a list of any questions or concerns to take with me. I'm very lucky I have a good family to help but have possibly done a little too much too soon also and am struggling with not being as independent as I usually am. Have even had to get help tying my shoes and getting socks on as I haven't got the ability to bend forward that I usually have lol. Hope things get better for you but its also comforting to know that it isn't as quick a recovery as I was expecting. How are you with anemia and tiredness. My iron was extremely low so am now on iron tablets and frequent blood tests to check blood clotting ability as I was still bleeding slightly inside when they let me home so ha to stop taking the fragmin injection to sort this.
My bloods have been checked regularly and my iron levels have been okay, I do get very tired, to the point of exhaustion, I thought it was just an after effect of the operation and probably the lack of carbs and poor diet. I was sent back in a week after I was discharged because my gp thought I had a clot on my lung due to my shortness of breath and chest pain so was on clexane injections for over a week, blood tests showed clots but a ct scan was clear, but I have since found out that I had fluid on my lungs and also a collapsed lung (which is common with open surgery) so none of this helped with recovery really. Sounds like our scars are the same. Mine too stops at my belly button and starts in between my breast bone. I have started putting bio oil on mine as it does feel very tight at the minute. It was about 4 weeks before my numbness susided even now directly on the scar is still fairly numb but surrounding area is now ok.
I too have had a lot of help but I'm fiercely independent so it is difficult at times, I am still unable to comfortably bend down but now doubt it will improve in a few weeks
I've been told roughly 6-8 weeks but not to rush recovery. I had a barim swallow before I left hospital to check the fundoplication wasn't too tight as I couldn't manage any food the first few days, they were happy it wasn't too tight but how do they know if it isn't tight enough, am so worried its not worked completely although I haven't had to resort back to taking the tablets. I'm 36 with 3 children between 17 & 9 so they can help out but I can't imagine having to go through it all again. Do you find when you drink it gurgles' loudly in your throat and have you experienced quite a bit of wind from the bottom end, haven't had many burps.
You poor thing, you sound like it has well and truly been a horrendous time and I was getting annoyed with myself today for feeling a bit down and fed up. Please keep me posted with your recovery and I will do the same xx
Hi Jennifer. Have they said anything about the heartburn. I am so worried that the operation hasn't worked properly. They can test to see if they have done it too tight but what if it isn't tight enough. Its such a weird experience because you obviously can't see everything that's going on inside when you eat etc so its difficult to adapt to the changes in eating.
I had the barium swallow, all was fine as far as I'm aware. I burp a lot and bottom end more so lol. Very embarrassing but I was aware it might happen.. I was able to burp within the first week post op. I don't have any issues regarding my throat although I do get a lot of noise inside my stomach after iv eaten like a loud rumbling. Kind of like how you would if you were extremely hungry. I have read up on post surgery issues as I wasn't really informed of a lot, and I'm not due for my post op surgeon appt until June 13th so it's a long wait when you have a lot of questions to ask lol. I read if you have a return of your symptoms they would presume it had loosened or come undone. They would have to do further tests, probably an endoscopy (awful, hated that test) to determine its state. I was hugely concerned as I was constantly coughing that I may have undone all the work but I was told the surgeons pre empt issues like coughing and it is done tight enough so things like that don't happen following surgery. Over time I guess these things can loosen if it did I don't think I would bother again. Not being able to be sick is also frightening isn't it! I dread the day!
Lol that's what I was dreading most with all the gas coming out the bottom end and I do get an awful lot of noise inside my stomach. Had also been told that some people it is a life long fix but others do sometimes need it doing again. That is quite a wait for your post op. I'm kind of glad about the never being able to be sick but slightly concerned what happens if you get a stomach bug? 😩 do you feel if you had the choice to go back in time would you still go through with it.
Hi Jen,
Have you seen your surgeon for your follow up yet? Maybe ask about the heartburn thankfully I have not had any, prior to my surgery my heartburn so really bad and couldn't be controlled with medication. For me it has been a huge relief to not have it anymore if it came back I think I would actually cry lol. Don't forget your stomach is adjusting massively hopefully it is just a small side effect and will disappear once your stomach has adapted..
Hindsight is a wonderful thing but no I would not of bothered. It is hard to say so soon after as I'm guessing things will improve hugely over time but then again it might not. Who knows with this operation. If it had gone smoothly and as it should of done then I probably wouldn't of questioned doing it again if but no one can predict these things. The stomach bug thing frightens me I will definitely be staying away from anyone with a stomach bug if I can help it lol. I was told it would come out of the other end by my gastroenterologist. And as long as u aren't sick soon after your operation you may in time be able to be sick without any issue. due to me coughing so much a few days after surgery I almost was and it was really painful, nothing came up it was like a painful dry heaving. Very strange sensation..
Hopefully it will all be worth it in the long run. Am definitely not looking forward to any bugs but would rather it be the bottom end than actually being sick, that really is awful. I have found I have been unable to sneeze, it builds up and tickles my nose but then it just vanishes. Quite relieved at the moment though because I know its gonna hurt a lot.
Really do hope so, would be unlucky after everything we went through for it not to work.. I did forget to mention i tried alcohol for the first time on Saturday during a friends birthday meal, It wasn't the best experience. I was very weary and drank it very slowly but after about half hour I got an awful nausea feeling and an uncomfortable pain in my stomach so I had to come home.. I didn't overeat so I know it wasn't this that caused it.
Will just have to try and remain positive. Some people have said recovery can take a very long time up to a year in some cases but don't forget our recovery will be a longer road than normal due to the added complications. I'm not a big drinker but always found when I did it tended to bloat me a lot so will maybe just stick to soft non fizzy drinks for a while lol.
Definitely got to try the positivity thing lol, iv found it quite hard with me being back and forth since the operation, my trust in hospitals is not what it Was. I had a few other issues during my initial stay due to
Negligence on their part but as we know the Nhs is stretched to its capacity and that's another story entirely lol... Please keep in touch with your progress, and let me know how your first surgeon check up goes in June. I will do the same. Take care thanks for the chat
It is difficult to keep faith, I also ended up with a damaged nerve in my foot due to someone trying to get a cannula in either in theatre or recovery that will either take a long time to heal that's if it heals at all. Was good talking to you too and good luck with everything getting back on track 😊
You too 😊😊