I was admitted to the hospital and had my procedure at 7am on 12/02/08.  Just after 8am I arrived in recovery.  Pain medication kept me comfortable and resting until early afternoon.  Pain at the back of my throat and gut was moderate but controlled.  As the effects of the anesthesia wore off, nausea was addressed several times by nursing staff with IV Zofran.  It is critically important that vomiting or anything else that would cause stress be avoided.  A few hours before I was to be discharged, I was administered some more Zofran to control a bout of acute nausea and avoided vomiting.  Had I been discharged early and the hospital staff not actively controlled of my pain, diet, gas discomfort, and nausea, I would have certainly ruined the surgical repair of my GE valve.

At 11:15am on 12/03/08 I left the hospital after having some chicken broth and a little coffee.  For the next 4 weeks, I was not to lift any heavy objects.  On a pain scale of 1-10, the back of my throat was 2 and gut was a 3.  I took Tylenol to control the pain.  Throughout the day I consumed small amounts of chicken broth, pudding, Jello, and soy milk.  I minimized my dairy intake to reduce gas bloat discomfort and did take Gas-X.  I found resting on my left side much more comfortable than on my back.  

On 12/04/08 my pain was a 1 for my throat and a 2 for my gut.  As a result I did not need to take Tylenol.  I forced myself to rest and remind myself that I actually had surgery.  Gas bloat discomfort was present but getting better.  I added cream of chicken soup to my diet.

Friday, 12/05/08 my sore throat was gone and gut was about a 1.5.  Gas discomfort was faintly present.  I returned to work but was careful to keep my activities light.  Staying on a restricted soft diet was much easier than I expected.  It may be due to the restriction you feel with a tighter GE valve that you don’t care to eat?  I am not overweight but have lost 5 pounds since the surgery.  

On the weekend of 12/06/08 I made an effort to consume high calorie foods to keep my weight on.  Discontinued my GERD medications on the advice of my surgeon and have no symptoms.  I went Christmas shopping but continued to avoid lifting heavy objects resulting in several expensive small gifts. 

Monday, 12/08/08, I returned to work and had no discomfort. I realized that hard candy is ok to eat and wished I had thought of it last week.  Maintained my soft diet of soup, pudding, Jello, yogurt, cottage cheese, apple sauce, soy milk to name a few.  So far I have lost about 8 pounds.

On Tuesday, 12/09/08, one week after my surgery, I added small amounts of solid food.  To test my new valve I had some Italian sausage for dinner that would normally cause reflux at night.  No symptoms and no regrets about having the surgery.

Over the next 5 weeks I gradually added more foods, remembering to eat small meals and east slowly.  Cream of chicken soup was a mainstay for many meals. 

Today, 1/08/09 I am off all dietary restrictions and feel that my GERD is cured.  What has surprised me is that resolving my GERD did more than just eliminated my heartburn; it did something pills can’t do.  It eliminated my reflux and improved my overall quality of life.  I have more energy, sleep and breathe better, don’t clear my throat or cough as much and am not panicked when I don’t have a blister pack of Prilosec or Zantac with me.  

My experience is not intended to treat, diagnosis, or be a substitute for your doctor’s advice.  It only serves to share my individual perspective and provide an opportunity to expand understanding of this procedure.

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