Just had plication surgery and need urgent help with pain

[Cknorte 7]

Thank you, Thank you...Would love the receipe for the "home-made" stuff broth. Seriously, I welcome any and all suggestions!! What is your total wl to date?

I made home made chicken broth/soup. Before surgery....and then froze it.

1 whole chicken

4-5 carrots

4 leeks

2 cloves garlic

chicken bullion/or stock

Water

pepper

Place the whole chicken in a pot (or you can cut it up into pieces and put in pot, skin bones and all)

Chop carrots, leeks, garlic, throw in pot.

Add chicken bullion, pepper and cover with Water. Or you can use swansons chicken broth instead of water.

I like mine pretty salty, but you can add to taste....

Let it cook/simmer for an hour or 2.

Take the chicken out of the pot, be careful, it will be hot and will be falling apart. Put aside and let cool.

If you want and can, you can use a slotted spoon and get some of the veg out of the pot, if not...

Take a fine mesh strainer, and strain the broth. Throw the solids or whatever is left in the strainer away.

You now have a bowl of clear broth. Put in the fridge over night and the next day you will be able to scrape the solidified fat off the top of the container.

Place in smaller sized containers and freeze.

The chicken you set aside. Once cooled, you can shred the meat, and throw out bone/skin.

What I did, is I put the chicken meat in some of the broth, that way I had clear broth with no chicken and clear broth with chicken.

Once I was able to go to full liquids and pureed, I used the broth with the chicken and blended it to make it totally liquid. (came out sort of like cream of chicken)

I also used the clear broth to make canned Soups a little thinner and more watery...I even mixed it with a can of pinto Beans to make a bean broth (helped get pipes moving after surgery)....

[DrWatkins 13]

I sent a PM to jg62 but I will post some general information here as well.

In general, anytime you experience concerning symptoms you should call your surgeon's office. If your surgeon is outside the U.S. and you are unable to reach them, the next step is to go to the nearest emergency room or to call 911.

Symptoms of chest pain and dysphagia to liquids (unable to drink liquids), suggests that the plication is too tight and the amount of swelling caused by the surgery is excessive. One way to minimize post-operative dysphagia (aside from the obvious of not making it too tight) is to eradicate the stomach bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, prior to surgery. There are multiple items I have the anesthesiologists give during the surgery to minimize swelling as well. I also perform an endoscopy (stomach scope) at the end of plication procedures to make sure it is not too tight.

jg62, I hope you get to feeling better soon.

Brad Watkins, MD

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Thank you for posting Dr. Watkins!

[SouthernSleever 228]

Go to the ER I'm always afraid ppl are getting a pulomonary embolism when they have severe pain in the chest.

[JoanieW 13]

Hi folks,

I would go into greater detail right now about my experience but as I sit here, I am fighting back major pain in my chest and am in desperate help.

For all those who have had the plication or even if you are on the boards Dr. Watkins, what can I do to help alleviate this servere tightening pain in my chest. I am on day 3 from surgery, my first day home. While I was in the hospital, the pain meds they gave me via IV worked like a charm. When I was experiencing the chest pains, they would give me the pain injection in my IV and it would go away. Now that i am at home, with supradol as prescribed by doctor, it doesn't work! I tried crushing extra strength tylenols as well at doesn't work either. Both actually cause me to be naseaus and throw up the little liquids that I have in my system. I'm not able to sleep at all with this pain and lying flat on my back, sitting up, lying sideways and even piling pillows up and lying face down on them while sitting up doesn't help.

Please if anyone can offer any help please let me know. I don't know if I can endure this pain which is causing me to have cold sweats due to how much it hurts.

JG, how are you?

[jg62 0]

Hi Carole. I'd love to tocall sometime to fill you in on recent events - only if that's ok with you?

I did have the tightening/pressure, but it wasn't that bad, or I have a high pain tolerance. I made sure to get warm broth in, I had some home-made stuff, and ice cold gatorade. I knew the supradol would make me sick on an empty stomach. The nexium helps with the acid/pressure feeling. I was able to sleep at night, but I had some ambien that I would dissolve/crush. Also tylenol PM.

I used a heating pad and propped myself up on a bunch of pillows. Your tummy is swollen and needs to recover. But you need liquid and calories if you are going to take pain meds. They gave us the same stuff in the hospital in the IV. The stronger pain med they would have given you a shot in your arm. Since it was via IV your stomach didn't feel like hurling.

If you can't keep anything or sip anything you will get dehydrated and will compound your malaise. Try different temp fluids and just sip. Don't drink plain Water that might make you sick, the acid in the flavored drinks is easier on your excess acid. It doesn't have to work as hard to neutralize.

And seriously call the coordinator and have them contact the Dr. He may have some suggestions.

[jg62 0]

Hello everyone. I will post soon to let you all know the updates thus far. Please bear with, a lot has been going on.

Thanks everyone for your concern. By the way, I did got to ER. Yester day was my first day home.

[lguidry 5]

I made home made chicken broth/soup. Before surgery....and then froze it.

1 whole chicken

4-5 carrots

4 leeks

2 cloves garlic

chicken bullion/or stock

Water

pepper

Place the whole chicken in a pot (or you can cut it up into pieces and put in pot, skin bones and all)

Chop carrots, leeks, garlic, throw in pot.

Add chicken bullion, pepper and cover with Water. Or you can use swansons chicken broth instead of water.

I like mine pretty salty, but you can add to taste....

Let it cook/simmer for an hour or 2.

Take the chicken out of the pot, be careful, it will be hot and will be falling apart. Put aside and let cool.

If you want and can, you can use a slotted spoon and get some of the veg out of the pot, if not...

Take a fine mesh strainer, and strain the broth. Throw the solids or whatever is left in the strainer away.

You now have a bowl of clear broth. Put in the fridge over night and the next day you will be able to scrape the solidified fat off the top of the container.

Place in smaller sized containers and freeze.

The chicken you set aside. Once cooled, you can shred the meat, and throw out bone/skin.

What I did, is I put the chicken meat in some of the broth, that way I had clear broth with no chicken and clear broth with chicken.

Once I was able to go to full liquids and pureed, I used the broth with the chicken and blended it to make it totally liquid. (came out sort of like cream of chicken)

I also used the clear broth to make canned Soups a little thinner and more watery...I even mixed it with a can of pinto Beans to make a bean broth (helped get pipes moving after surgery)....

Thank you so much for the receipe,...sounds yummy:) Well, tomorrow is the big day and I chose Dr. Ortiz at the Obesity Control Center in TJ. I went back and forth between him and Dr. Corvala, both being highly skilled and proctor's for dr's in the US and their prices were virtually the same. The only difference was the length of stay, I arrived yesterday afternoon at the hotel (which is included in my package), have surgery tomorrow and leave to go home next Saturday. He wants to observe me for a week before he sends me back to the states. This made me feel "safer"? I hope I've made the right decision. I'll keep you posted and please do the same!!! Congrats on your weight loss. Also did they put you on a structured eating plan? if so, let's share and compare. Again...love and appreciate the receipe:)

[debinphoenix 0]

I'm only 4 days out and am having the same issues. No pain from the incisions except when I vomit which has been often - although so far only once today (it is 10:30 am).

It is gas and acid reflux. Only time and meds will help. Warm tea stayed down this am - about 5-6 sips. I have had to sleep almost sitting up; otherwise the reflux gets much worse. Hubby is out getting my children's tagament now in hopes of keeping that down. I have a real texture, taste thing so anything I tried to breakup and take made me gag. walking doe s help too - you get the hsarp pains of another bubble being broken up. They pump your stomach full of gas during the surgery so they can get a better view of things.

Being only 4 days out, I am hoping I did the right thing. I went for a band and was concerned about slips and erosions. hate surgerys - get really sick form anesthia so didn't want to risk a second surgery. switched to plication at the last minute. Sure hope I didn't act hasty.

oh yeah, if you have glue and not stiches DONT use a heating pad on your stomach but you can rest against one on your back which feels nice.

I'm so glad to have found this group. Was starting to panic.

[Cknorte 7]

lguidry,

keep us posted...and best of luck.....the first night and the first few days are tough but doable...at least for me me.....

let's keep in touch and compare diets, etc.....

[lguidry 5]

I'm only 4 days out and am having the same issues. No pain from the incisions except when I vomit which has been often - although so far only once today (it is 10:30 am).

It is gas and acid reflux. Only time and meds will help. Warm tea stayed down this am - about 5-6 sips. I have had to sleep almost sitting up; otherwise the reflux gets much worse. Hubby is out getting my children's tagament now in hopes of keeping that down. I have a real texture, taste thing so anything I tried to breakup and take made me gag. walking doe s help too - you get the hsarp pains of another bubble being broken up. They pump your stomach full of gas during the surgery so they can get a better view of things.

Being only 4 days out, I am hoping I did the right thing. I went for a band and was concerned about slips and erosions. hate surgerys - get really sick form anesthia so didn't want to risk a second surgery. switched to plication at the last minute. Sure hope I didn't act hasty.

oh yeah, if you have glue and not stiches DONT use a heating pad on your stomach but you can rest against one on your back which feels nice.

I'm so glad to have found this group. Was starting to panic.

Debinphoenix,

Who did your surgery? Hope you get to feeling better real soon. My surgery is in the morning:)

[lguidry 5]

lguidry,

keep us posted...and best of luck.....the first night and the first few days are tough but doable...at least for me me.....

let's keep in touch and compare diets, etc.....

CKNorte,

Will do...my new friend:) And I am so glad I found all of you:)

[JoanieW 13]

Thank you so much for the receipe,...sounds yummy:) Well, tomorrow is the big day and I chose Dr. Ortiz at the Obesity Control Center in TJ. I went back and forth between him and Dr. Corvala, both being highly skilled and proctor's for dr's in the US and their prices were virtually the same. The only difference was the length of stay, I arrived yesterday afternoon at the hotel (which is included in my package), have surgery tomorrow and leave to go home next Saturday. He wants to observe me for a week before he sends me back to the states. This made me feel "safer"? I hope I've made the right decision. I'll keep you posted and please do the same!!! Congrats on your weight loss. Also did they put you on a structured eating plan? if so, let's share and compare. Again...love and appreciate the receipe:)

Good luck, lguidry. Keep us posted as to how you're doing.

Joanie

[debinphoenix 0]

Dr. Ortiz in TJ did mine. Was very ahppy with the whole expierence.

Debinphoenix,

Who did your surgery? Hope you get to feeling better real soon. My surgery is in the morning:)

[jg62 0]

JG, how are you?

Hello this the husband to jg, I just wanted to fill everyone in on her behalf, she is currently in a critical state in ICU. She had to have an emergency surgery because there was a hole in her stomach leaking out food. She is very sick and heavily sedated and is now struggling to save her life. The surgeon here had to remove what he described was a dead part of her stomach. I am praying that she makes it

through.

Her worried and loving husband.