Esophagectomy: What is life like Afterwards?

@nrideout Your on the right path. Keep exercising. Eat when you can. My operation was September 3rd 2024. I had stage 3. Today I exercise every day. Eat smart. I can eat what I want. I now sleep normal. Not at a incline. I just finished a 10 month once a month imunetherapy. That ended September 4 2025. Had scans on October 9th. Met with oncologist on October 15. I am no in clinical remission with no evidence of disease. I celebrated for a day. But this is a life long journey. Cancer will always be a part of me. I enjoy today. I don't worry about tomorrow. Hope is a wonderful thing. Never give up. It hasn't been easy this last year. But today. My new normal is pretty damn good.

@aolson51

I also have Stage 2 esophageal cancer and will discuss treatment plans with my oncological team next Thursday. Feeling lots of things about the surgery. Any input for me?

Bill

@gdj

Thanks for your encouraging comments. Would you have the surgery done if you had to do it today?

Bill

Yes, I would.
Am happy to talk if you want.

Gary

@drbilldobrenen2026
Some input that might be useful to you - of course, there are so many variables in the decision making - whether to have the surgery or not - like age, comorbidities, general health, support, etc.
The SANO trial in Holland(2025):
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(25)00027-0/abstract
From PUBMED(2022):
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34191461/

@drbilldobrenen2026
I suggest you sign up at a website called "Smart Patients" for the esophageal cancer forum.
It is a very active website with people at all stages.

My husband have Ivor Lewis esophagectomy last January followed by 3 more rounds of FLOT. he had 4 previous rounds of FLOT prior to surgery. Today he is eating very well put on some of the weight he lost. Sleeps on 3 small pillows has occasional reflux if he overeats. He is working out at the YMCA 3 days a week. We just returned from a vacation in Cancun. It was a rough year of chemo and post op chemo but today he is doing great!!

@ollusam and he will be 77 years old this year

I was diagnosed in Nov 24, small T 2 where esphogus and stomach meet,did 25 radiation and 6 chemo during Christmas last year surgery 1st of April, it hadn't left the esphogus, showed that chemo and radiation took care of it but said surgery should be done,very life changing ,I had a ct scan mid of July and looked great, now im on 6 month scans,so have one next week,and that will be the norm for couple years every 6 months, very nervous about next weeks scan have to stay positive, in hospital 7 days after surgery, had feeding tube in place for 6 weeks but never used it...I had good food intake, the non stop reflux is crazy cause the sphinx was removed, I tell people its like a volcano down there, I sleep on mechanical bed which is Awsome, but stuff like drying out shower,tying shoes,pulling weeds you deff don't stay bent over long or acid comes up...I have many more things I can share also,keep in touch prayers to everyone on this site,be glad to get my results end of next weeks ct scan,then be good till mid of july...sorry to raddle on lol..Jim 65 years old.

@mwedin I had ten endoscopies to stretch my esophagus until I figured out I could do my own stretchings with dilation tubes. I did those for about three or four months and then stopped doing it. K have been dilation free for about four months now so I am pretty much 100% normal (minus most of my esophagus and half of my stomach)