Esophagectomy: What is life like Afterwards?

@leadingham1
I'm in the same boat - expect to remove lower (most?) of esophagus, GE junction, and the stomach in May. Terrified. I'm told I'll have a feeding tube for a month and not be able to even have water during most/all of that time. I'd love to learn more about what the experience from others of what that is like, including navigating the feeding tube.

@manish28, welcome. I'm tagging a few members like @bakerwd4 @dkoehne @jayb1123 @dave640 who may be able to share their experiences with surgery after chemoradiation.

At the moment, it sounds like your dad has options. Since your dad is just beginning chemoradiation, might you be able to see how he does in treatment before having to make a decision?

@manuelo
hello manuelo. my brother had his surgery feb 3, 2026. He was discharged feb. 10 , 2026 everything was going well until yesterday. His lung collapsed and there's an infection. he's in ICU now. he has a stent, feeding tube was put in and another tube draining his lung (i.e. infection fluids)... it seems now we're sitting here with the worst complications possible, and he didnt loose alot of his esophagus or stomach, it was stage 2 but now this has happened. your post gave me hope 🙏

@manish28
Hi, from being with my wife through chemo radiation followed by Esophagectomy, I could make a a few suggestions based strictly on her experience:
1. Oncologists seem to know how much chemo radiation a patient can withstand. Don’t push beyond that.
2. Get your J-tube early (don’t wait until surgery) so that you can use it, as needed, to maintain strength and weight during chemo radiation. Also because, in case there’s a complication with the J-tube, you’ll be able to get that sorted out before surgery and not during surgical recovery.
3. Don’t get the surgery unless you’re going to get it at a high-volume hospital for Esophagectomy, such as Mayo/Richester. Others will do the operation but don’t have enough experience with the surgery or with the recovery.
4. The last two weeks of radiation and, especially, the two weeks following completion of radiation will probably be your 4 hardest weeks. Much harder, probably, than the operation or recovery from the operation. - You may be able to avoid this worst part by getting your J-tube early.
5. Everything after the operation has been manageable. - Many people live actively and happily afterwards although with some adjustments.

Wishing you and your father well,
Dave

My wife and children were terrified when I went in for the surgery in April of 2023, so my three-year anniversary is approaching. My surgeon was up front with me that this is a difficult operation, and it does change your life. It also saves it. I was in ICU for 9 days I think, then two more in a focused room before release. If your dad can apply himself to the physical therapy which started Day 2 and get his legs working the post op care at home seems manageable. A recliner was my home for a month but I was able to shuffle to the bathroom on my own the first day home, shower on my own the third day, and as I recall within a week was taking slow laps around the driveway. Food, of course, was another journey. Staying on clear broth for a week, graduating to very soft scrambled eggs was heaven. Then learning my way around difficult foods like bread, eating small portions of protein several times a day instead of big meals. I went into surgery a tubby 230 lbs. and post-surgery my weight dropped as low as 145lbs. because of the (now) smaller stomach and eating restrictions. Now I'm about 165 lbs. and can eat most of my favorite meals. I've had 5 EGD dilations of my throat to stretch the scar tissue (and scope for reoccurrence of the cancer) but those are basically an outpatient procedure that improves swallowing. This month my oncologist put me on annual follow-ups! The largest change since the surgery for me has been developing blood sugar issues, dumping syndrome, and I now wear a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) in my arm and struggle with severe blood sugar drops if I don't pay attention to my diet. Frustrating but manageable. I had the surgery at age 67 and I'm now 70, walk at least 5 miles every day , ride a bike in the summer. The surgery did save my life. Happy to talk with you or your dad just like people did with me when I was anticipating the operation.

In reply to @cutbet, I had an esophagectomy on 12/5/25, and I was terrified as well. It is a very complex surgery, so your best bet is to have it done at a major medical center hospital. Mine was at UCLA . I’m a 75 year old woman, and was in pretty good physical condition before the surgery. I was in the hospital for nine days. They removed most of my esophagus, and part of the stomach (in order to reshape it to be able to stretch it up to connect to my throat). They placed a feeding tube (J-Tube) into the upper part of the small intestine, and I had it for more than two months. I was on a continuous feed regimen, so the amount of formula entering my intestines was a very small amount at a time, which is actually quite easy to adjust to. After about six weeks, I was weaned off the tube and began the transition to eating only by mouth. It is a difficult recovery initially, but as of now I feel pretty darn good. I had the tube removed about a week ago (easy, in the doctor’s office). I have to eat small amounts at a time throughout the day, but I’m adjusting to that, and most days I feel fairly normal, and have returned to most of my normal activities, including exercise. It is a daunting journey to look forward to, by I wanted you to know that you can get through it and start living life again! Sending positive thoughts your way for your surgery.

@cutbet Hopefully you saw my longer post about my esophagectomy. But in addition, in answer to your question about not taking in any water, that isn’t true! You will be taking in quite sufficient water as well as nutrition through your feeding tube.

@ajax2026 Hi sorry I didn’t see your post till today. I hope your brother is doing much better. I had every complication including a bad infection in the neck where he cut to access my esophagus and sew it up to my stomach. I am sure your brother will get better quick. I am living pretty much a normal life and maybe partying more than I should. I eat, drink, grill, party, exercise and live normally thank God. Getting off the feeding tube and resuming my own feeding was a struggle cause I kept eating more than I should and I would get cramps for hours, the strictures of my esophagus were another challenge but I overcame doing my own dilations. Hope your brother doesnt get strictures but if he does need to do dilations you can contact me for tips on how to do it.

@manish28 its a personal decision to make and everyone struggles coming to terms with loosing half your stomach and most your esophagus but dealing with chemo and radiation is no picnic.
Doc said he would reccomend surgery to his own father if he was in my shoes so I did and I am doing great now.

Good luck and Godspeed.

@manuelo hello manuelo. i have an update. i just wrote a long note to you and somehow it got lost. sorry if i repeat myself. i'm glad your feeling well 🙂 you said every complication possible... did your lung collapse too??? his lung collapsed, filled with fluid, infection and a leak. its the most feared one 😥 dr. says he's getting better. my sis in law said it was a bad day yesterday. they took a drainage tube out, there was alot of pain. she said, he had to walk a long way to the bathroom and it took everything out of him and lots of pain after. He has a sent in his lung and feeding tube. He's a retired pilot... always fit brave and macho. I worry but a tube coming out is a good thing. many thanks, Christina