Healing after Linx procedure
Hi. After 20 years of being on PPIs which only partially addressed my constant heartburn and stomach pain I had the Linx device installed last week. I've been reading a lot about disphagia, how to avoid it - is it even possible? - and eating "normal" food. I've been eating tuna salad in small bites, crackers, thick chicken soup, mashed potatoes, etc. I tried scrambled eggs the day after surgery and once again since then and they seem difficult to get down. I know it's very early in my healing process and it sounds like the worst is yet to come. I don't really know what eating "normal" foods mean as the only meat I eat is chicken and fish, and prior to the surgery raw veggies have been very hard for me to digest for years so I avoid them altogether. For many years I've also been able to only eat very small meals without feeling sick. I've been reading that I should avoid foods that are too soft so as to get the esophagus to work right. Does anyone have specific foods they recommend, either to eat or to avoid? What about breakfast cereal? Or even pizza? I've developed a food fear over the years because of the affect some foods have on me due to the extreme heartburn. It seems I'm falling into the same trap with anticipation of what it will take to heal from the Linx but I felt - and still hope - it's was the right decision. Any reassurance and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Hi @heyboh and welcome to Connect. Thanks so much for your questions. I am tagging @carolynlivingjaksm, @sylvias, and @drrobertsmsmft to share their experiences.
You might be interested in reading this PDF of post surgical tips on eating https://www.tlcsurgery.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/LINX-Post-Op-Diet-TLC.pdf It says to continue to try new foods and if you have trouble with them, stop eating that item and try again in a week.
Have you found any foods that you weren't able to tolerate before that you now can handle?
Thanks Amanda. I haven't tried any foods yet that I wasn't able to tolerate before. My main goal is to be able to eat raw veggies which were the hardest on my GI system. To be honest I'm rather nervous about venturing into that area. So much of what I read about people's recovery experiences are rather scary. I plan to start adding different and more foods into my diet as I get past the "honeymoon" period and see how I do during the potentially more challenging period.