Eating problems after hiatal hernia & nissen fundoplication

Hi @qbnbgirl You are having a difficult time, I am sorry. While waiting for others with first-hand experience I thought I would look online a bit. My mom did have this surgery years ago and I remember how difficult it was.

I found this:
Trouble Swallowing
It’s common to have trouble swallowing after your surgery. This can be caused by the swelling from your surgery. It will get better as you heal and the swelling goes down.
If you’re having trouble swallowing, tell your surgeon. They may recommend going back to following a liquid diet while the swelling lessens. You can also try drinking warm liquids. Warm liquids can be easier to swallow. They can also make it easier to swallow foods you eat after drinking them.

I hope this helps! Did you have open surgery? Are you having other post-surgery symptoms you are managing along with trying to eat?

Hi, and thank you for the lovely note. I will definitely take the suggestion to go back to more liquids and hot soups, etc.… I have a laparoscopic surgery and a hiatal hernia surgery at the same time. Everything else seems fine and I can actually even burp which most people don’t seem to be able to do. Even the laparoscopic surgery is quite painful and I’m so glad that I had someone to help me get out of bed. The first few weeks as the muscles are totally gone and it is very painful. Once again, thank you for a lovely note you sent to help me.

Look at you @qbnbgirl recognizing all the positives!

I missed that you had both surgeries. Your body has to be saying, “what just happened to me?” I am certainly no medical professional but it sounds like now is the time to heal. I remember my doctor painstakingly telling me before my hysterectomy that I would feel good and on the outside would look like I should be ready to go, that I would need to remind myself a lot happened inside benefiting from considerable time to heal. She was right.

Maybe now is the time you can try a new quiet activity before rebuilding those healing muscles. You could come help me with my first 3-D puzzle that I am determined to do without accessing any online help. That’s cheating, right?

I, too, had hiatal hernia repair & fundoplication surgery done at the same time laparoscopically. Mine was the end of 2014. At first I found it difficult to eat bread or chicken breast which has somewhat subsided. My main problem is I cannot vomit which, apparently, is common.

Thank you both for your replies.It sounds like I need to be patient with myself and give my insides time to heal and adjust. I wonder when I will be able to eat ‘normally’. If anyone has had these operations I would love to hear from you and know that there is ‘hope’ down the road.
Thanks again for your positive responses as they are much appreciated:)

Several Mayo Clinic Connect members have talked about having a hiatal hernia and/or Nissen fundoplication (surgery for gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD) operation and may have some insights for you, @qbnbgirl, about whether they could eat their typical food afterward and if so, how long that took to do so @natefish @faithann64 @faithincrisis @marianna1968jt. @cblue @rosemaryhow @btowngal @nirolk @pdilly @fourof5zs @marychapman @jobarbara @sickvick @claytamos @dstb83bb @faithful55 also may have some thoughts about this.

Thanks so much for trying to connect me with these people. I am grateful for your help:)