Malaika

I never really freaked out either and I attributed that to being sure this was right for me and that Dr. Aceves was the right surgeon -- and I obtained all that information from everyone on this forum. Sure, I was nervous as I'd never had surgery, however, I wasn't a basket case at all. Good luck to you and I hope your entire experience is wonderful from beginning to end. Keep in touch and keep us posted as to how you are doing. We'll be anxious to "hear" from you.

Of the flavors I tried, the grape was the best. They did not have the orange pineapple banana flavor at my GNC - that might have been okay. I made jell-o shooters out of the ice raspberry flavor adding it to raspberry jell-o - those were okay too although I didn't eat all 36 of them!

I can't believe you can drink the isopure -- good for you!

Well tomorrow is the blue dye test so we'll see how he does. I'm hoping he does great with it and doesn't have any issues like I had/have.

Well, let's see how he's feeling tomorrow ... once the pain medicine all wears off. Am glad he came through his surgery w/o any complications and there was no hernia repair needed. He didn't believe me that they operated on him and had to lift his "gown" up to double check ...:bored0:

I don't see why you couldn't make your own popsicles from unsweetened fruit juice. Also, it was suggested to me to make them from plain water, too -- only problem, I couldn't find any popsicle forms to make them with. If you are having spasms, the best thing to drink are warm things -- I have had spasm since my surgery and still have them today due to a sliding hiatal hernia repair. My doctor tells me it may take up to 6 months for that to dissipate and to try drinking something warm before trying to eat anything and to stay on mushies another 4 weeks. I hope this helps, some. Know that you are not alone and that it is difficult for many of us to get in our liquids and Proteins. Good luck - and most important, do not let yourself get dehydrated and it sounds as though that is where you are headed.

Yes, and I have emailed Alex twice about it and have not received any response from him at all. I have tried for 3 days to get into the chat room and it won't upload ... so not sure what's going on -- very frustrating!

Great response Mac - it makes perfect sense!

WASa is the "expert" so to speak with regard to this matter - I am sure she will post the information with regard to this finding and you can research it more on your own. Plus the link to order the test.

Congrats on your surgery date - one month out from Bearded's. I am sure you will do great and I am sure there will be others down here the same time as you are - you just may not know it ahead of time, but I'm sure you won't be alone - it is very busy here this time - every room is full. It will be nice, too, to have your husband here to share the entire experience with you.

HA - this is so true - will definitely cut down on the cost of eating out -- leave more $$$ for gambling and shows.

And everyone should visit Las Vegas at least once - and seems to be somewhat centrally located -- we'll have to work on getting something together down the road -- and no buffets for sure - what a waste of money that would be!

Dr. Aceves just phoned to say he is in recovery and everything went fine. No hernia and surgery was good. So I suspect he'll be in recovery a couple hours and then back to the room. Will post more later. Thanks for asking!

It's been nice and I agree, we definitely need to have a meet-n-greet - would bo so fun!!!

Well that is good to know -- although not what I was told by another doctor. Since I don't have to worry about it anymore and didn't even know I had the darn thing, I'm glad it wasn't more serious. Once the spasms and scar tissue goes away, I should be like new again!

Hearing that didn't make me real happy either; however, at least he didn't say I'll be this way forever! Now, that would totally suck! I can eat warm things easier than cold that is for sure, so I guess that is what I will stick with until things get better ... after this I may never be able to look at a can or bowl of soup again! (Sort of like I feel about Hamburger Helper as that is what, as newlyweds, we lived on way back when [my first marriage]). Thanks for the hugs - back atcha (((Daisy)))

Thanks Judy - I will always take all the prayers anyone wants to offer, as I know it is all in God's hands. Yes, very relieved and to know that everything else looks good. Dr. Aceves did mention this morning; however, that it could take up to 6 months to go away and I will need to learn to "work" with it until then. So I will have to experiment on when to take my medication and try to avoid vomiting ... it's not any fun; however, sometimes that is the only thing that makes me feel better. I will try the warm drinks before meals and try to figure out how and when to take my medication. Hopefully when I see my PCP in August, he will take me off the Benicar and that will only leave the Nexium Mups, Effexor and my BC pill - which is very tiny. Thank you both, and everyone else, for their concern. It means alot to me.

I had never heard of a sliding hiatal hernia either until Dr. Aceves mentioned it to me - so then I had to research it -- and from what I can gather, the whole in the esophogus where the stomach sometimes protrudes up through slides up and down - which I guess is dangerous as if the stomach is up in that area and it decides to "slide" it can strangulate and kill part of the stomach? I am sure there is a much more medical explanation; however, that is what I garnered from www.medline.com (I think that is where I went anyway). I HOPE you don't have these issues either - they are no fun ... Dr. Aceves told me this morning it could take up to 6 months for this issue to go away ... so I am going to have to experiment on the best times to take my medication -- I definitely don't think it is in the am when I am very restricted ... so maybe mid-afternoon ? I don't know -- I just know I don't like the feeling of having something "stuck" and having to fight the urge to vomit -- sometimes I just give in and do it but I don't enjoy it, that's for sure.

Bearded is in surgery right now - they took him at 9:00 and he was very nervous. I think it helped him some to know that he probably won't have the same issues I am having; however, he was still very nervous about the surgery. I will keep you posted on his progress as knowing him and how he is from prior surgeries, he will sleep almost all day today, if not more! He already told me to not let "them" bother him ...

HEY! I thought you were my friend? :biggrin0:

Leslie's DVDs are great - keep in mind you're walking a mile in about 20 minute, so it gets your heart rate up and is good cardio -- I enjoy doing's her DVDs especially when it's 111 outside ... The 2 mile one is an ass-kicking; I got there once and have to work my way back up to it -- never made it to the 3 mile walk (YET)!

Missed Wanna2BMe ... she left yesterday - DARN! Bob's last meal was not what he wanted -- we ate around 2:30 and he wasn't hungry at all after that, so he didn't get his steak like he wanted -- instead he got some gaucomole, chips, bread and 3/4 of the quesadilla I ordered (which was very tiny actually) - plenty for me, and I suppose with the other things he ate, plenty for him -- he was still 'stuffed' this morning. Guess he'll have to wait a while on that steak! Met Soon2BSkinny this morning -- we're all gonna party! LOL :biggrin0:

I think I missed Want2BMeAgain ... I've asked on the floor but no one seems to know who I am talking about so perhaps I missed her? There are 2 other women here today - one for a sleeve from Alaska and one for a revision -- they had not heard about VST ... they have now! Have also met Soon2BSkinny - she was up walking around this morning when we got here. She seems to be doing well. I think it's great to get to know people from here!

You must have been hiding in your room today when I was there -- I will look for you tomorrow when we get to the hospital for DF surgery -- what room were you in? 26? maybe that's why we're going to get that room ... I will try to find you tomorrow morning if you aren't already gone by the time we get there at 7 am.

I had my barium swallow today. Apparently everytime I drink/eat there is a small section, where the sliding hiatal hernia was repaired, that spasms and after the spasm, then it relaxes and the liquid/food passes through. Dr. Campos said told me to drink something warm before I ate and that should help to relax the spasms allowing me to eat. He said this will dissipate over time and told me to stay on a mushie diet for another 4 weeks and then to try adding in solid food a little bit at a time. I have made a very conscious effort to not eat too fast and I know I am not taking too big of bites -- I use a baby spoon (leftover from my kids) to ensure the bites are small. So now, hopefully knowing what the issue is - trying Dr. Campos' suggestion of something warm before eating to help relax the spasm, I will begin to feel better. Also knowing that this will not last forever is a big relief -- I can tolerate it as long as I know eventually it will dissipate and I will have my life back. I know Bearded was happy to hear that I am in the 1% of patients who have these issues and not in the majority.