POSTOP FUNDOPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

The Famous "Yellow Sheet" - Now Online!

POSTOP DIET INSTRUCTIONS

You will go home a full liquid diet. You can have custards, well blenderized soups, pudding, yogurt, milk products, protein shakes like Boost or Ensure, cooked cereals like cream of wheat, tea and coffee. Once that is going down easily, approximately 1-2 weeks, you can slowly add in soft foods such as noodles, pasta, instant mashed potatoes, and scrambled eggs. Advance slowly and take small bites. If something gets stuck and it hurts to swallow, go back to a liquid diet for a day or two to help your esophagus recover. After soft foods are going through easily, slowly work up to a regular diet. Take small bites and chew completely. Please note, bread, bulky raw vegetables, and red meat will take several weeks to work up to. Avoid ice and cold items initially because they will make your esophagus spasm. If this happens, drink a glass of hot water to relieve the muscles. Avoid carbonated beverages, straws, and gum because they will make you swallow air and feel bloated.

If you need some culinary inspiration, check out our Fundoplication Cookbook.

WHAT MEDICATIONS SHOULD I HAVE AT HOME?

After a fundoplication, you may have difficulty belching or vomitting in the future. However, prolonged dry heaving can disrupt the operation. Therefore, it's important to immediately stop any nausea! You'll go home with a prescription medication to treat nausea (and lots of refills!). But you can also make sure to have Dramamine (motion sickness medication that works for nausea) and Peptobismol (to treat GI upset) in your medicine cabinet. Don't forget to take these medications with you when you travel!

Simethicone (also called Gas X, Mylicon) is an over the counter medication that helps with bloating. It comes in liquid drops, flim strips, and chew tabs.

Constipation is common after surgery and with narcotic use. Take a laxative if you need to -- milk of magnesia works well.

Though our patients will have prescription for pain medication, over the counter liquid tylenol and ibuprofen can also be used for pain relief. These are found in the children's section; simply take an adult dose.

ACTIVITY & RESTRICTIONS

Take your clean plastic dressings off 5 days after surgery. If you leave them longer, they will itch.
You can take a bath or shower the day after surgery. Simply pat your incisions dry.
Walk every day to help speed your recovery. Practicing deep breathing for the first few days (10 breaths every hour) also helps.
Do not lift over 50lbs for 6 weeks and 100lbs for 12 weeks after surgery.
Long term, we recommend avoiding Olympic style clean-and-jerk type weight lifting exercises. If possible, avoid lifting >150lbs to avoid excessive stress on the diaphragm. Going back to normal activities and exercise is fine once you have recovered.
You can drive once you are off all medications that make you sleepy.
If you need a note for work or FMLA paperwork, please call our office or bring this with you at your clinic visit.

FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS AND VISIT

Do not call the hospital with questions - please call Huntington Laparoscopy directly at 208-344-4999. After hospital discharge, please call our office to make an appointment to be seen about 2 weeks after discharge. If you live very far from Boise, a telephone follow up may be an option.

HELPFUL HINTS

Drink a glass of hot water if you have a spasm
A sensation of "belching" is common in the first few days because of the air trapped in your esophagus. It's due to the swelling and will go away quickly as you recover from surgery.
You can stop your anti-reflux medications after surgery.
After surgery, take your normal pills one at a time, with some time to let your esophagus recover in between. If you have a big pill, ask your pharmacist if you can crush it. Do not crush any extended release medications. Skip vitamins and supplements until your swallowing is normal - they are big pills and will get stuck.