1. Community
  2. Cancer
  3. Oesophageal Cancer

I am going to be having esophagectomy please what should i expect and how painful is the surgery?

Posted , 3 users are following.

Rayor
Rayor

what are the chances of survival for an oesophagectomy surgery... thou mine is not from cancer but was caused by ingestion of acidic content?

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • becky7624
    becky7624 Rayor

    Posted

    It's been a little less than 2 years since my esophagectomy. If you have an experienced doctor and go to a hospital with a staff that is very experienced with the surgery, you should survive quite nicely. The first 5 - 6 days after the surgery are the hardest because you won't be able to eat or drink anything. Once you can start drinking and eating very soft foods, do your best to do so. I was able to go home from the hospital after 8 days and didn't have to use the feeding tube once I was able to swallow.

    Although I was uncomfortable enough to sleep on a recliner instead of in bed, I don't remember a great deal of pain once I left the hospital. I still have to sleep with an incline pillow to avoid reflux at night, but that's about the only lasting result of the surgery. I also lost 40 pounds after the surgery because you can't eat very much at one time. My friends who have had gastric weight loss surgery said that my experience was similar to theirs. I also lost most of my sense of taste for a while and I couldn't feel when I was hungry or full for a while, but that only lasted about 6 - 8 months. I still can't eat as much as I used to eat, but that's actually a good thing for me.

    There are other things that you'll want to be aware of that can result from the surgery. "Dumping" is one of the things I read a lot about, but I never experienced that issue.

    Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

  • AlanJM
    AlanJM Rayor

    Posted

    David Kirby, President of the Oesophageal Patients Association, had his oesophagectomy around 45 years ago and is still alive, if this is any help.

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.