Endoscopic esophageal surgery - post surgery experience

JennyH
JennyH Member Posts: 1
in Esophageal Cancer #1
I have completed chemoradiation and am considering endoscopic surgery. I would appreciate hearing from people who have had this surgery. What was recovery like? Has it changed the quality of your life? Thanks for whatever you can share with me?

Jennifer

Comments

  • Susie_Brendon
    Susie_Brendon Member Posts: 128
    #2
    http://csn.cancer.org/node/213297
    Jennifer -
    I asked pretty much the same question when we were trying to figure out surgery for my husband. Paste the above link in your browser and it will take you to my post and all the threads.

    I don't know your story but would like to welcome you to this site (as unfortnuate as it may be)...I see this is your first posting. I don't know what stage your cancer is in...but it really doesn't matter...you want the MIE surgery no matter what... Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy.

    My husband will have his surgery on May 27th by Dr. Luketich in Pitts, PA. William Marshall, a young gentleman on this site, will send you plenty of information.

    I wish you well and will add you to my prayers.

    Susie
  • Joel C
    Joel C Member Posts: 174
    #3
    Susie_Brendon said:

    http://csn.cancer.org/node/213297
    Jennifer -
    I asked pretty much the same question when we were trying to figure out surgery for my husband. Paste the above link in your browser and it will take you to my post and all the threads.

    I don't know your story but would like to welcome you to this site (as unfortnuate as it may be)...I see this is your first posting. I don't know what stage your cancer is in...but it really doesn't matter...you want the MIE surgery no matter what... Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy.

    My husband will have his surgery on May 27th by Dr. Luketich in Pitts, PA. William Marshall, a young gentleman on this site, will send you plenty of information.

    I wish you well and will add you to my prayers.

    Susie

    Hi Jenny,
    I know what
    Hi Jenny,
    I know what you’re thinking and yes the surgery is necessary. I also went through chemo/radiation for my stage 2B (T2N1M0) adenocarcinoma (49 years old). Like you when I was doing my treatment I wondered if it really made sense to go through surgery especially when I researched the survival rate numbers. One thing is for sure and opting for the surgery provides you the best chance of beating this disease. In regard to my recovery it’s was not easy but not as bad as I thought it was going to be. The most important advice I can give you is that you find a top notch cancer hospital and you pick a surgeon that is very experienced doing this surgery. I am fortunate to live within a couple of hours of Boston and found a doctor that does ~45 MIE per year.

    In regard to quality of life, at 5 months post-surgery I have to say life is pretty darn good. I work 9 hour days, do lots of physical work around the house and enjoy spending time with family and friends. I can eat anything I want just smaller amounts. I don’t eat within two hours before bed. I also have the head of my bed raised 6”. The thing that bothers me the most is I often suffer from dumping. When I figure out how to deal with the dumping I will be close to how I use to be. So you can push through the surgery, you can recover and you will live a normal life again.
    Good luck,
    Joel
  • Gatoraid
    Gatoraid Member Posts: 66
    #4
    Joel C said:

    Hi Jenny,
    I know what
    Hi Jenny,
    I know what you’re thinking and yes the surgery is necessary. I also went through chemo/radiation for my stage 2B (T2N1M0) adenocarcinoma (49 years old). Like you when I was doing my treatment I wondered if it really made sense to go through surgery especially when I researched the survival rate numbers. One thing is for sure and opting for the surgery provides you the best chance of beating this disease. In regard to my recovery it’s was not easy but not as bad as I thought it was going to be. The most important advice I can give you is that you find a top notch cancer hospital and you pick a surgeon that is very experienced doing this surgery. I am fortunate to live within a couple of hours of Boston and found a doctor that does ~45 MIE per year.

    In regard to quality of life, at 5 months post-surgery I have to say life is pretty darn good. I work 9 hour days, do lots of physical work around the house and enjoy spending time with family and friends. I can eat anything I want just smaller amounts. I don’t eat within two hours before bed. I also have the head of my bed raised 6”. The thing that bothers me the most is I often suffer from dumping. When I figure out how to deal with the dumping I will be close to how I use to be. So you can push through the surgery, you can recover and you will live a normal life again.
    Good luck,
    Joel

    Similar problem with dumping
    I was stage 3 (T3N1M0) and underwent 2 rounds of chemo (Cisplatin & 5-FU) and 28 days of radiation at Mass General. My surgery on December 14th was MIE by Dr. Christopher Morse. I am also experiencing nausea after eating and dumping but not every day. Dr. Morse said that the trauma from the chemo, radiation and surgery takes it's toll and to be patient. He believes that it could take 6 - 9 months for my new stomach to heal and settle down before these problems pass. Hopefully he is right (he's been right so far) and I am hopeful. I'm 63 but was in good condition going into this when it was discovered last August. I'm curious about where you were treated and what you've been told about the nausea and dumping.

    Jim
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #5
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