Nissan Fundoplication Complications-Gerd-Hiatal Hernia-Celiac-Dumping Syndrome-Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome
No surgery is safe. Surgery may be successful, but that doesn't make it safe.
My husband had this laparoscopic surgery in 1999 and continued to have all manner of complications, belching, hiccups, nausea, vomiting, acid reflux, pain, cramping, bowel problems, difficulty swallowing and breathing, chronic pain and fatigue, and diminishing "happiness". The surgery had to be redone open (he now has a foot long scar on his abdomen) in 2006. Apparently, a step in the procedure was not correctly the first time and his stomach had herniated through his diaphragm.
He has continued to have complications since the second surgery. Everything listed above as well as having developed Dumping Syndrome, Gluten intolerance, and an inability to each much more than pureed foods. He has not been able to work since 2005 due to these problems. He has not been able to attend college. He has had to place his life on hold.
Oh, and all the meds designed to treat symptoms like nausea or cramping tend to cause depression or anxiety. And all the meds to treat the pain cause nausea and vomiting.
He is currently hospitalized for uncontrollable vomiting. His pain is unbearable. He has been hospitalized for a week unable to tolerate anything besides clear liquids. He has been seen by nine GI specialists since 1998. He has had more than a dozen endoscopies, as well as multiple barium studies, cat scans, MRIs, motility studies, and an untold number of simple x-rays. His doctor is sending him to UCSF as soon as we can transfer him, so that they can test for nerve damage, external GI scaring and administer a “smart pill” to gather information and endoscopy cannot see.
This man did everything the doc ordered. He quit smoking and drinking. He eats a diet far healthier than most people could image. He is fit and works out to the best of his ability considering his constant stomach complications.
No one can tell us what is wrong with him. His primary doctor and I both suspect he has vagus nerve damage.
Please to anyone considering this surgery, pursue all other options. Spend more time on this internet looking into dietary treatments (preferred treatment for gerd, just requires dietary vigilance, which will be required post-surgery anyway), manipulative therapies (now the preferred treatment for hiatal hernia according to National Institute for Health and Mayo Clinic), and herbal medicines. This gentleman has found greater relief from herbal teas and probiotics than from many medications. Oh, because of course, medications cause stomach upset.
Spend more time looking into the complications that may result. Look into vagus nerve damage, look into gastoeparisis. Look at your cancer risk. Because even if they may be rare, you will not want to be one of the rare ones. 10% of patient who have some type of fundoplication end up with vagus nerve damage.
I would wish this agony not upon mine enemy. Is agony safe?