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getting a nissen repaired in 9 days.

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Posted 6/1/2009 9:31 PM (GMT 0)
hello everyone, i was looking up information on the web about nissen fundoplication surgeries and came across this message board. everyone seems very supportive and good intentioned, so i decided to create an account.

i've been scanning the posts, informing myself with as much information about the surgery itself as well as what i should expect both post and pre op - i'm scheduled for surgery on the 9th of this month. i have spoken to my surgeon, have asked many questions, and have compiled an additional list of questions i'd like to ask my doctor/surgeon before the operation. i'd like to inform everyone here that reading other people's experiences has given me a well rounded perspective on the possible outcomes i could end up encountering, so thank-you everyone for posting on here.

to be honest, i'm still extremely nervous about getting the nissen fixed in general. i first had the nissen done when i was a few months old, but the nissen has since slipped. because i had the nissen done when i was so young, the nissen is now too small for my body and is constraining my esophagus. i also have 2 hernias that need to be taken care of, as well as an irritated area that needs to be removed altogether because it cannot heal on its own.

i've been told that my surgery is going to take 4 to 5 hours. is this a normal amount of time for a nissen surgery? my surgeon is the best in the area but he isn't specialized in nissen fundoplication surgeries and that thought alone is keeping me on the edge of my seat. and like i said, i have compiled a list of questions that i'm going to ask my doctor on friday, and i hopefully will feel more comfortable after asking the additional questions. however any & all advice / success stories that could make me feel better are welcomed.

did any of you come across something unexpected during your surgery that i should know in advance / can ask the doctor about? if so, please feel free to share. also, if i haven't previously mentioned my age, i'm 18 years old. is there anyone within my age range on this message board who has gotten a nissen surgery - either a repair or a new surgery altogether?

thank-you.
Posted 6/1/2009 10:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Wasteofpaint,
I'm glad you were able to find posts here that helped you get your mind around the Nissen procedure. After my procedure (Feb. 27th), I posted my recovery experience pretty regularly, just for people like you (and me) who are desperate for information and reassurance.

Generally surgeons give a high estimate as to how long a surgery will last. That way when your loved ones are waiting, they won't worry if it goes longer than they expected. I had read that a first time nissen takes about an hour, but my surgeon told me that I'd be in surgery about 3 hours. When I questioned him, he laughed and said that he can't win...whatever amount of time he says, someone finds something wrong with it! I ended up taking about an hour, which I expected.

Yours is a re-do, so I would expect it would take longer. They don't really know what they're getting into until the surgery, so I'm sure they're giving themselves a good long time--enough to do whatever is required. I often wondered what happens with the Nissens done on babies and children. You're the first person that I've talked to who experienced an early surgery.

I don't think you'll find a surgeon who just does Nissens...there aren't enough done to make a practice of just that procedure. As long as you have a doctor who has lots of experience with them--at least 100 (mine had done 300+). My surgeon was a general surgeon, but was recommended by my GI doctor, who said he would not hesitate to have that surgeon do the procedure on him. As it turns out, my surgeon was plenty experienced, and did a great job.

When you say that he isn't specialized in the nissen procedure, do you mean he hasn't got much experience doing them? That would be my number one question. No matter how good he is, his experience with that procedure is critical to the success of your wrap. He doesn't have to do JUST nissens, but he should have done a lot of them.

If you check into this site after your surgery and post questions as new threads, you'll get lots of help from people here. The most unexpected thing I experienced after surgery was the ease of the recovery. I was expecting a horrible experience, and my worries were for nothing. It was a pleasant surprise. I'm three months out, and am eating anything. That's not to say that I don't still have some discomfort with my wrap from time to time (when I overdo it), but nothing that I can't handle.

Please feel free to ask questions...we'll all help you in any way we can.
We'll be there for you, and rooting for a smooth recovery!
Good luck with your surgeon...be sure to write your questions down!
Take care, and don't worry!
Denise
Posted 6/1/2009 11:32 PM (GMT 0)
Thank-you so much Denise. After reading your post I do honestly feel better about it. My doctor said he feels comfortable doing the surgery and he has done it many times before but I just felt a little bit uneasy about it. Again, thank-you for getting back to me so quickly, I appreciate it.

I have another question - I want to start buying different types of soft foods right now because I know I'm going to need them for awhile. Is there anything in particular that went down easy and was okay on the stomach? As it is right now without the surgery, certain types of yogurt have been going down hard because of their thickness in consistency, so I'm guessing after the surgery it will be a lot more severe. Is there anything you'd recommend I pick up? Thanks again.
Posted 6/1/2009 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
Wasteofpaint -
I am recovering from a Nissen redo. 2 weeks today. It took 4.5 hours to redo mine. I was in recovery and additional 2 hours. The Nissen part has been a breeze compared to my first.
Denise is a great source of Nissen recovery information. Her posts are great. I pray you have a uneventful, speedy recovery.
Take care,
Bill
Posted 6/1/2009 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
wasteofpaint

Welcome, and I look forward to getting to know you better.

If you have read the journey's of some of our wonderful members you have probably found the answers to many of your fears and your questions..................

We will be right here for you when you head to surgery.

Again a warm welcome.

Kitt

 

Posted 6/2/2009 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
thank-you everyone!
Posted 6/2/2009 12:12 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Wasteofpaint,
We're all here for you! I made myself lots of things...squash, homemade chicken broth, applesauce, egg custard, mashed potatoes and gravy. I even bought Carnation Instant Breakfast, in case I needed my nutrition in a liquid form.

As it turns out, my doctor sent me home on soft foods...so I ate the applesauce, etc...I'm partial to egg custard...
In the beginning you won't be able to eat much...you'll feel full after a very small amount of food. (My surgeon says it's because your wrap and stomach are swollen, so you feel full prematurely.)

I still have some of my frozen squash, broth, and turkey gravy (for my mashed potatoes) in the freezer. All surgeons are different, by after five days I visited mine, and he gave me permission to eat anything that could be chewed to a liquid. He told me to eat small bites and chew, chew, chew. So...I switched to eating solid food, which is much more satisfying, and left the soft foods in the freezer.

I had no trouble chewing to a liquid. It gives you the possibility of a much more interesting variety of foods.

I would recommend that you get liquid Tylenol or Motrin for after the surgery. You'll want to have it for pain when you move away from the pain meds you get from the surgeon. (Try hard to convince him to give you your pain meds in liquid form). You probably won't need the pain meds for long...then you can switch to liquid Tylenol. That was a tip that others here gave me.

Any questions like that, you should post as a new thread on the first page.
Then others will see it and add to your post.
You'll be fine...don't worry. I worried so needlessly, and didn't have the surgery that I needed.
I'm glad you joined our forum!
Keep asking questions--we're here to support you!
Denise
Posted 6/2/2009 12:54 PM (GMT 0)
I will also add to denise's list - GAS X. Hope all goes well and please post your recovery to help others ,that is if your feeling up to it.We will root for you here on healing well!!
Good luck
Bea
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