Heartburn post redo-fundoplication

Hi Joe,
I was in a terrible state at 8 days and things have certainly improved since then. I was able to burp right after surgery and I have little no no problems swallowing. I don't know if the wrap is loose or it's just my surgeons technique but the first time around (same surgeon, wrap failed and it wasn't his fault) I was able to do the same and things were great at three months and absolutely wonderful right up until things fell apart.

I'm going to say what was said to me repeatedly on this forum, patience, patience, patience. I know the symptoms are terrible and the initial healing feels like it's not going fast enough (I'm still there, trust me) but just give your body time to heal and deal with the rather hideous damage that has been done to it. I'm going to judge success at the three month mark but I'm roughly 4 weeks out now and doing okay, not great, but okay.

I found going back to work a major help, it keeps my mind off the 'heartburn' and the aches and pains of the surgery. I've also looked into a few academic papers on the subject and it's pretty clear that symptoms up to 7 months after the surgery are common (though often much reduced) but typically resolve themselves. The same papers also point to PH studies that show the 'heartburn' symptoms to often not be heartburn related, though the medical community appears vaguely stumped as to what's still causing the problem.

Post Edited (Sirkit) : 9/8/2010 3:04:10 PM (GMT-6)

Hi Sirkit,
You sound like you're doing great. Keep in mind that your wrap was created out of your stomach, and is certainly not happy in its new surroundings. You can't expect it to pick up the slack immediately! Give it a chance to adjust and calm down. Swelling, while at its peak at two weeks, and it certainly takes time for your newly formed wrap to settle into place and do its job.

The Gaviscon (Maalox in my case) is a comforting and soothing aid to a very irritated upper GI tract. It's a good thing to take.

My goodness! Eating a bagel at your stage of the game? I honestly questioned whether a bagel would ever be in my life again! I do eat bagels now, but would never have attempted it at your stage of the game! Congratulations! Take it easy, though.

I find that even today, after being thoroughly healed, if I eat a lot of celery and carrot sticks, my wrap rebels and gets irritated for a few days. I can't really manage eating large dinner entree salads either--unless I want to face the consequences for a couple days.

That said, I am thrilled with the results of my Nissen. I can breathe again, and although my allergies do affect my sinuses and lungs during allergy season, it's nothing like I suffered prior to surgery.

Hang in there. Your attitude sounds great. You're right...if you can get your mind on other things, it goes a long way to get you feeling better.

Take care, and continued good luck with your recovery,
Denise

Update for today. I woke up this morning with a bit of soreness in the esophagus. I suspect either I shifted wrong last night and irritated the wrap or had a minor bout of heartburn that wasn't strong enough to wake me so I couldn't treat it. Yesterday was good right up until bedtime when some soreness came up but not enough to resort to drugging myself up.

Today has been pretty irritated, heartburn like symptoms that don't respond to Gaviscon so they probably aren't actual reflux but are instead the esophagus just being PO'ed at me. I'm doing okay though, able to eat with no troubles so far (still chewing SUPER carefully).

Hi Dencha,
I'm still worse than I was before the surgery and only 4 weeks out. Things still seem to be improving (no heartburn at all after dinner today!) so I'm hoping things will settle to better than now. This is round 2 of this surgery and after round 1, and before things failed, I was basically back to 100%; I want to get there again.

Here's hoping!

I thought I was the only on having these problems - very depressed about them as I thought this was supposed to fix this problem< not keep me dependent on these meds for the rest of my life - very unhappy about this situatuion! going to talk to Surgeon next week about it.

Beginning of week 5: no heartburn problems to speak of, some mild burning here and there but it's more irritating than painful. I'm still taking Gaviscon before bed because I don't want to chance anything but I honestly doubt it's necessary at this point. Woke up this morning with no burning sensation at all!

Had almost a perfect heartburn weekend until my parents served tacos at family dinner on Sunday... mild burning that faded after an hour or so, Gaviscon didn't seem to help it so I suspect it was the spiciness irritating my esophagus rather than an acid bath damaging it.

I'm seeing my doctor later this week and I'll let him know all that's happened these last 4+ weeks. I rather expect my doctor say the standard line of 'anything can happen the first few weeks'. I'm going to keep being careful for the next month or so just to maximize healing and gradually work my way back up to more complex foods and weaning off the PPIs.

I'll occasionally update this but at this point I'm doing pretty well and doing better and better every day so I suspect I'll be okay. Thanks everyone for your support!

Garrick (Sirkit)

Just met with my surgeon today. He is absolutely positive everything is settling just fine and that any residual symptoms should abate in the next few weeks. He decided no follow up was necessary unless I felt I needed one (which at this point I don't). I'm super happy with the results of this surgery! After three weeks of discomfort (okay, Hell) things have finally calmed down and I'm feeling really good again. Here's hoping everything holds fast :)

Hi Sirkit,
Try to keep in mind that you're still in the early stages of recovery. It took me four months to be able to eat normally. You had GERD for a long time. The surgery is deceiving, because on the outside you heal very quickly, but the inside is extremely inflamed and irritated. Tools were pushed inside, things were moved, your stomach was stretched and pulled, and stitched, and is not a happy camper right now. On top of that, as you describe, your upper GI tract was not in perfect condition before the surgery, which makes the post surgery recovery even longer.

Laprosocopic surgery is very deceiving. It seems like it should be a quick and easy recovery. Try to be patient, and allow those poor damaged internal organs to heal. It will happen. If you can accept the fact that there will be ups and downs, and the recovery will take a long time, it will make it easier. I was told here (by another experienced member) that most of the healing takes place in the first six months, and that the remainder will take about a year. Hang in there. Things will get better. Try not to get discouraged by little setbacks along the way. Take the PPI's and let them help your stomach heal.

You'll always have some little quirks and differences that you'll learn to deal with, but overall you'll find relief once you're healed. Just try to give yourself the chance to heal. Don't try to rush it. It'll just frustrate you, and not make a bit of difference in your recovery time.

We're with you! Post away when you get discouraged or want to vent. Those of us who've been through it will be here to support and encourage you through it.
Take care,
Denise

Hi Sirkit,
I've got a very tricky and sensitive stomach (therefore wrap) and to this day (a year and a half later) if I eat something I shouldn't, I get a really irritated feeling at the wrap location, and can sometimes get some dumping or just diarrhea as an outcome. That said, I used to baby it, and finally I just decided that I was going to eat what I wanted and face the consequences.
A burger and a beer...well worth it!
Hang in there!
Denise

Yeeaaaaa!! See what having patience pays off to...
It will just keep on getting better.

Okay, today sucked. After lunch the heartburn/discomfort started... that was annoying... continued pretty much all day.

LAAAAAME!!

Oh well, I continue to expect it to get better.

I'm doing extremely well. After a vacation where I abused my stomach quite a bit (ate all kinds of bad things) there wasn't anything more than a mild gurgle. My bags got lost at the end of the trip so I kind of was forced to exist without the drugs for a few days, I resorted to taking some Pepcid AC at one point but things are certainly drastically improved.

I have stepped off my twice daily Panteloc but am still taking Pepcid twice a day for now (which I was taking in addition to the Panteloc before). I'm waiting for the inevitable acid storm that will come from stepping off the Panteloc to calm down before I continue stepping off the Pepcid. Very slow moves seem to be the way of proper healing.

After stepping off the Panteloc I've had a bit of a sore throat, I was concerned that it was acidy burning (darn ) and then I got a stuffy nose with gross mucus so it's probably just a cold.

Heal well everyone, I am continuing down my path to recovery. May it not be halted suddenly

So small hiccup this past week. Stepping off the Panteloc didn't go so well, I started getting intermittent heartburn and then finally got what felt like a low burn for most of Saturday. With a sigh of reservation I took the Panteloc and seems stabilized a day later and working back toward feeling good again.

This brings me to an issue. Supposedly I'm supposed to step off the drugs as the surgery was successful but stepping off the drugs makes for a sour stomach taste and then heartburn after a few days. Suggestions? Is it just more of a 'wait a few more months' thing?