Nissen Fundoplication Recovery

I think the chips made you worst, they are probably too spicy for you, don't worry, I am hungry all the time also, I didn't know that my wrap would swell even more peaking at day 14 or 15, until I came to this forum, my surgeon is one of the best here, but fail to tell me that.

I've found out over the years through my own experiences and others who have posted that you need to stick to liquids until the swelling is over. It peaks at day 14 and gradually goes down by the 28th day.
After day 16 you can slowly start eating mushy foods and things that can be chewed to a liquid. My favorite was vienna sausages. They do make a babyfood equivalent- gerber graduates mini sausages.

Hi kj200sx,
Welcome to our Wrapped Club at Healing Well! Glad you've joined us!

During the first two weeks after a Nissen Fundoplication, your wrap will become increasingly swollen. Therefore, your swallowing ability will get worse, before it gets better. Once the swelling has peaked, it will begin to subside, and you will gradually have less trouble swallowing.

You have to keep in mind that although there is little evidence on the outside due to the laproscopic surgery, your insides have undergone dramatic change. It will take 6 months for most of the healing to occur, and a full year for the rest.

As Laura said, you should avoid vomiting, so should get some anti-nausea meds.

Chances are, you didn't actually vomit, but rather, gagged up something that was stuck at your wrap site. I've heard it described as coughing up a hairball, like a cat!

Laura,
If you can get a smaller PPI med (like Protonix) to take while your wrap is healing, or if you're taking Prilosec, open the capsule and put it in applesauce until you have healed more.

Both of you need to take tiny bites and chew, chew, chew, until whatever you're eating is a liquid. Also, avoid ice in drinks, since this can tend to cause spasms.

Healing will continue, but it's a gradual process. Try to go with the flow, and give yourselves time to heal. Things will get better!

Take care,
Denise

Dear Laura,

First, take a deep breath. Calm down. I know just how you feel. I had the same feeling in the first weeks of recovery. I was positive that my surgery wasn't working. Not only did I experience heartburn, but the symptom I had the surgery for--severely involved lung issues--hadn't responded at all.

This is far, far too early to make the decision that your surgery isn't working. Recall that you took a pill and it got stuck in your wrap for quite a while. This is very irritating to your wrap, and also likely created a situation where things could reflux easily into your esophagus.

In addition to these facts, keep in mind that all that irritation and damage that was done before surgery take weeks to heal post surgery.

In case you need another possible reason for what you're going through...as I said before, your wrap is swelling more and more each day...likely not a smooth swelling, but rather irregular, depending upon how much it was affected by the surgery. An irregularly swollen wrap will also allow for some reflux, if indeed you're getting that.

Another thing that was helpful to know when I was recovering, is that the esophagus is a "dumb organ" and can't differentiate between different types of pain. Any pain that is experienced by the esophagus can be interpreted as "heartburn".

Yes, you can take the Prilosec capsule apart and mix it with applesauce.

Here's the information:
"Swallow the delayed-release capsules whole. If you have difficulty swallowing the delayed-release capsules, place one tablespoon of soft, cool applesauce in an empty bowl. open the delayed-release capsule and carefully empty all the granules inside the capsule onto the applesauce. Mix the granules with the applesauce and swallow the mixture immediately with a glass of cool water. Do not chew or crush the granules. Do not store the applesauce/granule mixture."

Here's the website where I took the information:
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a693050.html

It's natural to worry the way you are. We've all been there.
Try to relax and don't jump to conclusions. You've gone back to work as well...you have had major surgery...your upper GI has been completely revised. You can have pain due to a variety of things. Give yourself time to heal.

Keep coming back, asking questions, and venting.
This too will pass. You will heal, and you will get better! Many before you have panicked in exactly the same way you are. I did!

Take care, and try not to worry!
Denise

hi denisse, thank you so much for your support, I know it is early still to day, but patience is not one of my characteristics, that is why I lash out like that, I wish I could know fast if this surgery is going to work or not. Unfortunately I can't, but lets see what happens.

thank you so much Denisse, I appreciate so much your support, if you ever come to New York City, you know you have a friend here, the applesauce with prilosec was brilliant, so much better.

Hi spike1010, you guys are totally right, I am worrying too early, but you know how it is, I always thought that this was my last stop, if this fails, there is no other option rather have another surgery, I think, I just talked to my surgeon on the phone like an hour ago about this, he said all this is normal, because I am still very swelled. Lets see what happens, as I said before the patience is not one of my attributes, I am the kind of person that when a problem arises I look for solutions quick, and the fact I don't have control over this is a little bit strange for me. But everybody here has been so incredibly nice, that I still can't believe it.

Hi Laura,
Think...the PPI's and antacids aren't helping. It's not acid! I don't know if you remembered when I told you that the swelling peaks at 14 days, and things will get worse before they get better.
You're likely experiencing the swelling...the esophagus is a dumb organ. It can't differentiate between pains.

You have had major surgery. You didn't get sliced from stem to stern to have it (in the past that is what would have happened, but the developed the laproscopic procedure 10 or 15 years ago) Your insides have been stirred up--pushed, pulled, stretched, stitched. Much is probably swollen and irritated.

It's natural that you're having pains and discomfort. You've just been through a lot! Because those little incisions heal up and you get back to work is less than two weeks doesn't mean that you don't still have A LOT of healing to do inside.

Try not to worry! You can always call your surgeon's office for reassurance--they could order a barium swallow to show how things are going. I'm sure they're not doing it because they feel it is an unnecessary test, but if it will set your mind at ease, go for it.

If you can just relax and rest whenever you can, and don't overdo it, you will get better quicker. Just go with the flow! Better days will come.
Denise

Hi Karl and Denisse

I suspect also what we are feeling is not really reflux, it is probably related with all the swelling that we still have, that is why no PPi or antacid is going to work, it is just nerve raking this wait, I told my surgeon last Tuesday that I thought I was still having reflux symptoms, he said it was totally normal, so nothing else to do than wait

Hi guys 14 days post op, I decided to switch for a couple of days to puree foods again, because I read that when we experience pain and heartburn-like sensations, after introduce some solid foods, it can cause some irritation, so the best thing to do is come back to puree or liquid foods. My main issue right now are the some small burning in chest and those strange sensations when I haven't eat for more than 3 hours, lump in my throat that comes and goes, increasing of belching, and an estrange sensation on top of my wrap. it calms down once I eat. I have come to terms with it, I am trying to stay positive about all this. Many things goes through my mind, and it is hard not to think the worst, but then, I think about "well statistically this surgery have a percent of success that 95-96%, this including the people that have to go back to PPI but still see improvement of their symptoms, I got one of the best surgeons in New York City, my barium swallow after the surgery was perfect according to doctors, I can't have that bad luck to fall in that 4-5% where the surgery fails".

Karl how are you feeling?

Karl

It looks like we are both in the same boat, it is so stressful this waiting game, did you ask your surgeon about it?, I just called my surgeon (that guy should be hating me right now, I bother him so much), he supposed to call me back, he was not at the office, so lets see what does he said, I have been researching the internet about it, and there is not many people experiencing this, I guess we are special.

I understand, we really have nothing to do rather than wait and see, :), nothing else.