severe pain , possible torn wrap

I had a brief vomiting episode that wrecked my wrap, which is now partly back above the diaphragm. It felt like a heart attack - mid sternum sharp pain. I vomited a small amount of blood. I got a barium swallow which confirmed what I felt. An endoscopy didn't show anything - that doc, gastroenterologist, said wrap was "intact." Surgeon suspects a couple of torn stitches.

Now I get dull pain every time I eat or drink anything. My morning cup of coffee is enough to cause pain for a half an hour. I don't dare eat as much as my 3-year-old grandson at a meal. It makes me feel like not eating at all, and I'm losing weight. I still don't have reflux, so the wrap must be still doing its job, which is why I haven't had anything done yet.

I was told by my surgeon to come back for another barium swallow if symptoms (pain or starting to get reflux) get worse. I plan to ask for a re-do as soon as I can, but I first need sinus surgery for chronic infections and a scope of my shoulder, which is causing me severe pain from a couple of arthritis spurs.

Hi lazka,
Sorry to hear you're suffering so. Hopefully your surgeon can soon shed some light on the issue. Good luck...I hope you get good news, and your pain subsides on its own.
Take care,
Denise

Thanks denise, yes the pain is getting better. so im assuming the swelling is going down a little, reflux is still blah. eating isnt hurting as much just watching what i do eat. Cant lift anything, as soon as i try i get pain again. Not fun. Alcie thanks for the tips on foods to avoid. sometimes i forget how much certain foods can affect all of this. Had this reflux so long and have had a 2 year period where ive felt so good until this. Hopefully will get a date for the gastroscopy in the next couple of days.
Alcie, did you experience much bloating or puffing out in the upper stomach area when you did yours?

cheers lee

Thanks alcie,
Have my gastroscopy next thursday, be interesting to see what they find. Lactose has always been an issue for me, i just dont go there, its hard dealing with the eosiniphinical oesophagitis aswell asthis cause the allergiesget worse the sicker i am.

LEE

Make sure they put in extra strong stitches this time.

Better look up mesh again! Unless it's some new one, it tends to erode through the esophagus and cause worse problems. My surgeons use only tendons and things found in the body. Mesh was big several years ago and found to be dangerous then.

It's still possible for even the best wrap to come undone or a stitch to pull loose. I did it with a brief vomiting episode, and now I am trying to make room in my schedule of other surgeries to get this fixed.

I had a Toupet wrap. It's a partial wrap with ends of fundus sewn to the esophagus from both sides, instead of ends of fundus sewn together like Nissen. My hiatus (hernia) was closed with stitches in front and behind esophagus. It was very appropriate for me because I have "wimpy" swallow.

I asked about mesh, but my world-famous docs said they don't use it anymore because it too often erodes into eslphagus.

When I vomited, more like stomach tried its best to heave, only a little blood came up, so I know something tore. Bariium swallow shows part of wrap is above the diaphragm. My wrap is still holding because I don't reflux acid. My only symptom is chest pain when I eat or drink anything.

I was told to come back when it gets bad enough. I needed several other surgeries though, all due to the accident that pushed stomach into the chest in the first place. so I'm getting those done this year, putting up with the chest pain.

I would research mesh before allowing it. Ask your docs what complications they have seen. Do they use a newer brand of mesh? Maybe there's something that won't cut into the tissues now. You'll find through reading that it's no longer used in abdominal hernias either. Is there another surgeon, even just a gastroenterologist, who could give you a second opinion about mesh?

Hi lazka,

Glad you've found a surgeon you feel comfortable with. I don't know anything much about mesh, but I can tell you what my surgeon said to me.

After my surgery, he told me that my internal tissue was extremely fragile, due to the high steroid doses I'd been taking to counteract the GERD effects on my lungs.

He said that he'd considered using mesh to shore up his work, since he was concerned his stitches might not hold, but thought better of it, and instead, put in a few more stitches to ensure that the surgery held. He said, "mesh can cause some problems of its own."

Post surgery, I still have a lung infection, and was coughing hard almost constantly throughout the first 2 months of my recovery. I was concerned that my fragile tissue would tear and my wrap would be destroyed. Two years later, at the request of my asthma doc, I had all the tests again, and the surgeon ("that does all the Nissens") in my new, twice as large city, said that all was tight and in place.

I'm not saying that mesh doesn't work just fine for many people, but as you and Alcie had been discussing the pros and cons, I thought I'd share my experience with the topic.

Best wishes with your upcoming redo!
Denise