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Nissen Redo

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 12/9/2011 7:11 PM (GMT 0)
I'm unsure of the status of my nissen fundoplication wrap I know I have been somewhat hard on it due to my weight lifting regimen, which i began in a timely manner after my 1st surgery. However, I believe now I have damaged my wrap during a set of preacher curls (now 2011), that night I had severe esphogeal spasms..and woke up with the dreaded hoarse throat and burning sensation that was all too familiar from 2008 before my 1st Nissen fundoplication. Now, it seems the wrap has come undone but I'm unsure.

These are my symptoms: Heartburn (not a bad as before, which makes me think maybe only have the wrap came undone), One of my biggest indicators that something has gone wrong is the fact that I can belch very freely now without the resistence that my wrap once provided making it difficult to belch at times. Loss of appetite..I'm unsure of whats happened here I know my 1st hiatal hernia wasn't considered large, and I'm due for a barium swallow next week. However, I can't find anybody to do an endoscopy until january.

Any thoughts on this, and anybody with any information on a redo would be greatly appreciated...I'm a little scared now.

Posted 12/10/2011 1:35 AM (GMT 0)
Cmac,

I too, had Nissen Surgery in 2008, but I think my "floppy" wrap was made too loose from day one even though it was performed by one of the best bariatric surgeons around. I'm sixty-three now, but I did a lot of weight lifting in my younger days, and maybe that weight lifting contributed to my GERD problems dating back to 1975. I too, had a small hiatal hernia repaired with my Nissen, but I could burp well when I awoke from surgery. Prevacid used to work well for me, but stopped working, and continued warnings concerning long term use of PPIs convinced me to have the Nissen. When I had an endoscopy one year ago, the gastro remarked my Nissen is "fairly" loose, and I consider that an understatement. Since having my Nissen, I continue to have constant irritation in my esophagus, referred pain stemming, from what I believe is my Barrett's Esophagus, to an area between my shoulder blades and my left shoulder.

I also had the Barrx Procedure in 2008 prior to my Nissen to ablate Barrett's Esophagus cells, but I still have Barrett's. I also cough up copius amounts of phlegm before and after eating, and I can't figure out where it's coming from unless it comes from my esophagus in a way of trying to protect itself from stomach acid. I also have transient relaxations of the LES which allows acid to enter my esophagus and keeps it continually irritated.

I'm having barium swallow xrays next week too, and I'll follow up with an endoscopy if needed. I'm thinking Nissen Redo too, but I hate to go through that surgery again and possibly end up worse than I am right now. I don't know if that is possible though, because I'm pretty miserable with this continued reflux problem.

Knowing what I know now, the results of my Nissen, and three years of continuing aggravation, I never would have gone through this surgery three years ago.
Posted 12/12/2011 12:54 AM (GMT 0)
I'm scheduled for a redo on Tuesday - my initial nissen was 12 years ago. I've been back on PPI's for probably 8 years with my symptoms continuously worsening. I'll let you know how the redo goes!
Posted 12/12/2011 1:54 AM (GMT 0)
I've had 3 nissens, not the 'normal' case, but my recoveries were the same. The surgeon used the same incisions although during the third there was more scar tissue. I would wait to see what the barium swallow results are and go from there.
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