4 Weeks Post Nissen Fundoplication Surgery

Welcome to the Healing Well Wrapped Club! Glad you've joined us!  It sounds like you suffered greatly from your GERD and that getting a Nissen was a very good choice for you.

I had my Nissen in February 2009, and stuck around here to help others the way I was helped! At one month, you've gotten the worst of the healing behind you, but as you're noticing, some issues won't be resolved immediately.  Bloating and gas are a common problem during the early months of recovery, but these will subside as your healing continues.

I don't know what your surgeon told you, but I was told that the majority of healing takes 6 months, but healing will continue through the first year.  I actually found some things continued to improve into my second year.

It sounds as if you're being careful about gassy foods and carbonation, so that's good.  I think some of the air is coming from swallowing.  It's tougher in the early weeks to swallow, so we have to swallow more times to ensure things get through the wrap.  I'm sure that introduces more air into our system, and since (actually thankfully) our wrap is nice and tight, we're not doing much burping--hence that gas is heading out the back way!

As far as eating goes, I don't know what your surgeon has directed.  Mine told me I could eat anything that could be chewed to liquid. Basically, my teeth and mouth were acting as my blender!  He told me this at Day 6, and I followed his directions without any trouble.  Have you tried that?

Bread can't be chewed to a liquid--it stays clumpy--but well-toasted, it chewed very nicely.  You need to take small bites and chew, chew, chew, chew, but it works great, and makes eating much more enjoyable.  It opens up a wide range of choices. 

You really need to experiment and see what chews to a smooth consistency ("liquid"), and if something doesn't do that, you need to deposit it into a handy paper napkin.  Crispy things like saltines chew great.  Just try things out...you can usually have a pretty good guess whether or not something will work. 

Be sure to overcook pasta.  If your stomach can take it, vegetables are fine, but need to be overcooked as well...nice and soft!  Crepe manicotti almost melt in your mouth, and are very tasty.  Here's a link to a recipe if you're feeling ambitious:  http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1635,159164-228206,00.html

Crock pots/slow cookers are a great way to cook things until they're really soft and chewable--tasty, too!

Hang in there...the gas will improve over time.  Your upper GI had a major revision, and it will take some time to adjust to the changes.  It'll happen...it just takes time.  If you're eating something you think might be gassy, take some BEANO (I chew three tablets) at the time you take your first bite.  If you can burp, Gas-X is a great tool, as it helps consolidate the gas so it can be burped out.  If you can't burp, it's not really going to help you much.

If you can surrender to your recovery and follow it where it takes you, it will make the process much easier. 

Best wishes!

Denise

Post Edited (dencha) : 1/5/2012 8:59:08 AM (GMT-7)

Have you tried using probiotics for getting your gut flora back in action.  Maybe you can google or talk to your health care provider about probiotics. There is also a probiotic yogurt named Bio-K.  I am not sure too how much you are eating, but digestives enzymes can really help.  Sometimes when our food are not getting digested properly, it travels down to our small intenstine undigested and can really create havoc hence the gas. 

I also had the surgery and I found that using probiotics and digestive enzymes really helped a lot.  Don't take the enzymes if you are not eating a fair portion and by the way, if you are going to try the enzymes, use a plant base enzyme as oppose to animal enzymes.  Plant base enzyme work in your upper stomach to break your food down and animal enzyme work in your intestines after the food has left the stomach.  Here is a link, you might get some relief.

http://www.natural-indigestion-relief.com/Plant-vs-animal-digestive-enzymes.html 

Take care, you will get past this stage.  Hang in there.

Cindy 

I used to take Newroots plant enzymes...it's the best on the market, however, any plant base enzyme will help you.  The probiotics will work really well on your intestines where the gas is building up.  Trust me Stacy, I was there where you are at....one day I thought I was going to die with the bloatedness.  You'll get through this.

Cindy

It's been 15 months since my procedure and here's where I am.

Still have bad flactuations and bloating issues...lot's of tummy rumbling goes on every day.  I have tried a variety of probiotics but none seem to to the job very well.  I am changing to Benebiotics...should arrive in a couple of days.  Also plan to add some Beano to my pre-meal routine.  I must say, I am embarrassed to go out in public.  Fortunately, my golf partner of 20 years doesn't mind the noise and we are often at other sides of the fairway.

My weight has stabilized, even gained a couple of pounds back.  Pre-surgery was at 189, post surgery (4 weeks) 172, today: 178.

I still cannot burp, and have lost all hope in ever being able to taste a good beer...sure hope God has a good sense of humor.

On a positive note, I don't have any GERD problems and that's what this was all about.

I'll report back on the new probiotic/prebiotic treatment in a couple of weeks.

Pat