Nissen Fundo recovery/nausea

Hi Sean,

I know 10 weeks seems like a lot, but you've still got lots of healing in front of you. Two and a half months is not a long time post-Nissen. 

It's important to take it easy with your eating at this stage of your recovery (as you're finding out).  If you're stomach isn't keeping your food volume low naturally (I always got filled up really quickly at your stage) you'll have to moderate your own eating.

This WILL get better as you continue to heal.  Just don't do anything that can get that nausea going.  Take it very slow and easy.

A few chips, sure.  Handfuls?  No way.  Moderation is the key.

Hang in there. This too, will pass, and you'll be eating normally again.  Your stomach has been through a lot.  Give it time.

Best wishes!

Denise

Sean did you have nausea pre op?

How much weight have you lost?

I hope things get better

Sean,

Did you have nausea before the operation?

I was wondering if excess gas could be the cause of the nausea?

Sean,

Is it real difficult to tell when you are getting full after the op?

about how much are you eating now compared to pre op?

Hey Sean,

No force feeding, my friend!  Listen to your stomach.  At your stage it's not at all uncommon for the stomach not to want as much food as normal.  You're healing from major stomach/upper GI surgery, and you need to baby that stomach.  It's expected that you'll lose weight, and you'll have to wait for your healing to be more complete before trying to eat more.

Always listen to your body and eat only what you can handle.  Some (like me) have stomachs that just tell then to eat less, and won't accept one spoonful more.  Others have to monitor their own intake.

I suspect that the retching is from an irritated vagus nerve...irritated by your overeating and bloated stomach.

Patience, my friend.  Take it very slow with eating.  The time will come when you can stuff yourself if you like.  It's just not now.  Just remember that your stomach has undergone a major revision and it will take a full 6 months for the majority of healing, and a full year for the rest.  I even found improvement into the second year.

I hope your current discomfort gets better very quickly.

We're with you in spirit!

Hang in there.

Denise

I think the nausea comes from the anesthesia and the pain medicine. You have a lot pumped into your system in the first day or two. A friend of mine has very little tolerance to both and it makes her very nauseous. In my case, it only made me a little sick.

Six months seem so long.....

Maximus,
In reality the recovery from this surgery takes 6 months to a year. Most of the healing takes six months, and the rest a full year. Six months seems a long time, but if you've suffered long with GERD it's a small price to pay. Plus, the improvement is gradual, and you'll not have to wait the full six months for all the healing. You'll be eating more normally much sooner than that.

However, two and a half months is stil too soon to expect all the "bugs" to be worked out. Keep in mind that this is MAJOR SURGERY. On the outside it looks like a small surgery--five little slits that heal quickly. On the inside there is a huge change that has occured, and your poor stomach has been stretched and wrapped and stitched into place. In addition, your upper GI tract has been through a lot prior to your surgery, and there is likely to be a great deal of inflammation that will need to heal.

It is a very good thing that you're hanging around and learning all the ins and outs of this recovery. The more informed you are prior to surgery the more prepared you will be. Recovery can't be rushed. Everyone will heal at their own pace, and if you can surrender to following the path your recovery decides to take, you will find it much easier. Struggling against the reality of recovery makes it much more difficult.

Keep asking questions!
Denise

Hi Maximus,

Actually, no.  In my case--as is the case for many--the swelling of the stomach as a result of the surgery created a feeling of fullness.  I was only able to fit maybe a quarter to a third of a cup into my stomach at one time before feeling stuffed.

Also, I was not on liquids during my recovery, except for the day I was in the hospital.  I came home on soft foods and by Day 6 was given the go-ahead to eat "whatever can be chewed to a liquid".  I was warned away from untoasted bread, sandwiches, and steak.

Being able to eat "normal" food right away was very satisfying to me, and provided the opportunity for variety.  Of course in the first couple of weeks I took it very slow, but really didn't ever drink the Carnation Instant Breakfast I bought, and never used most of the soft foods I'd prepared.

I remember going out to dinner in the early weeks, and ordering crepe manicotti.  I had no trouble swallowing it, but was full very soon and brought the remainder home to eat over several meals. I didn't eat much at a sitting, but never felt hungry.

As the swelling went down over time, I was able to gradually eat more at a sitting, until I was back to normal amounts by 4 months (we went on vacation, so that's how I remember) and maybe even a little earlier.

It's a very good question, and I'm sure the answer will vary depending on how each person's recovery progressed as well as their surgeon's eating regimen.  I felt very fortunate I happened upon a surgeon with a very liberal eating protocol.  I never had a problem with food getting stuck.  (Of course, like everyone, I'd have a very occasional bit stuck, but was always able to wash it down with a few swallows.  Nothing serious.)

Keep asking those questions!

Denise

I too didn't have much hunger. I actually have days still that I just don't feel hungry and have to remind myself to eat something. On those days it's usually an apple or 2, or maybe some grapes and an orange.

Today is one of the not hungry days and I have only eaten 4 fried mushroom, 1 cheese stick, and an orange.

Bill

I had the surgery on Nov 17 and posted here on this boar early January. I had to have an endoscopy on Dec 15 because upper GI showed the wrap was too tight and only liquids would pass and not easily. I got no relief from that so had another endoscopy on Jan 5th

the worst of all this is the nausea, its is killing me!! I still have nausea EVERY day. Sometimes all day long. It usually starts around noon and lasts through the evening. I have been on Zofran alternating with phenergen. I am able to eat some solids and have been advancing VERY slowly. I have had numerous episodes of food getting "stuck". I take tiny bites, chew and chew and swirl it around in my mouth. I can feel it working its way down the esophagus and then whammo....it gets stuck. This is really an awful sensation and at timers very scary. I have to try to push it down by taking sips of liquid...which I know fills you up too. I feel like I should jump up and down to make the food pass. Then after this fun i cant eat. Its been almost two months and I am still not able to eat what i consider to be normal everyday food like hamburg or ground turkey, chicken etc. I typically can only eat 3-4 bites and I'm full. The other day i tried pancakes with syrup. The first few bites were fine and then again...it got stuck. Since the second endoscopy on Jan 5th I did feel a bit better but as of today it still feels like the esophagus needs further "stretching". I feel like a junkie popping nausea meds all day. I take carafate 4 times a day and nausea meds almost every 4-5 hours. I too experience a lot of gas but simethicone helps a lot.

After reading some of these posts i feel somewhat better knowing that I'm not alone in this great adventure and that it takes up to 6 months to feel better. I go to the surgeon tomorrow and I know he'll probably schedule another upper GI. I'm getting concerned that something is very wrong. Is this experience of constant nausea and food getting stuck common? There was mention of additional surgery if the dilation doesn't work. After all this there is NO WAY I want top go through that again.

Any words of wisdom or advice from you guys?

Hi to all,

I just had my Nissen 7 days ago. I had trouble getting liquids down at the first place, but was getting used to it. 5 days ago, it appears that I got a flu (my whole family had it) that forced me to go to the bathroom during the night to vomit. Despite that I felt nausea, and despite several efforts (dry heaving), I did not eventually vomit. Since then, I am worried that my wrap has been affected. Could this 5 minute dry-heaving (in which I put a lot of pressue to vomit) affect the wrap that significantly? And if yes, how would I feel it? Actually, I do feel that I swallow a littler easier after the dry heaving event, but I still cannot burb and I get lots of instantaneous pains in my chest during my efforts to burb. By the way, should I force a burb or should I "swallow' it? By belly feels bloated, anyways.

Thank you much,

DimKom