Thumbs up to the Lap Fundoplication!

I haven't been a member of this forum for long, but I have noted that there has been several comments about negative feedback about lap fundo's.

I would like to just tell people out there that I had a lap fundo in 09 because of a large hiatal hernia that I had been managing with PPI's, I think since they were virtually invented. However, as I didn't relish the thought of being on medication that was potentially doing God knows what to my system in the long term, and my symptoms regarding my hernia, other than reflux had become more problematic and I had to do something.

Lap nissen repair was the option and so I went for it, albeit not as clued up about the procedure as I am now, but I was really quite sick and very desperate.

Now, I wish I knew about this site and others similar before I had my procedure as I am sure that it would have helped me understand and cope with my recovery a lot better. Lots of quirky things happen to you physically which in turn can affect you emotionally. I didn't have any problems swallowing, except for xmas day when I was on the puree part of the diet and I thought that chicken chewed up super duper good was as good as puree. WRONG! It got stuck in my esophagus and stayed there for 15 of the longest minutes of my life before it moved on. Lesson learnt.

I too had the sensation of reflux again and thought, oh no this hasn't worked. I don't know if anyone else agrees, but the sensation is what it feels like as the reflux you remember is approaching where you salivate in anticiption of it, but the true reflux doesn't come, just the sensation that the ratbag is on it's way. And that can be with you off and on for quite a while.

I used to get light headed sometimes and went through my fair share of maxalon for nausea, but after a while all those things disappear and you feel like a normal human being for the first time in a long time.

I adored spicey food and was back to eating it in abundance and as for the exhaust, well I've brought back some stunning rock specimens from various planets throughout the solar systems after many a blast off. ( On a side note, I probably should have got married before surgery. Better or worse right? )

I spent 2 years reflux free and feeling much better, when weight gain and heavy lifting were my undoing and I herniated my stomach again.

Next repair was more than just herniation unfotunately and my wrap had been distorted and needed to be corrected.

I had a swallowing problem from the first day post op when eating breakfast, and drinking water wasn't a problem. After reading this forum I had a good understanding that there was going to be oedema and often, swallowing can be difficult intially.

My swallowing got worse 8 weeks post op and I have had one dilation as the surgeon feels the wrap may be too tight or the wrap is getting caught on the mesh he used to repair my diaphragm.

I have had little improvement and when I see him next week I suspect there maybe another dilation pending.

My problem is exacerbated by the sensation I am getting that, my surgeon is annoyed that this dysphagia is a personal attack on him and is not affecting me much at all.

So in summary, I would like to say that I am VERY MUCH pro lap fundoplication and given the same set of circumstances that I was in intially, I would definately have the surgery again.

As for the second surgery, well I was hoping that it was just going to be a hiatus repair but alas it wasn't. I have learnt that the surgeon you meet before surgery can apparently be quite different when there are some problems post op. He is the same surgeon who did the first surgery, and I believe him to be quite capable.

So as with any surgery, there can be some hiccups along the road and dysphagia can be a common problem post op which, having researched it can be corrected and my surgeon sure doesn't seem phased by it. I will however say that it can be quite distressing as swallowing comes naturally from when you are an infant.

Yes negative stories do rear their ugly heads and yes, things can go wrong and good and bad are all par to the course.

What the negative story tellers need are more reassurence and or advice about what action they could take in an effort to rectify things, rather than talking negative about the negative talkers.

Well that's my spiel I hope everyone is doing well, and for those of you who aren't, just try and hang in there.

Waiting for that silver lining and a meal out and a glass of wine. That's not asking for much is it?

Regards

Buzz.

Thanks for sharing your story and I hope you soon get that meal out and a glass of wine.