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Gas after two years of NF

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Posted 3/26/2013 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hello, even though I had the Nissen two years ago, I still read this site everyday  I was one of those people that jumped the gun with surgery.  I had silent reflux and was afraid of cancer. For the most part, I am okay,  I have to remember to chew my food properly.  What I do have though even after two years of surgery is GAS. If I don't eat within three hours or so, I get gas that builds up at the wrap site and sometimes can hurt....has anyone experienced this.

Last night at around 9:00 p.m. I noticed gas was building up at the wrap site but I wasn't really hungry and wanted to go to sleep.  At about 2:00 p.m. I noticed that I started to get a pain (and I know it's gas), I got up and took a gas X and went back to sleep....all this time, I want to burp but can't because of course I am lyng down.  I tried to get up and see if I can get the burp out but couldn't.  I also noticed after a couple of hours I was woken up with what felt like gas coming up my esophagus but couldn't get out.  It started hurting coming up....has anyone experienced this!!!  My esophagus is sore today.  I have noticed too that after this surgery, if I lie down, I cannot burp, I have to sit up, or sometimes if my stomach is empty, I can't either.

Any advice/help would be appreciated.  

Thanks.

Bibi

Denise, how was the vacation?????  

 

Posted 3/26/2013 3:33 PM (GMT 0)
Cindy123

Good Morning, I am sorry to read of your problem with gas and I know one of our wrapped club members will be along to answer your questions.

I have not had surgery for GERD. However, as much as I hate to say this - since I had my surgery for colon cancer last August my GERD is much better.  I suspect the large tumor along with a small hiatal hernia may have been causing some of my symptoms. 

I still take Prilosec daily.

Good to talk with you.

Hugs,

Kitt

 

Posted 3/26/2013 3:41 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Kitt, I am so sorry to hear about your surgery.  Hope you are doing well.  To be honest, I thought I would have had the surgery and gone back to normal.  That will never happen and I have accepted that, I just want to know if what I am feeling is normal.  I have thought of maybe getting dialated but the thought scares the heck out of me.  I doubt whether I would allow another surgeon to do anything.  I am too scared. 

Cindy

Posted 3/26/2013 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
Cindy-

Welcome back. Wish it was for a better reason though.

Have you discussed this with your surgeon or GI? Sometimes the wrap is too tight and they can dilate it a little. This may help with the gas issue. Please talk with your doctors about this.

Take care,
Bill
Posted 3/26/2013 4:18 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Bill, thanks.  I too wish it was for a better reason.

Bill, with respect to a tight wrap, if that was the case, would I not have more severe problems, like food or pills getting stuck.  I have no problems with getting food down as long as I chew fairly well.  I am so afraid to have anything done.  You have had this surgery a few times now, have you have any issues that can relate to what is happening to me....here is a better question, do you have gas issues with having your wrap? 

I eat and juice a lot of raw veggies (i.e. kale, swiss chard, collard, dandelion, beets, carrots, celery etc. and I eat a lot of salads with beans and quinoa)...Having said this, my gas problems only seem to be more so in the evenings!!!!!

Cindy

Posted 3/26/2013 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
Cindy-

I only had this problem with my 1st wrap and yes I did have problems with food getting stuck. I didn't have the gas as severe as you did though. My main issues were getting things to go down.

With the 2 redoes I really haven't had much gas bloating at all. I also eat a lot of raw veggies.

I do know what you mean by having what seems to be gas stuck in your throat and it won't come up. I do have that from time to time, but eventually it does come up.

Have you been having any gastritis issues? I am wondering because if so that can irritate the wrap area and cause it to tighten up some, but maybe not enough to stop food from going in?
My surgeons have all told me there is a possibility of needing a dilation, but they don't like to do them unless really necessary. I can definitely understand not wanting it dilated. Especially after I had the esophageal tear from a regular scope 2 years ago.

Another thought might be that it's not tight enough to stop the esophagus from moving food down, but maybe a little to tight to let gas escape. I would definitely talk with your doctor about this.

Take care,
Bill

Ps. Sorry my thoughts are so scrambled. I am in the surgery waiting room waiting on my wife's thyroid surgery to be done.
Posted 3/26/2013 4:51 PM (GMT 0)
Oh Bill, I am so sorry, don't stress yourself out over responding to me. Hope all goes welll with your wife.  I'll say a prayer for her. Bill here is my thought for when you have nothing better to do, if gas can't get out while lying down isn't that a good thing to some extent. I don't get this problem everyday but it has happened in the past.  I just want to know what it is.  Next thing you kow, I get dialated and I start refluxing.  I had silent reflux.  My surgeon made this surgery seemed too simple, when it's NOT...it's major surgery. I don't have any issues getting anything down, for example, I take a probiotic, magnesium, and B complex one right after the other with no problems.  I had discussed this gas issue with my surgeon at one time, and he had said to me that when the stoamch get hungry it contracts, hence the gas....true, I don't know.  Also if I had gastritis, wouldn't I have gas all day long?  I am guessing here!!!!!!  
Posted 3/26/2013 5:27 PM (GMT 0)
Cindy-

Thank you. I don't mind responding as it keeps my mind off of things. I am terrible at waiting for this. I usually am the one in the OR.

Anyhow, I agree it is good that it keeps things where they belong, but getting the wrap just right takes a fine touch. With what you told me of your surgeon I am worried if he has this touch. Just a tad too loose and we have reflux, a tad too tight and we can't release the trapped air.

As for the gastritis, it's been my experience that it can only cause issues when you eat or drink something that irritates it. Whether something in your diet at night does this? I am not sure. You might want to start a food diary and change things just a little and see what happens. You may find a culprit there.

If the stomach has gas to start with and it contracts I can see what your surgeon is saying, but if it's just empty I don't see it producing excess gas without something in it to cause it. What do you think?


Take care,
Bill
Posted 3/28/2013 8:46 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Cindy

Please only consider the following with CAUTION as you are 2 years after your wrap.

I had mine nearly 10 years ago and have been fine.  It was a full wrap and I can't burp or vomit.

I don't really get a build up of gas that often and Gas X (called Wind-Eze in the UK) usually helps.

However, onto the CAUTION side (and please anyone else reading be carefull with this!), I have had a small number of times when I've had a tummy bug where I have found that forcing myself to retch (fingers down throat) has helped ease the symptoms.  You are 2 years after your wrap so it should be well healed by now, but I really would not want anyone who had their op less than this to try this.   Nothing ever comes up when I retch (apart from some saliva) but I have experienced some relief afterwards from the tummy discomfort.

Not sure if any others on the forum have found this works or whether it's just unique to me, but I'd be interested to know?

Les.

Posted 3/28/2013 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Les, thanks for the info....I have contacted my surgeon and he mentioned that since I am taking protein powder and eat that much veggies, I should refrain from it for a while and see what happens.  He doesn't seem to think my wrap is too tight since I can eat anything, drink almost any size pill and can burp 95% of the time except for when I am lying down.  I have opted to wait and see....I have stopped the protein powder milkshakes and have eased off the veggies.  I still juice in the morning and have a small salad now every other day.

We'll see that thank you so much for caring enough to give some advice.  It's always appreciated.

Cindy

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