Vomiting after Nissen Fundoplication

I understand Paregoric liquid is back on the market. It's miraculous in stopping full-blown vomiting. If you can just get it swallowed it works within seconds. The only drawback is the horrible taste.

An upper GI should show whether the wrap is where it belongs, below the diaphragm.

Of course the wrap could have been damaged. I had a bad episode of vomiting that pushed my wrap slightly above my diaphragm, which means back through my just previously repaired hernia. I grabbed the Paregoric I had left, but not fast enough; the damage had been done. Fortunately I was able to get the episode stopped and prevented more serious herniation. I could talk just fine. The wrap location shows on CTs and MRIs, but I can live with it at least for now.

I would ask your regular gastroenterologist. He's more likely to order the test. If he won't, your PCP can order it. I've had more than one surgeon tell me there was nothing wrong with me when I complained about a problem after surgery. I've been right, in general, about something needing to be corrected, although not necessarily surgically.

I would go back to liquids until that's comfortable, maybe use a blender and avoid hard things like beef. Then follow the rest of the prescribed diet as the stomach and esophagus allow.

You are allowed a second opinion! (even here on the forum, where hopefully you will get several)

Thank you for the feedback. I don't know if I can drink a barium swallow at this point. My body is still fighting this flu/virus. But I am able to absorb the anti nausea meds in my system at this time. 

Can an endoscopy show a damaged wrap as well?

FC 

Dencha,

I had my Nissen just about 3 months ago. The wrap is sore. I can only take liquids. Right at the V part of the diaphragm, I was having severe tightness prior to all of this sickness. Now the tightness has dropped just below that V. I don't know if that explains much but I do not feel the vicegrip around the chest/diaphragm anymore. It did not bother me as I had gotten used to it.

My surgeon's take on the whole thing was I was challenging my wrap. I experienced esophageal spasms. All I was eating at the time was mac n cheese. I have only been eating soft foods since the surgery. Do esophageal spasms induce vomiting?

I don't mean to be a downer. I have been depressed by everything that has transpired. I was feeling really good and people were commenting that they couldn't believe I had been in surgery. It has certainly been a setback.

FC

Hi FC,

At 3 months, eating mac and cheese shouldn't be challenging your wrap unless the macaroni isn't cooked enough, or you're not chewing it to a liquid.  Chew, chew, chew is the mantra around here, and it's worth taking it seriously.

You can cause discomfort and nausea by challenging your wrap, but it shouldn't involve vomiting that won't quit.  Esophageal spasms are very painful, but don't mimic nausea and vomiting, at least from what I've read here on the forum.

It sounds as if you got a bad stomach bug.  Retching or vomiting are both very hard on the wrap (BTW, I have been able to actually vomit in three different bouts of stomach illness.  I could feel the wrap holding things back, but with enough pressure, it gave way enough to vomit.) . Even vomiting/retching one or two times can set your recovery back and make things very uncomfortable for a few weeks.  After what you've been through, I expect you've got lots of swelling and irritation.

It's important to baby your wrap.  Liquids and soft foods only, until it gets feeling better.  It is totally expected to have pain and swallowing discomfort, and even spasm, after such a trauma.

Hang in there...it'll get better again!

Take care,

Denise

Follow up to ER episode last Month (November). As my earlier posts state, I caught a stomach bug and ended up in ER. The x rays showed Nissen intact so I delayed barium swallow. I noticed my stitches had become displaced but since I was feeling actually better; I ignored it. Slowly, I am feeling increased acid reflux and pain while eating. A burning sensation at the sternum where the stitches were. Water burns.

Since the 21st of November, I have increased chest pressure and high blood pressure. The blood pressure was always normal. I do not know if I had a tear in the esophagus, hiatus repair. Extreme pressure in back of head. I have had 2 eye hemorrhage since that day. I am on my way to the eye doctor this morning. PCP this afternoon for blood pressure. Appt with surgeon next week. GI doc next week.  

Can you get a barium swallow if there is a tear in the chest wall? I am concerned air pressure has leaked into the chest wall. Food etc. Can you do an endoscopy this soon? Need help.

FC

          

Denise,

Thank you for checking.

Eye hemorrhage due to vomiting and or sneezing according to eye doctor.

Blood pressure due to stress at work. Also, PCP mentioned people tend to eat foods or drink that aggravate health problems at the holidays.

Barium swallow appointment set. Will update.

FC

Thank you all for answering.

I know the blood pressure is not related to the surgery. My blood pressure was fine throughout the surgery and recovery. My father passed away the day before Thanksgiving 2 years ago so the combination surgery and memories are making it harder than usual the past couple of weeks. Today was a good day. No reflux or pain.

Michelle

Thanks Laurie. I didn't realize so many factors can increase or slow down the healing process. Last night I attempted a Beano pill and it took one hour to go down. Have you or anyone encountered that with pills in the early process of the surgery?

Michelle   

:turn All: Thanx to everyone who has offered comments re: Nissen. Today is one month out of surgery and 5 weeks on liquid diets. I can now eat regular foods although after reading so many of your comments, I will be very very careful.

I woke up this morning feeling that old tightness in the chest and immediately became reactive. The thought of fear started creeping in as I know the failure rate is high. My tummy was up in my chest and feeling that familiar sorta indigestion symptom was scary.

The bloating I have had since Day One and do take gas x and it seems to help.

I am going to start back on the Nexium. Is this a big No No?

Seems im a little impatient about feeling really better. I feel a little better. Everyone is different BUT is there a norm when you know you have gone through the recovery aspect and this might be as good as it gets.

Again, thanx for all your information. I am also now aware that I know nothing about the wrap and the after effects. I know I have one.

In wellness I send you love and light

BacciB

OMG. under your armpit. Incredible. When I saw that the doc stated people can go back to work after two weeks and exercising, etc., I thought that was the norm for recovery. Im glad I got the surgery but I'll tell you, what went along with the surgery like 5 days in the hospital where there was a great shortage of nurses. Things like they couldn't find an IV so they put a makeshift in me, don't go to the bathroom alone but there were no nurses answering for 30 minutes or more, etc etc. No patient amenities that worked like call buttons.

Those things plus the surgery could make someone nuts.

I also had to go outside my community for my surgery and couldn't drive for one week after operation so had to stay in Denver in a skilled nursing facility. What a cuckoo's nest that was. I might right a blog about the whole experience. You really had to be thIere to hold on to the sense of humour that gets us through most.

Thanx for response.

I seem to have two handles here. BacciB and RubyOne. I don't know how that happened.

BacciB

Hi:

I don't know how this post got assigned to me I have not vomited at all. Thank goodness. My daughter lives in DC. I almost went there for the surgery.

After I checked out of the Hospital from Hell, I landed at a Skilled Nursing facility. I didn't know that they caretake mostly dementia patients there. FOdder for another blog.

Thanks for all the info and if I start to vomit I'll let you know LOL. I contacted my surgeons office for a surgery report. You would have thought I was asking for gold. Strange. Im not sure if I was wrapped or not. I think I was. Are there other things to annoy the wrap????