Question for Bill and or Denise

I hope you all are doing well. I have not chimed in for a while but it looks like I have run into some trouble. Like BColt and Stephanie, I had a full wrap in Aug and am having problems. Recently I noticed some heart burn but the acid was only burning the wrap and could not come up any further. Shortly after the heartburn started, I was having chest pains very similiar to what I had before surgery including shortness of breath, etc. The chest pains and flutters scared me enough to go to ER where the docs noticed an abnormal blood enyzme. They kept me two days for observation but determined that my problems are realted to GERD.

I do not think my wrap has been compromised but maybe just irritated? I still cannot voluntarily burp and again I do not think the acid is reaching my esphogaus. I have been on a high fiber soft diet since being discharged from the hospital on Saturday but the tightness in the chest is still persistent. I have had maybe two carbonated drinks since the surgery (Aug) and I thought I was doing everything right for a long lasting recovery. Guess not.

It also feels like my wrap is being shocked (having flutters). I am not sure what else I can do. I am taking 2 Nexiums a day along with some carafate. Did either one of you experience anything like this 6 months after your surgery? I hope the wrap is just irritated but I do not see any signs of the irritation going down.

I see my surgeon today to discuss options. I really hope I do not have to go through the procedure all over again. Thanks again for all your help.

Rob

Hi txman,

Sorry to hear you're having some discomfort. It doesn't sound as if your wrap has failed, so you don't have to worry about that. At six months, you're still healing, so things may bother you more. I remember getting wrap irritation whenever I ate too many side salads in a row, or even one big dinner salad. Hamburgers also bothered me...I guess the grizzle going through the wrap.

I always have described it like this: If the stomach is sensitive or sensitized, the wrap will be also, since the wrap is created out of that stomach. In my case, I have a reactive stomach, so because of that I have a reactive wrap.

I figured I'd always get an irritated wrap when eating too many salads or raw veggies, but lo and behold, some time after the year mark--maybe even closer to two years--I began being able to eat as many salads as I wanted without a single twinge of irritation.

That's the thing...even though you may still be getting some discomfort now, it doesn't mean it will always be the case. Conversely, there's nothing that says something you eat might not bother you many years out. Those of us who have had severe enough trouble with our upper GI tracts to require surgery, have some upper GI issues, and these could rear their ugly heads anytime.

The main thing is, don't panic or worry over it. Just baby your wrap for a while and give it a chance to heal and get feeling better. Once it's back to normal, and feels good for a couple weeks, go ahead and introduce those fun foods back into your diet.

Let us know what your surgeon says!
Best wishes,
Denise

Thanks for the replies and sound advice. I will make sure to stay on a soft diet for a while. I met with my surgeon yesterday and he set me up for an endoscopy next Thursday.

Les: You bring up a good point about infections in hospitals. According to my cardiologist, my abnormal blood test indicated that something had stressed or is stressing my heart. I told him that I feel swelling in my chest and it is restricting my airway.

 

Rob-

That's good news. I think the smaller frequent meals will help out.

Take care,
Bill