HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

wanted: uk (preferably London or SE) surgeon specialising in post-surgery repair.

Support Forums
>
GERD & Acid Reflux
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 3/5/2014 10:20 PM (GMT 0)
I had my wrap three months ago on the NHS and it appears like it was a disaster. My symptoms are far worse than before and my stomach is a mess. My whole ab muscules, down to the pelvis are weak and in pain most days and this sets off my reflux. My stomach capacity is still tiny and anything more than a miniscule meal again sets off the reflux. Exercise, no matter how light, affects the abs muscles which then triggers reflux.

The surgeon is delaying further tests and saying "everything is fine".

I've resigned myself to having to pay to go private as this is affecting my career and family life. Can anyone recommend a good surgeon / consultant who has successfully treated post-op problems like this?

Any help appreciated, LD.
Posted 3/5/2014 11:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hi LD I had my wrap done in 2001 on the nhs and the symptoms you are describing are typical of this operation, it has a long recovery time that does not seem to be told to patients before hand by the surgeon. It as you can see has been a long while since I had mine but I remember so well all you are stating. My husband said I went anorexic and took me to A & E. The best solution for me was a dilation done just over 3 months after the op. It transformed my life, my appetite returned and I could eat without pain. Hope you get help soon. Best wishes Rita
Posted 3/6/2014 12:02 PM (GMT 0)
Hi LD.sorry to hear your having so much trouble after your op.It can be rough recovering from a fundoplication but if your at three months it should have improved.
At three months your surgeon should investigate your symtoms. I had to go else where myself after my op as it was done too tightly for my swallowing problem so I know how you feel.
I went to a group of surgeons called NUGITS in Newcastle who sorted me out.Maybe Newcastle is too far to travel? It can be difficult to get a surgeon to redo someone elses work though! Barry
Posted 3/6/2014 9:10 PM (GMT 0)

Baza said...
Hi LD.sorry to hear your having so much trouble after your op.It can be rough recovering from a fundoplication but if your at three months it should have improved.
At three months your surgeon should investigate your symtoms. I had to go else where myself after my op as it was done too tightly for my swallowing problem so I know how you feel.
I went to a group of surgeons called NUGITS in Newcastle who sorted me out.Maybe Newcastle is too far to travel? It can be difficult to get a surgeon to redo someone elses work though! Barry

Hi, thanks very much. Newcastle isn't close, but I've been there a lot and I'll definitely travel to get this sorted out.

Cheers,

LD.
Posted 3/6/2014 9:11 PM (GMT 0)

reet22 said...
Hi LD I had my wrap done in 2001 on the nhs and the symptoms you are describing are typical of this operation, it has a long recovery time that does not seem to be told to patients before hand by the surgeon. It as you can see has been a long while since I had mine but I remember so well all you are stating. My husband said I went anorexic and took me to A & E. The best solution for me was a dilation done just over 3 months after the op. It transformed my life, my appetite returned and I could eat without pain. Hope you get help soon. Best wishes Rita

Hi Rita, thanks very much. I'm sorry to hear other people went through this as well.

What exactly did the dilation involve please? Is it another surgery? Also, what was the recovery like, is it as bad as the initial operation?

Thanks,

LD.
Posted 3/6/2014 11:17 PM (GMT 0)
Hi LD dilation is done by inflating gently a balloon during an endoscopy. I had a full wrap that must have been too tight so the dilation kind of stretched everything. It was a long time ago, when I had no information as to why I could not eat properly and I at the time wished I had never had the operation. After the dilation I was told to eat soft foods for a couple of days that was all. I remember suddenly getting an appetite (I had had a lot of nausea) food was not sticking but I think this op is life changing in the way we have to eat and how much we can eat. It then took me the rest of the year to recover my health. Unfortunately 4 years ago my problems starting again, I was sure the wrap had failed, but after a high resolution camera manometry I was diagnosed with moderately severe oesophageal dismotility so another dilation is due 27th March(hope it helps again) thats my problem though not yours. My wrap is still functioning after 13 years but it has slipped slightly. Hope this helps a bit. Best wishes dont give up hope you find someone to help you. Rita
Posted 3/6/2014 11:49 PM (GMT 0)

reet22 said...
Hi LD dilation is done by inflating gently a balloon during an endoscopy. I had a full wrap that must have been too tight so the dilation kind of stretched everything. It was a long time ago, when I had no information as to why I could not eat properly and I at the time wished I had never had the operation. After the dilation I was told to eat soft foods for a couple of days that was all. I remember suddenly getting an appetite (I had had a lot of nausea) food was not sticking but I think this op is life changing in the way we have to eat and how much we can eat. It then took me the rest of the year to recover my health. Unfortunately 4 years ago my problems starting again, I was sure the wrap had failed, but after a high resolution camera manometry I was diagnosed with moderately severe oesophageal dismotility so another dilation is due 27th March(hope it helps again) thats my problem though not yours. My wrap is still functioning after 13 years but it has slipped slightly. Hope this helps a bit. Best wishes dont give up hope you find someone to help you. Rita

Hi, thanks for the info, I hope everything goes well.

Did you get reflux after the operation but before you had the dilation? I get terrible reflux now and two doctors I'm friends with have told me my wrap is probably too tight.

I can't understand how a tight wrap causes reflux, I'd have thought it stopped it more?
Posted 3/7/2014 5:55 AM (GMT 0)
ldrunner

I am thinking food and drink is sitting at the wrap. This causes a reflux feeling from the food fermenting. If it's to tight or irritated this will happen.

A barium swallow will show if it's to tight and what is going on in there. A lot of people have this issue around the 2 to 4 month and sometimes a little past the 6 month mark. It's rally to early to say it hasn't worked because the wrap will still settle in some and there can still be some welling.

Take care,
Bill
Posted 3/7/2014 5:57 PM (GMT 0)
Hi LD thank you for your good wishes. Bills message has said it all. Our oestophagus shows all problems as burning that we think is reflux. Ask for a barium scan, I had one which proved positive, cant see why your GP should refuse. Good luck
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply