For successful fundoplication members.

Hello Pat

My name is Sandi and I had my Nissen Fundoplication on April 1st 2011. I am relatively without issue. I have a problem still with bread and I can't drink coffee and soft drinks but I am an exception.. most can go back to eating normally. I was 62 when I had the surgery and YES, I would have it again if necessary. I was on a variety of PPI's before my surgery and my last was Nexium 40mg twice a day. It didn't touch my reflux in the end and I made the decision after 13 years of agony to have the surgery to fix it.. My surgeon was exceptional.. he had been doing the NF since it was new. He told me, when I told him he gave me my life back, that I was the reason he was a surgeon.. to help people who have lost their quality of life... I would recommend this surgery to anyone who has went through all of the testing and feels that they have no where else to turn.. get an exceptional surgeon.. ask questions and make sure they have been doing this a long time, get references from prior patients.. you will not regret it. BUT.. if you have this surgery, be prepared to have a long recovery.. you will be able to do lite duty work relatively quickly, but you have to ease into recovery.. the outside heals quickly, the inside takes time!!!!
My last comment would have to be... if you decide or are in the process of deciding , to have the surgery... stay on this site and ask questions till you have no more to ask.. the wonderful people here will be happy to help you..
HELLO, Denise, Bill, Joy and Miss Kitt.. I still have to watch my energy level.. the heart just doesn't want me to act like I'm 30 anymore.. it wants me to act my age...

be on the lookout for beautiful RAINBOWS
Sandi

I am post HH/NF one year and three months--13 March 2013. I am sure my results are atypical. I did not have the debilitating digestive problems that others have had. My probem stemmed from the Histal Hernia that I had for 40+ years. I had a HH repair and a full floppy at Keesler AFB hospital. I had been on Nexium for years with good results as far as the control of acid when I watched my diet and ate my major meal early in the day. If I didn't, I had nightly silent reflux. I did all of the mechanical things--elevating the head of the bed, etc. but still woke up coughing-up reflux and choking. I finally had a serious lung abscess and decided to see if there was any alternative. After all of the tests and in view of the lung problems, the Air Force doctors almost required me to have the operation. They said if I didn't I could be denied all treatment at military facilities.

I studied all approaches to the operation on the internet and other sources. I used the archives of HealingWell and other Websites and read every question and answer in those files that related to my problem. I really became an amateur expert in the digestive system as related to our problems. So I went into it well prepared...and I was still scared. I even asked the Doctor if they could do the HH repair without the Fundoplication. They told me that they wouldn't do it that way due to their established Air Force medical procedures.

Anyway, through a lot of prayer, and confidence in my doctors, I went into the operating room relaxed and confident. They had given me a vallium to use the morning before surgery but I didn't need it. Five hours later I woke up in my hospital room and to this date haven't had one incident of reflux. I haven't used any Nexium or antacids since then and within three weeks I was back on my normal schedule. I can now eat anything and sleep through the night. The only problems that I have involve other people. At my age, most of my pleasure and socializing revolves around food and eating. That presents problems because I don't really get real hunger pangs like I used to. So, I am somewhat dependent on eating when someone else is hungry or eating by the clock--breakfast time, lunchtime and dinnertime. If I eat single portions and then quit I am satisfied. However, if other people continue to eat, they expect me to be sociable and continue also. The same is true if we go to a buffet. Everyone else goes back for seconds or more. My wife gets miffed because she assumes that since I am done eating, I am anxious to leave. If I overeat I get pressure in my stomach that takes hours to get rid of. I don't know if I can vomit because the need hasn't arisen. I can burp but it takes focus to do it. I can drink carbonated beverages using a straw.

At any rate, the HH repair and Fundoplication are the best thing I ever did medically. I had a good active life before surgery. As a retiree I played tennis six mornings a week and was very active. It was the nightly reflux that was my sole problem. Since surgery I am back on that schedule and have had no post surgical problems. I regret that I didn't have it done sooner and would do it again in a heartbeat.

I would be happy to answer any questions directly at the E-mail address in my profile

THANK YOU RETIRE SEABEE AND TonyG
Your comments help so many to feel encouraged and help them to make a decision. I agree that our forum helps soooo much.

Keep on posting--successful fundoplication members. We need you.

Opnwh14. Bill, thanks. You are truly one of my favorites. Y'all have helped so many we appreciate you, your advice and kind words.
<<< hug>>>.

I had Nissen done 3months ago now and am feeling great. I was very worried about the operation beforehand but am so pleased i had it done. I had a large hiatus hernia so was advised to have op before onset of Barretts.

I can eat most things now, but tend avoid bread and fizzy drinks, i always forget and eat to much, which then mimics the symptoms of reflux. Just try to eat less and chew well.

Its so lovely to be able to sleep normally and wake up without the sore inside mouth and throat due to the reflux. My voice is now almost back to normal, so another plus there. I am back at work, swimming and looking after my 2yr old grandson, so very busy. I would recommend this op to anyone who is suffering severe symptoms, but do ensure you check out yr surgeon carefully.

I dont take any medicines at all now, just the occasional Gaviscon when i eat too much.

This forum has been so wonderful, offering advice and reassurance, it has certainly helped me so much. I am so much more confident now, at first i was so worried that the wrap had come undone when i experienced what i thought were symptoms of reflux. But i am starting to understand that it is a long road to full recovery, and what i need to eat/do to help me get there.

Dont ever worry on your own, i am confident that the forum will allay your fears and set you on the right path with any problems.

John-

I still believe things will turn around for you brother. Stay in the moment and keep pluggin away one day at a time my friend.

Take care,
Bill

Oh....just to let you know, I have never been bothered by our talks. Forgive me if I seemed a bit off at times. that's my issues from the Gulf War.

Hi Pat,

What a great idea! Wrapped Club Successes! It is true that as people make their way through recovery, it can sound as if the majority of them don't have successful results, which couldn't be further from the truth.

Most people don't even post online at all...just have the surgery, make their way through recovery, and go off on their merry way. Those who post are either very internet savvy and spend lots of time researching online, or are having trouble with their recovery.

Surgeons almost universally fail to prepare their patients for the recovery, and honestly, I don't really think they truly know what it's like. They are unlikely to have had the surgery themselves, and tend to see their patient maybe once or twice post-op. That's the beauty of this forum! It's amazing to hear member after member share their misconceptions about the recovery--many times perpetrated by their surgeon's advice. Perhaps Nissen surgeons ought to visit this forum to see what people really go through.

The first two weeks of recovery are extremely challenging, as they should be! This is MAJOR SURGERY, and six months for most of the healing and a year for the rest. I found improvements even into the second year. Therefore, in the first weeks and months, recovery is just beginning. As Bill says, this recovery is a marathon, not a sprint. There can be two steps forward, and a step backward.

Recovery isn't a straight line experience. Often someone will get a little too frisky with their eating, and cause wrap pain, and irritation. This will not be forever. Just move back to earlier eating patterns...slow down, baby your wrap/stomach, and given a week or so, you'll be back to normal. Even after several months of recovery, you can overdo it, and irritate your wrap/stomach.

Surgeons will provide a wide range of eating protocols. Some require liquids only for up to six weeks. Others, like mine, trust their patients to make smart eating choices,and give them a lot more freedom. The first few weeks, soups and soft foods feel the best, but crispy things like saltines, can be chewed to a liquid. At Day 6 post-op, my surgeon set me free to eat anything that could be chewed to a liquid. That made my recovery much more enjoyable. My mouth/teeth were my blender, and I took small bites, chew, chew, chewed my food thoroughly, and swallowed ONLY things that had chewed to a complete liquid/creamy consistency. Here is an eating protocol you can check out:

www.oregonsurgical.com/pdfs/Nissen_Fundoplication_Diet.pdf

Another surprising side effect of the surgery is shoulder/collar bone pain. This really puzzled me, as I couldn't understand what possible connection the shoulder could have to stomach surgery! In fact, the pain is mainly due to referred pain from diaphragm irritation (with the hiatus hernia repair) as well as gas that is used to blow up the inside of the body to make it possible to see the surgical field more clearly during laproscopic surgery. A very smart night nurse suggested that I get up and walk each time I went to the bathroom, which I did...all night. I continued walking at home, and I found that the more I walked the less of this painful shoulder pain I felt, and visa-versa.

Those are a few tips I can think of. While I know that this is off topic, I assume those who are reading these positive experiences are seeking information about the surgery, and perhaps this bit of information might be helpful.

A positive attitude is the key to making it through this recovery. If you can surrender and accept what is, you'll find your recovery much easier. Those who struggle against the reality of the experience have a very tough time of it. You can't rush this. Your body needs time and permission to heal in its own sweet time. Once you've had surgery, you don't have a choice. You have to go through recovery, and you can either relax into it, and go with the flow, or you can stress over it and be miserable. It'll be your choice!

Now to my experience...
I had my Nissen fundoplication in February 2009 (at age 57). I had atypical syptoms...the main reason I had the surgery was an attempt to improve the health of my lungs. My asthma had gotten increasingly worse over many years. I'd been on Prilosec, Nexium, and after a hospitalization with GERD exacerbated uncontrollable asthma, I was switched to Protonix. While much of my reflux was silent/LPR-type, I did get breakthrough heartburn.

My GI doc didn't think my asthma was caused by reflux, because my 24hr PH monitor/DeMeester score was never high. GI docs tend to be more focused on high levels of reflux that can cause esophageal damage, and aren't really knowledgeable about how very small amounts of reflux can cause severe lung effects.

During the six years prior to my surgery, my lungs were in terrible shape. I was using a nebulizer several times a day, and coughing up large amounts of mucous. I also had repeated lung infections. My asthma doc and PCP were certain that the reflux was creating my uncontrollable asthma.

I didn't push for surgery, either. I saw so many scary posts online that I was fearful that the surgical "cure" was very likely to make me even worse, with all kinds of GI issues. Now I realize that most of the things I read were written by people in the throes of recovery, who were fearful that they'd have these symptoms forever (again, I blame this on surgeons not preparing their patients for the reality of recovery, and providing them with helpful guidance). Of course there will be patients who, unfortunately, had inexperienced, unqualified surgeons, and had poor results, but I believe this is the minority.

Anyway, finally, with lots of pressure from my PCP, my GI doc finally decided that perhaps I might want to see a surgeon ("no rush", and "I could just continue on medications as treatment"). I saw the surgeon, and had surgery three weeks later. I had to try surgery...my PCP said my lungs were in life-threatening condition. I figured if it didn't help my lungs, at least I could rule out reflux as the cause.

It took 3 months for my lungs to heal post-op. I had a lung infection and coughed my way through recovery. I was always fearful that I'd cough my wrap/stitches out, but fortunately they held strong. I'd been on lots of steroids, and my internal tissue was so fragile that my surgeon put in extra sutures to help hold it.

It was amazing. In May, when my pollen allergies were in full-swing, I suddenly found myself much, much better, and no longer in need of a nebulizer and high doses of steroids. It was miraculous. I knew my odds weren't as good as those with typical heartburn/GERD symptoms. Atypical symptoms have about a 75-80% success rate, which in my book were pretty good odds. Fortunately, I was one of the success stories! While I still have asthma due to pollen, my lungs have remained healthy and normal.

I found this forum shortly before my surgery, and in fact, Bill was one of my heroes! Although he was struggling through a wrap surgery (his first) that caused him a lot of swallowing issues, he was still extremely positive. I figured if someone who needed a redo was that happy with the surgery, it must be worth the effort. There were many very positive people who helped me through my recovery, and it made all the difference. That's the reason I stuck around long after my surgery to help others the way I was helped. I love that some of our happily recovered members are still sticking around to post and provide support and share their positive outcomes. That makes this forum so helpful!

Thanks again, Pat, for thinking of this thread. I agree that people need to read positive stories, as so many threads are all about the problems experienced during recovery. People living through the first months of recovery can fear that they'll never improve, and hearing from others who have completed their recoveries with positive results is extremely important. You provide so much help and support, and it is appreciated!

Happy healing to one and all, and good luck to those contemplating surgery! It's definitely worth the effort!
Denise

I know it's a bit early, but my experience so far has been challenging, but overall, very rewarding. I'm glad I got it done.

I was originally diagnosed with Barrett's and GERD when I was a teenager. Further testing found LA grade C esophagitis, a large hiatal hernia, delayed gastric emptying, gastritis, Cameron lesions/ulcers/erosions, and esophageal stricture.

I suffered from severe abdominal pain that would frequently land me in the emergency department looking for pain relief. I was nauseated frequently and would retch and vomit almost daily.

I tried all the PPIs and the only one that provided sustained relief was Dexilant. Reglan helped, but I didn't get on with the side effects and my doctor stopped it. I switched to Domperidone and that was worlds better.

Due to my young age, surgery was recommended and I was really on board with hopefully being able to stop the medicines, which I needed several times a day every day to keep the symptoms under control. I was in my late 20s when I had the surgery.

I had a lap Toupet fundoplication in April 2014. It's now July 2014, and I'm not fully 100% yet but have definitely felt the benefits of surgery even this early on. I still have problems with some foods like chicken and bread, but most things are tolerable with patient chewing. I've been told it will take longer to get my full diet back, so it's still early days to expect easy swallowing with everything.

I've not taken any medications and have been largely symptom-free. When I do get a "flare up" it seems to be connected with getting a bit overzealous with the eating and irritating my stomach. But a few days of "babying" usually clears it up.

I stayed home for 8 weeks since I have a long commute and relatively physically active job. I'm still feeling a bit fatigued now and tire more easily than before, but again, I've been told that a full recovery will take more months and to not expect too much too soon.

I've had some episodes of vomiting after my surgery when I tried to transition from liquids to solid soft foods, but my surgeon said it was okay with my wrap and wouldn't damage it (Toupet v. Nissan I'm thinking). I hope mine is okay, but if it did get damaged, I would certainly have a re-do. Not taking pills all the time is great. Not waking up and throwing up is great. Not feeling nauseated after every meal is great. Even my asthma seems to have improved a bit.

I hope several months and years from now, my wrap will be as happy as it is now and functioning as well as it is now.

Edit to add:

I read on this forum that most surgeons don't really prepare you for what the recovery process is like. I'm fully on board with that. I had a very good surgeon with loads of experience doing the procedure. He talked me through what recovery would be like before I made my decision, but I don't think I really "got" it.

I thought something like "trouble swallowing" would mean I would have to gulp a few times to get stuff down, not be in agony while stuff got stuck and I would have to throw it up.

So I would recommend anyone considering surgery to really try and get a good clear picture of what will/might happen - from your surgeon, from the forum, etc. Many times during my recovery, I remember thinking "the surgeon told me x was going to happen" and then actually feeling "x" was a lot different from the mental picture I had of what to expect.

Post Edited (Altair) : 7/19/2014 3:35:16 PM (GMT-6)

I have an add on about surgeons not preparing us for the recovery.

My PCP had been considering this surgery and at one of my appointments a few years ago asked ME what it was really like! He said he didn't believe the surgeon friends he knew and wanted to hear from someone who had been through it and what to really expect in the long run.

He has since moved out of state, so I don;t know if he ever went through it or not.

Take care,
Bill

I can tell you that I am glad to see this section! There is so much "bad" information out there that I almost considered not having this done. I am still in the decision making process and was excited to see someone with my exact conditions go through it ! Thank you all you successful writers!

I think my main concern with this surgery is the reports of pain when trying to swallow and feeling discomfort for hours. I already have a stricture in my esophagus and have had the pain when swallowing but it doesn't last long. I have to sit straight and wait for it to pass. How long did it take you to begin to eat normally ? Weeks later? What did you eat ?

So glad to find a positive forum about Nissen FP!

I had my first wrap in 1995 after almost 20 years of heartburn and aspirating almost nightly waking up unable to get my breath. Even meds (Zantac & Mylanta) which were the best meds back then gave me little relief. I was 41 when I had the open surgery and it was very successful. Recovery was not easy and we got no help from the Doctor. I was in the hospital for 8 days and the hospital didn't know how to care for me either, but we struggled through and enjoyed 15 trouble free years. I could eat most anything without any problems.

However because I waited so long to have the wrap, aspirating left me with 13 cm of Barrett's which required an endoscopy every other year. In 2010, my Barrett's turned to cancer and I began a new treatment at Baylor Medical Hospital in Dallas, Tx called a halo 360 to remove the Barrett's and cancer. Dr. James Burdick has performed this treatment 12 times on my esophagus and has been able to remove all the Barrett's and cancer which has saved my esophagus. Each treatment required three months of recovery but it was worth it to be cancer free.

Although the treatments have been successful, I have ended up with another hiatal hernia and am scheduled for a second Nissan on August 12th, so here we go again. This time however I have this great forum that has reminded me of what to expect and how to prepare for this surgery.

Thanks again for all the positive posts. It really does help.