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DON'T DO IT - paraesophageal hernia repair and fundo

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 2/1/2015 7:07 AM (GMT 0)
Sure I had some GERD before but it's nothing like the absolute pain and stomach issues I'm having 3 months after surgery. I can't even go places where I'm far away from the toilet. I just threw up, which supposedly I'm not supposed to be able to do but I did. There have been other times where I wanted to throw up and I couldn't and it was awful. DO ANYTHING YOU CAN TO AVOID THIS SURGERY....I WOULD HAVE NEVER DONE THIS GIVEN THE PARA. HERNIA WHICH EVERYONE SAID HAD TO BE REPAIRED. NOW I'M READING, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE REPAIRED. DO RESEARCH AND DON'T TAKE IT TO GOSPEL WHAT EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD SAYS....AND I KNOW THEY SAY IT BUT SERIOUSLY DON'T!!!!!
Posted 2/1/2015 10:03 AM (GMT 0)
I'm so sorry to hear about this. I'm near the end of what can be done with pills. Surgery is my
only option if these new set of pills (my 3rd try) won't work.

Look, see how you do in a few months. Good luck.
Posted 2/1/2015 10:03 AM (GMT 0)
Dear healthy 2014,

3 months is a very short time after a Nissen for a GPEH. I needed a year, and that was just for the most part of recovery.

Nausea and bowel problems are very common after a regular Nissen, and a very large hernia repair is worse. For a paraesophageal hernia they may also have had to take down your esophagus to get it back into your abdomen.

There are many post fundo patients who keep Zofran on hand for nausea events. I have some with me anytime I go anywhere. I would suggest seeing your doctor for the nausea and asking if this might help you.

I had the bowel problem occasionally too, but managed it with Depends. That situation resolved by itself, thank goodness. There are medications that can help.

A paraesophageal hiatal hernia, at least the one I had, a very serious situation. If it rolls over it can strangle itself, and that's a serious emergency. Mine was large and painful and I could feel it trying to roll when I turned over in bed. I'm very glad I had it repaired. Recovery was pretty awful because the surgery was very complex, but now that time has passed I'm so glad I got it done.

I wouldn't have had the surgery if I hadn't had the accident that caused the GPEH. I was controlling my acid reflux just fine, for over 20 years, with just PPIs.

Yes, you're absolutely right! Everyone should do their own research and never take anything on a forum as fact. We're not doctors, and all we can do is tell our own stories.

I wish you well and hope things get better for you soon.
Posted 2/1/2015 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
I had a large Paraesophageal hernia repaired on December 30,2014. While the doctor was repairing the problem areas lapriscopically he burst a blood vessel on my Liver. Thinking I would wake up to the best case scenario with minimal areas to heal. I had to be cut open from sternum to belly button to stop the bleeding on my Liver. The whole procedure to repair my Hernia and Liver and then give me 3 liters of blood took 5 and 1/2 hours. I am 61 and have been in as good a shape as a person my age can be in so I figured 4 weeks tops to get back to normal. But I have lost from 234lbs to current 202lbs, don't feel that hungry and when I do eat I get full easily or get nauseated. When I wake up in the early morning I feel dizzy and my abdomen feels like someone has punched me all night. I am trying to cut out Hydrocodone for pain, so I don't know what to take for body punches unless I keep taking Hydrocodone. Would I do this again? At this point I don't know although when I overate just a little bit before surgery my chest would hurt for 2 hours and shortness of breath was always prevalent. The doctor said when he got inside my chest cavity my Hernia was worse than he thought and it would have been life threatening eventually. My pain level is a constant 5-6 unless I take Hydrocodone to take it to a dull 4. How much longer before I am 100% me?------ 6 months?
Posted 2/1/2015 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi fbr. Welcome to the forum. It would be a good idea to start your own thread instead of attaching your story to this one. Use the "Post New Topic" button.

I would and did take the pain meds as long as I needed to, months. My surgery was a bad one too, about as long as yours. I wish I'd had the transfusion because it took me a long time to have enough energy to feel like I'd live.

Your doc told you it was going to be life-threatening, so you needed it. Hernias don't magically repair themselves, and this kind can cause lots of problems.

You're probably at about the worst part of recovery right now. I felt lots better at 3 months, better yet at 6 months and finally pretty much recovered at a year. Not really a long time in the greater scheme of things.

Sorry, healthy 2014, for taking up so much of your thread.
Posted 2/2/2015 12:04 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone. I do have something for nausea but I threw up because of my wretching and coughing (which was supposed to be relieved from the surgery). I'm very disappointed with the results at this point It feels like each day I go backwards instead of forward.
Posted 2/2/2015 9:59 AM (GMT 0)
healthy2014,

I got the nausea and it put me in the hospital. Also, try the Psi band which is found at any pharmacy. It is accupressure.

This surgery should not be avoided if you are in danger. When I had my surgery, the surgeon was surprised to find my diaphragm was almost gone due to the hernia. The surgeon told me if I had waited, he could not have repaired my diaphragm and my lung would have been permanently exposed.

I hope you feel better.

Michelle
Posted 2/9/2015 3:55 PM (GMT 0)
Don't recall seeing a "FlaCracker" on the internet before, but from a proud one to another one. 2nd generation Tampa area. Have had GERD for many years as well as Barrett's. Just had an appt. with my ENT Dr. who kinda went 'off the deep end' when he asked me if I drank coffee & I said yes. He said in the strongest terms that he wouldn't do it & strongly recommended I stop. Never have been one to drink coffee all day, just 2 - 4 cups 6:30 to done by 9 AM. I've cut that in half, down to 2 cups. Just wondered if you had any opinion on the subject. Next month have a regular Upper Endoscopy & plan to talk to my Gastroenterologist Dr & plan to discuss with him. Any input from anyone?

skyfly
Posted 2/10/2015 11:02 PM (GMT 0)
skyfly,

1st generation, same city too. What a small world! I have/had Barrett's (last scope showed it was gone) and I have been drinking coffee off and on since the surgery. Just 1/2 a cup. No complaints from surgeon or gastroenterologist. I eat chocolate too. Enjoy the sunshine.

Michelle
Posted 2/11/2015 1:10 AM (GMT 0)
Just thought I'd mention this:

http://coffeeandhealth.org/topic-overview/coffee-consumption-and-cancers-of-the-digestive-tract/

Also, for what it's worth every specialist I've seen has not discouraged me from drinking coffee, all they said to me was that if it causes discomfort, then don't do it. It didn't, so I drank it!
Posted 2/11/2015 2:54 AM (GMT 0)
FlaCracker
Glad to hear you are doing better, Barrett's gone? How did that happen???

skyfly
Posted 2/11/2015 2:57 AM (GMT 0)
JB_The_Great
Thanks for the website, & info on coffee. Don't drink a lot of coffee, but really love it.

skyfly
Posted 2/11/2015 9:54 AM (GMT 0)
skyfly,

I had multiple EGD's done when I was diagnosed with Barrett's. According to 2 Gastro doctors, I had Barrett's years ago and that first time healed. The second bout with Barrett's, the doctor and pathologist agreed it healed. My surgeon advises me to get checkups since there could be other spots never checked before. For a short time, I had an alkaline diet. PPI's, carafate, DGL, alkaline water too. Hope that helps.

Michelle
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