en-route to fundo op and scared

Hi,

Just had my surgery last week (230 wrap and hernia repair) and have been feeling great.
I did not have the full wrap so my recovery may be different but I'm already eating soft foods without a problem.
Have had no symptoms since the surgery and now 5 days after I can walk around and move without pain.
Will probably stop taking pain meds very soon.

Hi Spencersmum,

Is the worry of Barrets espohagus the only reason you are considering the surgery or are you tired of taking medication? How much PPI are you on?

Having a fundoplication is a difficult decision. It's a hard but what can be life changing surgery. I've seen great results on here and there is a lot of great information. For people that are suffering every day I think fundoplication is a great option.

I opted out of it just because I didn't want to deal with the complications but my gerd is well controlled on PPI's. I just had a paraesophageal hernia repair 3 weeks ago. Having the hernia repair is making a difference for me for sure. I've reduced my meds by half and keep going down, hoping I will be able to ween off them all together :)

I've had several scopes and my stomach is almost always red and inflammed. They tell me this is usually gastritis and not related to my GERD. They treat this with carafate.

Have you looked at other gerd options? There are so many out there now, surgical and non surgical.

Good luck with your decision.

I have had issues with food since i was a child ( i think related to aspergers ) i lived on a very bland diet ( which from memory felt sick most nights in bed) and in the last 10 ish years i have widened my diet and tried many other different foods , and now knowing what i know about mt stomach and oesophagus its depressing me to think i might have to return to thst bland boring diet of bread cereal meat patatoes ,
the 24hr test and manometry and endoscopy tests are requested by consultant before Fundiplication op .
ive been taking Omeprazole for 10 years and recently changed over to Nexium 20mg ,
im stuck between a rock and and hard place , Thank you all for your adivice ..

I know for me, having the fundo was the right decision, I was miserable. I just had mine yesterday but I know it was the right choice. You have to make the right choice for you.

Good on you for being able to make the decision. I'm at that point also, although the decision has really been made for me and I'm just grasping at straws trying to find some other possible cause for my symptoms with no avail.

I can tell you from personal experience that the lung and throat problems are no joke and they can take you down hard and fast. The best way I can describe it, is on a good day its like being in the middle of a mild asthma attack. It only takes aspirating your stomach contents once to give you pneumonia, and even if it doesn't the irritation it causes can get pretty bad. You're doing the right thing getting the fundoplication done before your lungs and throat get affected, apparently it takes a lot longer for those to heal post surgery than the oesophageal damage does.

Hi Spencersmum,

Congratulations on your decision. I know it's a hard one to make, but it definitely sounds as if you're a good candidate for a great outcome. I had the surgery in February 2009, after years of terrible lung issues and painful/hoarseness. As a teacher I needed to be able to read aloud to my first and second graders, and by the end I was having my TA do the reading.

I was ready for a horrendous recovery experience, and I was pleasantly surprised. here's a link to my early recovery journal. Disregard the references to asthma and coughing...that was unique to me. I had a lung infection before/during/after my surgery and was on high doses of steroids.

www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=45&m=2183443

I'm so glad I had the surgery, and only wish I'd had the courage to do it sooner. After about three months of healing my lungs began to improve, and I've done well since then. I didn't know if the surgery would solve my problem, but figured I had to give it a try. At least I could rule out the reflux as the cause of my lung problems. Turns out, even though my reflux wasn't severe, it was enough to cause my lungs to be a mess.

My surgeon never put me on a liquid diet. I was on liquids in the hospital the first day, then went home on a soft diet. After day 6, my surgeon released me to "eat whatever could be chewed to a liquid/creamy consistency". It was trial and error, but my teeth/mouth became my blender, and I thoroughly enjoyed chewing my food thoroughly. Chewing is the best part of eating! I kept a paper napkin handy, where I deposited anything that didn't chew completely.

Here are a couple links to post-Nissen diets:

www.oregonsurgical.com/pdfs/Nissen_Fundoplication_Diet.pdf

(NOTE: For some reason the link above doesn't work, so just copy and paste it into your web browser and it works just fine. You can click the one below and it will take you to the right information.)

www.upmc.com/patients-visitors/education/nutrition/pages/diet-after-nissen-fundoplication-surgery.aspx

Good luck with the waiting as well as the surgery!
Best wishes,
Denise

Hi spencersmum,

I think the heavier you are to start, the more weight you lose. I think I lost 20 pounds, but once you're fully healed if you're not careful the weight will come right back on.

Your stomach will feel full with very little food in it. I could only take in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of food at a time in the first few weeks. This is caused by the swelling of the stomach's fundus as a result of the wrap. The fundus is the source of the brain's information about fullness, and it reads swelling as fullness. This subsides as you heal and you'll gradually be able to eat more at a time.

In the first couple weeks, swallowing is a little dicey at times, so that will limit your intake as well. Once healing progresses you'll find eating goes much more smoothly, but you'll need to continue taking small bites and chew, chew, chewing your food thoroughly before swallowing.

Be sure to keep asking questions!

Best wishes!
Denise

Hi spencersmum,

I know there are some things lost in translation between our two dialects, but you should be able to figure it out well enough to know what to have and what to avoid.

I don't know if this is too expensive for you to consider, but this product really helps in avoiding gas when you're eating those veggies and beans. My husband has an excessive gas problem, and when he took BEANO when eating chili (tons of kidney beans) he noticed a huge difference in his comfort. Here's a link to the Amazon UK information:
www.amazon.co.uk/Beano-Tablets-100/dp/B00014DTOO

I don't know if you ever order from Amazon, but if you get them in combination with some other purchases, you could avoid shipping costs. Just a thought.

They have smaller containers, but if you're going to get them and pay for shipping, you might as well get the larger amount. You take 2 or 3 with a significantly gas producing meal. You are to chew the tablets as you take your first bite of gas-producing food. I used it a lot during my recovery, when gas production can cause painful bloating.

The chocolate and alcohol elimination is just during the earlier stages of your recovery. Once past the worst of it, you can gradually introduce small amounts and see how you do. In the beginning I don't think you'll even miss it.

Be sure to post any additional questions or worries you might have!
Very best wishes,
Denise

Hi spencersmum,

Absolutely noone should have a Nissen surgery without having that testing, so I agree wholeheartedly with the Royal Berkshire Hospital!!! Those are exactly the tests that any experienced Nissen surgeon will require.

I've never heard of Arnica, and I suspect some others haven't either, so I will share this link:
/umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/arnica

No I never used it before or after my surgery. Actually, there really wasn't any bruising to speak of, and the swelling of the wrap only lasts a week or so. From the information I read, it's not recommended to take it orally without recommendation and follow up from a doctor. I bruise easily, so I'm going to check out the cream version and see if it helps get rid of them more quickly!

I forgot when you're scheduled for surgery. Do you already have a date?
Best wishes and take care!
Denise

Hi Spencersmum,
I am based in the UK - my results were given to me by the surgeon at the hospital - not the GP?! If you have had the tests done through the hospital, then you should have seen a consultant there, or at least they will have you listed under someones care there. From my first GP consultation to my operation was about 12 months I think. They use 'time clocks' in the NHS - and for every test you have the 'time clock' can stop. I only know this as I wondered why my treatment took such a long time and I researched it on the NHS website. I don't know when you had your last test done - but the manometry & 24hr ph test results can take upto 6 weeks to come back.
I hope you find out what's going on very soon!

Hi Spencersmum:
I am new to this website but wanted to share some info with you.

I, like you, had severe Gerd for many years. I had been taking a med called Omeprazole once a day. It was not really working but I did not think there was anything else I could do to help my Gerd.
I lost 30 lbs, tried eliminating acid foods from my diet, I bought a special pillow wedge for my bed to elevate my head when I slept. Those "tricks" did not help much. I spoke to my Gastroenterologist, who helps manage my Gerd for many years, and we developed another plan. We tried increasing the Omeprazole to twice daily for 3-4 weeks. That increased dose did not make a difference. I then tried Dexilant 60mg once daily before dinner. This did help a little but still I had some pretty bad Gerd and it also had been interfering with my severe asthma.

I repeated 48 hr ph Manometry and Endoscopy.
Both showed severe Gerd with a high Demeester score.
My Gastro me strongly recommends FP.
I consulted a surgeon in November 2015.
My husband and I went. He answered all of our questions.
We scheduled a full NP on 1/1/16.
YES! I was incredibly nervous! Everything went just as planned.
My surgeon keeps his patients overnight after the surgery .
I went home the next day with manageable pain.
My diet has been as follows:
1st day: surgery day nothing by mouth.
2nd day: clear liquids
3rd day: clear liquids
4th day until 1/26/16: full liquids
Sip slowly, drink slowly, eat anything in very small bites and small sips.
Warm liquids go down much easier.

And the best of all: I have not taken any Gerd med since before surgery!!!
By 5-7 days postoperative: no pain! I had a day procedure with 5 little holes that were healed by 10 days postoperative / I had a checkup that day.

Starting 1/26/16: I begin mushy/ soft diet. It will take time.
I have lost 15 lbs postoperative all ready.
I took 3 weeks off work.
I was cleared for lifting and normal activity by 2 weeks. My surgeon warned me I would be tired week 2-3.
I am a office nurse.
By afternoons, I am tired and need a brief nap.

I hope this helps.
Good luck in whatever you choose. 😊🌺

Hi all,
My operation is on Wednesday 8th June 5 days away now. The anxiety of it has brought on my symptoms a bit more so I know I'm doing the right thing. I'm not looking forward to it of course but once recovered I look forward to eating as never before.
Margaret 😀