7 Days Post Op - Hiatal Hernia/Gerd Surgery

Hi Everyone!

I recently had surgery for my hiatal hernia/acid reflux and thought I'd share my experience with you!

about me: I'm a 25 year old male, 10 year history of heartburn and regurgitation, which slowly got worse and worse over time. I was having to watch what I ate, what time I ate, and make sure I had medicine nearby or else the acid reflux would give me some of the worst pains I've ever felt before. I had an upper GI endoscopy done in 2015 and was told by the Dr. that I had "just a little reflux" and was put on an acid reducing medication (PPI) and sent home.

I knew it was time to seek other options when the medicine faded over time and I started to have more severe symptoms of acid reflux (trouble breathing, sleep apnea, heartburn, abdominal pain, and anxiety), and I started to worry that I had cancer or something terrible.

Later that week I found a surgeon in Orlando, Florida that has since changed my life. His name is Dr. Farid Gharagozloo, and he is a world renown surgeon in the field of thoracic surgery and specializes in GERD and acid reflux. He is one of the first pioneers of robotic laproscopic surgery, and has done thousands of surgeries via the robot. I knew I was in good hands the moment I spoke to him and saw the 100s of awards that peppered his office walls.

He has revolutionized a procedure, called the Gastroesophageal Valvuloplasty that repairs hital hernias and fixes the valve that allows stomach acid and food to flow through. This operation is different than the nissen fundoplication, as the stomach is not wrapped and the esophagus is instead intercepted into the stomach at a 270 degree angle, replicating normal human anatomy. Common side effects of the Nissen Fundoplication are the inability to burp or vomit ever again, excessive gas, and in some cases the wrap comes undone over time.

I am now 7 days post op from the valvuloplasty and have already burped (a lot) and have been able to tolerate most soft foods without a problem!! I already feel a difference in my energy, and I feel that I have more air in my lungs when I breathe I'm still in a lot of pain due to a chest tube needed in my case, but I'm walking 3-5 miles a day to eleviate the gas pains and taking medication for pain, anxiety and muscle spasms so not too bad. For me the anxiety was the worst part prior to surgery, I was so worked up the day of that I was sedated with medication before I even arrived at the hospital.

If anyone is looking to have their acid reflux problem fixed for good, or have their failed nissen fundoplications repaired, please please please visit Florida Hospital Celebration in Orlando, Florida, and have it done CORRECTLY! the link to the procedure and surgeon is below. The hospital staff was amazing and they did extremely well with controlling my pain levels.

my incision scars are so small they are already almost healed, and the only pain I have is leftover from having a chest tube inserted during surgery and for two days post op. If you are thinking about this surgery but are nervous or scared to have it done - PLEASE don't let it get in the way of your wellbeing. My quality of life was so terrible prior to surgery that I would of done anything to have it fixed.

Thanks for listening and will continue posting updates about my recovery.

Cheers!
West


https://www.floridahospital.com/celebration-health/thoracic-surgery-program/specialty-treatments/digestive-health-gerd

Post Edited (Flboy32801) : 2/8/2017 7:32:12 AM (GMT-7)

Smafleur,

Thank you! I really spent time researching this - friends and family thought I was crazy the amount of questions I had.

*update*
I am post op day 8 now so don't want to get too excited but the pain is slowly going away. I'm walking 3 miles a day (today trying 4 miles) and the incisions are pretty small now. Biggest incision I have is from the chest tube but not everyone gets one... and the pain is also related to that area.

I am still having trouble getting soft foods down (mac n cheese, soft chicken, pudding) and have had a few bouts of panic where I thought I couldn't breathe because the food was stuck. A little swig of powerade or water helped get it down each time though.

I have had trouble breathing since surgery again because of the painful chest tube they needed to use during my surgery, and also because they operated on my diaphragm. However, each day has gotten a bit better, and I'm making myself walk more as well. The gas pain is pretty bad like most people say but that also has gotten significantly better since day 1.

I will post another update this weekend and let you all know how it's going.

West

Thank you Joswald, I was thinking about that today, that i'll scale it back to more of a liquid diet again and see if it helps. The hospital was very antsy to get me on soft foods (i spent 5 days there) and said it was okay but it was actually hard to swallow.

I'm hoping it gets better soon because I'm craving chicken and have been replacing chicken with protein shakes for now.

Good news is, only another hour until I can take something for the pain again.

Cheers,
West

Hi Alcie!

Thank you for the information, I definately need to try that!

Last night I had portobello mushroom soup with chicken legs in it, that sat in the crock pot all day. The chicken fell off the bone and went down nicely (some needed a sip of powerade). Tonight I'm going to have more soup, yay! I've also been snacking on easy squeeze apple sauce packets, TONS of jello (my favorite) and gogurt (kids squeeze yogurt)

Today is post op day 9 and I'm feeling much better. Walked 3.5 miles today, definately feeling the 5 miles from yesterday. my incisions are so tiny from my walking that I barely notice them. Only my chest tube scar is pretty gnarly. Not needing as much medication and feeling much more optimistic.

-West

Post Edited (Flboy32801) : 2/10/2017 10:37:00 AM (GMT-7)

Hi everyone,

I thought I'd post an update since I'm now at exactly 1 month out of surgery. I had my follow up appointment today and the surgeon took out my remaining stitches (had to have a chest tube) and looked at my incisions. He said everything is great and healing perfectly. I am starting to wake up and not require pain medication so that's a plus, but I have some good stuff for when the pain does flare up.

I have been walking every day about 3-5 miles, but don't have much energy the rest of the day. I am lucky to have an employer who provides me with benefits - so I'm covered for 6 weeks fully paid. It's been fantastic - I feel like a kid again!

I don't know if my heartburn is gone or not yet - my doc has me on PPI medication (omeprazole) for 3 months until I have a followup Endoscopy study done to see how my esophagus has healed. almost 100% of his patients come off the medication with no further heartburn, so I'm looking forward to that. I've been on and off PPI meds for about 8 years now and my heartburn was to the point I was desperate for help.

Some other interesting things; I've always suffered from sinus problems and since my surgery date I have been breathing better and have not had clogged sinuses. I always thought it was allergies but turns out my reflux affected my sinuses as well. I've also suffered from Sleep Apnea my whole life, where I would snore and stop breathing while I'm sleeping and be gasping for air. My girlfriend has told me she has not heard me snore one night and I am feeling so much more rested each day! my hernia was affecting my breathing which was causing all my issues.

My posture is also better, as before my stomach was herniated into my chest which kind of made me slouch when I walked or sat down. It felt better to lean forward at times, and easier to breathe. Now I can sit up straighter and walk with my shoulders back more - it's an amazing feeling!

So for anyone who is curious about having this surgery done but a little aprehensive - all I can say is there's light at the end of the tunnel and it is so worth it. Post op sucked for a few weeks, some of the most pain I"ve ever had....But now I feel great and have had no issues whatsoever. I will post another update in a few months when I have my endoscopy study done.

Cheers everyone!
West

Can you please give us an update on the status of your surgery. I am scheduled to have the same procedure with the same doctor in July and I am wondering if it was successful.

Hello! Well, I had search the intervention video and it look totaly like a Nissen, or a Toupet, if the stomach is not totaly fixed (270 degrees) around esophage...

Question to Flboy32801, please. You have told about breathing problems, before surgery. Could you detail what was your respiratory problems, please? Thank you very much!

Post Edited (Davidoff51) : 10/5/2017 6:27:00 AM (GMT-6)

Hello Flboy32801,
I am very interested in this procedure. It seems like a much better option than the standard gerd surgeries out there. I really related to your problem however I do not have any heartburn. Just food always coming up constantly from acid reflux. I figured that this was uncommon for someone my age (I am 19) so I did an endoscopy and it turns out I have a small hiatal hernia that is causing my gerd. It is getting to the point where I can't even do anything without this always bothering me. I have tried all ppis and antacids with no avail and am finally considering surgery. The gastroesophegeal valvuloplasty really interests me and since I live in Orlando, it really made me think about doing this. I am just unsure if this will make my stomach acid stop coming up so that my esophagus can heal. This surgery seems like it is the best option but I noticed that you still had mild heartburn so I am not sure if this can fully work for me. I am looking for a lifetime solution to this problem. I want your opinion on your surgery and if there is anything else you can add about your surgery for me to know that would be great.

I still am taking medicine because I had severe inflammation from stress. However, I am not a good example because my brother got lung cancer and passed away during the six months postoperative period. I was put on Carafate and a PPI. I am off the Carafate and weaning myself off the PPI. I was getting acid reflux because my esohagus was swollen and my valve was not working correctly. It has resolved and I feel much better, but I have to wean myself off the PPI's because I have been on them for 30 years. There is another person, who had this surgery, on Wes's previous post called "hiatal hernia without the wrap" and there are other individuals on a FB support group called Nissen Fundoplication takedown. There are many people on that site (who have had the Nissen and are having it reversed) with bad side effects that are permanent, which we have none of. It is my understanding that it is common to some inflammation during the postoperative period. My goal is to get off medicine completely.

Dr. Gee takes the esophagus and puts it back in the stomach, where it belongs, and creates a valve between the stomach and esophagus. This valve opens and closes while you eat. He closes the hiatal hernia with a Vicryl mesh, which dissolves during the postoperative period. He does put several sutures to hold the esophagus and stomach in place, but he does not wrap the stomach around the esophagus (like the Nissen). You end up nicely working valve and the acid reflux is gone.

Dr.Gee has been doing this procedure since 2000, and has been in Florida for one year. He has done over 500 procedures in Florida and there are no failures (except for one - an individual lifted during the postoperative period). He has written papers which are online and we all completed a questionnnaire. He will write another paper with his Florida experience.

I was in the hospital for four days and when I first got home, I had to eat soft food. I felt pretty well and was out and about one week postoperatively. He told me not to lift anything for six weeks and not to gain any weight. I eat whatever I want, but I happen not to like spicy food, I watch my alcohol intake and I went to a light blend of coffee. Many people take over the counter antacids probably because they eat the stuff that I just mentioned.

If you go to the FB site that I mentioned, you will never have the Nissen wrap because people have bad problems. Someone told me that she did well until she wasn't. Dr. Gee told me that the Nissen eventually fails, which I already knew.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Post Edited (Yellow19) : 5/2/2019 10:44:31 AM (GMT-6)

Those are good questions to ask Dr. GEE. I believe Fitboy travelled. Hopefully, he will respond. I live in Florida so I didn’t have to travel. From what people said who travel for the surgery, you go home after release from the hospital, and come back once postoperatively. I don’t know what it costs because my insurance covered it 100% (except for my copay). Dr Gee’s office probably can give you that information because they will call your insurance company preoperatively.

I am one year postoperatively and feel fine. All of us who have had the gastroesophageal valvuloplasty believe Dr. Gee is a miracle worker. Dr. Gee doesn’t wrap the esophagus, but creates a valve between the esophagus and stomach)that opens and closes when you eat (which is the way it is suppose to work).The other procedure wraps the stomach around the esophagus. Yes, this procedure is a permanent fix.

Before you consider having the Nissen procedure, go to the FB site “takedown of Nissen wrap”. Everyone on that site has problems with their procedure. Someone said that “it works until it doesn’t”. The individuals on that site are either considering having a takedown of the procedure, or have already have had one. They are all sorry that they had the procedure.

I wish you good luck. If you decide to go ahead with Dr. Gee’s procedure, please post your experience (especially about from out of state).

Post Edited (Yellow19) : 5/2/2019 10:45:38 AM (GMT-6)

I can’t copy and paste from FB TO HERE, but it is called

NISSEN FUNDOPLICATION TAKEDOWN

I was on the site for a while. I referred them to Dr. Gee because he also does the takedown with his valuloplasty. I believe several of individuals from the support group were going to see Dr. Gee.

I don’t sleep with my bed elevated because I get no heartburn, or that awful regurgitation at night (although I do have a tempurpedic bed.). I believe Wes was talking about the fact that it is common to get inflammation postoperatively. I had this also, but it is resolving. It might be that we got off medicine too soon, and stress.

I wish you luck and please keep us updated.

Post Edited (Yellow19) : 5/2/2019 10:47:27 AM (GMT-6)

So, here I sit 4 days post surgery from the esophageal valvuloplasty with Dr. G. I'll try to run the days down one at a time:

Day 1-2 - I was extremely nervous. I had a hard time sleeping the night before and had surgery scheduled at noon on 11/17. It got pushed back an hour or so, so my anxiety just increased. After getting all the IV's in, they eventually came and got me and wheeled me into the OR. Dr. G. stopped by ahead of time and assured me everything would be fine and that I was making the right decision. My first memory occurred at 6 pm. I vaguely remember waking up and giving my Dad a thumbs up as he left. Visiting hours were over. I was so incredibly out of it, I just went back to sleep. My Dad said I'd been awake several times before that, but I remember none of it. Woke up again about 2 a.m. and realized I had a drainage tube down my left sinus and into my stomach. Also a catheter. Again, I was much too out of it to really care. Nurses were in constantly with Dilaudid and other painkillers. IV's. Etc. I woke up in the morning and really struggled with the nasal tube. I actually started gagging and had to have it removed early. I don't think this is usually much of a problem for people. I just have a strong gag reflex. And yes, it does hurt quite bad when you swallow. They had to use six incisions for the robot as my hernia was larger than expected. My stomach was crazy tight and I could barely move due to the pain, but I'll give it to the hospital staff. They kept me very well sedated and did a great job of managing the pain. They kept me as comfortable as they could. The hardest thing about day 2 was a swallow test. They took me down to radiology and made me swallow some dye to see if there were any leaks. There were none, but I was in crazy pain sitting in the wheelchair and standing in front of the xray machine. I needed more painkiller prior to the trip down there. By the way, the pain is in your shoulders (diaphragm shares the same nerve) and is in your stomach. Once, I got wheeled back up and into bed and some more painkillers things were good again. At this point I started on clear liquids.

More later--getting a bit dizzy as I sit here.