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Chest pain after Nissen Fundoplication?

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Posted 7/2/2017 9:24 AM (GMT 0)
What was happening was, over the past 2 weeks. I've had severe hayfever but in short bouts. Sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes and ears. Well, I've never suffered with shortness of breath and hayfever but this last couple of days. I've noticed slight breathlessness, the need to take a deep breath occasionally. This on top of the humidity in the air doesn't help. I'd like to know if anyone else has had this problem post-Nissen Fundoplication(I'm 4 months on July 13th) I've been doing great, feeling strong and healthy. Eating well and drinking well. The ache around top of my stomach the site of the wrap but that's eased quite alot in the last few weeks. It's just this breathlessness what's kind of annoying and frustrating. I'v looked after myself really and my blood-count has shown because i had a kidney transplant when i was 17 and that's over 10 years ago now. If anyone can tell me about the breathlessness and if it's viable to have it after a bad week or 2 of hayfever or normal at 4 months post nissen it would be greatly appreciated, Admins,, anyone. Thank you. smile
Posted 7/19/2017 11:04 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,

I am experiencing constant chest tightness and heavy ache at the site where i had my hiatal hernia repair, at first i didn't have this but it has come on 10 days in? has anyone experienced this after surgery?

Thanks

Matt.
Posted 8/16/2017 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
Hey!
I'm experiencing the same problem. My surgery was done on 1/17/17. I'm also experiencing a burning sensation in the main area where the wrap was done. I find myself having to hold or apply pressure to the area below my left ribcage when I cough, sneeze, and laugh. Breathing normally is also becoming complicated. I'm fearing the worse and hoping that I have not done anything wrong.😐

I am experiencing constant chest tightness and heavy ache at the site where i had my hiatal hernia repair, at first i didn't have this but it has come on 10 days in? has anyone experienced this after surgery?

Thanks

Matt.

Posted 8/16/2017 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hey!
I'm experiencing tightening of the chest, abdominal pain, and back pain. My surgery was done on 1/17/17. I'm also experiencing a burning sensation in the main area where the wrap was done. I find myself having to hold or apply pressure to the area below my left ribcage when I cough, sneeze, and laugh. Breathing normally is also becoming complicated. I'm fearing the worse and hoping that I have not done anything wrong.😐
Posted 8/17/2017 11:59 AM (GMT 0)
Sandy:

The best thing you can do is call your surgeon and schedule a follow-up appointment. It's best to discuss with him your concerns, since it's been over 6 months since your surgery.

Sharon
Posted 10/4/2017 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
Hi All

So glad to have found this forum and hope to both support and be supported by post Nissen fellows.

Had a hiatus hernia wrap redo op 3 months ago which appeared to be a great success. Reflux gone, chest pains eradicated and slowly returning appetite and normal food consumption. Great result I thought after 15 years of chronic suffering from GERD, Barrett’s diagnosis, a failled first Nissen 5 years ago.

I am now experiencing severe chest pain almost immediately after eating modest sized meals. Pain is very severe through my esophagus and mid chest rib cage area. Saw referring doc recently who is now treating me for esophagitis flare up! Wasn’t expecting that but I am seeking a second opinion. Intend to go back to the (very experienced) surgeon for a review.

Has anyone experienced similar and if so what was the outcome?
Posted 10/5/2017 1:27 PM (GMT 0)
MrPerseverance:

If you are experiencing chest pains after modest size meals, I would go back to the soft diet for a while, and also smaller meals more often. Sometimes we try and go back to semi-normal eating too soon because we start to feel better. Three months is still really early in your recovery, follow your doctors instructions. But I agree, get a second opinion.

Sharon
Posted 10/5/2017 5:41 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Sharon - yes. I think we can confuse getting better from Nissen op as eating as we did during the good times. That’s changed. Encouragingly I don’t get reflux after meals, just the immediate sensation of my esophagus hurting, possibly as food queues up to go down and pushes out.

Like you say 3 months is not long. Need to understand that.

Steve
Posted 11/25/2017 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
MrPerseverance,

I'm 2 1/2 months out from Nissen + 5 cm hiatal hernia repair. I get lots of chest pain with any type of exercise that raises my heart rate and blood pressure. So no problem walking at a relaxed pace, but fast walking or hill climbing bring on the pain. Lifting anything heavier than about 10 pounds also starts the pain. Once the pain starts, I have to pretty much stop where I am and wait a few minutes for it to subside. If I don't stop where I am, the pain just gets worse and worse until it become unbearable. I had an echo stress test, so it's not cardiac pain. It seems to be much worse with more than just a few ounces of food in my stomach. I can do a whole lot more on an empty stomach. I went to a really good surgeon who does nothing but bariatric/Nissen surgery. He told me not to worry about the pain, he was very pleased with the surgery and to just eat very small meals (say only 4 ounces at a time), and give 6 months for my stomach to stretch.

I've also noticed that once I do something to get the pain started, it seems to require perhaps 24 hours to completely "calm down." And before it is completely calmed down, it seems to become triggered with with a lot less stress than normal.

I can only theorize about the pain. I had a large hiatal hernia. To repair a hernia the surgeon has to "mobilize" the esophagus, which basically means cutting it free from the surrounding tissue. Once the esophagus is free, the surgeon pulls the stomach, and the esophagus with it, back down through the diaphragm and into the abdomen. (Also, in many cases, the crural opening (the hiatus) must be sewn shut.) The mobilization of the esophagus assures that the there is no upward tension on the esophagus that would cause a repeat of the hernia.

So my theory about the pain: The weight of food in the stomach adds downward tension on the esophagus and irritates the nerves surrounding the crural opening and the parts that were cut free. I read that some can avoid the pain by lying down. It seems that this is consistent with relieving tension on the esophagus.

In my case, the surgeon placed a biologic mesh around the crural opening. The mesh serves as an irritant that causes collagen to build up in its place to reinforce the closed opening so as to prevent a future hernia. The mesh totally dissolves over time. So the stomach pulling down on the naturally-irritated mesh area can be a source of chest pain.

My guess is that the problem has the most effect on those with hiatal hernia repairs, and perhaps an even bigger affect on those with the largest hernia repairs, and those with a biologic mesh implant.

I asked my surgeon about the possibility of reflux-related pain. He tells me that reflux is 100% impossible with a properly-performed Nissen surgery. The research shows that acid monitoring is generally negative for those who complain of reflux symptoms after Nissen. Nissen creates a very secure one-way, leak-proof valve. Of course, there are failed surgeries in which the wrap comes undone or a new hernia happens. But these are the rare exceptions and are extremely unlikely with a highly-specialized and experienced surgeon. Failures tend to occur mostly with "community surgeons," those with limited experience with the procedure and who perform it infrequently. But my surgeon tells me that its not a matter of a "little bit" of reflux being possible. He says that reflux is totally impossible when the procedure is properly performed.

Another issue is erosive esophagitis. The surgery isn't an immediate cure for a damaged esophagus, which can easy require 2-3 months to heal in some people. I had a very inflamed esophagus at the time of the surgery, this was despite me having been on 40 mg of nexium twice a day in the months before the surgery. It seems that PPIs don't work as well in the presence of a large hiatal hernia. PPI's don't stop the reflux. Nexium only raises the PH to about 4.9 for 70% of the day. That's still as acidic as high-acid coffee. Plus PPIs do nothing to stop the refux, which also contains enzymes that can't be good for a damaged esophagus.

In any case, I'm just sharing my experience. I would love to hear from others. My only advice is to work with a doctor with lots nissen experience. And it seems that everyone heals at their own rate. Some people have aches and pains from decades-old wounds and surgeries. So a lot of patience is required. What seems to have helped me the most is eating 5 "micro" meals a day, and avoiding any kind of exercise for 2 to 3 hours after eating much more that a "mouse's" meal. It's not what I had hoped for, but it seems to be the unspoken reality for many.
Posted 11/26/2017 12:06 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for sharing your experience in detail Bill Steri.

What's interesting is your experience of discomfort and pain that many people report, and your surgeon's insistence that it can't be reflux related, if the wrap is intact. In your case it will be interesting to understand any diagnosis further testing indicates for you.

As I have learnt even the first 6 months is quite early to expect full recovery and I would suggest the discomfort and breathlessness are common enough. The advice to reduce meal size is sound, as is to not eat anything 3 hours before going to bed. (I find a simple evening meal of fruit and yoghurt 3 hours before sleep really works.) I also found exercise in moderation after about 6 weeks to be OK (swimming was fine), but anything that really strains the upper abdominal area is a no no. I lasted 5 minutes on my spinning bike before wisely dismounting. I suggest lifting weights of any kind be avoided. Non straining toilet technique, and where possible decorum, are worth consideration.

I think your theory of what is causing pain being related to eating larger meal sizes and perhaps proceeding too quickly to a normal diet has credibility. However, my sensation was immediately after eating larger meals, before the food had passed into the small intestine as if food was backing up in volume into my oesophagus. Only testing can help get to the bottom of individual experiences I guess.

Also, the pain that I and others report however is the same as the preoperative pain caused by reflux often associated with hernia. In my case I had a first wrap some 5 years ago that eventually slipped. It was followed by a redo in June 2017 with excellent results: a very comfortable recovery, no reflux whatsoever and a return to normal sleeping and elimination of the use of PPIs, Gaviscon and Ranitidine. I hadn't experienced digestion like it for 15 years, it was really life changing.

The surgeon in question is a highly experienced upper GI specialist who is going to perform an endoscopy and acquire results from a barium swallow. At this point there is no prognosis, except a confirmation that something may have changed either in the integrity of the wrap or in my management of recovery to bring about the sudden experience of chest pain and seeming esophagitis. There was a discussion about surgical technique and the need to both allow sufficient movement, whilst ensuring a robust enough use of suture and adhesion. The first consultation has left me with some hope as he did not rule out a further procedure, though it is much more of a balancing act.

For me, I can live with and manage the discomfort and pain if I could be certain it is not reflux related and not exacerbating the Barrett's, which, because of the increased risk of cancer, scares the hell out of me. Fortunately it is still low grade dysplasia with no sign of carcinoma and the odds remain quite low. So, plenty more fruit and yoghurt to go yet!
Posted 11/26/2017 7:14 PM (GMT 0)
MrPerseverance,

We share a lot in common. I too get pain after a meal is too large. But I can usually stop the pain by moving to an upright position, often standing, and then staying perfectly still. The more in my stomach, the less tolerance I have for any kind of movement including walking. So I'm forced to eat small meals if afterwards I have to do much walking or exercise. I'm hoping and praying that my tolerance for exercise will improve. I would hate to spend the rest of my life being so restricted.

When I get pain, it's the exact same pain that I had pre-surgery. Feels like that nasty esophagitis all over again.

Before surgery I was diagnosed Barrett's and low-grade dysplasia. So it scared the daylights out of me when I felt the same old pain after surgery. Below is how he responded when I told him that I was worried about continued acid and progression of my BE.

In a separate message he told me to be patient with post-op symptoms for at least the first 6 months.

This doctor is one of the best in the country. His practice is totally devoted to diagnostics, treatment, and surgery relating to reflux and bariatric surgery. He is one of the very few surgeons anywhere that only does surgery on the esophagus and stomach. He also does all his own GI workups, endoscopies, biopsies, manometries, barium swallows, and so on. And he's board certified with fellowships in advanced lap surgery and bariatric surgery. He's been around many years and does a fairly high-volume business in a major metropolitan area, with one 5-star rating after another from his patients. I'm not going to say his name, but I give you this info to suggest that he speaks with great authority. Here's what he said when I told him I thought I was experiencing post-surgery reflux and was worried about progression of my BE:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You are thinking too much about it Bill

Nissen fundoplication eliminates any form of reflux even physiologic reflux that normally happens to all of us
I doubt you have reflux but the only way to demonstrate that is by performing end and pH bravo study which we can do in a year

As far as Barretts progression to cancer: it doesn’t happen overnight and only 10% of Barretts patients progress to cancer

I was very happy with your surgery and I am 99/9% sure you don’t have reflux now but to be 100% we have to repeat the study which I don’t think it is warranted at this stage. If however it will make you sleep better at night and feel better will do it. No problem"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any idea why your first wrap slipped? I assumed that the surgery to re-tie the wrap was easier on you than the first surgery ?

How do you feel if you do too much exercise, such as more than 5 minutes on the spinning bike? Is it the same pain that you had before the surgery?

Bill
Posted 11/26/2017 7:45 PM (GMT 0)
MrPerseverance,

I forgot to mention that in my private conversation with my surgeon, he told me that reflux is absolutely impossible with a properly done Nissen procedure. In this email he said that he was 99.9% that my reflux-like symptoms were not caused by reflux. I guess he left open a 1 in 1,000 chance that something had gone wrong with my wrap after surgery.

I offered to undergo any additional tests that he thought might be appropriate. He told me to forget about more tests, to stop thinking it it so much, and to be patient with the symptoms for at least 6 months.

He said than one thing that causes pain/discomfort is the reduction in the size of the stomach by taking the fundus out of play. The fundus is only 10% of the stomach, but it is the part that stretches as needed to accommodate larger meals. He says that the rest of the stomach will stretch, but that is something that takes months and not weeks.

I guess that I was expecting a complete recovery within 6-8 weeks after the surgery. I'm beginning to learn that some people continue to have pains even up to a year after surgery, and then some occasional pain or discomfort even years later. So now I'm just hoping to improve little by little over the next few months.

With my BE, dysplasia, and lots of pain, I didn't spend much time ahead of time thinking about post-op issues. For me, I considered the surgery an emergency. I could have survived on PPI's, but everything that read told me that PPIs don't stop reflux, and there is plenty of evidence that they don't stop the possible progression to cancer.


Bill
Posted 12/28/2017 8:56 AM (GMT 0)

J24O said...
Hello Alcie

thank you for your reply. It means alot. Something else, I wanted to ask you because you've gone through the first year of symptoms and recovery. Recently i have been getting slight breathlessness, not alot of just a little. I was wondering if this was normal. If it's not one thing it's something else. smile thank you.

I'm 2 weeks out from having the surgery and am also experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath, has yours managed to subside with time?
Posted 12/28/2017 1:28 PM (GMT 0)
David:

With shortness of breath and chest pains, this is a matter that warrants a call to your surgeon to discuss your concerns.
Posted 12/28/2017 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
David,

I agree with Sharonz. It's important to have good post-op communications with one's surgeon. No two surgeries are alike, and post-op experiences can vary widely depending on the extent of the surgery, the actual procedures performed, the health of the patient, the surgical technique, and so on.

Post operative issues vary widely from one patient to the next, and may include things like diarrhea, constipation, chest pain, gas, nausea, palpitations, throbbing, and dumping. In almost all cases these symptoms substantially resolve within a year.

The esophagus shares nerve fibers with the heart and the entire intestinal tract via the vagus nerve. So inflammation and surgical trauma in and around the the esophagus can produce a wide range of symptoms. It can take some time for these nerves to calm down.

Frequent advice is to eat small meals. From my personal experience it's very easy to underestimate the meaning of "small." Small can mean eating just a few ounces at a time. Over time, meal sizes can be increased, but this is an individual experience.

So, good communication with one's surgeon combined with large amounts of patience is needed.

It seems that many surgeons don't do a good enough job setting patient expectations for the post-surgical experience. This is particularly true about what one may expect for "normal" issues, what to report to the surgeon, and what to expect in terms of resolving symptoms over time. But major symptoms should be reported to the surgeon, giving the surgeon the opportunity to assure the patient that all is well, or to investigate. A good surgeon should be willing to appreciate and respond to patient concerns.
Posted 1/1/2018 9:41 AM (GMT 0)
Hello,

Thank you for taking the time and reviewing my case, I had fundoplication toupet over a month ago and I am still experiencing chest pain, belching all day and uncontrollable gas.

Pre Surgery

To describe the condition I was experiencing, I will say that I was constantly belching, even if I ate small portion of an oatmeal. When I woke up in the morning I was fine, but when I ate or drank something a bit solid I started to belch. Food while being swallowed with reflux came right back up again in more mushier form and I had to swallow it again in order to get it all the way down to the stomach. It took a lot of strain for me to do this process, It took me almost one and a half hours to eat normal sized meal. Throughout the day I was belching and throwing up food in more liquid form with small pieces and bits left in it. I felt constantly tired, experience fatigue, didn’t feel like going out or doing something, my heart rate was 51, I was taking Silentex and Nexium 40 mg at the time and was not eating anything that contained sugar and also avoiding all spicy foods. I was constipated, didn’t experience much of a heartburn, but maybe it was due to my restricted diet, since I didn’t eat things that might cause it.

I saw two surgeons in total, one told me to get 360 degree Laparoscopic Anti-Reflux surgery and the other said to get 270 degree one.

Post Surgery

I had the surgery on November 29th with general anesthesia. Underwent laparoscopic cruroraphy, fundoplication toupet (partial 270 degree one), abdominal cavity readjustment, after the surgery they found left sided pneumothorax, and it was liquidated with one puncture.

The surgeon said that I had an inborn hiatal hernia and it was huge, that was the reason why the operation took three and a half hours.

They gave me chicken broth soup the day after the operation and I got sick and felt like throwing up, they put a probe into my nose and pumped the soup out.
When I got back home I had terrible chest pain and went back for x ray, they said that gullet was swollen and changed my medication, for the pain they gave me ketorolac and Toradol but it gave me an anxiety attack.

Then I went to see a gastroenterologist and had Barium X ray on an empty stomach, Lungs and heart were consistent with the age and norm. Gullet was passing barium meal well, walls were elastic, wrinkles were evident, and it was right angled.

Result:
Stomach is in shape of a hook, is expanding normally, there is a lot of secretion in the cavity, is puffed up. Shape on large curvature is looking simpler, plain. Mucus shape is deformed, poor. Peristalsis is of average depth, equal. Evacuation of the contrast is timely. Duodenum bulb is deformed. Regurgitation is evident. In horizontal state hiatal hernia relapse is not shown.
Conclusion was that I have acute gastritis, duodenal gastric reflux.

Right now I am on my fifth week, I am taking Nexium 40 mg two times a day, one pill in the morning on an empty stomach and second before going to bed, Tridat Forte (trimebutine maleate) three times a day before each meal ( I eat three times a day 250 grams of food after blending it in a food processor), Simalgel (Aluminum hydroxide & Magnesium hydroxide & Simethicon) before each meal which helps with gas.

My day starts with me waking up belching a little, then when I eat (food that does not cause gas) my belching worsens, I walk for an hour or two belching trying to relieve the chest pain. I eat three times a day every four hours and when chest pain is bit lessened when I eat it worsens again. I feel pain in my breast bone and most of times it reaches my heart and the sensation is like I can’t breath and I am suffocating, when I belch it seems to relieve the pain for a second. I am afraid of taking opioids because as I said it caused me an anxiety attack but I am on my fifth week and the symptoms are not getting any better. I am very nervous and trying not to worry, I take half of 10 mg amitriptyline at night to help me sleep, but at around 6 am I wake up and fail to go back to deep sleep and I am tossing and turning before I wake up altogether.

A week ago I had diarrhea and it caused me a lot of pain because spasms were even worse, but since then I am even more careful with what I eat and I make sure that medications I take don’t list diarrhea as their side effect, because of it my stomach is feeling better and it is functioning well.

The surgeon said that gas is caused by functional side of my stomach but since these past few days my stomach is functioning well, I am wondering why doesn't the chest pain and uncontrollable belching and gas go away?

I am low on energy and since walking seems to help me with belching I am losing energy even more.
I read somewhere that 270 degree surgery leaves you with belching and in case of 360 degree people have trouble to burp. I wanted to ask you guys is there any medication that can help me with chest pain and can you help me understand what situation I am in? Also what portions do you eat? Is 250 grams too big? When will the pain go away?

Post Edited (Tatia) : 1/1/2018 2:50:55 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/1/2018 2:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Tatia,

You had a large hiatal hernia. Did your surgeon use biologic mesh to reinforce the crural opening?

In order to repair the hernia, the surgeon had to first cut loose your esophagus from the surrounding tissue (ie, "mobilize" it). The esophagus is wrapped in nerves that shares nerve fibers with your heart. This is one reason that reflux can mimic heart attack pain.

In any case, you likely had a lot of inflammation before the surgery, and then the surgery added more trauma and inflammation (for a good cause). So it will take some time, perhaps 6 months or more for the nerves to calm down and the inflammation to subside.

Given that the inflammation is in the same area that pre-surgery produced pain, it's not a surprise to experience pain that mimics acid-reflux pain.

Eating and drinking, although absolutely necessary, can irritate the inflamed areas. It's sort of like walking gently a foot with a sprained ankle. The ankle can heal, but because of its continued use, it can take a long time to heal. But taking it easy on it can really help.

I asked about the use of biologic mesh, because such mesh serves to reinforce the crural closure through a natural inflammation process. The mesh serves as an irritant; and your body's inflammatory response it to build collagen around it while it dissolves over time and gets totally absorbed. The resulting collagen serves as a permanent reinforcement of the crural closure. This is a very good thing, but it takes place via an inflammatory process.

Regarding food/liquid volume. I believe the "trick" is keep the volume low enough to minimize irritation and pain. This will vary from one person to the next, and from one part in the recovery to another.

I'm 4 months out from a 360+huge hernia repair, and I have found it best to nibble all day long and never even eat a "meal." This minimizes my chest pain.

Liquids are relatively heavy, and they too count in the volume.

It's very important to get enough liquid every day. So I've found it best to drink water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This is because water normally passes almost straight through the stomach. On a liquid diet, as in the early stages of recovery, I believe it's important to include liquids that are high in nutritional density. For the first 6-8 weeks I depended heavily on Boost Plus.

In any case, whether it be liquids or solids, my surgeon advised me to reduce the volume (taken at one time) as needed to minimize or eliminate the chest pain. For me, nibbling and sipping throughout the day works best. I started out trying to eat "meals" but I have found that nibbling works best. That said, in recent days I have been able to increase the quantity that I eat/drink at one time. Sometimes I eat a little more than I know I should, knowing fully that I will suffer some pain. But I do it anyway just to find out what my tolerance level is.

I have also learned that doing things like bending over (which can increase pressure in the abdomen), especially with something in my stomach, can provoke the chest pain. I can walk fine on a level surface, but if I walk uphill too fast, the pain will get provoked.

I've found that the best thing to do to avoid pain is to simply stay still and not move for some time after eating (too much). The stomach bouncing around can provoke the irritation.

I've also learned that nerves get "angry" when irritated. This means when they get irritated they tend to stay irritated for a time. It's like if you accidentally smash a finger, causing a lot of pain. Afterwards just bumping it can make it hurt for awhile. Applying this analogy to post-surgical pain, it seems smart to minimize irritation.

I hope this helps. This is all just my opinion based on my personal experience and communications with my surgeon. Every surgery and patient is different, so always communicate well with your surgeon and follow your surgeon's advice.

As I have suggested in an earlier post, I think many surgeons could do a better job helping patients to set expectations for recovery. For many of us, it's not like we transition to a solid diet after a couple months and then life returns to normal. From the research that I have read, virtually 100% of the problems resolve within 1 year. This is not something that many surgeons tell their patients ahead of time.

The trick is learning to control the pain and other symptoms, and that takes time and experience. The healing can come in small steps, but every small improvement is a great victory because you know you are on the road to defeating the horrible disease of GERD, which robs life of joy through many ways such as pain, diet restriction, dependency on PPis that many now fully help, loss of sleep, and so on.

It sounds like your surgery went well and you are on the road to recovery.
Posted 1/2/2018 12:28 PM (GMT 0)
Dear Bill,

Thank you for such quick response and all the info. I've been desperate this past weeks and your reply gave me hope. I appreciate it very much, you've been a great help.
Hope to feel better week by week.

I send you my best.
Posted 1/6/2018 2:06 PM (GMT 0)
Dear Bill,
And anyone who might have time, I need your advice,
My surgeon made an appointment for me with his neurologist, I met her today and the doctor said that of course the bloating and belching is post-op and it will pass by time but she told me to start taking Zolaft and I've read a lot about it and I can't imagine how its going to help with chest pain, people write on blogs that they experience severe chest pain while being on Zolaft.
I am afraid to take it, but the neurologist said it would help with the chest pain, have you had any experience like this?

I'll be waiting for your reply,
Thank you
Posted 1/8/2018 4:12 PM (GMT 0)
Sometimes anxiety causes/makes symptoms seem worse. I would take the advice of the doctor and at least try the Zoloft. A lot of people take it and have had improvement in their symptoms.
Posted 1/12/2018 3:34 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Angel- 10 years post wrap here and still have chest pain if I eat too much or too fast. I've found that for me the grazing concept or no big meals reduces the pain greatly. Doctors still recommend gas x or others w simethicone (sp) but not a huge help for me. Your still early in recovery so I would think your discomfort is pretty normal.
J240- Still happens to me especially after a meal (snack) and diving into activity. I always felt that my new stomach profile was pushing up into chest and causing the discomfort but just my feeling!!!
I agree with Alcie and that time is your friend!

ETA- I wish I had this resource before today!!
Posted 1/29/2018 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks to everyone who posts. I had the Nissen Fundoplication 5 months ago. I still have chest pain much like I had before. I know it is not my heart I had it checked out. After reading some of the posts, I am wondering if I am just not giving myself enough time to recover. My dr is not sure why I still have chest pain. I have had an upper GI and I'm not having esophageal spasms. It doesn't get me completely down, but it sure is frustrating not knowing why, and not being back to normal. I haven't tried gas x, but maybe I will. I am going to implement some of the ideas, such as smaller meals 5-6 times a day.
Posted 5/18/2018 10:46 PM (GMT 0)
I had a Nissen Fundoplication over 14 months back. Everything was going fine. I had no reflux, No pain or burning in my throat and still don't but I've noticed in the last week, My food seems to be sticking a little bit but still going down if that makes sense. Other than that i genuinely feel really well. My fluids go down perfectly normal and I don't get pain when swallowing anything. I'm still able to eat chicken, Steaks, Apples all the tough stuff but its like I can feel it pass through my Esphougus where as two weeks back I couldn't. Maybe, I'm rushing my food or not chewing enough or it's always been there and my mind is just starting to notice it. Advice would be much appreciated. Just had a bit of an ache aswell around the top of stomach.

John. 😊
Posted 7/13/2018 10:42 AM (GMT 0)
Just curious if someone can help. I had my Nissen Fundoplication in March of 2017. I no longer feel reflux, the burning and trouble swallowing but the last few days I've noticed last few days now again I'm getting very small aches around the operation site. Other than that, I feel great. Any ideas what this could be, thank you.

John.
Posted 2/24/2019 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I am glad I have found this topic and it seems I am not the only one with this chest pain after fundo.
I had fundo. done a year ago and felt excellent for 8 months ; after fundo had a bit difficulty at swallowing but gone after almost 6 months.
The problem is that after 8 months I started having chest pain out of blue, the pain is either right side, in the middle or left side and even the back. The pain irradiates to armpit, even shoulder and arms. At first got very scared and went to surgen; he is an experinced one, the best in the country I live in.
Took all the test, barium swallow, endoscopy, CT with 3D reconstruction, cardio test, pneumo test...they releaved no issue. There is no migration there ! Took PPIs, ibuprofen...had no effect ! I am having the pain almost constantlly, it really affects my state of mind, I am only glad have no other issue, thought about the worst...
Asked the surgeon whether it is esophageal spasms, he denied since barrium test did not indicate this.
I tried to eat small meals, the same pain, I have no reflux, sleep well at night but the moment I wake up, after few hours, the pain increases...
At this moment, the surgeon has no answer, I will see a neuropsich., it may be smth. with stress..
Have any new clue about it ?
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