Hello, I am new here but have read A LOT of the posts, admittedly in my post-operative period haha. I had my surgery on the 4/9 /17 and wish I had been more informed BEFORE I went through with it.
I initially went to my GP because I self diagnosed with Rumination Syndrome, an unusual complaint where you [combinations of] voluntarily and involuntarily, consciously and subconsciously, bring up your food for hours after eating and continue chewing and swallowing. This began for me 4 years ago immediately after I made a full recovery from Bulimia Nervosa, an illness that I lived with for 11 years. I was very shocked when I was referred to the GI department of my local hospital, underwent 3 tests, and was put forward as a candidate for the nissens. I had always believed that rumination was psychological, but here my surgeon was telling me that I had a small hernia and abnormal pressure readings, and could see the repeated volume reflux- note - NOT acid reflux.
I was ummming and ahhing about
surgery, mostly because of my doubt that my problem was physical, but decided to go ahead with it because surely it wasn't normal that I could bring up my food with utter ease, constantly, no matter what I ate, or how much. I mean, I can throw up water, cups of tea, beans, spaghetti, bread, whatever, its always the same. Surely that wasn't normal physiologically. And it made sense I had done some serious damage in my years with bulimia, where sometimes I was throwing up 6-10 times a day. Further, I had begin to experience some mild heart burn and acid reflux for the first time in my life. This was a progression. AND, my teeth had experienced a lot of damage- but NOT from acid (according to the dentist) but because I looked like I was constantly grazing food (Accurate!).
So, I had the procedure, and it all went really well. 11 days in and I feel nearly 100% physically back to normal, walked 4 miles yesterday! Obviously settling in with life with a wrap, and utterly paranoid about
busting it etc! And panicking about
being able to cycle, climb and do yoga.
However, whilst I have not brought up anything at all, and the wrap seems to have worked (he also found that my hernia was bigger than expected and was medium sized- or maybe it grew), my diaphragm is still trying to do the thing that makes me ruminate. Only, the food won't come up now. It is very uncomfortable and I am worried that the nissens won't stop the neural pathways that have been forged to ruminate! And that maybe I need to seek help for the rumination as well, even though, it isn't leading to rumination YET.
I wonder, does anyone else have any experience of this kind of pathway to the nissens? Or of rumunation syndrome?
Also, has anyone else got an eating disorder and had a nissens? Although I am recovered from bulimia, the eating disorder psyche never goes, and I am finding it very triggering being on liquids, and thoughts about
relapse are hourly. I would love to talk to anyone who has been through a similar thing. I think it is awful that no one talked to me about
how the mental illness and surgery would interact. Not holistic care at all!
Wow... anyway! Thank you for reading my rant. I just feel very alone with all this as it is fairly atypical.
Post Edited (ruthiend) : 9/14/2017 4:18:58 AM (GMT-6)