HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

nissen fundoplication

Support Forums
>
GERD & Acid Reflux
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 2/26/2018 11:56 AM (GMT 0)
I'm brand new to posting so I hope I'm doing it right...so I had a nissen fundoplication surgery last Monday 2/19/18....so far so good...I had surgery because my stomach busted thru and was over my heart for about 3 months before I had surgery....mainly because most doctors didn't know how to do this type of surgery...so I went Duke....best decision your ever make is to have a doctor that's done alot of these surgerys...I have read so many problems people are having and I feel so lucky so far that I feel as good as I do...I was in so much pain before surgery and not being able to eat that maybe that's why I feel as good as I do!!!...I had extreme pain in chest thru out back before surgery with no help with pain...nothing helped it once it started to hurt...#1advice....get a doctor that has the experience of this surgery....I am a 60 year old female

Post Edited (delrose) : 2/26/2018 5:08:44 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/26/2018 12:06 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry I didnt add subject to last post so will try and add here...Nissan fundoplication
Posted 2/26/2018 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for posting your positive experience and need for this surgery. It can be such a positive turn around for so many people who need it. And, the emphasis on the experience of the surgeon can't be said enough.

Welcome to the forums and the wrapped club.
-Mark
Posted 2/28/2018 3:22 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Mark for my welcome...I have felt good for such a big surgery and maybe I'm having healing pains now but today is a week home and for the last 3 days I have had the pain In my left shoulder constantly...also on each side close to the incisions I'm having pain.....making it hard to sleep at night....reading on here has been a big help to know if some things are normal or not. ...it seems like everyone is getting the trapped air when drinking....so I can't tell if I'm burping from stomach or just air trapped in throat yet??!!?.....yes I had gone to two other doctors before going to Duke and was on my 4th week of waiting and waiting for them to figure out how what to do.... before I called Duke and was having surgery within a week....since only 5 to 10% of Hiatal hernias are paraesophageal hernias and gigantic like mine not too many doctors have experience with the wrapping.....you may have to go out of state or farther than you would like to but in the long run it will be worth it...and that's what matters.....I will be here reading and for anyone needing help I will be happy to give my experience which is alot more than I have wrote here....lol...I was in extreme pain for months with not being able to get down but broth because of my esophagus being pushed over and stomach being pinched off... This is day 10 after surgery and being able to eat anything with no pain has been a joy
Posted 2/28/2018 6:01 PM (GMT 0)
Delrose:

The pain in your left shoulder is more than likely gas trapped from the surgery. The best thing to remedy that symptom is to walk. Good luck with your recovery! You can also try some anti-gas medication (simethicone).

Sharon
Posted 2/28/2018 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Sharon for your reply and it's very possible since I had so many little air bubbles from the surgery that that felt like bubble wrap and it went all the way up my neck and into my face I could just press it and you can hear it popping and it stayed for about a week .... delrose
Posted 3/1/2018 7:02 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all, I'm 6 days post Nissen op.

Had my surgery due to reflux caused by a hiatus hernia as I didn't respond to any meds which was put down to a senstive esophagus. After surgery, my surgeon has put me on a 2 week liquid diet which I'm half way through, however I'm still getting heartburn even from liquids. I'm guessing this is surgical pain and not reflux but I'm hoping to get some reassurances from those in the know smile

I was a little worried my wrap might've slipped the day after my surgery as I was getting sharp stabbing pains in my side, under my right rip cage and my ab muscle was tight and spasming when laying down or getting up. This has since stopped though (thank goodness as it was agony!) so thinking it might just be my muscles moving back into place since being blown up with all the gas for the surgery.

I suppose I've just been thinking the worst but if anyone has any words of wisdom that would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Posted 3/13/2018 4:03 PM (GMT 0)
Delrose - did you have surgery with Dr. Hartwig? I'm trying to get Stretta or Linx done by him. Nissen is my last option if insurance doesn't pay - which it hasn't. Just wondering if this is who you saw at Duke.
Posted 3/13/2018 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
Yes dr. Hartwig is the one that did my surgery and he did a great job I'm doing quite well from the NF on 2/19/18
Posted 3/13/2018 4:55 PM (GMT 0)
That is great to hear! I am quite comfortable and confident with him for sure, but have not met anyone yet who has had surgery by him. I'm so glad you doing well! Your situation sounded complicated.
Posted 3/13/2018 5:37 PM (GMT 0)
I was told that Dr Hartwig does at least 80 of these surgery a year...thats a lot of experience and knowledge and needed for this serious of a surgery...yesterday was 3 weeks and I'm still in awe as to how good my tummy feels...i had one bout with Ibs but was my fault because I ate 5 potato rounds at hardees..(really stupid)...and will never eat there again...i have had no swallowing troubles and can eat chic/rice soup and most people have trouble with rice....and I had the full NF...i can't say enough about how great Duke treated me...i wish you all the best and I feel bad that insurance dictates which surgery you can have...but I know Dr Hartwig will do a great job with what ever you chose
Posted 3/13/2018 6:44 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, that is incredible!! So happy you feel good. There is nothing like it after being in pain. I knew when I had the consult he was the surgeon I would go with no matter what procedure I end up getting. Coincidently, I heard from them today about the status of my appeals for Stretta and Linx. We are at final appeal for Stretta and I will know that answer 4/7. I am at level 2 with Linx. They will not consider Nissen for me until these other appeals are exhausted. I love Nancy and their nursing staff has happily answered all my questions. A very good experience for me there in everything too including a barium swallow. Ugh on those potatoes! Did it give you stomach upset or heartburn? They are fried correct?
Posted 3/13/2018 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
yes I love Nancy also without her I would have never gotten to have my surgery as fast as I did... And Kim the PA is also great I love them all... As for the potato rounds they were fryed.. I had gone there just to get a side order of egg and decided since I was doing so good I would eat the potato rounds off of my husband's plate... They gave me IBS which was bouts of diarrhea and nausea for the rest of that afternoon... IBS is something I've had all my life but didn't need it at this stage after surgery but I didn't have any dry heaves or throwing up so I didn't cause any problems thank goodness...grease will give me ibs a lot so I'm giving up fried stuff....i have lost 26lbs now but I could not eat for almost 3 months before my surgery... My stomach was up over my heart and pushed into my esophagus which pinched off my stomach... sometimes even liquid would come back up and I was in extreme pain for several months... I tried eating egg drop soup and for 15 hours I was in bed in pain so I was very happy to have my surgery
Posted 3/13/2018 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
That is just awful what you went through. I am in esophageal pain 24/7. It has gotten very bad the last week. I understand pain and I long for the day that mine is gone. I love Nancy and Kim always answers my questions. I am glad you did get through those potatoes! It is probably better to just stay away from fried foods anyway! But try are soooo good especially French fries! I would love to have some coffee! Someday!
Posted 3/13/2018 7:54 PM (GMT 0)
That's the one thing that got me through all the months was my K-Cups decaf McDonald's coffee...i never gave that up... I learned how to make Olive Garden's gnocchi soup and between the broth, ice cream, and coffee was what I had... when I first started having a problem in the center of my chest with a little pain and food not going down I went to have a endoscopy and he said that he stretched me in two places and that everything should be fine but from that very day to the day I had surgery whatever was done in there cause great pain and I know that no amount of medicine will stop it so I understand the pain that you must be in I only went to the ER twice for the pain but even morphine didn't stop it...
Posted 3/13/2018 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
I wish I could have coffee in any form. I tried everything including a very high quality, low acid, decaf coffee hot AND cold brewed. The heartburn just rages after a few days. And dairy has increasingly become a problem to the point where I can't have ice cream. Cold Stone absolutely almost killed me one time. I was in pain all night. I used to be able to eat it! I don't miss that though like I do coffee. I can't believe that endoscopy ended up causing you so much more trouble. That is awful. And with your stomach being where it was, who wouldn't be in excruciating pain? I'm so sorry to hear you had to go through that. But you are on the mend thankfully. I hope I don't end up in the ER. I may have to try PPI meds again to get me through. They give me awful stomach pain these days. I hate the meds SO much. Was on Nexium 10 years and now have polyps they can't do anything about. Had low iron for years Best of everything and thank you so much for writing. I feel so good now that someone else has had a great experience at Duke.
Posted 3/13/2018 10:23 PM (GMT 0)
Nancy called me right after I text you to thank me for the brownies that I had made for her and Kim and the doc when we went last week for my post-op visit. we're known around here for making the best brownies... she said hands down they were lol... I told her that I had just talked with someone that thought the world of her too but I couldn't give her a name or where you were from but she thanked me so much for telling her that because they say that they feel like some people don't appreciate their efforts... So that goes to show that there is people out there that do and she was very thankful for that... I was on Nexium 40 mg and have been for 12 years but I really didn't think that I had such a serious problem with GERD only if I missed two days and then I would have some burning in the middle of my chest and I would start back taking them again and everything would be fine until my stomach decided to go north LOL... they have now taking me off of the Nexium and I will be glad to not have to take it anymore
Posted 3/13/2018 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
I meant to tell you that I live in Sumter South Carolina I am four hours from Duke... But I had tried MUSC and Columbia heart health and decided neither one of them knew enough to take care of my problem so I decided to go to Duke best decision I ever made
Posted 3/13/2018 11:04 PM (GMT 0)
What timing! I talked to Kim the PA today in fact! She was so nice and helpful. Yum...I would love to have a brownie! How sweet you did that for them. They deserve it for sure! I live in Apex so about 40-45 min away. We may eventually relocate 3 1/2 hours away so it is good to know you are 4 hours out and were able to make it work. I would be happy to give you my first name which is Lori. I can give you my full name in a pm? Thanks for mentioning to them my thoughts about them!

about Nexium, you were probably feeling that rebound when you stopped them after two days. They are very hard to get off of. I managed to get off almost two years ago now. My esophagus was not happy while I was on it and being off is just as bad if not worse. I get stomach pains too when I take it. Did they ever say if you developed polyps after being on for 12 years? Did yo have iron store issues? Constipation? I had all of that and borderline osteoporosis.
Posted 3/13/2018 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
Apex, NC that is
Posted 3/13/2018 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
Well good for you that your not to far...also wanted to say that I am lactose intolerance also... so I always toke a lactaid pill and it always help me when I wanted to have some ice cream...;)
Posted 5/20/2018 4:26 PM (GMT 0)
Hii..
Are there people who hv hd reflux symptoms many weeks after their fundoplication and then felt better?? I'm from India and had my fundo 7 weeks back..I still HV reflux symptoms like heartburn and burning nose..I thought my fundo hs failed and posted my concerns..SharonZ and Alcie comforted me saying to b patient as I'm in my early recovery..and many people who have hd problems like me cannot be seen posting saying that they are better..they hv just stopped posting..any such experience is appreciated..

Rooby
Posted 5/23/2018 12:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi guys! A specialist has recommended I have this surgery done as I suffer from major acid reflux and stomach problems... However I've read some things online that people can't burp or vomit for years if not ever again following the surgery, and have trouble eating certain foods and drinking alcohol. Is the surgery actually worth it? Im only 22 years old and I don't want to rush into something that may affect me for the rest of my life!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply