Posted 11/22/2019 1:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi SamanthaG,
Sorry you’re having problems, and glad you’ve been to the doctor to get things checked out. FYI a couple years after my surgery I had a barium swallow, and it showed a slight herniation, but my wrap has continued to work just fine.
Often people who get Nissen fundoplication hove other stomach issues that don’t disappear with surgery. In my case, it is a very sensitive stomach that is very reactive at times.
I had the Nissen in February 2009, because reflux was making my asthmatic lungs actually life-threatening.
The surgery did it’s job, and over time my lungs improved dramatically. I still have asthma, so can have exacerbations from illness and allergies. I also still have a reactive stomach that can get irritated.
Since my surgery, I have had three vomiting stomach bugs. I didn’t know if I could vomit, but each time it came on suddenly. I could feel the pressure on the wrap, and it gave way to allow me to vomit. Since this causes stress on the wrap, I always carry Compazine suppositories, just in case. Each time they have kept me from vomiting repeatedly. I used to keep Zofran on hand, but it has never worked that well for me—especially once I’m that sick.
When my stomach gets irritated, it can take several months to get back to normal—not always that long, but often. I still take Protonix once daily on the advice of my doctors because of my asthma. When my stomach acts up, I add Zantac before bed to keep acid down. In fact, at times when I’ve had nausea from something I ate, a Zantac makes my stomach feel better.
When my stomach is going through an irritation issue, I follow some basic rules. No coffee or alcohol (I rarely drink coffee, since it seems to be a trigger). No Spicy or acidic foods. No foods, like popcorn, that enters the stomach with irritating roughness. Milk doesn’t bother me, but everyone is different. It’s important not to “cheat” on these guidelines, because it will cause setbacks that will make it take just that much longer to feel better. It will happen, though! You will get your stomach feeling better!
I also keep Carafate suspension on hand. It coats the stomach and aids in healing. It’s expensive, so if your insurance won’t cover it, you can opt for Sucralfate tablets. If you have trouble swallowing large pills, you can melt it in a medicine cup by adding water to create a slurry. The only problem with either of these is that you must take it an hour before eating, and two hours after eating or taking medication. That can sometimes a challenge. It lasts up to six hours, so you don’t have to take it that often.
Hang in there, and good luck!
Denise