Just had Nissan Fundoplication on Jan 6, 2011 really worried it didn't work

Hi I just had a nissan fundoplication wrap  Thursday Jan 6 and I am worried that the surgery did not work. I am a 26 year old female. Prior to the surgery I had all the preoperative tests including endoscopy with bravo test, barium swallow test, and manometry. The last five months before the surgery was hell. Constant vomiting and regurgitation was my main symptoms. The gi doctor told me before the surgery that i had a severe case of gerd and the manometry test showed that my les pressure was low a 1.5 to be exact. Normally you should have a less pressure between a 14 to a 34. If you have a less pressure that is low that is what is causing the acid reflux. The surgeon said I would be an ideal candidate for the surgery. However, I don't think the surgery worked at all as I had it 6 days ago.

 

Since the surgery when I drink liquids I still feel the need that I would have to burp only now I can't burb. It feels like there is gas that comes up when I swallow that goes all the way up to my throat. Is that normal after surgery? I noticed it right away even before I starting drinking anything. Before the surgery I would drink and anything I drank I would have to burp because acid was coming up. The surgery was supposed to fix this so I am worried. Also the third day after surgery I drank cream soup and after the soup I was natious and ran to the bathroom. Luckily when I tried to vomit only a little came out. I was happy with that because before the surgery I vomited all my food. Am I just being worried for nothing? Please any help would be appreciated.

Hi Joy,

Thanks for answering my post. I was just wondering if I should demand a barium swallow test from my surgeon to make sure the fundoplication is still in place and there is no reflux? I feel like any drink like apple juice I get stuff very quickly from the apple juice and it almost feels like the apple juice is then laying right near my throat when I swallow. Like once again I feel like I have to burb but it might be gas coming up to my throat.

I'd wait still until 6 weeks mark for any testing or stretching.
The swelling is causing that food stoppage feel. You also probably have a lot of gas trapped inside, too. When you drink the trapped gas bubbles up on you.
I remember feeling full on a 1/4 cup of food those first days.
For the dry mouth it could be a leftover symptom from the gerd. Hold a piece of hard candy in your mouth to help the moisture.

FranB

The dry mouth is possibly from your acid reflux pills.    Are you still taking them.

I had my surgery on 10/20/2010.    I still havent decided if it was successful or not.    I did have a problem with food getting stuck it wouldnt go down and came back up.   Was not like vomiting and came back up very easily, but maybe put a strain on my wrap.   I dont know yet.

Now I have a cold and bad cough.   Sure hope that doesnt do any damage.

I also had trouble with burning nose and tongue which has gone away somewhat.   

I think you are just swollen and the dry tongue is probably from your meds you were taking.    Did you take any antibiotics.   maybe its oral thrush, but more than likely from your acid reflux meds.

I guess people have different symptoms after the surgery.    Hope you heal soon.

Thank you for all your responses. Mitsie I am still taking pantoprozole. The surgeon advised me to still take the pills for the first two weeks after the surgery. Would that cause the dry mouth though? Now it has been seven days since my surgery and the biggest problem that I am having is the dry heaving. The last three days I tried drinking ensure, carnation instant breakfast drink with soy milk, cream of chicken soup without the chicken and I was dry heaving all of those liquids. I have always been allergic to milk but as I got older I was able to have foods with milk. So I am wondering if I am dry heaving after having these liquids because of my milk allergy or is to because maybe it’s to heavy following surgery? Should that be normal though dry heaving after drinking these liquids following surgery? I had a barium swallow test per my surgeon today because I told her about my dry heaving and the barium swallow test was completely normal and no reflux on the barium swallow test.

FranB

How are you doing now? My main symptom right now is regurgitaion/vomiting + excessive burping. I am considering having the sugery done...what do you think now? are you glad you did it? any info would be great!

Hi Bruner21,

 

Everyone's symptoms are different so some people may have a positive outcome from the nissan fundoplication surgery, I have regretted getting the nissan fundoplication surgery. I should have listened to my family who was advising me that I was getting a little better a month prior to surgery but I wanted the surgery. I was sick of the vomiting, regurgitation, burping and the limitations on what I could eat. You do seem to have the same symptoms as I had prior to surgery. It is important if you go through with the surgery to pick a good surgion who do alot of nissan fundoplication surgies on a weekly basis. I made the mistake of picking a surgeon who didn't do a nissan fundoplication in a while.

 

Since my surgery which was now 2 and a half months ago I could eat but all the food stays in my throat after I eat. I have to drink bottles of water to get the sensation of the food near my throat out. I also have had this trapped gas or air that goes all the way up to my throat after I eat. It almost feels like my body wants to burp but can't so instead I have this trapped gas or air that seems to blow up. Every time I am talking to friends on the phone they could tell when the air or gas comes up because my voice changes for a second. I am considering actually getting a reversal because at least even though I had regurgitation, vomiting, and burping I didn't have food stuck near my throat after I eat or the sensation of food near my throat after I eat. The only thing that seems to help is if I lay down then the sensation of food near my throat is gone. I have had barium swallow tests since surgery, endoscopy, and a  manometry and the tests shows that my swallowing is normal but now I have this new symptom of food feeling stuck after swallowing which forces me to cough and it is very uncomfortable. I went to an ent who said that my esophagus is swollen from acid reflux and told me to take protonix again. One gi specialist mentioned to me that the fundoplication looked different than the normal fundoplication that he usually sees.

 

I have an appointment to see a surgeon in early April to talk about a possible reversal or revision. I am leaning at this point to a reversal and just get this over with already. I am just going to have to have limitations on food for the rest of my life. The most important question I have to ask this surgeon is if the food near my throat after swallowing will go away. Obviously if he says it won't then I won't go through with the reversal.

 

I had my surgery done in NJ. The gi specialist that did an endoscopy after my nissan fundoplication mentioned to me that the fundoplication did not have the typical appearance. That it appeared to be either a loose and/or imcomplete wrap. I also had another endoscopy done with another gi specialist and that specialist thought the fundoplication looked fine. I have two different opinions basically. I have an appt with a new surgeon in April who has done many fundoplications and is very experienced so I am interested to see what he says. My only real problem that I have since the surgery is that after I swallow the food doesn't want to go down and it feels like the food is right near my throat. It is very uncomfortable. If the surgeon could figure that out that would be great.

Hi Fran B. I know it's been almost a year, but if you are still around, I'd love to hear how things turned out for you. I had the surgery almost 3 months ago and constantly feel like I have air trapped. I also had burning mouth prior to my surgery and still have it, but not quite to the same extent. I was tested for sjogren's, hormones, diabetes, you name it and everything is fine. Am planning on visiting a specialist soon. Was just curious if you ever resolved your issues with both your mouth and surgery?

Thanks! Stacy

Hi Maximus,

I was having really bad dry mouth and burning tongue to the point I stayed in pain. Since the surgery, it has not been as intense, but is still there. I notice I have it more strongly when I am going through a very gassy phase and am bloated, so yes, there is stomach discomfort. Since my surgery, I cannot burp. Therefore, I am having a lot of gas.....guess they call it gas bloat syndrome. Some days my mouth doesn't really bother me at all. I cannot figure out the rhyme or reason. To my knowledge, I do not have dental erosion. I have had my teeth cleaned since this started and my dentist did not say anything. Have you seen/heard from any dr's regarding what it might be? I am going to see a specialist on 3/12 to discuss it further.

Birdie