Nissen Fundoplication Recovery

My doctors say your bowels will be all over the place for a few weeks. With a liquid diet you get mostly liquid stools. I didn't even have a bowel movement for the first 10 days. Right after surgery gas is usually the issue. That is probably what most of your cramping feeling is. It will get better each day. Keep us posted on your recovery.

Peggy

thank you so much Joy to be honest I think it is too early in the recovery, but I am glad I did the surgery, just right coming out of surgery, the burning sensation in my chest and throat were totally gone. Not even when I spend a whole day without eating I had heartburn, even my surgeon was surprised, he said that he has done like 1000 of these surgeries and it is rare to see someone that has stop the heartburn so fast. He said that the majority of people still have some heartburn symptoms for like a couple of days even weeks after the surgery, but I am slightly worried about the diarrhea. I have a follow up appointment with my surgeon in 4 days so we'll see

thank you spick1010 to be honest I was expecting way worst recovery than I am experiencing right now.

hi spike1010 I will read them did you also had diarrhea?

Hi Spike1010 I guess it takes time for our stomach to get used to its new life after the surgery, today is day 3 after the surgery, the pain on my belly or my incisions is less today, but it is still there, I feel with a lot of energy, the gasses and flatulence is what bother me the most, yesterday I had diarrhea a couple of times yesterday, but today I haven't had it, so lets see how everything works. I have my first follow up appointment with the surgeon this Thursday.

Hi Denise

Thank you for your post, to be honest the healing process is not as bad as I thought it was going to be, I read horror stories before, and this forum have been a blessing, you guys talk about your recovery without alarming others, I want to thank all of you for that.

Hi Laura,

Don't worry about the pain it's normal at the stage you are at. I remember having the same pain also, in fact at times I still do but it can be releaved with pain medicine. Take care.

Oh, yes! It took a month to settle down for me.

My heartburn pain to pass.
The doctor told me to wean off the PPIs slowly.
When I reached the four day gap I kept having pains on the days off. I had to take tums to calm it down during this gap. It hit me again at five day gap and six day gap. Eventually it faded.

Hi Laura,
Oh yes. I remember having the same fears you do. It's scary, I'll give you that. But relax...it's a normal part of healing. Your wrap is still swollen, and hasn't settled into place yet. When I questioned whether I should be worried about reflux symptoms, surgeon said, "just about anything is possible during the early stages of healing."

Also, I've heard others say that the esophagus is a "dumb organ", and interprets pain of all kinds as reflux.

The other thing that happened to me was that when I burped, liquid came up into my mouth. At first I thought it was reflux, but it wasn't. There was some water sitting at the wrap site, and it flew up into my mouth with the burp.

Everything calms down and gets working right as time passes. You're right. There are some who still have some reflux issues after surgery. Even those people are happy that their reflux isn't the severity they experiences pre-surgery!

You and so many others worry about every little twinge. It's a scary thought--going through this surgery "for nothing". That fear is unwarranted. You will do just fine!

Heal well!
Denise

ok 5th day post op and everything keep being the same, yesterday I had diarrhea only once instead 3 times the 2 days before, and the gasses in my stomach and bloating have improved, however I keep having this slight pain in my chest, and the belching and hiccups have increase. I am still on PPI because my surgeon said I should be on them for a month after my surgery. Yesterday I had way more appetite and I could eat more than what I was eating before, and I took my first shower after the surgery, I was kind of clearing myself after the surgery, but there is nothing like a shower. Is it normal belch so much after the surgery? I just hope that my heartburn is not coming back

Hi Laura,
Some people don't burp at all after the surgery, and that causes lots of very painful bloating. Be thankful that you can get some of that gas out of your stomach. (Have you tried Gas-X for gas? If you can burp, it can help you get rid of it.

You probably won't always be able to burp as much as you can now. Air is slipping through the wrap...some might be due to uneven swelling. That said, I was told by my doctor that air can get out without allowing acid/food through.

I'm sure the hiccups are due to the irritation to the diaphragm from the action of the surgery. This too will pass.

Hang in there...don't forget that your wrap will become increasingly swollen and will peak at 2 weeks. Don't be surprised if your swallowing gets worse before it gets better.

Take care,
Denise