Successful Nissen? How long did it take you to realize?

Hi I had mine last august. Although the first two days were rough post op as soon as the meds wore off I felt calm in my chest, a nothing, and I knew it was going to be worth it. It was not easy, and the early nausea was a handful but that passed within two weeks and I would do it agian every time. I got my life back. I enjoyed (too much!!) take away this weekend, unheard of this time last year.



Has it been recommended for you??

Kevin

Kevin what kind of symptoms did you have before surgery?

Lynda what kind of symptoms did you have pre op? Thanks

Hi. Daily pain whatever was eaten, but The worst was nighttime volume reflux, overnight, several times a night, every night. I was like that for pushing two years at the end. I had almost thought I was going to have to sleep in a chair for the rest of my life. Thing is it feeds into everything, how tired I was at work, as a parent, as a husband..... I had a raised bed and various cocktails of ppis and motility drugs, that didn't work. I was 36 when I had the op and in pain and not sleeping every day.

Since the op the bricks from my bed are gone and I have maybe one pill a fortnight, instead of three a day. I have my life back, truly.

Hi Maximus,

My symptoms were also atypical...while I got breakthrough heartburn that could be extremely painful (I was on 40mg Protonix AM and PM, plus Ranitidine 300mg at bedtime) my lung involvement was the reason I had the surgery.

I could have lived with the reflux, and the PPIs were protecting my esophagus well.  However, while my DeMeester score was just a hair over the "normal range", the reflux I did have was wreaking havoc on my lung health.

I had the surgery done in February 2009.  Once my lung infection resolved, my lungs felt 100% better at the 2 and a half month mark.

I may not have had many reflux episodes in a day, but it was obviously enough to cause problems.

Since my surgery I have been able to reduce my steroid inhaler intake to 1/4 of what I took before surgery.  Also, I haven't had oral steroids since the time immediately following my surgery.

Also, before surgery when I got gastritis, it would immediately move to my esophagus and I'd have esophagitis as well.  During these episodes, I'd consistently lose 20 pounds because I was in so much pain I could eat very little...living on a few spoonfuls of egg custard. Those esophagitis episodes were far worse than my Nissen recovery.

Since my surgery I've had gastritis (I have a reactive stomach)but the poblem was contained there, and my esophagus was spared.  What a huge difference.

I would never go back to where I was before surgery, and if I needed to have it again, I would in a heartbeat.

Good luck with your decision!

Denise

Max. My main symptoms which had gotten progressively worse over the past 10 years were burning and regurgitation after every meal which was worse with spicy foods, chocolate or caffeine, burning reflux & sometimes vomiting which would wake me at night even though my bed was raised, chest pain but all heart tests were negative & I was also put on inhalers for what my GP said was 'adult onset asthma' because I suffered from constant chest infections & shortness of breath. I consider myself to be a very fit person but I couldn't even walk up two flights of stairs to my work without puffing. Now I go walking every morning & swim laps regularly & my inhalers went in the bin before I left hospital.

I am very happy with the outcome of my surgery. BTW I'm 55 years old & I have my like back.

Good luck with whatever decision you make.

Take care

Lynda

I had GERD for 12 years and was on 80mg of Esomeprazole a day by the end. I had a 270 degree wrap and was off the pills straight away after surgery and back in work after a week. I was eating fairly normally again after about a month, the healing takes it's time but the progress is very fast. I'm 10 months post surgery now and can eat and drink anything. I had a great Christmas and coped with everything it could throw at me (and now trying to shed the extra pounds). I couldn't burp for a long while after surgery but that's come back in the past couple of months. I feel absolutely great and I can honestly say the surgery was the best thing I ever did. Like you I was really worried before surgery but this forum really helped put my mind at rest. Like many will tell you, if you have a good surgeon it makes the world of difference. I can't believe it took 12 years to get to this point, I wished I'd been offered the surgery sooner but in the UK they seem content to pump you full of PPIs and hope it goes away. All the best and good luck!

Gritty what kind of symptoms did you have?

Max-

Not all surgeons use the floppy wrap. The tightness of the wrap is based on what the surgeon uses to size the wrap. Some use a boujie and some do it by feel. My first was with a boujie and my last 2 were done as a floppy by feel.

I knew within the first couple days that the surgery had stopped the reflux. I had severe reflux with heartburn all day and night with meds. I had normal motility study, but did have low pressure of the LES on a couple swallows. (this was before my first nissen).

Take care,
Bill

My wrap was considered "floppy." I could tell instantly that the reflux was gone and the surgery worked. It took about 10 days though, once the worst of the recovery pain wise was done, that I knew it was the right thing. Of course now, 2 months out, I feel amazing. Even with the unpleasant recovery, I'd do it over in a heartbeat if I had to make that decision again.

Tony

Max-

I had both and PPIs had stopped working. Even drinking water would set it off.

Take care,
Bill

Mine had gotten to the point where it was past the reflux I had felt before for years and it was straight up regurgitation, food, liquid, whatever went down tried to come up. PPIs only eliminated the acid, turning the GERD into NERD (non erosive reflux disease).

My other symptoms were lump in throat and thick mucus in the throat that would never move. After two months, those symptoms have nearly disappeared, but they took a bit (the surgeon told me it would be 2-3 months.) The reflux and chest pain from that of course stopped instantly after surgery.