Burping/Air coming up after NF??

Hi Everyone,
I had my NF done on December 31, 2013. I am at the point of being on a regular diet and I have been eating 6-8 small meals a day. After I eat and swallow I have a feeling like a need to burp...it feels like it comes up but then it goes back down. I also am having a little bit of air coming up....does this mean I could burb soon? The sugeon told me I would not be able to burp. I wanted to check and see if anyone else who has had this surgery can burp or feels like air is coming up after swallowing??

Hi heffitup,

Welcome to the Healing Well Wrapped Club! Glad you've joined the forum.

Like you, my surgeon told me I wouldn't be able to burp post-op, but I was actually burping in the hospital. Now what I call burping, isn't the kind of burping I did pre-op. I don't decide when the burp happens. My stomach is in total control of when it lets out air.

In the beginning the burps were pretty silent, and small. At this point, five years post-op, I can make some pretty loud burps, but still, my stomach decides when it's going to happen.

The ability to burp, even a little, is a big bonus during your recovery. You won't be nearly as likely to have painful bloating. That said, even with my burping ability, there have been a few times when the gas bloat in my stomach got ahead of my burps, and I did get some bloating. The way the wrap works, the fuller the stomach, the tighter it gets. So when the gas pushes against the wrap, there's no way it's escaping, except later, out the "back door".

All that said, there is also the type of burping Sleepyb describes here. Air can build up in the esophagus as well, and be "burped" out. I found that during my early recovery, when my wrap was swollen and not letting food through as easily, I would get some "reflux" consisting of food and liquid that was sitting at the wrap site waiting to get through, but was "burped" up into my mouth. There was absolutely no acidity, though.

So yes, burping is possible, thankfully!
Again, glad you've joined the forum!
Happy healing,
Denise

Hi heffitup,

I'm retired now, but was a second grade teacher when I had my surgery five years ago. I know exactly what you mean about the amount of time there is to eat. By the time you drop off your kids, get back to your room (assuming you don't meet up with a speech therapist...etc. who wants to discuss a student) you have at most 20 minutes to eat and get back to pick the kids up at the cafeteria.

I get it! But it can be done. Somehow I managed! You will find ways to work it out. You will likely find yourself bringing foods you can munch on throughout the day...eat some while the kids are at PE/Music/Art--whatever. Eat more at lunchtime. Have something after the kids go home for the day. If it's a problem, bring soups, so you won't have to do a lot of chewing.

You'll always have to eat more slowly now that you've been wrapped. There has been an unnatural barrier created at the entrance to your stomach. It keeps acid in, but also makes it more difficult to get food in. It's well worth the effort, though. In reality, everyone should chew their food more thoroughly and eat more slowly!

How lucky to have a mom who had the surgery, and can really understand what you're going through, and give you tips!
Happy healing!
Denise

Hi Debra,

Burping is a flat-out benefit! I know how you feel, though. When it first started happening to me I was afraid my wrap was too loose and wasn't going to work. Not so. You'll have a much more comfortable recovery if those little burps relieve the air from your stomach!

You'll still get an occasional bloating episode, even after full healing. The wrap gets tighter, the fuller your stomach gets. If the gas gets ahead of your ability to burp, it can stop the wrap from allowing any out. Then you're in for ouch until the gas decides to head out the "back door"!

Happy healing,
Denise

Hi Debra,

I crushed my pills during recovery, and actually still stay away from very large tablets. Smooth capsules go down easier than rough tablets. Ovals are better than round. A spoonful of flaxseed oil or its equivalent before taking a stubborn pill can help it go down.

I can still get large pills stuck, hence I'm more likely to get a lower dosage pill and take two, rather than one higher dosage/bigger pill. Some take pills no problem from day one. I'm not one of those.

During recovery it's worse, though. If you get pills stuck at the wrap site (and it's more likely with the wrap swelling) you can get some significant irritation, which will feel just like reflux.

Did you hear the message that your wrap will become increasingly more swollen during the first two weeks or so, peaking on or about Day 14 (it varies...can be later)? Because of that, your swallowing is likely to get worse before it gets better. This is totally normal. You're likely to get more wrap discomfort during that time as well.

Happy healing,
Denise