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Avatar universal

Help, I don't know what to do!

I have posted here in the past.  I have had three fundoplicatons surgeries, the last one being an open procedure.  In early February I went back for more tests.  I have just found out last week that my esophagus has shortened causing it to pull my stomach up into my chest. Not only this, but I have a kink in my stomach which is eventually going to cause part of my stomach to die, and me along with it.  I also have three hernias.  One is a paraesophageal and the other two are incisional.  I was also told that my food does not pass through my stomach as it should and before surgery this time, I have to have a gastric emptying test.  It is going to be the end of May before they can get me in to do this test.  My question, how long does it take before my stomach being cut off from the blood supply is going to die. The attitude of these surgeons is really disturbing me.  Why did my esophagus shortened (was the wrap too tight).  Should I seek a third opinion not associate with this major teaching hospital?  Thank you!
Monica
13 Responses
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Avatar universal
My opinion is it never hurts to get three,four,or even five opinions!!!!!!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello,
   To, Monica, the doctors still do not know the cause of the pancreatitis but they say it might not be from the redo fundoplication I had, but more like hertidy.
thanks
tammi
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks Tammi.  My surgeon is suppose to be one of the very best.  He travels all over the world doing this surgery. I guess I just tend to complicate things.  I know this surgery will be a bad one becaue of the repairs they have to do.  My chest and abdomen already looks like a road map with two fundoplication surgeries, one open procedure (slit from chest to belly button), and my gallbladder was removed several years ago (plus a c-section with a slit from navel down). I have heard that pancreatitis is extremely painful.  Did that result from your surgeries? Thanks for your comments.
Monica
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello,
    I was the first kid in the Pittsburgh area to have this Nissen fundoplication done and the 7th in the USA to have this done on me for severe reflux in 1979 .
I was okay with it until 1996 when I began to have severe reflux again and found out that the fundoplication wrap was loose and I had to have another fundoplication done on me.
I would like to tell you that its not safe to keep having the fundo.wrap ,but itsb a bgood surgery to have to fix the reflux.but there is big concusquenscenes with it ,pancreatitis this is what I developed after the redo. I have also have alot of adhesions .
The best thing to do is to go to the best surgeon who have done over 100 of the funoplications.
But I am not telling you what to do. you have to listen to your heart.
hope this helps.?
tammi
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello,
    I was the first kid in the Pittsburgh area to have this Nissen fundoplication done and the 7th in the USA to have this done on me for severe reflux in 1979 .
I was okay with it until 1996 when I began to have severe reflux again and found out that the fundoplication wrap was loose and I had to have another fundoplication done on me.
I would like to tell you that its not safe to keep having the fundo.wrap ,but itsb a bgood surgery to have to fix the reflux.but there is big concusquenscenes with it ,pancreatitis this is what I developed after the redo. I have also have alot of adhesions .
The best thing to do is to go to the best surgeon who have done over 100 of the funoplications.
But I am not telling you what to do. you have to listen to your heart.
hope this helps.?
tammi
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Monica,

I think we have traded e-mails in the past.I am sorry to hear
about your stomach.I would definetly go for a second opinion.
I just happened to notice your previous post re:Dumping Syndrome
and it just so happens that after describing to my GI doc some
symtoms that I have been having he mentioned hypoglycemia and
also dumping syndrome.Believe it or not Im going to try
Levsin to see if it helps when I get what I call "the crash".
Most times late in the afternoon my stomach will kick in and I go into a "coma" I get weak shakey,sweats/hot feeling,BRAIN FOG,nausea,headache and a heavy heart beat also a spaced out feeling. I also seem to get these symptoms through the day.
The worst seems to be when I notice my stomach is doing something.I would like to trade experiences about this phenomenon if you are up to it. ***@****

Jeannine
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hi monica, boy it sounds like you are in an awful situation. you may not know this but you can live without a stomach, God forbid you should have to, but you will NOT die. if a doctor has told you that you will die i would surely get a second opinion. i am not quite sure what you mean by part of the stomach dying, but this is usually called gastroparesis (stomach empties slower) and the lack of blood supply causes this problem. i can see why you are worried, but you might have been misinformed. you should find another doctor who will get you in sooner than the end of may. good luck to you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Monica, you poor thing! Yes, DEFINITLY, get a third opinion and a fouth if your stil not satisfied, remember its your body and your health, and DON'T WAIT! I'd do whatever it took to get this cleared up. I dont know how long it takes for the blood supply to be cut off and a portion of your "stomach to die". But, I do hope the surgeons that you last saw would know if you are in any life threatenig position, and would not allow you to go home and wait till the end of May to get you in! May I ask where you are located, (state only). I'm in the Boston, Mass. area and can give you the name of a doctor that is the head of a gastro. dept. at a hospital here. He is very good, from what I know. It may be worth contacting him by phone, (which I can give you his # if you'd like) just to explain your problem. Im sure he can be of great help to you. But, what ever you chose to do, don't wait! It's your life! Best of luck! email me at ***@**** if I can be of futher help. :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Monica, you poor thing! Yes, DEFINITLY,
get a third opinion and a fouth if your
stil not satisfied, remember its your
body and your health, and DON'T WAIT! I'd
do whatever it took to get this cleared
up. I dont know how long it takes for the
blood supply to be cut off and a portion
of your "stomach to die". But, I do hope
the surgeons that you last saw would know
if you are in any life threatenig
position, and would not allow you to go
home and wait till the end of May to get
you in! May I ask where you are located,
(state only). I'm in the Boston, Mass.
area and can give you the name of a
doctor that is the head of a gastro.
dept. at a hospital here. He is very
good, from what I know. It may be worth
contacting him by phone, (which I can
give you his # if you'd like) just to
explain your problem. Im sure he can be
of great help to you. But, what ever you
chose to do, don't wait! It's your life!
Best of luck! email me at
***@**** if I can be of
futher help. :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks, Tina.  The part of my stomach that is above the kink is being cut off.  They say if I do nothing it would eventually go into gangreen and I would have to have emergency surgery and would most likely not make it.  I am 51 and the thought of having to live without a stomach is a little scarey.  I love food.  Thanks for your reply.
Monica
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
If anyone wishes to e-mail me, I have an excellent booklet on the colon and disorders of the digestive tract, which happens to be the #1 reason for hospital visits in North America!

There are some excellent herbal products (NOT drugs) which can help with the healing process.

Let me know if I can help.

Sincerely,

Wendell  <***@****>
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Lorraine,

First of all, try not to worry.  Going to your doctor is the right thing to do.  Colon cancer at your age is extremely rare.  There are many things which can cause bleeding from hemmeroids to anal tears (fissures) which are not life-threatening.  Since you say you have pain on the left side, has anyone looked at your colon with a barium enema or a colonoscopy?  It is possible you may have diverticulosis, pockets in your colon which bulge outward.  These can sometimes bleed.  I would ask your doctor about these possibilities and have your colon looked at.  Any polyps or tumors would be found on a colonoscopy.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am a thirty-two year old mother of two active boys.  About two years ago, I was diagnosed with irritable bowel.  Since that time I have had intermittent stomach pain particularily in the area directly below my left rib and lower.  The pain is more noticeable when I am hungry or have eaten food with a high content of grease(ie. onion rings)  I have removed lactose from my diet and do try to stay away from anything greasy.  I have severe heartburn on a regular basis and find that I belch or feel the need to belch constantly.  When my abdomen becomes bloated it seems be filled with air.  My bowel movements are fairly regular although not always solid.  They tend to become loose.  I also have the feeling that my bowels aren't quite empty.  This past weekend(after a particularily uncomfortable abdomen of four days), I had a bowel movement that was quite painful and also noticed that there was quite a bit of blood ( I thought at first it was my period, in the toilet and on the paper.  Both my father's parents had colo-rectal cancer and my concern is considerable that this is what it could be.  An upper GI a while ago showed nothing.  Sometimes the heartburn is so bad that I find myself having to catch my breath because it seems as if I am unable to breathe.  The medical community seems to not take me as seriously as I also have been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder with panic attacks.  The panic attacks were treated with paxil and I have been med free since February and coping fairly well without it.  If anyone has any advice or conditions with similair symptoms I would appreciate any help I could get.  I am actually off to the doctor today so hopefully he may be able to shed some more light on the subject.  The symptoms seem to occur about twice a day and the rectal bleeding is a new thing.  Please help, I am becoming very worried.  Thanks Lorraine
Helpful - 0

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