Complications After Fundoplication

[Catzie]

I have GERD.  Before doing a fundoplication surgery and hiatal hernia in December 2002, there were motility tests done to make sure that I could have the surgery.  Nothing was wrong on that test.  Almost immediately after the fundoplication, food started to get stuck and I would have intense pain (heart attack pain) in my chest and i would have to go into the bathroom to get the food out.  After the surgery, I didn't have heartburn for about 5 years, but food would still get suck all the time, get the unbearable pain, and then cough up the food.  Then, the heartburn became very frequent and food still continued to get stuck.  Then, I started waking up choking on acid reflux while being propped up on pillows.  If I bend down, the acid comes pouring out.  The hearburrn that I get is out of control.  Then, I started choking on acid reflux during the day.  My personal doctor sent me to another doctor to have an endoscopy done, which really didn't show much that I know of.  He then scheduled me to have a barrium swallow test.  The barium swallow test showed that the esophagus muscle weren't contracting regularly, but rather would spasm, and the food with barium stuck, and the barrium pill took several minutes to pass.  This doctor then requested my medical records from prior to and after the fundoplication surgery.  Those records showed that i did not have any problems with the esophagus muscles.  I've been back on omeprazole for several years.  Doesn't touch the heartburn.  I've been garbaging down roilaids.  This doctor wants to send me back to the surgeon that did the fundoplication to either "undo" or "redo" the fundoplication.  My questions are:  can the fundoplication even be "undone?"  Is is safe to have the fundoplication "redone?"  Why are the esophagus muscles not working properly and is this because of having the fundoplication?  What do you think my choices are?

[selmaS]

Hi Liz...I wanted to wish u LUCK on Monday !!!

"selma"

[Catzie]

Well, after meeting with my primary care physician today, she agreed that I should meet with the original surgeon.  I called the gastro dr. and told him I wanted to go ahead with meeting the surgeon and, in less then an hour, they called me back and the surgeon said that he'll see me on Monday morning.  So, I'll let you know how that goes.

Liz

[selmaS]

U r so welcome and I wish I had the answers u seek, but I am not that familiar as I have not had that procedure. I also have other medical issues which cause interactions with the meds.....

I hope u get the answers and ask u share what u find out here.

Good Luck and
Godspeed
"selma"

[Catzie]

I don't think they checked my gallbladder.  This is a new doctor that discovered these new complications.  He wanted to know if I wanted to be referred back to the original surgeon.  I don't have a problem with going to see him, I'm just not sure what surgery could do for me.  I'm seeing my primary care physician this Friday and I'm going to talk this over with her.  She's an excellent doctor who spends the "extra" time with me to make sure I understand what's going on.  I haven't had the opportunity to see her since this was discovered.

I know that others have the same problems as far as food getting stuck, "heart attack pain," choking in my sleep, and out of control heartburn.  What I would really like to know is, are others having esophagus muscle problems secondary to fundoplication and were tested before the fundoplication and had no such issues.  If so, did they "undo" or "redo" the fundoplication?

I think, at one time or another, I've been on every kind of meds for GERD.  I have a lot of other medical problems and there are certain meds I cannot take, mostly due to interactions with my other meds. Gets kinda complicated.

I really want to thank you for your reply and I will definitely mention to my doctor about checking my gallbladder.

I hope you have a great day!!!

[selmaS]

Hi sorry u r having these issues....

Have they checked ur Gall Bladder?......

I had problems with PPI's no longer working and switched to H2 blockers they work much better.

Not having had the nissen I am not full of ideas here...I know they can slip, but it doesn't sound like that is ur issue.Are u seeing the same dr that did the procedure?

"selma"