Laperoscopy fundolplication surgery

[Reavis]

Has anyone had this surgery  for acid reflux disease? If so please let me know your experience. I am contemplating the surgery but am nervous about it. It seems so drastic.

[Flycaster305]

I had one moment of a food particle stuck in the wrap.  If you have the procedure, remember you can live three minutes without air, three days without water, but you can live three weeks without food.  Just ease back into to the eating mode!  Go with the model of liquids, then very soft foods.  Expect to lose about 10% of your body weight.  MSBEHAVEN is giving you good advice.  
Be careful with the pain meds.  Constipation was a problem after taking them.  If you wish, contact me privately, I'll explain that issue.
Best wishes, MZBEHAVAN gives great advise.

[Reavis]

Thanks for the advice. I am glad you are feeling better. I am still thinking about it. I need to check my surgeon out more and be sure he is the right one to do the surgery.  Thanks for all your input.  Reavis

[MZBEHAVAN]

After four weeks, post-op, I feel sooo much better. The first three weeks were rough, as I was searching for answers, but I can now say, it was a success! I haven't had too many problems now. I did have the five incisions, as I was scared too, about something going wrong. But I think it's a simple procedure for them and it's a slim chance of anything going wrong, even at your age. I'm glad I had it done. I will never see a bikini though, as my stomach looks like a pin cusion, but that's a small price to pay. Even if they had to resort to the traditional cut, which I doubt, I'd still get it done because I am happy with the results. I feel my stomach is actually going back to normal, and I don't feel confined to my house anymore. If you have no other alternatives, I'd do it! It was worth it to me. But it will take time to feel better, but in the end, you will!

[Reavis]

Sounds good. I have had sucessful surgeries in the past and could follow the dietary directions. A little weight lost would be a plus. LOL   I read so much negative  stuff I had a change of mind. I am tired of taking the meds and not sure what they do to a person after awhile as they are supposed to be used for a couple of weeks and we end up using them for years. My worst problem is that I feel like I have a hairball where my throat and esophagus connect. One person said they had probelms w/ trapped gas. Did you have that? How long ago did you have the surgery and how long was your recovery? Some say they had food stuck in the wrap.  Have you ever had that happen?  Do you have a hiatal hernia? I am sure I will eventually have to have something done as the hernia puahes into my stomach. My Gastro Dr told me if I ever get a bad pain in that area to get to the E R right away. Thank you for your response. Sounds like the surgery worked well for you. You give me a different outlook on the surgery. Hope you stay well and get stronger.  Take care.  Reavis

[Flycaster305]

I'm about your age, and had the procedure.  It has been a complete success, I had it about a year ago.  Usually it can be done by laproscopy, the five little cuts.  Are there reasons that it might be a problem in your case?  I was warned that it might involve invasive surgery, also.
It's not an easy recovery, but if you follow the dietary directions, it will go well, or did for me.  I was willing to follow the dietary directions, and even went to the hospital and met with a dietician.  Remember, you can live three weeks without any food at all, so the severe dietary restrictions won't hurt you a bit.  I think this procedure should be done by someone who has a record of success surgeries.  
I'd procede with confidence once you find a surgeon with a good track record and a mindset to follow the dietary restrictions after the procedure.  My quality of life certainly has improved.  Keep us informed.

[Reavis]

Thanks for your comment. I hope you do improve and quickly. I am stll thinking about the surgery. I read so many scary comments. I can't have the surgery by Endoscopy I have to have it w/ the 5 little punctures around the waist and if they go in and see they can't do it that way they will have to make an incision and do it the old way. This is quite a decision to make. I don't have youth on my side. I am 72 1/2 years old and ask if I want to put myself through this. Thankyou for your helpful answer. Take care and get better.    Reavis

[MZBEHAVAN]

I just had the Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication (NF) on 02/28/2011, and had my Gallbladder removed on 10/28/2010. Up until early 2010, I was fine. No symptoms. I then contacted MRSA in May, and all symptoms seemed to follow. I am 35 years old, as symptoms started when I was 34.

My stomach was mildly achy all the time and I was nauseated constantly. A heating pad was my best friend, and still is to this day. It got worse, along with heatburn, nausea, and regurgitation. Other symptoms started at some point. My stomach got worse with pains when I ate, as did the heartburn and nausea. I then was unable to finish a meal before having explosive diarrhea, accompanied with excruciating cramps. I would feel terrible afterwards, not knowing which end it would come out of, even after going. I then decided it was time to see my family Doctor. He had me get an abdominal ultrasound, which showed nothing unusual. So then he had me get a hida scan. It showed my Gallbladder was functioning at only 18%, in which they will only do surgery if it is lower than 35%. So without any other testing, had my Gallbladder removed in hopes of a "cure all" for my symptoms. It didn't do anything to help any symptoms, but I guess it wasn't a lost since it wasn't doing much.

So I had all the same symptoms still. I visited my Surgeon every two weeks. He perscribed Prilosec and Carafate. I would take 6 perscribed pills a day, plus otc antacids because the heartburn was intolerable. My life was controlled by my symptoms. I rarely left home, and never dared venture out of town. We would try two weeks on Carafate, two weeks off and so on. The Carafate helped coat my stomach and helped a little bit, better than not taking it. But after a couple months of trial and error, and upping my twice a day Prilosec to Nexium at no relief, I finally decided the Nissen Fundoplication would be the next step. I procrastinated, as I just had surgery. I felt that I also didn't want to have to take a MINIMUM of 6 pills a day, just to TRY to have some relief. It had also been months since I slept in a bed, as the recliner has been my best friend. Before moving to the recliner, I slept on 4 king size pillows and one standard size, just to try to find some relief, to no avail.

I did have a hiatal hernia and Gerd, is what my Surgeon diagnosed me with. I had an EGD done. He said the hernia was large enough to do the operation. So three weeks post surgery, I'm on here looking for answers. The surgery took about an hour and a half. I hurt so bad coming to. A Gallbladder surgery was nothing compared to the NF. I had them frequently give me pain meds through my IV, which I think was Demerol. I don't think it worked very well, I was in a lot of pain, but I don't think they were giving me very much, if any, I just don't know. I was able to get it every hour. I wanted to stay the night in the hospital, that's how bad I felt. My surgery was at noon, and I didn't leave until 11pm that night. I only left because the nurses were not very "hospitable." I felt they were pushing me out, even though I wasn't ready to leave. Infact, I had thrown up (more like spit up) several times, up until the 20 minutes before I left. So hopefully, no one has had that kind of treatment at their hospital stay. So after surgery, it was very difficult to swallow, it hurt for sure. It felt like swallowing a big lump that would get stuck in your throat and in your chest. That was trying to sip water. I didn't drink very much, couldn't. My nurses didn't seem to care. So when I got home, it hurt to walk, typical. I laid in my recliner and didn't move much. I switched to ice chips, it seemed to be easier, as swallowing wasn't happening. The pain in my chest stayed for days. Felt like when you hiccup and burp at the same time, that hurt lump you get. I didn't eat anything for four days, just sucked on ice chips. I really didn't seem hungry. I took pain pills every 3-4 hours and even called the Doc to see if I could take 2 pills at a time, as one wasn't solving anything. Two pain pills helped. I then tried soup, and it still hurt, but I was hungry for something other than water by the 5th day. Couple days later, I tried solids, moved around more. Had a follow up visit with my Surgeon on the 10th day, and I actually felt better. He said I actually looked better than the previous months prior to surgery. I also told him it was too early to really tell of my results, as I physically felt better, but it was still difficult to swallow. He instructed I take small bites and chew, chew, chew. Which I was. He said he didn't really need to see me again unless I had problems.

So, here's the problem 3 weeks post...I feel like I have worse heartburn than before. But what I don't know, is if it's gas. It's difficult to burp, and that's what it feels like, like all I am doing is burping, only it's stuck. When I eat, swallowing isn't a problem anymore, but it feels like it sits at the top of my chest and just pushes. I describe it like my insides are going to come through my chest. I'm out of pain pills and struggling. It brings tears to my eyes and otc pills, just don't work. My Nexium I still take, but provides no relief. So at this point, I do not know if it really is heartburn, or is it gas? There is so much pressure in my chest and ribs. I do know I am extremely gassy at both ends, but the end that hurts, is my chest and under my ribs. Good thing about this procedure, I hardly can eat anything. I feel full after only half a ham sandwich, for example on regular bread. I can only eat about a 1/4 of a McDonalds cheeseburger and maybe 5 ff. It feels full, quick. My stomach gets mean, almost demonic sounding, when it's hungry now, that I should eat once it starts hollering. I make jokes out of it, saying it's no longer the voices in my head, it's the voices in my stomach. LoL.  Otherwise it feels bloated and starts to hurt. The wanting to burp never stops. I can feel it coming up, and it gets stuck, and hurts and there is nothing I can do. So I am making an appointment with my Surgeon to find out if this is normal yet because it's only been 3 weeks, or what the deal is. As far as nausea, I had it the first couple days, and haven't noticed it since but maybe a couple times. I have got relief. The explosive diarrhea has dimminished, only had it twice since. Major improvement, as that was a daily occurence before.

So if I can get this heartburn/gas sorted out, I think overall, the Nissen Fundoplication is a success. If I am asleep, it no longer bothers me, that's an improvement too. The gas/heartburn feeling I have in my chest, as I do burp, but sometimes can't, it's an all day thing, from the time I wake up start moving, until I fall asleep. So it doesn't have anything to do with what I eat, that's the strange part. It's upon activity I guess. I contemplated the surgery for my hiatal hernia and Gerd as you are. I decided to do it because I felt we exhausted every bit of alternative. So what you must decide, have you exhausted all your alternatives?