Nissen redone

I had the Nissen done 4 years ago after 19 years of many digestive problems. My mother died of stomach cancer when she was in her 50's . I am having symtoms (symptoms) again like before I had the surgery and at the moment going throught he scope tests to see if surgery is needed.  All i can say is that I felt so well after having the Nissen done. I want it again as my esophagus has more damage.They took biopsys for  The DR thought I may have barretts... As it turns out I do not have that ...yet. I want it done again to prevent getting cancer  and the way I feel know is getting worse . The dr seems to think I do not need it as the PH test came back that I ( for that one day) did not have reflux. I must have it as the symtoms (symptoms) I have are 100 % the same as before . sore throat, feel like I have a golf ball stuck there, chest pain and my Ashma has gotten worse. I can not eat meat as this about kills me.  I just want to know if anybody out there that has had it done again are glad they did. The dr made me feel like I did not know what I was talking about today and seems to think that being on more PPI's will make it better. ( It did not work before)


This discussion is related to Anyone have to have Nissen Fundoplication TIGHTENED???.

[bodyisolderthaniam]

Dear Dobit:
I had the surgery done a few weeks ago so I personally am not going through your recurrence issues- however, my mother has a co-worker who had the surgery about the same time you did and she is now looking at having it redone.  She HAS to stay on it as her hiatal hernia was pressing against a cardiac nerve and it was causing mini-stroaks.  There are cases where the wrap loosens and they go back in and wrap it again-  I don't know why they would be worried about adhesions (scarring) as they design the procedure to build scar tissue (although to be honest I have not gone through med school and they have so I don't question a lot of what my doc has to say).  All I can tell you is that it can be redone and hopefully I can report back with her results in less than the 4 months it took to get mine done.

[Alongroad]

I have had the Nissen down twice. The first time was in July of 2007. Then I was experiencing pain again in August of 2008. After several tests were ordered, it was determined to be my gallbladder. In November, 2008 I had my gallbladder removed by the same Dr. that did the Nissen. While doing the gallbladder removal, he checked on the Nissen and found that it had come undone(some what; not all the way) and it was stuck behind my diaphram;causing pain as well. So the Dr. had to redo the Nissen at that time as well. Now here it is almost six months later and I am in more pain now then before! I am so frustrated that I could scream! Something is not right! I can tell that the Nissen must be stuck again and now I am also experiencing acid reflux systoms. The pain is really intense. I have called my Dr. to let him know and now he wants to put me through a bunch of tests again..................Which I understand but my Dr. is two and a half hours away and it's just difficult finding the time from work to travel there. I first asked my Dr. if I could just live with this "pain" because I did not want to go through this a third time. If the Nissen were "stuck" again, say behind my diaphram, is that a condition one could live with? He said yes, but then the pain became to severe so I now have to proceed with the long journey of trying to find out what is wrong now. After my first surgery, I had prjectional vomitting, due too a reaction to my pain medication, which may of caused the dislocation.In November I again had projectional vomitting so that is why I believe the Nissen has become dislodged again............All I really know for sure is that I am in pain and expect to have a Nissen done for a third time.
Alongroad

[Alongroad]

I also want to mention that I have Barrett's so I am concerned about getting this "pain" corrected. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort, continue with your search for answers. Good luck and if I can discuss more with you, just let me know.
Alongroad

[iva_s]

Dobit,

I am sorry for your problems, I just want to ask you if you had bad breath besides "sore throat, feel like I have a golf ball stuck there, chest pain and my Ashma has gotten worse". Please, let me know, it is important..

[SurgeryVet]

Hi! I am a 48 yr old female who has had so many abdominal surgeries, I must hold some kind of record - I had a C-section in 1990, my appendix out in 1991, my gallbladder out in 1999, and scar tissue removed in 2000.  I also have had 4 Nissen Fundoplications along with paraesphogeal hernia repairs.

Specifically, I had my first Nissen Fundoplication in 1997 just after my father passed away from esophageal cancer which he developed after a lifetime of GERD and eating Tums & drinking Mylanta.  I had the 1st surgery in a local small community hospital by a surgeon who said he had done about 40 of the NF by laporscope.  The day after my surgery, I knew something was horribly wrong. It was written off to "post surgical" symptoms. I found out later it had been botched 100% and almost killed me. Thank God my primary care dr got me referred to a large university facility several hrs away and I had my second fundoplication by laparoscope 4 months after the 1st. That surgeon is world reknown for these surgeries and said he had never seen anything so screwed up in his life.  I did really well for another 6-8 months and then started to have problems again, lots of pain, dry heaving, etc... I was referred back to the university surgeon and he scheduled me for my third procedure in 1998... this time it was an open procedure and I was in the hospital 12 days. He followed my progress for yrs and I was doing well when I went to see him for my 5 yr visit.

I continued to do well until last summer in 2008. In Sept, I was admitted to my local hospital and found out I needed another Nissen Fundoplication and that I also had a very large paraesophageal hernia. I spent most of December & January in a local hospital just treating symptoms. Due to problems with my HMO, it took almost 4 mos before I was finally referred to a different university hospital, 4 hrs away from my home.  (My condition was too complicated to be done at a local hospital).

I just had my fourth Nissen and hernia repair by a great team of doctors in March 2009. They also cut the pylorus (a presurgical gastric emptying test showed I was only emptying 13% after an hr). I was doing extremely well for having had my 4th procedure initially, but am now having problems. My wrap is too tight, so I am having trouble swallowing and eating. I also have pain (sometimes extreme) while eating and even feel choked sometimes just drinking water. My surgeon is trying hard to help.  I am now scheduled for an EGD to "stretch" the wrap. I am also starting to suffer with intermittent diarreah (diarrhea), sometimes while sleeping and it doesn't even wake me up. I am concerned about "dumping syndrome" due to the pylorus being cut.  I also worry that the vagal nerve(s) may have been nicked or damaged during the surgery.  

I have continued to lose weight, over 40 lbs since January, but definitely not a diet I would recommend to anyone. I still have a G-J feeding tube in my stomach (put in during sugery in case it was needed during the healing process). I have actually started to use it, since I continue to lose weight and can't get nutrition any other way. Hopefully it will all work out for me. I think 4 fundoplications may be a record!  The sad thing is the first one was done to prevent cancer like my dad had.  One of the surgeons told me that every time you have this surgery, your chances for failure double... my  chances don't sound too good.  A fifth procedure, if needed, will likely remove my stomach out permanently, leaving my esophagus hooked directly to the small bowel. I will just put it in God's hands and pray for a good outcome.

Has anyone else out there had this many problems? Please advise. Thank you!

[Kent2008]

I had the Nissen redone about 10 days ago because I was having some chest and shoulder pain as it had slipped.  But now the same pain has started to come back.  Is it too early to tell something went wrong?  I don't feel good about it and worried.

[Karrimac53]

I am scheduled to have a redo on 16 July, does anyone have positive outcomes with this?  

[coughting]

I have had a Nissen but have not had to have a redo.  Find the best bariatric surgeon in your area and only let him do the Nissen.  Ask him about a loose wrap which will minimize any feeling of food being stuck.  Also, after the surgery eat nothing but liquids for 2 weeks.  This is hard but it will prevent the shoulder pain,  back pain and feeling that somehing is stuck.  Give it time to heal before you eat even soft foods.  I found that oatmeal was my saving grace during these weeks.  I felt like I was getting something to eat.  Also, I would put potato soup in the blender or you could just make sure the potatoes were mash up real well.


I have not had any problems since my Nissen.  My surgeon was a bariatric surgeon that had performed a bowel resection, due to chrons, and I had recovered quickly from that one also.  So I really feel it is important to reseach the dr and use a bariatric surgeon.
They have performed thousands of this procedure and experience counts.

Best of luck

[angryfemale40]

Hiya.I have got to have my Nissens redone,as the surgeon said my one has been done too tight.Now face surgery in October,hoping for that date to be bought forward...its a nightmare.ANYONE that has had a Nissens re do...please any info would be grateful!! Ta!!

[coughting]

No, I have not had to have my Nissen redone.  My surgeon did the loose wrap to begin with.  I did not have any problems.  After I left the hospital I was on liquid diet for a week and 1/2 until I saw the dr.

The one thing I found was that if I ate or rather drank more than a cup of anything then I would have gas pains.  I did eat oatmeal a lot as this is considered liquid (not clear liquid).  I lived on the oatmeal and blended lots of soup.  Because of this and eating only a cup at a time, every couple of hours, I never felt like anything was stuck in my esophagus.  

I am able to burp and have had no problems.  The surgeon makes the difference.  Make sure he is a bariatric surgeon with 1000s of Nissens under his belt.  That he is good with a loose wrap and you will be fine.

Best of luck

[Sickboy1]

The Nissen fundoplication surgery is not always successful, for a few people the Gerd symptoms come back within two years and for 3 out of 10 the Nissen just does not work.
It is major surgery with high risks of it not solving the problem, the surgery only achieves taking you off acid blockers, and then there is a high risk that you may still have to take acid blockers for the rest of your life anyway, so it will all be for nothing, this should have been explained before you chose to have the surgery.

The severe pain describe at the esophageal sphincter is most probably an esophageal spasm, which is brought on by years of acid damaging the lower esophagus.
The fundoplication will still be strengthening the esophageal sphincter and stopping the upper stomach sliding through the diaphram, so before having it rewrapped again try something else and realise that the Nissen procedure may not be the way forward for you.

If this works then you know the way forward, take calcium channel blockers(preferably Nefedipine) which will relax the esophagus, in combination take acid blockers every 12 hours to stop acid from aggrevating the esophagus and causing a spasm, you may also have to take acid neutralizers in the period where one acid blocker is wearing off and before taking the next, it is important to have 100% acid neutralization in order for this treatment to work.

This treatment is not effective unless linked to some diet and lifestyle changes, this treatment should be have some effect after just one month.

Plenty of rest is required, your sleeping position has to be elevated, a steady walk after each meal(light excercise), small meals regularly, no fatty foods, no sweets or cakes, no alcohol, no smoking, no strenuous activities. Avoid all other foods that can cause acid reflux, like speramint and peppermint, spicy foods, acidic foods etc...make foods easily digestible, i.e. mashed potato with vegetables and steamed fish, make sure you do not eat late at night.

This is the hardest part, try to avoid stress or tension, which is very difficult considering you have a nasty illness constantly looming, practice breathing excercises and exhaling all the tension, if you have a stressful job then you need to take time off work whilst doing the treatment, if you can not afford to do this, then you just have to take things easier and try to not let things get to you.

One thing you will never read in any medical forum, this helped me a lot, pure isolate whey protein drinks, they help strengthen and repair the muscle tissue, easily digestible, full of energy, low in fat.
Beware of eating too many high carb foods like pasta, not easily digestible and in the opinion of many atheletes can weaken the stomach linng, just like too many sweets can thin the tooth enamel.

Good luck, i hope it works out for you, i ended up diagnosing myself after years of banging my head against a brick wall with doctors, even then i had a battle convincing the doctors to accept my diagnosis,they say they do not know what is causing the pain but when you propose something they will disregard it, they seem to overlook one significant point, you are ill and in pain and something must be causing it. They need to inherit airline pilot mentality, i.e. if you go down then so do they, if this were the case i'm sure they would not be so lax at letting you crash and burn, in cases that are not text book the system can fail and they will diagnose stress and close the file, but not all doctors all like this, some will explore all avenues and even carry out research and without exhaustion will carry on trying different treatments to see what works. i.e. calcium channel blockers are normally presrcibed for relaxing the esophagus, but a thinning of the esophagus wall due to long term damage can leave raw nerve endings, and it may be worth to try baclofen to relax the esophagus which helps cancel the nerve signals and works more on the spine, this can have less side effects on the brain and the heart but as a downside can cause stomach upset, but this stomach upset would be very mild compared to the upper abdominal pains, in fact you would probably not even notice it.
Find a doctor who is sympathetic to your condition, but most importantly you have to help yourself, this is ultimately in your hands, you are flying the plane, think of the doctors as ground control.

[coughting]

No surgery is not to be taken lightly.  However, years of burning the espphagus does lots of damage.  My mother-in-law died from this so it is also not to be taken lightly.

Try all alternatives, consult with your doctor and YOU and only you should decide.  

There are a lot of surgeons that will perform this surgery, however, once again you need to have a bariatric surgeon who is skilled at this procedure.  Is able to do a loose wrap.

I personally think that is why there are so many people out there who are unhappy with the surgery.  Do your homework on any kind of surgery and also on the surgeon.

Best of luck

[slnetter]

In Nov. it will be 9 years since I've had the Nissen done.  Best thing I ever did.  No more waking up in the middle of the night coughing and gagging because the reflux came up so far it went down my windpipe.  Now after 9 years, I'm having to clear my throat 1000 times a day.  I've had 3 sinus surguries, but my ENT (who didn't do these surgies) thinks it's reflux. All I know is that if my nissen loosened up I'm scheduling a redo as soon as possible.  Best thing I ever did. By the way, I do have Barrett's Esophagus also and really don't want that to pregress into anything else.  I've heard the horror stories about some of the surguries but mine went so very well.  The liquid diet in the beginning kind of sucked but easy enough to get through.  

[CoughingGirl1625]

I had my Nissen in 2001.  It has come undone and I'm seeing a bariatric surgeon next week on July 30, 2009.  As I read the comments above I think I'm seeing the right person but I want to have a list of questions about a re-do (if needed) so if anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate your assistance.

Thanks!

[coughting]

Here are a few questions.
1.  How many laproscopic Nissens have you done
2.  How are you at a loose wrap
3.  Do you suggest a loose wrap

You made the right call by seeking a bariatric surgeon.  If you don't like any of his answers go elsewhere.  If he doesn't say he is great at loose wrap, go elsewhere.  You want this surgeon to be very self confident and able to preform the loose wrap.  That is where most people's problems occur.  When the wrap is not loose it causes all sorts of problems.

[angryfemale40]

I am 6 days post Nissens Fundo re-do.I am still suffering with the intense pain in my shoulder from where they distend your abdomen with gas,pre op.I (SO FAR) am not able to tolerate chips and potatoes,and really do not want to 'run before i can walk'.Early days i know,but i woke up this morning with the wretched heartburn,OMG,i was devastated.
My surgeon is an expert in Nissens Fundo surgery so i cannot fault him BUT why have i got the heartburn?? Why can i STILL not burp??
Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LindaSueBob]

I had a floppy nissan fudoplicarion July 23 of 09. Went to the surgeon today as I have horrible hearburn as of November 20/09. He thinks the wrap has come undone. I am having a barium swallow Jan 6,2010. Any help with what the barium swallow entails and has anyone had a wrap come undone so early, four months after. Thanks.

[mariex800]

Hi everyone,
I am Marie.
I had my Nissen Fundoplication in 2009. It failed.
I am experiencing sour and burn chest and throat 7/24. My throat making click sound and gurgle sound. I am in pain with the burn 7/24. The med doesn't seem to help much.

Does anyone know of a great bariatric surgeon who do a lot of this type of surgery that can help me with a redo? I live in California, and I don't mind to fly anywhere to find a great surgeon. Sorry I am deperate - as I am in pain everyday - the burn doesn't seem to get under control.
Can anyone recommand a great bariatric surgeon? Can you post here or send me an email to ***@****.
Thank you so much.

[mariex800]

Hi everyone,  my e mail  is    (mariex800   at yahoo *******)
I am Marie.
I had my Nissen Fundoplication in 2009. It failed.
I am experiencing sour and burn chest and throat 7/24. My throat making click sound and gurgle sound. I am in pain with the burn 7/24. The med doesn't seem to help much.

Does anyone know of a great bariatric surgeon who do a lot of this type of surgery that can help me with a redo? I live in California, and I don't mind to fly anywhere to find a great surgeon. Sorry I am deperate - as I am in pain everyday - the burn doesn't seem to get under control.
Can anyone recommand a great bariatric surgeon? Can you post here or send me an email to mariex800 at yahoo *******
Thank you so much.

[coughting]

Yes, mine was great.  His name is Dr. Mark Gibbs in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Seems a long way to come, but he is really good.  
I would recommend him to anyone.  He did a loose wrap and repaired my hiatial hernia.  I was eating regular food after 2 weeks.  No problems since.

[LindaSueBob]

I see the surgeon in an hour. The tests proved all my gerd and reflux is back, the wrap is partially undone and I have a hiatal hernia; before I had the para esophageal hernia. Let's see what he says, heartburn is killing me

[LindaSueBob]

Oh it is so disgusting and gross, the heartburn and reflux is killing me. I just got home, surgeon said the whole fundoplication is undone unwrapped from 6 months ago (supposed to last 15 years) and unwrapped. Cannot be done by laparoscopy this time because of scar tissue.Surgery is rescheduled for March 11th with a 6 to 10 day hospital stay and a huge midline incision. Totally totally ***** big time. I am going for  a nap, was up all night with horrible hearburn and reflux, gerd. UGh , he gave me a prescription to take for the next 2 months that helps a little he says.

[emmjay]

I had a fundolipication nissen don about 5 years ago. I suffered with severe gerd for many years. I have had no complications until recently. When I sleep on my side or even on my back sometimes it feel like my stomach is pushing out of where it is supposed to be. if I move it moves back into place. this is very uncomfortable and was wondering if anyone has this issue?

[coughting]

Could be a hiatal hernia, need to check it out with a gi dr.

Good luck to you

Jayne

[Kimskanvas]

I just had the Nissen Toupet in Jan, about a month ago.  I was feeling great, bragging to everyone, having no heartburn after the surgery.  But then about a week or so ago, I started to get chest pains and stomach pains.  It feels like heartburn, sortof.  When I brought it up to my surgeon, he thinks the wrap is too tight and it is pains from food getting stuck????  I am not really having to much trouble eating.  But he wants me to undergo a dialation, to have the opening stretch, but I think it has come unwrapped already?   Can anyone advise if I should undergo the dialation?  Or is it a waste of time and money?  And if it is possible for the wrap to be too loose or come undone already???
If the wrap has come undone already will the doctor be able to tell when he goes to do the dialation?  I have a week before my dialation surgery... And have been searching the internet as much as possible trying to figure out what is going on inside...  I don't mind going through the surgery again, because I felt so great for the couple of weeks.  I just want to know if he will fix it when he finds out what is really going on???

[Mar8273]

I am 47 years old.  I have had two Nissen Fundiplications. The first in Jan. of 2009 by a doctor who lied to me one week post op and told me that it did not tear, but it had.  I ended up having to have a second one done in July of 2009, for obvious reasons, by another much more reliable physician.  My stomach had aspirated in to my lung cavity, my phrenic nerve had been damaged in the January surgery, therefore causing breathing issues pre and post the second surgery.  I ended up having to have 25% of my stomach removed, on a bi-pap machine in the intensive care unit, and on oxygen for a month and a half post op.  
I just found out a few days ago that the wrap has again come undone!  The hernia has not pushed through as of yet.  I could just cry!  I have alot of pain, discomfort, gas pains, and constant diarreah (diarrhea)!  I live on Immodium!  I am miserable and don't know what to do.  
Any help?
Mar

[LindaSueBob]

I had my wrap redone March 16th 2010, the first one was July 2009. . So far all I can keep down is water. If I try broth, flavored water, popsicles I throw it all up. I have lost 9 pounds in a week which I can afford to lose but I think I am getting dehydrated. I see surgeon next Tuesday. It feels when I swallow when it gets down between my breast area that it feels like it is stuck, then it feels like I am going to choke and not able to breathe and then I throw it right back up again. Very gross and it was not at all like this the first time.I have five incisions again and the only pain is all underneath my left ribs for some reason.

[OldFatChick]

Oh, Lordy, I am having this done tomorrow and y'all are scaring the crap out of me!

[kendall470]

I had a nissen done in 2005.  For the past year I've had reoccuring symptoms but the surgeon is NOT in a hurry to fix it....it is affecting my quality of life and I'm almost to the point where I don't know what to do.  They have me on several pills a day and I've done PH test after PH test....help!!!! How do I get them to fix the slipped nissen to see if my symptoms resolve!

[ben25]

I had a laprascopic nissen fundopilation on 4 march this year, I have had no problems back on slid foods now, the only problem I have is every time I have a drink of lager I get a bad pain in the lower part of oesephegus just under my rib cage! anyone no what this could be??

[LindaSueBob]

It has been over two months since my second fundoplication and I am still throwing up, even water sometimes. When I eat or drink I can feel it get stuck in the thinner part of my esophagus and it either squeezes through real slowly or comes back up. I throw up more than I get down, only meat I can eat is really tender ham chicken or turkey, no steak or beef or pork. I cannot go out if I have recently eaten as I have thrown up in the car driving as it decided to come back up then. The surgeon said he does not want me to have my esophagus stretched as that causes other problems. So I guess I will just do a wait and see, have to eat really really slowly and chew chew chew for now.

[ElsaRN]

Hi
Im Elsa. Just had my redo done a week ago.The first one lasted for 7 yrs and what bliss that was. The second time around I was more in pain than the first time but I think that is understandable.To top it all I got a cold two days post-op and you can imagine the pain at coughing every time.I think this is a loose wrap as with the first one I could also eat very little meat, but that did not bother me as it was better than waking up in the wee hours of the night coughing or dribbling in your undies from trying to control your coughing.
It is very prevalent in Asthma suffers. I think it has to do with the small muscle realxers that we take in via the asthmatic treatment. I am also a registered nurse with a daughter who's also asthmatic and I think she will be also suffering from GERD as she complains now already of heartburn.
I hope to post futher comment in about a month. Liquidise your food but stay away from gas forming foods. The foods taste the same just use your imagination. The fist nissen was done 10 days before christmas 2001 and I enjoyed my teaspoonful of different foods liquidised. I think one has to research in depth before going for the op.
I am experiencing the normal post-op aches and pains with a little cough to add to the pain. You should not be vomittng, as my first surgeon has warned me that that causes the tearing of the wrap due to the contractions of the stomach muscle to empty itself.Make sure your doctor has experience in this kind of surgeries because it can be quite dangerous.
Regards
ElsaRn

[LindaSueBob]

Hi, just wondering how you have been since your second. If you remember I had just had my second nissan fundoplication March 2010. Now it has failed and I am scheduled for a third, this time open October 14th, not looking forward to it of course as it is an 8 day stay he said. I was throwing up from the second one and now horrid heartburn and gerd even worse than before my first fundoplication of 2009. I had a barium swallow and tomorrow have another Esophagogastroduodenoscopy just before the surgery. I am just wishing this would all go away, a third surgery is not what I wanted at all but I am at the point where my reflux is so bad I am up throwing up acid in the middle of the night. I was retching really bad in the hospital after the second one and I think that started the wrap undoing.

[lloyd486]

Hello: I have read this board with great interest. I am 57 years old and had a Nissen a whopping 26 years ago and will make some points. I have read almost everything there is to know on the procedure and discussed it at lenght with a lot of people. I suffered from Gas Bloat for a full 10 years post-op and thought at times it was going to kill me. When I had it scoped I was told it was a little too tight and long. Ten years later I was scoped and told it was absolutely perfect. These things do change over time but I have no idea why one would pull lose unless the stitches break which the should not.
As far as having a loose Nissen, the key to a Nissen is how the wrap is fashioned. It has to be just at the right angle or the patient will have refux. Ironically, you can take four different people, have a surgen give each the same exact surgery--one will come out too tight, one too loose, one won't help, one just right. We all have different tissue and make up and body sizes and it all contributes to the degree of success. Some are more air swallowers and some's stomachs just produce more gas.
Very few will be able to belch as freely as they once could and this may or may not present problems. In my case it did big time--I suffered dearly for many years. Now I do have a degree of IBS related symptoms that I did not have before the surgery. Before the surgery I had reflux so bad that after a meal when I leaned over food could just drain out. It was terrible. So hope that helps. I will contine to monitor. Good luck.

[pooch59]

I am have this surgery next week and now don't know what to think.  My surgeon is a teaching doctor and has done over 500 of these. Still am wondering will I ever be not bloated?  I don't know, now I am frightened.

[LindaSueBob]

Hi, Iam a 59 year old female and  had my third nissen fundoplication October 14, 2010. I had an open this time, first two July 2009 and March 2010 were the five small incisions and both failed. This time I had a patch as well. It has been 19 days and still very painful. I can eat soft foods now, avoiding hard foods as toast hard grains chips etc. No meat as steak pork but only small cut up soft chicken ham etc. No heartburn as I am still taking the nexium for a month after surgery as surgeon wants me to continue that for a month. I have a huge 8 inch incision, staples were taken out the fifth day. He wanted me to stay in 8 days but it was five days and five nights, get me out of there, even tho a nice private room the beds were a killer and needing a blood sample at 4 in the morning? give me a break. I still have trouble walking and getting in and out of bed and sitting and getting up again. Have done nothing but sit and watch tv which is driving me crazy but it is so painful that is all I can do. Shower only, no bathtubs. Some swelling still, only bandages on which will fall off by themselves. No bra with underwires as it barely touches the incision so sports bras for now. I could not find a picture of an open fundoplication anywhere before the surgery. If you want I can email you a picture if you are wondering. Email me if you have questions I can help you with. I am grammielinda18 and then the at and then yahoo.com. I think if I put my email address in they delete it somehow.

[LadyHood21]

I had a Nissen Wrap done in December of 08' and was doing well until about two months ago when I started having this pain right under my left breast almost everytime I would eat. Now, I have the pain even when I don't eat and I'm having heartburn and chest pains again to the point where I lose my voice. I had an upper endoscopy done which showed that gastritis has returned but I don't have any ulcers. The doctor says it "appears" that some sutures may have come out but I would like to know what has to be done to confirm this and will I have to have the surgery all over again? Has anyone else had this same experience and the pain I'm talking about in that area?

[jay299]

I am 39 yrs old.  I had a Hiatal Hernia repair 6 weeks ago.  They also did the Nissen Fundoplication and mesh.   I seemed to be doing find following the surgery as I was out of the hospital in 36 hrs, liquids for a week.  Then the problems began.  Could not keep down liquids and I was readmitted to the hospital for Barium Swallow test, which showed a tightness around the area of the wrap.  The surgeon who I talked to (it was an associate of my surgeon, as original surgeon was on vacation) told me it was swelling and I needed a  PICC line inserted for IV nutrition.  I spent another 4 days in the hospital getting this in and me stabilized on TPN. The Surgeon said this was necessary to allow the area to rest and heal.  That is should clear up in a week or two.  I spent three weeks with this line in my arm feeding me.  I am now back on liquids and waiting on my referral to another GI Dr, so he can do Endoscopy and possible dilation.   The biggest thing I now realize is, that I did not question enough before I allowed the surgery.   I was lead to believe this is very common surgery and that I needed it due to the discovery of Barretts, in July of this year.   Can anyone offer an help, insight, or advice for addressing "severe Post Op dysphasia"?   As I said I am 39, and prior to surgery, I was managing GERD fine with PPI's.   It was only due to the discovery of a hiatal hernia and the Barretts that we operated.  

[jay299]

I am 39 yrs old.  I had a Hiatal Hernia repair 6 weeks ago.  They also did the Nissen Fundoplication and mesh.   I seemed to be doing find following the surgery as I was out of the hospital in 36 hrs, liquids for a week.  Then the problems began.  Could not keep down liquids and I was readmitted to the hospital for Barium Swallow test, which showed a tightness around the area of the wrap.  The surgeon who I talked to (it was an associate of my surgeon, as original surgeon was on vacation) told me it was swelling and I needed a  PICC line inserted for IV nutrition.  I spent another 4 days in the hospital getting this in and me stabilized on TPN. The Surgeon said this was necessary to allow the area to rest and heal.  That is should clear up in a week or two.  I spent three weeks with this line in my arm feeding me.  I am now back on liquids and waiting on my referral to another GI Dr, so he can do Endoscopy and possible dilation.   The biggest thing I now realize is, that I did not question enough before I allowed the surgery.   I was lead to believe this is very common surgery and that I needed it due to the discovery of Barretts, in July of this year.   Can anyone offer an help, insight, or advice for addressing "severe Post Op dysphasia"?   As I said I am 39, and prior to surgery, I was managing GERD fine with PPI's.   It was only due to the discovery of a hiatal hernia and the Barretts that we operated.  

[pina_colada00]

After reading all of these stories has me worried out of my mind.  I had my first NISSEN on 15 Nov.  That's three weeks ago.  I was on a very soft diet for the first week (loose soups, water, juices. Then the next week I began loose mashed potatoes, soups. I graudated rather wuickly to regular food by the the third week.  I was diagnosed with Barretts and hiatal hernia about 5 years ago but probably had the hiatal hernia for over 25 years.  I am 53.  If you were diagnosed with hiatal hernia and barretts and the medication is allowing you a rather decent quality of life then DO NOT have the operation. And I say this due to reading all of the above horror stories.  The only reason why I had it is because over the last 2.5 years I developed a constant need to clear my throat due to likely acids flowing up into my larynx and inflaming my vocal chords.  It got to the point of desperation because it was causing coughs and constant throat clearing.  I asked two well-respeted surgeons in Argentina because that is where I live.  Both said that if the throat clearing is a result of the acid reflux then it would take about 3 - 6 months post surgery for it to go away.  I am 3 weeks post surgery and it is with me all day long except at night.  I can go to sleep but when I wake up it starts all over again.  Anyone else with this experience.  I am truly sorry to hear about all of the above mentioned problems and to tell you the truth I am very pessimistic about my future having had this operation.  Having an operation should always be a last resort but unfortunately doctors have different agendas and you never know if you're getting hte best opinion.  If you can manage the bad side-effects of hiatal hernia/ and GERD with meds DO NOT HAVE THIS OPERATION.  God bless all.

[LindaSueBob]

I also had throat clearing for years and somewhat after my surgery.  I have had three nissens if you read my posts above somewhere. I have no throat clearing now and had it for over ten years. I can eat anything again and have no reflux, no heartburn and no vomiting at all. I am FINALLY back to normal, eating and sleeping normal for the first time in years and years. Look into your surgeon and all your options first. Some people prefer to stay on the meds but I did not. Email me if you have any questions I can help you with, I have pics of the open as well as the five small incisions if you need pics to help you with it. I could not find a pic of the open nissen anywhere before my surgery grammielinda18 and then yahoo.com

[summer770]

I had my 2nd Nissen done over 1 1/2 years ago and now have chest and shoulder pain.
Also,  a lot of flatuence.  
1.   Could wrap have migrated?
2.    Or did they make it too tight?

[LindaSueBob]

Hi, I have had three nissan fundoplications for gerd reflux and heartburn, two nissen and one open October 2010. Just found out the last has also failed. I live near Sacramento and now have to go to San Francisco for the fundoplication where they go through your throat. I am so ticked off all three have failed. I now have gerd hearburn reflux and vomiting all over again. I think it is called incisionless fundoplication. I am freaking about it, not only is it 100 friggin miles away and my husband needs to drive me, take off tons of time off work but I hate the thoughts of this surgery. I am wondering if anyone else has had this and how you are doing now. Did you have the clips put in, the little plastic clips like in this surgery video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXS4jHCWNvo
or did you have some other procedure done. I am so ticked off that all three have failed, my surgeon is five miles away as is my hospital, now I have to travel so far and stay in a strange place, I just hate this. Thanks for any information on this. I am 60 and I am thinking just not to do anything about it, just leave it and take ppi and carry bottles of tums everywhere I go. Urg.

[OCMark]

I have just undergone a redo of my nissen fundoplication.  The first was in 2001.  I was suffering for severe shortness of breath and after nearly a year of tests, they attributed it to GERD.  Recovery from the surgery was normal and I was back to normal in a couple of months.  Over the next 9 years, I experienced minor recurrences which were isolated and short in duration.  I had a couple of endoscopies perforned and they all indicated that the surgery was OK.  In November 2010, it started all over again and was tested once again.  All results were deemed normal.  My GI (different than my surgeon) reran the test and got the same result.  They finally tried to attribute my symptoms to esophageal spasms with no real test to confirm the diagnosis and no real treatment other than trying an assortment of meds. I went back to the surgeon in August and between a manometry study and a pH study, he concluded that the surgery had slipped.  I had it redone in late Sept. 2011.  He told me that when he went to undo the previous surgery, he was surprised that I had not formed much scar tissue and that this was why it had failed.  Since the surgery, recovery has been hard.  He did warn me that a redo takes a lot longer to recover from than the first surgery.  About six weeks after surgery, I was getting to "more substantial food" such as tuna, chicken, etc.  I had previously eaten a chicken nugget with no problem.  When I tried it again it became stuck and would not go down.  I ended up having to go to the bathroom and caugh like I was trying to get congestion out of my chest.  It did the trick.  I now have terrible shoulder and stomach pain.  He has run a barium swallow, a CT scan and another endoscopy.  He says that I have fluid and blood build up around the surgery on the outside of it, and that this is causing all of my problems.  He claims that the body will naturally take care of this but that I have set my recovery back by a month or so.  I have tried to be patient, but I find it hard to believe that my slow recovery and my "setback" are all that there is to this surgery.  This surgeon is very well known for this procedure and he has "redos" sent to him from all over the country.  Has anyone else had problems like this?

[helen1807]

Hi, i had fundiplication surgery and a cholestomy(gall bladder remover)together 4 years ago.After the surgery all went well for the first couple of months before i could no longer eat food without constant vomiting.I was then scheduled in and had a partial reversal of the fundiplication surgery,since this second op i have a problems with my bowel,regurgitation and constant nausea,i was scheduled for a full reversal 1 year ago,the day before my surgery i had my surgeon leave and was given my case to a new doctor.He refused to do the full reversal saying it was to dangerous,I vomit everyday but have a constant battle with weight gain and abdomenal (abdominal) bloating,before syurgery i weighed only 45kgs i now weigh 60kgs,which i'm finding greatly depressing.i am now on the waiting list for another endoscopy.I've also been diaganosed with a irrelevant health problem requiring am mri,after an abdominal x;ray i found staples had been used internally to close the surgery.Does anyone have these problems or know whether these internal staples will have a reaction during my MRI?

[LGemz]

God's Speed and Dr. Bhoyrul M.D. FRCS FACS at Scripps Hospital in San Diego