nissan surgery

[toy drive]

I am having nissan surgery in 1 week. Can you please tell me what to expect? My dr has done over 600 hundred of these surgeries. Can you tell me side effects, how i feel, time in hospital,pain,and how long before able to go back work.I know everyone is different, but....

[Baseball_Mom]

I will be happy to give you my take on things.  I had the Nissen Funduplication procedure done in September of 1995.  I was suppose to spend 5 days in the hospital but my husband convinced the doctor to let me go home the day after surgery.  BIG MISTAKE!  I was unable to get in and out of bed without any help.  First recommendation, stay in the hospital as long as the doctor will let you.  It was about 6 weeks before I could even eat a child's size portion of a meal. I still to this day cannot eat the portions I use to eat before surgery but find if I eat 6 small meals a day, I feel much better. Until March of last year I had no problems with Heartburn or Acid Reflux.  Since then I have found out that this procedure DOES NOT last forever.  The average time the doctors have decided this will cure your problem for is 7 to 10 years.  If you go beyond 10 years, consider yourself very lucky.  I was out of work for 6 weeks after this surgery.  I was very sore the first week and lived on pain medication.  After that I was sore after I would eat and the doctor thought I needed to have more time to get use to the procedure before returning to work.  I'm sure you have read that others have had trouble vomiting or burping since surgery.  I've not had either of those two problems.  If you have any other questions, please feel free to email me.  Take care and best of luck to you.  ***@****

[Bionic Granny]

In May of 2000, I had a nissan fundoplication and it was great. Not in the beginning,though. My spleen ruptured during the procedure and the doctors had to open me up and remove it. I was doing really well, even eating soft food after five days, which is not even normal. I was scheduled to go home on the seventh day,after the surgery, then all hell broke loose. I ended up with a staphalcoccus aureus,enterococcus faecalis, and streptococcal(pnuemonia (pneumonia))infections. I had a severe infection, and the bacteria literally ate a hole into my stomach. I vomited bile and it was pouring from one of my drainage tubes. I spent 18 days in the hospital and had to have a central-line put in, so that they could test my blood on an hourly basis. Needless to say, I left the hospital very frail. Thank God the operation itself, was very succesful. Infact, I ate food faster than any other patients they could remember. I did not have the gas that alot of patients complained of. However, this is not the end of the long story. I have had nine hernias, since then(one and ahalf year).I am meshed every which way but loose (pardon the pun). This is why I call myself Bionic Granny. I have a wonderful doctor and he said today that he is still amazed at my faith. I have not given up, because I know God only gives you what you can handle. To anyone considering this surgery, I am an excetion to the norm. I would do it all over again, because it is like heaven, sleeping on my back, bending over and eating foods I had to give up,because my reflux valve was totally eaten up by acid. There still may be another operation in my future, but I always face each one that tomorrow is better than yesterday. The risk of cancer far out-weighed the pain I have and still endure. So have that surgery-it is just unbeleiveable how you will feel.

[kajo]

AND YOU WOULD DO THIS ALL AGAIN???!!!! GOD BLESS YOU. SOUND LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN TO HELL AND BACK. MY DR. HAS SUGGESTED THE NISSEN SURGERY FOR MY REFLUX BUT I AM SCARED TO DEATH. FIRST, I AM GOING TO CHECK OUT THE NEW ENDOCINCH PROCEDURE TO SEE IF I AM A CANDIDATE FOR THAT. SO MUCH LESS INVASIVE. TOMORROW I GO FOR ANOTHER 24 HR. PH/MOTILITY TEST. YUCK.

[CJones]

OMG! Baseball_Mom I sound just like you!
I had the surgery last Wednesday, still have pain in shoulders at times. If I am lucky I can hold down water, or a slim fast but forget Milk. Swallowing feels like a slow rock has been swallowed and then pain the kerplunk... If I am lucky. Still taking lortabs. My back hurts because I can not sit normally yet, but I am sure this too will pass. I can't yawn without pain.
Went to see my surgeon yesterday and he said that my stomach is like a pair of new shoes, that at first they are tight and sometimes painful, but I need to eat to stretch them out. The stretching is the hard part. It seems not worth eatting if I am in pain, and funny, I don't really feel hungery. I went into surgery at 186, I am at 175 now in only a week.
What foods were you able to "stomach" (excuse the pun). lol!
Thanks for any and all replys...

Cori

[Baseball_Mom]

Its been a few years since my Nissen Fuduplication procedure but I distinctly remember eating stuff like Cream of Wheat and Mashed Potatoes.  But mind you after a couple bits I was stuffed.  Applesauce also went down pretty good.  The key to recovery I believe is to eat a few bites here and there all day long.  This will give your stomach the opportunity to stretch out.  And if taking your pain killers is making you constipated, get some Citricel  and try to drink that.  I know I have a big problem when I'm on pain killers and the fact that I get so constipated.  Cause you don't want to create problems down at the other end.  I feel certain that in time you will be able to eat.  I agree with the doctor you need to eat so that your stomach can start working normally.  Even to this day I find I'm more comfortable eating 6 small meals a day instead of trying to eat 3 big ones.  I still go to restaurants and end up giving half my meal to my husband or one of my sons.  They just laugh at me.  But I'm not allowed to order off the kid's menu.  And my youngest is 14 so he can't either.  If you have any other questions, please feel free to email me.  As for the pain in your shoulders, that will go away in time.  You just need to try to move around as much as you can.  Take care and hope to hear back from you.  Have a GREAT day!

[katec]

Hi
Just a quick note.
I had the nissan one month ago yesterday.  I feel fantastic. I can eat anything, my scars are healing up.  I'm eating normal sized meals, I have energy, I'm back at work, running everyday.
I had the followup appointment with my surgeon, and he gave me clear bill of health.
I've been reading alot of negative comments, and I have met people who have had negative results, so I thought a comment from the other side of the spectrum.
Good Luck, the first two weeks after the surgery are hard, move slowly and don't push yourself to much.  Stick to liquids at first.

Kate

[toy drive]

Thank you for those comments. You are right  I am having this surgery on Monday and all iIread is neg comments, so it's good to hear yours. Thanks

[Baseball_Mom]

I'm sorry if you both felt my comments were negative.  I was just trying to recount what happened as I'm sure you wanted honest answers here, not sugar coated lies.  I agree with KateC that you should have this procedure done.  Just my advise is stay in the hosptial as long as your doctor and insurance company will let you.  Getting out of bed when you get home is going to be a real killer.  My Nissen Funduplication surgery went great for 5 1/2 years then all hell broke loose.  I'm back to having the same symptoms I had BEFORE surgery, only worse.  Toy Drive - I hope and pray that things go well for you.  You will be in my thoughts and prayers.  Have a GREAT day!

[Bionic Granny]

I would like to know from anyone who had the nissan surgery, how their bowel movements were after the surgery. I have had watery and mucous filled stool ever since my surgery and they don't seem to know what the problem is and my GI said it was nerves-don't you just hate that. I'm fixing to go back to New Orleans to see my former GI, to see if he has any idea. The only thing that comes to mind is Crohns or IBS. I'm just afraid that the staph is still present in my intestines and a regular blood test does not show it.Help! I'm sick of all the medicines they've tried.

[Baseball_Mom]

Good Morning!  I don't recall having any problems with my bowels following the Nissan Procedure.  However, after having my gallbladder removed in April of 2001 I've had many problems with my bowels.  My experience has found that if the doctors cannot pin point it to something, they will tell you that you have IBS.  I was talking to my colon/rectal specialist a few weeks ago and he said he certainly wished the GI doctors would quit blamming everying on IBS and find the root of the problem.  Too many people have problems with their bowels after gallbladder surgery and there has to be reason and IBS is not it. I also asked him about Chrones and when he did his exam he said I definitely didn't have that.  Sorry to babble on.  Take care and best of luck to you.

[Bionic Granny]

Thanks for making me feel better. I just had one cup of coffee and now I can't leave the house for a while. I stayed up late doing research and I found something my surgeon might be able to try-I want my life back. I was an active gardener and crafter before all this and now it's hard just to go out to eat anywhere, without rushing home. The pain is unbearable sometimes and I thank God every day for the strength He gave me.

[toy drive]

Thank you. When i said comments were neg i meant not bad just wanted to hear something good. I hope you didn't think i was being mean. I am glad for your comments. Thank you.

[Bionic Granny]

Hi, I hope your surgery went fine. I, too didn't mean to be so negative, infact, everyone who knows me really think I've got spunk for all the surgeries I've had in a short time. My fundoplication was a great success, it was the hospital who failed me, when I got the bacterial infections. I was not even put in a sterile environment. My surgeon is a wonderful person. I tease him now about not being married, but then he would not have given me or any of his patients the same attention. We joke about him not being married at 46, but I'm sure the right person will come along. Oops, sorry for getting carried away. Now you go home and don't do any straining and let other people wait on you. The new sensation of laying on my back, after 20 years was great, not to mention sleeping and eating. I do have problems, but I truly believe mine are related to the bacteria. Take care--happy eating.

[glanz]

Can someone please explain this surgery and what the symptoms were for getting this surgery? Because I want to see if this is what I am heading for.