Post op side effects of fundoplcation

[CalmBreeze]

I had my appointment today with a surgeon to make arrangemtns to get a large hiatal hernia repaired.  The test show that 75% of my stomach is above my diaphragm and the junction between the esophagus and stomach is above the diaphragm.  He did not talk that much about post-op care other than I would be on a soft diet for about 3 weeks and would need to be off work 3 to 4 weeks.  He gave me a brochure on the surgery.  I'm reading it tonight and it is talking about the risk and complications.  Most of them are things I would have suspected could happen but one of them I don't understand.  That is "An inabiity to vomit".  Does anyone out there know exactly what that means.  Does that mean you would physically not be able to ever vomit again in your whole life?  What type of effects would this have on you if you were unable to vomit if you had a stomach virus or something.  I would appreciate any information that anyone has about this.  Also, are there other risk or side effects you know of that I haven't heard about yet.  Looking forward to someone responding.  Thanks in advance.

[leakypoop]

I hand the LappNissan fundo 10 years and it was the best thing (healthwise) to happen to me.  I battle severe GERD for years b/c of Hiatal Hernia, but I feared the surgery.  The day my lunch came up while I was standing talking with a coworker was the day I knew I couldn't go on without help.  So I had the surgery and my had NO PROBLEMS afterward as far as the problems that others had with their insides.  The reason I say it so clumsily is b/c what I had problem with was the abdominal pain afterward--not medicated enough in the hospital and it took me 6 weeks to recover.  My boss knew I was not a baby about pain and understood.  She said she took one look at me after I'd had the surgery and knew I wouldn't be back as soon as I'd expected (I'd been told 2 to 4 weeks).  

I ate only liquid or pureed items for the first month.  When I called my doctor from home about getting pain meds he prescribed some pills that were bigger than anything I'd eaten!  I couldn't get then down.  I tried splitting then, but they scratched my throat.  I should have called him back but I didn't.  Sometimes docs just don't think.

In case you doc doesn't tell you (mine didn't), this surgery only lasts about 10 years.  Someone told me after I'd had it done. But I was to the point I just had to have it anyway so wouldn't have made a difference.  

I couldn't burp at first or vomit (actually I haven't vomited since---hurray-).  It hasn't bothered me a bit.  I have started burping the past couple years and I now have GERD again--gave me laryngitis.  Had to take Nexium to heal it.  

Even tho my surgery is obviously coming undone or whatever it does, loosen up, I guess, these years have been wonderful as far as quality of life.  I was able to lay down with propping my head up on pillows, take a nap whenever I wanted, and eat as late as I wanted.  I used to vomit so hard it would come out my nose and that really hurt b/c your nose tissue is tender.

I hope this has been helpfull.

[cstein]

I had a hiatal hernia and also had the fundoplication done.  I felt worse the moment I came out of surgery and have had nothing but problems since I had the surgery done in July 2007.  My wrap was to tight and I could not swallow I would choke on food and would have trouble breathing everytime I would eat.  What a horrible feeling.  My surgeon did the balloon procedure to open up my throat which helped food pass through although it made part of my wrap fall down.  When my wrap fell, my esophagus wrapped around the middle of my stomach and everytime I would eat it would cause me pain.  Not realizing what was happening I did not return to my surgeon until 2 months later.  They then did  testing which showed I would need another surgery to remove the esphogus from my stomach.  I had another surgery 6 months after my original surgery.  The findings were unsettling.  My esphogus created a band around my stomach causing severe scar tissue around my liver, bowels, and stomach.  The surgeon had to cauterize a portion of my liver just to remove the esophagus, it was stuck.  I have suffered worse since I started this process in 2007.  I am still looking for answers and am thinking of having the wrap let down.  I suffer from gas bloat syndrome and have spent thousands of dollars trying to make it through each day.  I am not sure if I would recommend this surgery.  It is not a cure and is only a 50/50 chance of actually working,  Good Luck

[CalmBreeze]

After you responded to my message I sent a note directly to you but I don't think it went through.  I am out of town right now taking care of my dad.  I will be back home this Thursday.  I will write you again with more details when I get back.  I appreciate your input.  Thanks

[babygirl6152]

I had the less tight fundo- and I have gas bloat and am able to burp- a LOT- I am sure it is because  it is the loose one- my GI doc and my surgeon are two different doctors- and when I told my GI doc of all the burping I had to actually prove it- he thought you were not even supposed to be able to burp much less vomit so all he says is I am lucky that I can burp- he has folks with the tight fundo wrap that actually beg him to put in an NG tube so they can get some relief-
I had this surgery about 4 years ago and have been nauseated for short periods and got dry heaves- the virus heads south is all ----and you eventually get diarrhea- I do keep phenergan suppositories on hand- had  to use 1/2 of one this weekend- I had a stomach bug and felt nauseous and dizzy and had diarrhea but silly me I wanted to go to church and stopped it all up with Immodium- so here I am finally having bowel movements again and wishing I had let it all run it's course Saturday- so I lay in bed all day today dizzy etc- all of it could have passed thru my system days ago I imagine-

So- to answer your question- if you want the fundo because you are sure your reflux will be better and your quality of life will be wonderful - it may be /
compared to your symptoms now- I had nightly vomiting- my hiatal hernia was so high and my LES so weak- I put up with that for years and weighed 99 pounds by the time I finally got surgery, so I am a happy girl- even with the burps- (gas/bloat)

BTW I even had to sign a release at the surgeons office stating full well I realize I may get gas bloat and not sue him for it-

so how bad are your present reflux symptoms?

send me a note if you'd like and I can walk you thru this

warm regards

[CalGal]

As long as the 'wrap' is properly done, it means that you physically will not be able to vomit. The presence of that wrap will make the physical act or reguritation from the stomach into the esophagus impossible.

For those who have experienced it, they report that it can be extremely uncomfortable. In some cases people will 'stock' anti-nausea meds to make sure they don't get the urge to vomit and try to forestall the act itself.  From what I understand, the act of vomiting may undo the wrap to some extent.

There is also a side-effect that I don't know if the brochure addresses. It's a condition that seems to be term 'bloating syndrome.' I don't know how prevalent it is, but there are some people who find the condition so uncomfortable that they have the wrap reversed.