I had my surgery Monday along with the correction of two hernias in my chest cavity. The Dr. allowed me to come home Tues since I was able to swallow. Also, I CAN BURP! This is good news, often people can't after this surgery and all the gas has to come out the other end. My husband is happy about this too !! Burping hurts but I need to expell all the gas they pumped into me during surgery. The Dr. told me he did a more narrow wrap and that usually means a faster recovery and also allows a person to swallow sooner. I can only swallow liquids two times and then have to take a break but it's better than I expected. I'll be on clear liquids only for a week then hope to move on to Ensure, milkshakes, etc. Soft foods after a month.
I can't seem to concentrate on anything: TV or reading and still have a lot of pain in my chest, throat, and shoulders but hopefully this will pass.
I was concerned since I live in a 3rd World Country (Costa Rica) but everything seemed to go as planned and I have confidence in my doctor. I'll post updates as time goes by.
Congratulations! I had my lap nissen on 12/14/05. I can burp as well. I was on clear liquids only a day and then moved onto full liquids. I had my surgery at Mayo Clinic in minnesota.
Heidi, last night I had earache; actually the pain was as much behind my ears as in my ears. This was 2 days after my fundo. Have you experienced that? Wonder what's up with that
im happy you 2 have had success with your surgery as for me im still haveing complication's with eating severe stomache problem's and i still have to take protonix 160 mg's a day i really don't think my surgery was done correctly but you know the doctor's they will cover for each other
It's now 4 days since my Lap. Fundo and I have big-time chest and shoulder pain. Even into my ears! A heating pad seems to help. I think I must be using my stomach muscles too much. I'm going to give up the bed and spend my time in the recliner since it's easier to get in and out of without using stomach muscles. Seems to feel better too being in a half-seated position rather than lying down.
It's now 5 days since my Fundo. I spent the past 24 hours in husband's recliner with the heating pad on my chest/shoulders. This morning the pain there seems to be less. Breathing causes shart pain in my chest but nothing I can't stand. I'm drinking Ensure, shakes, and juices and eating pureed soups and puddings. Certainly not much, but small amounts every 2 hours. Just made some fattening Flan for later. Going to continue to use the heating pad and recliner. I just hope that shoulder/chest/ear pain doesn't come back!
Sorry I didn't come back and check the board. Since I'm doing so well it just seems that I don't post much, as I'm sure many of us post-surgicals...
Anyway, the pain you guys are having is normal. It is because of the gas they used to inflate your stomach during surgery.
I know it hurts for a while but I promise it will get better.
I had my surgery on 12/14 and I'm eating everything without any problems. In fact I'm getting my tonsils out next week, that is going to be worse than this...
Had my fundo on Jan 16 (it's now Jan 26) and things are moving along pretty smoothly. I had a few problems: developed a cough and was running a fever but the Dr. said it was a minor lung problem and gave me breathing exercises to do. Seems to be helping.
THE BIG SCARE: I hadn't had a BM since my surgery and on Tues. I finally had one but when I wiped THERE WAS BRIGHT RED BLOOD on the paper! I already had a Dr. appt scheduled for that afternoon. Dr. said sometimes when you don't have a movement for some time you develope a small sac of blood in the anus which bursts when you finally have a movement. That was a relief, I was worried about that.
The shoulder pain is mostly a thing of the past. Still strikes when I least expect it but it's usually a sharp pain that only lasts a few minutes. Not the all-encompassing chest/shoulder pain of last week.
Having problems sleeping and still don't have much of an appetite. Wish I could wear street clothes but they really bother those 5 pokey holes I have, so for now I'll stick with nightgown and robe.
I know there's a lot of scary and depressing info on this board regarding this surgery. I know I was terrified before I had mine so I'm determinded to tell it how it is and let people know exactly how it's gone for me. Stay tuned......
It's now 12 days since my lap fundo and I've developed a new problem. After eating (small amounts like 1/2 cup of oatmeal this morning) I have a dull ache and throbing in my esophagus. It's almost like my throat wants to close up. Anyone else have this problem after surgery? I'm not eating much and I'm trying to eat very slowly.
I was just wondering how you are doing now. I just recentley checked out this area as my ENT mentioned Nissen to me the other day. I have GERD w/Barretts Esophagus. My Gastro doc does and EGD every year, but has never mentioned it, but this is like the 3rd or 4th time now that i have had to go to my ENT, get scoped and be told that my vocal cords etc are in bad shape and put on voice rest for a week or more. This time he asked me about the Nissen and if I had heard of it, so here I am doing some research. You seem to be the most positive person I have run across yet and I was just wondering how you were doing so far?
Thanks for listening!
I am doing wonderful!!! I can eat spicy pizza, etc. I am no longer on medication. I notice if I overeat (had this happen 3-4 times) I get a dull pain at the bottom of my esophagus. So I just really try to listen to my body and quit eating before I'm too full.
This surgery seemed to be optional at first but after having a scope done and the MD at Mayo told me my esophagus was raw, I felt I had no other option other than Nissen.
I took medications faithfully and was on Protonix before my surgery and I had to start taking that twice a day. I figured that even with the medication I had a raw esophagus, I didn't want it to turn into Barrett's so I went for it.
I would do it again in a heartbeat!!!! I researched alot on the internet and on forums. It seems like you find a lot of negative people on these forums. I had a brain tumor (meningioma) in May 05 and went on a forum and it was nothing but gloom, my surgery went great, it was benign and I recovered fast with no residual effects.
I also have sleep apnea and the same there, everyone is negative about it ever getting better. I know that if I lose weight and have my tonsils/uvula out I have a pretty darn good chance of getting off CPAP.
Remember the saying: "Don't believe everything you hear", its the case on forums.
I feel that my Lap Nissen has saved me from so much pain. I would get heartburn and be so darn crabby because I was so uncomfortable. My quality of life has improved so much I can hardly believe it.
I have also lost 18 lbs., since having the surgery. It will take time to recover but it is not the end of the world. I ate alot of cream of wheat, yogurt, soft stuff. If I ate too fast or if the food was not soft enough for me (in the beginning) I'd have to go to the bathroom and bring it back up to get rid of it.
Honestly it was not that bad and that phase has passed. This Monday I'll be going to have my post op 6 week check up with a barium swallow.
I tell people all the time how wonderful this surgery has been for me. There is a lot of bad talk about it but that is because the people who have had great results are not here on the forums, they have moved on.
Good luck, if you have any other questions, please let me know.
Thanks so much for writing back! You sound like you are really doing great. I am really leaning more and more towards the N/L. I don't want the Barretts to get any worse, and my ENT said that it has been know to help heal the damage already there with the Barretts - not a guarantee - but hey, it can't hurt to give that part a shot too.
So now I just wait for my Surgery consult, and then my yearly trip in April back to the Gastro Doc and put it all together and we'll take it from there.
Please let me know how your appointment goes with your doctor on Monday. I hope everything goes well. Please keep in touch with me and let me know how things progress.
Thanks so much for allowing me to pick your brain in the future!
Coleen, I was scared to death before my surgery but it wasn't nearly the ordeal I expected. I guess it's better to expect the worst and then have it be better than the opposite. Anyway, it will be 2 wks tomorrow since I had my lap Nissen Fundo and the Dr. said I can start introducting new foods. My throat feels tight after eating so I'll be taking it slow and easy. I haven't had any of the choking, etc and don't want to!
My Dr. told me he did a full, but narrow, wrap and that allows easier swallowing. You might want to ask your Dr. about that. Good Luck!
I had few questions for my doctor. Mainly, can the wrap become undone???he said only if there was trauma, such as a car accident or trauma to my abdomen area, if I gained lots of weight, and cigarette smoking. Those three things can make the wrap become undone. I didn't ask anything more about it.
He said I can drink pop if I want but if it causes me to become bloated don't bother.
I think it really matters who does your surgery. I had Dr. S. Cassivi, he is a surgeon who specalizes in thoracic surgery. He is excellent. At Mayo Clinic of course.
I just wanted to say that I think the reason there is alot of gloom and doom is becasue people come to the boards when something is WRONG...most people will not come on looking for the board when they are doing great!
I had hernia surgery in Aug and read alot of gloom as well but it was not NEARLY as bad as i thought it would be,.......good luck to all!
I had a Nissen fundoplication 12 years ago. I wish I had never done it. The recovery was long and painful, and it took me 6 months to be able to burp again. But I was never told there'd be a trade-off. The procedure is designed to keep acid from coming up, but it also keeps anything from coming up. I'm talking about vomiting. I am not one to vomit easily. I have to be really sick. But when I do, I can no longer vomit lie I should be able to. I go through the motions, but nothing comes up. This isn't good when the body is trying to expel something bad. I wouldn't recommend this surgery to anyone.
It's now nearly 7 weeks since my lap fundo and I'm doing great! I still have to eat small meals but that's no problem. I'm eating nearly anything now with the exception of red meat. I even had pizza twice. No heartburn and no choking on anything. I've lost 10# and expect to lose more. I wish everyone was as fortunate as I've been!
Your surgery and recovery stories are very helpful and encouraging. Underwent fundo in December 05 for hiatus hernia and LPR but procedure was abandoned as they found a nodule in the stomach which they wanted to investigate first. Whilst I was relieved that the CT scans on this came back clear I was frustrated that the fundo did not take place as I was hopeful it would relieve my symptoms after 2 difficult years. Still awaiting a new date for surgery and desperately trying to keep well and lose some weight gained over the holiday period. Just out of interest did your surgeons state you needed to lose weight before undergoing the fundo? I need to focus on the positive benefits you have described and get ready for the surgery. With hindsight, I do not think I was physically or mentally prepared the first time around and I am not pressing for the surgery to be done until I feel ready.
Please keep us all informed of your progress.......especially to confirm that you are still doing well. So often on the boards we lose touch with the success stories and the positive energy they provide.
2 days post op Nissen Fundoplication 
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Re: 2 days post op Nissen Fundoplication 
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I wish everyone was as fortunate as I've been!
