 Post-surgery pain from Nissen Fundo?
There is hope if you have post-surgery pain and bloating from a Nissen Fundoplication. I had a nissen done in June 2000. The years following the surgery were filled with pain, bloating, gas, and symptoms of IBS. I couldn't burp or vomit. Like many others, I was never told that this could be an outcome of the nissen.
I went to different GI specialists and asked them what I could do about these symptoms. Three of them told me I'd just have to live with it. I was not prepared to accept that answer. Finally, the fourth specialist said that there were things that we could try. We tried diet changes, lifestyle changes, and stretching the wrap with a scope- dilation procedure. Nothing helped at all. We decided that I only had one option left, to reverse the nissen and take down the wrap or live with the pain. I decided to take down the wrap. The thought of getting my heartburn and hernia back scared me but at least heartburn and acid reflux are treatable. I just couldn't accept that there was nothing I could do about my pain. Three months ago, I had the surgery to reverse my nissen. When they looked inside my belly they saw that my wrap was either done too low initially or had slipped down below my diaphram after the surgery. Basically my stomach was tied in a not at the top. So they reversed the wrap and sewed me back up.
The first time I burped after the surgery I was in my hospital room trying to recover. I must have woken up the entire floor I was on. I just couldn't stop telling God “Thank you”. I think I was actually shouting. (Narcotics can make things a bit hazy.) Anyway, I feel so great!! The head of my bead is on blocks again and I'm on Aciphex twice a day but it doesn't even phase me. I almost appreciate my heartburn after knowing what the alternative is. Now I'm burping like a champ again and no longer have to excuse myself 5 times in a one-hour meeting to go pass gas.
Of course, I can't give you medical advice concerning your condition nor can I advocate nissen reversal for everyone, but if your specialist is telling you to grin and bear it, just remember that you have another option. Only you know if your pain is bad enough after the surgery to have it reversed. I just wanted to let everyone know that there is hope and the reversal can work!
Please let me know if anyone has any questions about the procedure or the outcome. Also thanks to everyone for support and wisdom while I was making the decision to have the reversal surgery.
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