# Surgery



## MsJanB (Jan 26, 2000)

HiI have now gotten to the unfortunate point of deciding whether or not to have the Nissen Fundoplication surgery. This is definitely one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. I have struggled with GERD for the past 5-8yrs,and it has gotten to the point of me trying every med out there for this with mostly terrible side effects. The one med. I can tolerate(Previcid) is not helping. I still have chest pains,trouble swallowing, and the acid reflux is affecting my voice box for the second time in a year. I love to sing, and my voice was sounding hoarse and cracking at Christmas. I do really fear the outcomes of the surgery,because there are some slight chances for continued swallowing difficulties among other things. Plus the bad lifetime effect of never being able to vomit again.Does anyone have knoledge of someone who's gone through the surgery and had positive results? I am looking for some positive imput if anyone has some.Thanks,Jan


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## Duce94 (Aug 11, 2002)

My doctor has just told me also to maybe start thinking of surgery. I have read the same thing. I have one friend that said he had it done. He has had all kinda medical problems thou. But from what he says that alot of his side effects from the surgry went away after acouple months. He said he hasn't had the same problems since. I didn't know him when he had this all done but I have now known the guy for about 5 years now. Let me know how it goes so I can also make this difficult dissistion.


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## MsJanB (Jan 26, 2000)

Thanks for your reply. I heard back from my doctor's office today. Tomorrow I am scheduled for a "mamometry"(?) test. I think it's something like the horrible 24 hr ph test,only they complete it there and it only takes an hour or so. Oh I am not looking forward to this.My surgery is tentitivly scheduled for Feb. 10th.I am also hoping that I have 4-6 weeks sick time at my job. It's a long time to be off work.I am not looking forward to this at all. It's just that I know in my heart that this is the prudent thing to do.I'll come back when it's done and let you know how it's helped me.(hopefully)Jan


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## sabriel (May 27, 2002)

Hi Jan,Don't know anyone who has had the Nissen surgery, but I found some information about the procedure at the Web MD site: http://my.webmd.com/search/search_results?...=library_filter You may like to read it. There are 3 links on the page, one about the procedure, one about why it is performed and one about GERD itself.Hope they might help some.Take care.


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## DavidLA (Nov 28, 2000)

Hi Jan,-Sorry to hear about your situation. I also was faced with this decision over a year ago. Having had horrible results with the PPI's. I did a ton of research & I would say 1/2 the people regreted it & the other 1/2 said it helped them allot. I choosed not to have the surgery & go the alternative drug route. I Have been feeling much better, swallowing better,less burning, easier to talk without pain. I know this is a miserable condition, but it is possible to get better without having surgery. The burning sensation I have was incredilble, my throat, neck, sinus, facial muscles, all felt swollen from the acid coming up.But..with drastic changes in my diet, supplements, its 70% better & I still have allot of things left to try and experiment with. You may want to check out the book ..No More Heartburn by Dr. Sherry Rogers..shes a conventional Dr. who believes that all PPI Drugs and surgery is not necessary. You may want to invest in the book first!! Once the surgery is done...ITs DONE! No turning back!! I don't want to scare you with some of the stories I've heard, but please give it very very very careful thought!!!!Good Luck!!!!!!


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## Que49 (Jul 18, 2001)

Hi Jan,I had the surgery Feb, 2001. I was so very sick before that I was really ready to try anything. It went well and I was very happy with the results. I am again having the severe burning and trouble swollowing. I see the surgeon again on the 17th of this month. They think it is my hiatel hernia. I have been very sick since Christmas Eve. I certainly hope they can fix it again. You can not eat meat is my only real complaint. Well you can eat it very very small pieces and chewed well. I have found it not worth the effort. Are you talking about Laproscopic right. Sue


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## MsJanB (Jan 26, 2000)

Hi,Yes, the surgeon is going to do the proceedure laproscopic-,so I am hoping it wont be as bad as might be the other way. I have been feeling so sick this last week. I wake up at night with burning pressure in my lower chest/upper abdomen.I do not know why this is happening to me, I guess it's the hiatal hernia+the esophageal reflux. I am wondering if maybe I'm having gallbladder problems as well, because everytime I eat,especially anything that is the least bit fatty, greasy or rich, I really suffer with that abdominal pain under my rib cage. Do I mention this to the surgeon or call my gastroenterologist before surgery or just wait and see if it gets worse? I hate this.Jan


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## renie (Jan 24, 2003)

Hello,I had a Fundoplicaton in May 01. Let me first say that I am not trying to influence anyone into not having the surgery. I would like to make you aware of the risk of the surgery. Unfortunately, I nearly died after having surgery. After the surgery I suffered from an esphogeal leak. For those of you who do not know what that is let me briefly explain. This procedure takes a portion of your stomach a wraps it backwards so to speak. There was a leak right where I was stitched. Acid from my stomach leak into my entire body. I was poisoned. Which I later found out was a risk of the procedure. I had emergency exploratory surger 5 days later. I was I in intensive care for over 10 days. I was in the hospital for 2 months. I was on disability for 6 months. I was cut open from my diaphram to well past my naval. I had my last surgery Dec 2 03 which had to be done to correct three hernias as wells as scar tissue.Let me state that while my situation is rare. It could happen to anyone. I would like to make you all aware of the side affects to this procedure. I can't blurp. I can not eat large meals. I am constantly bloated. I do not have the ability to up chock if I get sick to me stomach. I would not recommend this procedure to anyone. If you consider this please find a experienced surgeon and investigate how many times he/she has performed the procedure. Please be a informed consumer. While I know that you feel bad having reflux as I did. This procedure will eliminate that but will have other side affect. I am doing better now but I will never be the same. This surgery should not be taken lightly. Yes, there are risk to everything I am aware now. Please just think hard and long about it.Stay strong.Renie


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## DavidLA (Nov 28, 2000)

Hi Renie,-Excellent post! I also considered having surgery for horrible acid reflux. What I found interesting is that I thought acid reflux meant burning just in your chest area. WRONG!!! My throat, sinus area, face,, just constantly burned, felt swollen for months. I read a book called Alkality or Death. Which discussed which foods create more acid (Meats, wheats, dairy) & which foods create more Alkality(fruits, vegetables) After experimenting with different food combinations & taking various supplements, its about 70% better now. I'm so glad I didn't choose the surgery. H aving the surgery is a huge risk...My advice to anyone considering this...first do a radical change in your diet first, buy a juicer!! start only with carrots,and spinich. Stop eating any meat! eat small amounts of fish,(I found the oily fish best , (salmon, sea bass, tuna,) What you want to do is build up your "alkality bank" eat steamed vegetables, with lunch, and dinner, Don't give up. good luck!


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## MsJanB (Jan 26, 2000)

Hi,I hear the warnings of you guys,and thanks for the manner in which you present them. My doctor has warned me of all of the possible after affects of this surgery, and I am going into the proceedure with eyes open. I have also spoken to several people who have gone through the surgery, happy now and feeling well,although the recovery time and situations sounds very painful and uncomfortable. Those people do say to me that if they had the choice to make again, they would again choose the proceedure.My situation is a litte different. I have been a vocalist all my life,and singing is like breathing to me. The acid reflux has taken much of my voice away from me,and made singing more work than ever. If I do not do something radical to change the course of this disease(medicine has had no effect on me),I might loose my singing voice forever.Three years ago I had carpal tunnel surgery on both hands/wrists. My hands no longer ache with pain,but my hands will never have the same strength or coordination. The point is,I do realize there are trade-offs here,as there usually are in life in general. Sometimes we are willing to take risks and sometimes the risks are not worth taking.I have the surgery on Feb.10th with a doctor who has done thousands of these proceedures and is very experienced in general.If you do that sort of thing, please, keep me in your prayers,as I have the surgery."How can I keep from singing"(Shaker Hymn)Jan


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