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Issues after Nissen fundoplication revision
Hello. I had a Nissen redo two years ago, and about a month ago I started to have some epigastric pain. It started with some epigastric pain sort of behind the base of my sternum, sort of like light stinging pain. I had some unusual throat tightness for a couple weeks followed by some unusually frequent burping. With both this redo and my previous Nissen, I could never really burp much, but that was always expected.
However, over the past month since the incident, I've been having mostly small burps (a few larger ones) close to a hundred times a day without exaggeration. Even if I drink water, I feel an awkward discomfort in my esophagus and have to burp, often multiple times. I don't feel like I'm having discernible reflux, but I do have a consistent discomfort in my esophagus. PPIs haven't seemed to help at all.
Has anyone else had any issues of temporary irritation where this has happened? I'm hoping it's a transient issue that could be linked to something else, but I'm not sure what else it could be. I'm in the process of moving and the company I worked at went under recently, so I'll be unable to see a doctor for at least a few months. In the meantime, I figured it would be worthwhile to see if anyone else who has had a wrap has faced an issue like this. I'd be especially curious to hear if anyone else had an issue like this and— if it went away after a time— what caused it.
The wrap was done by an experienced surgeon who said the durability should last for a long time, and I've been careful to not do anything that would cause too much abdominal pressure.
Anyone else have a similar issue?
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Only have surgery as a last resort. Improve your diet. Lose all acidic foods and drink. No booze or carbonated drinks. No fruit juices. Drink water and unsweetened almond milk which is alkaline. They sell 9.5 alkaline water. No caffeine until it heals. No fried foods, Mexican or Italian. No smoking go for a 2 mile fast walk everyday if you can. No eating out junk foods. Good luck because this is all you can do. No eating 3-4 hours before bed. Hopefully your stomach junction will heal.
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3 ReactionsI have also researched this procedure extensively and will not be pursuing it. There is no going back and it may ruin your esophagus forever. I followed the same program outlined below. No acidic foods, nothing spicy, no carbonated beverages, no alcohol, no chocolate, etc. I consume only non processed foods, homemade, went off wheat and dairy with huge success. I also drink alkaline water. I also walk and work out with weights three times a week. Losing weight has been very beneficial. Read books by Dr. Jamie Koufman, The Acid Reflux Diet and The Chronic Cough. She has been a lifesaver! I still do take one Prilosec 20mg daily, but I’m ok with that 😉
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1 Reaction25 years ago I had my first fundo. I was told it was necessary because I had Baretts esophogus.(Precursor to cancer). The gerds was horrible. I had regurg into my lungs many times. I was on all kinds of PPI's. never completly helped.
The surgery lasted 10 years still taking Omeprazole. Due to complications with wrap I had 2 more Nissen fundos. They both failed as well.
Had recent endoscopy at Mayo. Now it seems that the surgeries have damaged my esophogus. I have no peristalsis to move food out. (Nice)
I had to have a major Bariatric surgery 2 months ago at Mayo Jacksonville.
It worked. I have no reflux or regurgitation.
I always followed directions from doctors.
but it seems like when things dont work...they blame the patient.
I do not recommend doing the Nissen. Modern day torture!!
Google Jamie Koufman MD, many say she's the best regarding reflux and diet - she coined the description 'Silent Nocturnal Respiratory Reflux'.
Could you describe what you are left with after the major Bariatric surgery ? Do you still have a functioning sphincter between the esophagus and the stomach? Also what symptoms indicated your Nissen Fundo had collapsed?
The only way to find out is through endoscopy. It appears that some people just don't do well with Fundoplication. I am one of them. In January I had a routine endoscopy and they found the wrap not intact and a large hiatal hernia. I was on Rx Nexium 40mg which barely worked.
No there is no sphincter anymore. Each surgery for this is specific to each patient. My esophogus is just a tube that feeds a smaller stomach now.
It has been pretty hard to get used to eating like this. I am not obese...I have never been. My problem was simply reflux and gerds.
There are actually very few diets at Mayo for gaining weight. Which is quite disappointing. Liquid diet and blended diet was not so good for me and lost more weight. I am stabized right now at 127lbs Good luck to all. God is Good
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1 ReactionThanks for you reply. So if there's only a tube into a smaller stomach, when you lie down why does the stomach content chemistry not run up the esophagus causing harm ?
Thanks for your advice - I followed it and went to Dr. Jamie Koufman's webpage and it has helped me quite a lot. I have learned so much from just reading her comments and ideas on SNoRR. I just ordered her book on "Dropping Acid: The Reflux Disease. I think she may be way "ahead of the curve" in her findings on the causes and remedies of what we so wrongly call "GERD". She identifies it as RR - Respiratory Reflux.
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1 ReactionI underwent a Nissen Fundoplication in Nov 2022. Over the past 3 years, I have been experiencing significant hair loss / thinning. Is this hair loss a documented side effect postop, possibly due to the change in my absorptive surface after the surgery? I have been evaluated by both my dermatologist and endocrinologist and nothing has been found as a cause.
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2 ReactionsHi, @nomadnurses2 - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. As you were talking about significant hair loss three years post-Nissen Fundoplication, I've moved your post here to a discussion where others are talking about issues following this surgery:
- Nissen Fundoplication 2 Years Later: Complications? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/nissen-fundoplication-2-years-later-complications/
Hoping others here who have talked about being on the other side of this surgery will provide some support and share whether hair loss has been part of their experiences, such as @metwo @dolphinpoo @pat23 @jord @jayjay1969. I'd also like you to meet @jlharsh.
I see you said that no cause has been found for the hair loss by a dermatologists and an endocrinologist. Wondering if they suggested you treat the hair loss? If so, what treatment did they recommend?
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