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Fundoplication and Gastroparesis
After developing GERD that wasn’t sufficiently managed by medication and diet changes, I underwent surgery: a hiatal hernia repair and full nissen fundoplication.
I’ve just learned that I now have gastroparesis, caused by the surgery. I haven’t yet met with the doctor to come up with a treatment plan.
Everything I’ve read so far is discouraging. It looks like the only long-term treatment option is diet changes, and I’m seeing lots of people for whom that doesn’t help much. I’m experimenting with diet, and so far nothing stops the pain. My GERD is so much worse now than it ever was before the surgery.
Would reversing the surgery potentially solve this?
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Gastroparesis is definitely not fun. I am so sorry that you are dealing with this.
The most important thing you can do is talk with your GI doctor about how to manage this.
There are Motility Medication that help with getting things moving out of the stomach, if the diet change alone is not working.
You can also have a Gastric Emptying Test done to determine what is the best course of action. This will provide you lots of information about the surgery you had vs the gastroparesis.
Before you reverse the other surgery ask to have the Gastric Emptying Test done before putting yourself through another surgery.
I feel your pain and please know you are not alone.
Not being able to eat because of gastric pain is HORRIBLE!
Ask more questions and someone on here will maybe answer them.
Sending you lots of Warm Hugs as you navigate this.
KC
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4 ReactionsHi @honeybear, and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! You have landed in a great place to share information and encouragement like @kcblevins61. I agree, definitely not fun and partnering with your GI doc will be invaluable.
A consistent healthy diet and regular activity have been helpful as I journey through my experience. There is a great Connect discussion you might find helpful:
- Connect Discussion: How Do I Eat After Digestive Tract Surgery?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/how-do-i-eat-after-digestive-tract-surgery/
Have you noticed anything that has provided relief, even short-term?
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4 ReactionsTry a low carb gluten free diet. It helped my GERD tremendously and the gluten isn't helping any with moving it through your system.
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1 ReactionThis is the reason I decided NOT to have the hernia repair and the full nissen fundoplication. My GERD was not being controlled by drugs anymore and my quality of life was miserable. I got a surgical consultation regarding the surgery. The surgeon downplayed the possibility of gastroparesis. But the more reading I did regarding this side effect the scarier it seemed to proceed with surgery. I know the risk is low but do I want to take the risk of being way worse off after the surgery then when I was before. No. So I am just modifying my eating a bit and using a wedge pillow and started a new medication. I would rather have a known problem then to navigate a new, worse problem. I hope you can find some relief and the gastroparesis can be managed. So sorry you are dealing with this.
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3 Reactions@chirpybirdy same here, although the only thing the surgeon told me is I may have a problem swallowing. That was enough to help me make the decision not to have surgery.
Yes, my surgeon did mention a slight risk of dysphagia too. He said usually it is because the surgeon wraps the fundus too tight. But, I see so many people commenting that they have swallowing problems after the surgery it just scared me off all together. Then I started to see all the comments about stomach problems with digestion too. Yikes! I am gonna play the wait and see game for a while. I don't want to be on PPI's for ever and am afraid of the long-term effects but I am more scared of changing the anatomy of my stomach and having irreversible problems. I want to look into the LINX procedure for my weak LES and at that time have my hernia fixed. But that is in the future. For now just PPI's for me.