I had the surgery 5 yrs ago.   I had to live on ensure for 5 weeks after the surgery.  also lost some weight but Ive gained it back.  I tried everything before the surgery but nothing helped.  I also still had reflux after the surgery until I stopped drinking coffee.  It was making me sick every morning.  I loved it but couldnt deal with the sick feeling.  I cant throw up which is a big deal but I had some phenagan that stopped the sickness.   If you can do any thing, that will stopped the reflux, I would not recommend the surgery but I would have it if you have tried everything possible.  Im still taking prevacid.  Ive been on it for 10 yrs.

I had this surgery in September 2011 and just had to have it redone 2 weeks ago. The first 6 months were glorious.  I was able to eat foods I hadn't eatin in years and no reflux at all. Unfortunately my reflux burned my lungs and i have serious COPD because of it. When it started to return I didn't realize what was happening, I just knew my lungs were getting worse. I ended up having a critical care pulmonologist who basically told me he didn't know what to do because nothing was helping my lungs. I told him I was having some stomach issues and heartburn again and he sent me back to the surgeon who did my original Nissan. The surgeon was not at all happy about the fact that I was having the heartburn and sent me immediatly for the Bravo test, which came back normal. He then sent me for an upper GI, which showed a small hiatal hernia with some reflux. He really didn't want to re-do the Nissan surgery but since I was aspirating the stomach fluids and it was burning my lungs, they really had no choice. He had one of his partners in his practice re-do the surgery while he was also in attendance. I woke up with a feeding tube down my throat, which I did not have the first time. The whole experience has been dreadful. If this is what I have to look forward to in the future, I will not have this procedure re-done. The first Nissan recovery was not bad. This one, just awful. It's been two week since the surgery and I came home from the hospital on oxygen because my lungs are in such bad shape and I haven't had my first post-op visit yet, that's tomorrow. So, we will see what they say happened. I hope everyone else has better luck than I had. The vomiting, or lack there of for me, was so minimal compared to the amount of reflux and the damage I was doing. it is miserable not to be able to vomit, but the end result if you do is bad..  good luck everyone.

I thought I was the only person who has experienced lung issues as well. I have copd due to years of aspiration because no doctor detected the gerd. Last year I underwent 4 nissen fundoplications and on the 4th one the doctor took it down as food was not passing through. Since then I've been diagnosed with Bronchiectasis a rare lung disorder. I found another surgeon who performed a toupet fundoplication 9 weeks ago. Sad to say 4 weeks after surgery I'm back on all my ppi medication and struggling once again with the pain of reflux. He says my next option is to remove 90 percent of my stomach in order for it to not produce acid. I'm a 40 year of female, never smoked don't drink and I'm about 5 foot 6 inches and 130 pounds. I don't know how I'll survive losing my stomach and still have no idea why all of this has happened to me.....if anyone has advice please e mail me at familysrus@hotmail.com. Sincerely, scared and alone.

Hi.. I am 6 months post surgery. I was sent to a different surgeon by my critical care pulmonologist. The surgeon he sent me to was one that specializes in repairing failed Nissens. After seeing him the first time he felt that I was aspirating bile and not stomach acid. After a multitude of tests that came back with trace amounts of acid.. he told me that he could completely redo my surgery and hope that it would be better but honestly, with every surgery the chance of success lessens. He also told me he could put a feeding tube in which is not something I want nor did he recommend it. He advised me to give more time for healing. If you are like me, and you probably are since you have the COPD as well, then you probably have oxygen problems. Having oxygen problems will cause slow healing. I am on oxygen full time now and have not been back to work since my surgery 6 months ago. I have to admit that the reflux has gotten better and after a CT of my lungs, the doctor told me that my lungs look better than they have in a year. There is no cure for COPD so it will never be gone, but as my critical care pulmonologist explained to me, if they can reduce my symptoms, I will feel much better. So far, I don't feel any better as far as my lungs go. I still feel that burning, tingling, bitter taste in my mouth a short time after eating. I have a lot of bloating and eat gas-x like crazy. I take one prescription strength prevacid twice daily. At my worst I was taking Aciphex plus multiple prilosecs daily and even eating tums like candy. I am no longer at the point where I have to throw up from the acid reflux, but I have to watch what foods I eat. So, in short, it does get better eventually...  the new surgeon did tell me that it would need to be re-done again at some point in the future.. they all do.. they come undone.. I have low blood pressure and I am difficult to bring out of anesthesia so I am now on an emergency only status for surgeries because of that. I cannot go back to work and am pretty much confined to my house now due to the sensitivities I have to smells (perfumes, lotions, smoke, cleansers, etc.). I can't be around people without having a massive asthma attack. The same goes for going into stores where there are any odors at all..  Also my immune system is so low that when I do manage to go in public, I catch every bug there is. I had the flu a month ago and not being able to throw up made that a miserable time.  Anyway.. don't give up, it will get better (hopefully for you)...  you just have to re-adjust your whole life when you have COPD..  it's not easy, but at least I'm alive.

 

 My 19 year old son, who is Down Syndrome, had the surgery in 2006.  Every risk that could happen happened.  He threw a blood clot, had a perferation in his stomach, abscess under his diaphragm, collapsed lungs, and fluid in his lungs.  Now, 3 years later, an endoscopy and upper GI showed that his stomach has moved up around his esophagus, hour-glassed shaped, and he needs to have the surgery done again, his stomach pulled down and a piece of some type of material stitched in to keep his stomach from rising up around his esophagus.  Has anyone ever heard of this happening?  I know that people with special needs and neurological problems have higher risks of danger.   I asked to postpone the operation until near Christmas vacation and they suggested not to.  Does anyone know of doctors in the Boston area?  I'm in Maine and my son's gastrointestinal dr. is the best in Maine for children, so I'm assuming he has the best surgeons.  Any suggestions would help me immensely! 

I am very sorry to hear about your son. I had this procedure done in June 2009 by a laparoscopic specialist who "fixes other surgeon's surgeries", Dr. Fixit. I awoke from the operation to great pain that progressed. The dry heaves followed a bad reaction to morphine. After 3 days in the hosp and my condition worsening, they decided to "have a look". Over half my stomach had been pulled up throgh the diaphragm (herniated, as mentioned above) and lodged by the L lung. This 4.5 hour second surgery repaird things, but I returned home with pneumonia and the next 3 months learning to eat again. Lost 30 pounds. Sept '09 began with severe gas, diarrhea and the most awful burps that I became Mr. Unsociable. Was told by Dr. 2nd Opinion that surgery would fix me. No Way! Vagus nerve damage with gastroparesis, said another. Finally, some probiotics (S. boulardii) saved me! I have had 2 relapses into these symptoms that might last weeks, but they are usually cleared up with heavy probiotic doses. I typically cannot eat huge meals, and I cannot vomit any more (a terrible feeling with food poisoning!). I would have never had this surgery but remained on Nexium if I had received full discloser prior to the first operation.  So, yes, these severe complications occur. My second surgery saved my life. It was "almost catastrophic", Dr. Fixit said, but he had flatly refused to go back in until it was apparent that I was dying. Without strongly persisent self advocacy and a wife who kept meticulous records for a week in the hosp, I would not be here now. I hope you son regains some semblance of normalcy, and understands his suffering was not any blame of yours. I am very sorry for you! cCc

Thanks for your response!  My son had his second surgery to correct the herniated stomach back in October '09 (which they undo the Nissan and redo it).  He had an endoscopy done in February '10 and although there was inflamation, the biopsies showed it wasn't Barrett's and less inflamed than before surgery.  He is back on Protonix as a back-up.  He does have stomach tissue in his esophagus, but still shows its not Barrett's Esophagus, which I am thankful for.  If this second surgery does not work out, they will insert a feeding tube to give his esophagus time to heal.  So far so good.  Sounds like you have been through quite a bit yourself and I wish you well in your recovery.  My son does not communicate (only by pointing to pictures) and never complains of pain, so we have to guess at just about everything, but we will do our best and try to be the best advocates for him.  Best of luck to you!  Neese