Fundoplication and hernia repair

Posted , 15 users are following.

Hello, I am 24 years old and I currently live my life on 40mg of ompreazole a day.

Last week I confirmed with my consultant that I am going to have the fundoplication, he seems very positive and said due to my young age and no other known serious medical conditions my recovery and results will be good!

I have seen so many negative posts about the surgery on this forum and very few positive, but I am going to be positive, I'm 24 and having already had Barratts confirmed I am not prepared to let my mouldy oesophagus win haha!

Just wondering if there is anyone else of a similar age who has successfully had the operation?

1 like, 37 replies

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  • Posted

    Wow stephanie, let me know your outcome. I'm thinking about the surgery myself but have read so many negative recovery responseS, I'm a little skeptical but I am determined to live my life reflux free
  • Posted

    Sorry Older (cry) but I'm just over a week since my surgery which also included a hernia repair. So far so good. Best advice:

    -Excercise before the surgery (I was walking abt 3 mi a day) -- but you may not want to do things that you will not be able to do after surgery (like abdominal workouts)

    -Start watching what you eat even if you don't have to loose weight, to get in the practice of paying attention to your diet (very important afterward)

    -Also when you go in for surgery be sure to take yoga pants or something with an elastic waist as you will be very swollen when you go home

    -Also before surgery, be sure to check out the Nissen diet and stock up your house on the liquids and soft foods that you will be eating

  • Posted

    Sorry to crash the party, but I am not a fan of fundoplication surgery of any kind for treating acid reflux.  I know I'm going to get some flack for this but I believe it is overkill.  It is life changing.  It can have many complications that could make you wish you could go back in time.  One large meal could literally blow the surgery apart.  How big of a meal is too big?  One holiday meal, one trip to the local buffet and your back to square one.  Or worse.  People like to eat, it is human nature.  I am wondering how you got here at the age of 24.  I have heard some doctors indicate that the surgery may need to be repeated as often as every 10 years.  My nephew just got to 10 years and is in need of a repair surgery.  I hate to use the term but I think it is a bit barbaric.  Recovery can be an ordeal.  I feel sorry for anyone who has had this surgery.  For a woman, what if you get pregnant?  Pressure from pregnancy plus an insatiable appitite could be disastrous.  I would like you to postpone this temporarily and try my easy, natural, low cost treatment.  I will send it as a private message.  Regards, Jonathan.
    • Posted

      I am the same age as Stephanie and have had it in March. The surgery worked very well and you just have to follow the suggested diet. 

      Your stomach shrinks with the surgery anyway so literally, you don't feel like large portions. You are advised to have 6-8 small meals/snacks a day and it's working for me !! 

      You have have to look into the future and what implications reflux can cause somebody longterm when having this condition at such a young age. 

    • Posted

      Jonathan, you say it is barbaric them recommending it for your 10 year old? I am actually a family support worker and know several children who have had this op at a young age and it has been brilliant for them, I only wish my mum was able to have pushed consultants when I was young.

      I have lived my life being able to be sick at the push of a button, puking whilst driving, in middle of restaurants, for laughing too much, anything! Friends and family knew I could be sick really easy, as did doctors but never once did they suggest acid reflux, for years it was just put down to the fact that I was lactose intolerant. I don't think this was ever the case!

      I have probably suffered unknowingly with acid reflux for 24 years!

      When you suggest surgery should be a last resort I ask; have you had confirmed Barratts? With only being 24 I am then given the Barratts chance to progress for the next however many years?

      Also I had it confirmed after a manometery and ph test that my acid levels were reading 48.9 which is dangerously high, and they should be max of 14. And when they did this test i was having a.very good 24 hours!

      I do really appreciate your advice and I'm glad that the remedy is working for you, but how do you know it is actually repairing and not just helping the symptoms?

      Different things work differently for everyone if we were all just the same, medicine would be easy!!

    • Posted

      Perhaps you have a birth defect that has caused this issue.  That would be an entirely different situation, and I would not have any problem with you having that repaired.  You have suffered all your life and its time to get relief. 

      My advice was for a person who gets acid reflux from stress or age related causes. 

      I have a friend who was born with a sealed esophageal sphincter and needed surgery days after birth or he would have starved to death.

      So I understand your situation.

      If I were in your shoes I would have the surgery.  I do recommend a second opinion, perhaps you already have it. 

      I wish you all the best.  Please let us know how you are doing afterward.

      Jonathan

    • Posted

      In my case Jonathan (as I've written befrore), the volume reflux meant that no drugs were any good on their own. I weighed up my lifestyle benefits with potential risks opted for the surgery with it's risk. My quality of is so much better with this op but I'm 56 and so I've had a life anyway. Don't really want a miserableold age. But horses for courses as they say.

      Now here's an interesting fact:

      Before the surgery, I decided to up my life insurance just in case the worst should happen. Needless to say, I had to declare my forthcoming surgery My insurers upped my premiums by 250% for 12 months after which the premiums return to normal. This fact alone told me more than any surgeon could about the medium to long term risks.

      This is a good debate going on here and I hope that others (like me) are learning useful stuff

    • Posted

      Everyone is different, I agree.  I am the type to avoid surgery like the plague.  My mother on the other hand was like a magnet to surgery.  She probably had 8 seperate surgeries.  But she did okay and is now 88 and is quite healthy. 

       

    • Posted

      What do you think of the insurance though Jonathan? Actuariies tables are based upon empirical data so I guess if people make Year 2 then they're thought good to go
    • Posted

      I would think that if that had happened in the U.S. that it could possibly result in a lawsuit.  Unless there was some kind of clause in the original policy. 

      Besides that point, it is obvious that every surgery has its risks.  Nothing is really routine.  They are now finding that many colonoscopy devices are not being properly sterilized between patients and have actually spread antibiotic resistant bacteria to some people.

    • Posted

      Yes Jonathan, I took out a new policy entirely, to run alongside my existing one. The 12 months high premiums takes account of the additional risks the insurer sees, but after 12 months it is a normal premium again for someone my age. This leads me to assume that the average person probably doesn't need rework. I take the insurers view (in the absence of better data) as a guide only
    • Posted

      Hi

      I have also been suffering from acid reflux and have to take 60 mg of omiprazole everyday. It gets hard to breathe sometimes a d other times it's real bad heartburn. All this is making me so anxious. You suggested an alternative and natural treatment. Would you kindly share it with me.

      Would really appreciate it.

      Thabks

    • Posted

      First of all, that is alot of omeprazole.  That can really mess up your whole system.  I would suggest you try taking 40 mg, 30 minutes after dinner, thats it.  Then try to get down to 20mg.  You mainly need to protect your esophagus while sleeping.  That's when the damage occurs.  And don't take the capsule whole.  I would always open the capsule and take the tiny pills with lots of water.  You really need to baby your digestive system.  Any pill or ccapsule disolving in the stomach can cause a chemical burn on the stomach lining.  Now here is my natural treatment to strengthen the esophageal sphincter. 

      I did some research and decided to try drinking carbonated mineral water to build pressure in the stomach and force my esophageal sphincter to work.

      After 2 weeks I was noticing major improvement.  And now after about 6 weeks I not longer have the acid reflux problem.  But, I will continue the carbonated water therapy once daily, because I don't want this problem to come back.  I still deal with some other unrelated issues.

      If you want to try it, drink about 10oz of carbonated water, then hold down the burp for 3 to 5 minutes to start.  Then release the air, burp.  Do this 3 to 4 times a day until you can hold the pressure without effort.  The esophageal sphincters job is to always stay shut unless food or water is passing.  And it is supposed to be shut tight all night while we sleep.  I don't know what causes the weakness but I know it can be reversed without surgery.  I almost signed up for some crazy magnet ring surgery called LINX, but I'm glad I did not do it.

      After suffering with GERD on and off for some 12 years, I now consider my acid reflux as cured.  My esophageal sphincter is very strong now.  Now, I mainly have too much acid in my stomach so I still take 20 mg of omeprazole 2 hours before bedtime.  But, I'm so glad I did not have the surgery as I can now eat anything I want, even tomato sauce or pizza, which used to kill my reflux.  I hope you give this treatment a try, you have nothing to lose, and much to gain. 

      Keep me updated as to what you decide to do.  I do care.  Jonathan

    • Posted

      Also, it's critical that you always sleep or nap on an incline or wedge. 
    • Posted

      Hi Jonathan

      thank you so much!! I will definitely give this a try. But just to clear my doubts....I was always told that because I drank too many carbonated beverages I have a poor functioning LES. What you are saying is exactly the opposite of it.

      But if it has worked for you then I am sure that it might work for me as well. At this point I am willing to try anything. I also researched about naturally bringing the acid down by some herbs like DGL licorice which didn't do much to me also because I was too scared to take the recommended dose which is 6 chewable tablets a day. I was taking g only 2. Also this brand Acid Easy by enzymatic therapy. I have ordered them and still waiting for them. It has herbs like marshmallow root and slippery elm. Did you happen to try any of these?

      And one last thing...how did you come up with this theory??

      did someone else you know benifits from this?

      Thanks again for your help.

      God bless!!

    • Posted

      I came up with this idea due to desperation.  Necessity is the mother of invention.  Others have said that they are trying this, but no feedback yet. 

      I do use a product called Acid Ease.  It may be the same. I like it.  It also helps with bloating.  And I do recommend that anyone taking an acid blocker also take an enzyme with each meal.  Otherwise nutritional deficiencies will cause more trouble.  I also tried apple cider vinigar and DGL with no noticable benefit.

    • Posted

      Hi smile

      I have had surgery now but before hand I couldn't find anything to resolve my issues. Since my op I have tried DGL liquorice from Holland and Barrett, I have a chewable tablet 2x a day ..20 mins before eating before lunch and tea and I found it is good. I went away this weekend and forgot to take them & I did notice a difference. Pre op I tried slippery elm briefly but not really enough to give any advice on it ! 

      As Jonathon says you need to keep yourself elevated at night which is the most important thing. I bought a wedge pillow which is really good. 

      Try eat small meals often, I'll have porridge for breakfast, then at 11 I will have a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits or crackers, then at 1 I will have lunch of a jacket potatoe or a small dish of pasta, at 3 have another cup of tea & another little snack, 6pm tea and then 8.30 another little snack. I have found this to be great as I am not putting pressure on my stomach by eating three large meals. Sit up after meals, and try and not eat anything 2-3 hrs before you go to sleep. 

      Hope this helps !!! 

    • Posted

      Thanks! Will definitely try try to follow it!!

      I wish you the very best now that you have had your surgery. Hope you are feeling good!

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