Is Laparoscopic Fundoplication the Solution to Your Acid Reflux Woes?

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  • Thread starter Thread starter Evo
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the surgical procedure of laparoscopic fundoplication as a potential solution for acid reflux (GERD). Participants share personal experiences, concerns about the surgery, and the implications of the procedure on their health and lifestyle.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes their upcoming surgery, detailing the procedure of wrapping the stomach around the esophagus and expressing concerns about the inability to vomit post-surgery.
  • Another participant humorously questions how the stomach ended up in the esophagus, suggesting a clumsy stomach.
  • Some participants express optimism about the benefits of laparoscopic procedures, noting minimal scarring and shorter recovery times.
  • Concerns are raised about the potential side effects of not being able to vomit, with participants discussing the implications of this on their health and dietary choices.
  • There is speculation about whether the inability to vomit could be due to nerve injury during the surgery.
  • Participants share personal anecdotes related to their own gastrointestinal issues, some expressing similar concerns about surgery and recovery.
  • One participant humorously suggests the need for a DIY stomach pumping kit, reflecting anxiety about the inability to vomit.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express concern about the side effects of the surgery, particularly the inability to vomit, but there is no consensus on the implications of this or the overall effectiveness of the procedure. Multiple competing views and personal experiences are shared, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various assumptions about the surgery, including the expected recovery time and the nature of the procedure, but these are not universally agreed upon. There are also references to personal health conditions that may influence their perspectives.

Evo
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Yes, I'm about to put the FUN in fundoplication. I'm having surgery next Friday to pull my stomach out of my esophagus and open the stricture.

Not as bad as pulling my foot out of my mouth, I guess.

They're going to take the top part of my stomach and wrap it around my esophagus and then stitch it together. Yeehah!

Wait, possible side affect "an inability to vomit". Uhm what happens to the vomit? Oh, no, I think I will pass on that side effect, thankyouverymuch.

Anyway, here is what the doctor gave me to show the procedure. Hmmmm, smaller stomach, can't eat as much. :!)

I'm having the full wrap.

http://wishard.kramesonline.com/3,S,82182
 
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How did your stomach get into your esophagus? I didn't know stomachs could wander around like that.
 
Math Is Hard said:
How did your stomach get into your esophagus? I didn't know stomachs could wander around like that.
This is Evo we're talking about. Apparently my stomach tripped and wound up shoved up into my chest via my esophagus. :bugeye:

Ooooh, and I got to see all of the lovely color photos of it from the endoscopy. Yep, there was my stomach in a place it wasn't supposed to be. :biggrin:
 
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wow! A clumsy stomach? only you, Evo!

Well, I'm sure this is going to make you feel so much better. I've heard amazing things about those laproscopic procedures. Supposed to have minimal scarring and shorter recovery times. Still, I think with you and Tsu laid up, we're going to have to open a sisterhood infirmary!
 
Stay waaaay back MIH!

We need a few sisters to remain strong while we are down. Although, I should be back to abnormal within a few weeks. :approve:
 
:bugeye: Wow, Evo, that's heavy. But I hear that those overhaul sections in the hospitals are pretty good today.

All the best
 
Math Is Hard said:
wow! A clumsy stomach? only you, Evo!

Not only her, I have similar problems. Just on much smaller scale.

Fingers crossed Evo! But you don't need stomach to post on PF, just a free hand and keyboard :wink:
 
Best wishes on your upcoming fun.
 
Thanks guys! If it works, I will be very happy.
 
  • #10
Evo said:
Yes, I'm about to put the FUN in fundoplication. I'm having surgery next Friday to pull my stomach out of my esophagus and open the stricture.
That's pretty big deal it seems. I hope all goes well with the surgery and with the post-op recovery, and I hope it solves the GERD issue.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
 
  • #11
I'm sure it will all go great and you'll be feeling good again very soon. Even if you half to eat smaller amounts, food is going to be fun again!
 
  • #12
Oh my, that sounds...well...it sounds like !

Abdominal surgery is no picnic, and you won't be picnicing for a while. But if they're doing it laproscopically that's a huge improvement - I hope it drastically improves your recovery time.

Wow, what they can do laproscopically these days...amazing.
 
  • #13
Yeah, instead of a single incision, they will make FIVE incisions over the entire abdomen. Sounds much better. :frown:
 
  • #14
When you break yourself, you sure do a good job of it. Now they have to tie your insides into knots just to hold you together. :rolleyes: I'm not sure a smaller stomach is a good thing for YOU though...unless it's only the GERD that keeps you eating so little already. But, if a potential side effect is that you can't vomit and you're going to have a teeny stomach that won't fit so much, please be careful you don't pop yourself next. :bugeye:
 
  • #15
Moonbear said:
But, if a potential side effect is that you can't vomit and you're going to have a teeny stomach that won't fit so much, please be careful you don't pop yourself next. :bugeye:

:smile: :smile: :smile:

Sis, trust me. 5 tiny little holes are WAY better than a large incision that has to cut through large amounts of muscle and nerves. Is this an out patient procedure or do you have to stay overnight. Oh boy. Yer going to have so much FUN! :biggrin:

We'll throw some pre and post parties for you. Sisters! Prepare your ImageShack! :smile:
 
  • #16
It's a hospital stay of 1-3 days. I'm hoping I can go home the next day.

MB, with the GERD I vomit all of the time, so I guess I can use half a stomach to compensate. Over time, I think it will stretch out.

I'm really afraid of not being able to vomit, because sometimes vomiting is a "good" thing. Even if it's only to relieve nausea. I can't imagine feeling sick and not being able to vomit. And with the risks I take with the things I eat, like green ham, I'd hate to think it would be stuck in there and my body fighting to send it back out. THAT scares me the most. :frown:
 
  • #17
Evo said:
It's a hospital stay of 1-3 days. I'm hoping I can go home the next day.

MB, with the GERD I vomit all of the time, so I guess I can use half a stomach to compensate. Over time, I think it will stretch out.

I'm really afraid of not being able to vomit, because sometimes vomiting is a "good" thing. Even if it's only to relieve nausea. I can't imagine feeling sick and not being able to vomit. And with the risks I take with the things I eat, like green ham, I'd hate to think it would be stuck in there and my body fighting to send it back out. THAT scares me the most. :frown:

I googled "home stomach pumping kit", but couldn't find anything suitable.
Stay away from those green hams, young lady!
 
  • #18
Wait until you're all puffed up like a blowfish with CO2. Hopefully you can still burp even if you can't vomit.

Yeah, five tiny incisions is WAY better than what is described if they have to make the big one...it sounds like they'd slice you open like a gutted fish! Just in case, eat as much as you can until you're told you have to start fasting for surgery, so you're up to full strength if there are a few days you're not able to eat much of anything during recovery.

I guess the inability to vomit would be due to nerve injury during the surgery?

And no more eating food without your glasses on first! Green ham is not a good idea if you can't vomit...actually, it's not a very good idea any day.
 
  • #19
Evo said:
It's a hospital stay of 1-3 days. I'm hoping I can go home the next day.

MB, with the GERD I vomit all of the time, so I guess I can use half a stomach to compensate. Over time, I think it will stretch out.

I'm really afraid of not being able to vomit, because sometimes vomiting is a "good" thing. Even if it's only to relieve nausea. I can't imagine feeling sick and not being able to vomit. And with the risks I take with the things I eat, like green ham, I'd hate to think it would be stuck in there and my body fighting to send it back out. THAT scares me the most. :frown:

Yes, that was my first thought, too. Even though I don't vomit often, when I do, I REALLY need to (I seem to get food poisoning more than normal people :frown: ). Will they be able to pump your stomach, I wonder?
 
  • #20
lisab said:
Yes, that was my first thought, too. Even though I don't vomit often, when I do, I REALLY need to (I seem to get food poisoning more than normal people :frown: ). Will they be able to pump your stomach, I wonder?
I wonder if I can get a DYI stomach pumping kit? I can't go to the emergency room every time I feel sick.

Ok, I will not have trouble vomiting, I've decided, it's not an acceptable side affect.
 
  • #21
Evo said:
Ok, I will not have trouble vomiting, I've decided, it's not an acceptable side affect.

Don't worry, you won't even know because the cause has been taken away. Just no more reason to vomit.
 
  • #22
Evo said:
I wonder if I can get a DYI stomach pumping kit? I can't go to the emergency room every time I feel sick.

Ok, I will not have trouble vomiting, I've decided, it's not an acceptable side affect.

Now you've given me something else to look up. I wonder if it's the same nerves with both sensory and motor fibers in them that make you feel nauseous and regulate the vomiting reflexes, or if they are different ones. If it's all the same, you may feel sick in other ways, but maybe the actual nausea won't occur.

In case you didn't know, rats can't vomit either. Since they tend to eat from scarier places than your green ham containing refrigerator, their approach is to only taste a little bite of something new to make sure they don't get sick from it, then go back and eat more later if they're okay (this is why you can't immediately bait rats with poison, but first need to put out little treats without the poison so they get used to the food being safe before you put out the poison that they chow down on). So, if you can feel nausea, but can't vomit, that would be the approach to only get tidbits of new things (or old things) and make sure they don't make you sick before eating more.
 
  • #23
Evo said:
the things I eat, like green ham
:smile: I think you may be taking Dr. Seuss much to literally.
 
  • #24
I am going to write to David Letterman and ask him to do a Top Ten List of "things people don't like about laparoscopic fundoplication". Here's a start:

#10: No longer able to enjoy green ham
#9: Fundoplication not really that "fun"

:biggrin:
 
  • #25
Moonbear said:
In case you didn't know, rats can't vomit either.
Good to know I will have rats for company. :cry:

Math Is Hard said:
I am going to write to David Letterman and ask him to do a Top Ten List of "things people don't like about laparoscopic fundoplication". Here's a start:

#10: No longer able to enjoy green ham
#9: Fundoplication not really that "fun"

:biggrin:
#8: Rats don't vomit either.
 
  • #26
Evo said:
Good to know I will have rats for company. :cry:

Jr GF keeps 3 rats, they are not as ugly as everybody thinks.
 
  • #27
Borek said:
Jr GF keeps 3 rats, they are not as ugly as everybody thinks.
Rats are actually very cuddly, and love to snuggle and kiss (you can barely feel their little tongues). Naked tails are a bit of a cosmetic disadvantage for rats, but domesticated rats are almost as fun as my tame chipmunks.
 
  • #28
Evo said:
Yes, I'm about to put the FUN in fundoplication. I'm having surgery next Friday to pull my stomach out of my esophagus and open the stricture.

Not as bad as pulling my foot out of my mouth, I guess.

They're going to take the top part of my stomach and wrap it around my esophagus and then stitch it together. Yeehah!

Wait, possible side affect "an inability to vomit". Uhm what happens to the vomit? Oh, no, I think I will pass on that side effect, thankyouverymuch.

Anyway, here is what the doctor gave me to show the procedure. Hmmmm, smaller stomach, can't eat as much. :!)

I'm having the full wrap.

http://wishard.kramesonline.com/3,S,82182

Hope all goes well Evo. My mom had that surgery a couple of years ago and it made a huge difference in her GERD. She is still not able to eat very much at a time. She was also instructed to never throw up or it would "undo the surgery"...They gave her a prescription for phenergan to keep on hand at all times. Last winter she got a stomach virus and actually did throw up. She can't tell any difference since doing so.
 
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  • #29
larkspur said:
Hope all goes well Evo.

No need to hope, we all know it will go well. The only thing we should be afraid off is damage Evo will do to herself at hospital after successful surgery. You know, something like bruise or black eye :wink:

Evo, have you told the doctor about your slow clotting?
 
  • #30
Borek said:
Evo, have you told the doctor about your slow clotting?
And your general klutziness and tendency to make lemons out of lemonade?
 

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