my story cont'd

after the barium xray. i had a nuclear gallbladder scan and abdominal ultrasound. on top of the huge hiatal hernia, my gallbladder had stopped working properly with no spincter muscle contractions. it was filling up like a balloon but not emptying. so i was sent to see the surgeon to get a lap nissen fundoplication. i had chronic abdominal pain, i thought i could get fixed right up. i was wrong, it was just the beginning of more tests. i had to have an endoscopy that showed i was starting to develop barret's esophagus. after that i had to have a swallow test which showed my lower esophageal spincter was functioning at 0 %. next i needed a gastric emptying study before the surgeon would ok the lap nissen. i passed that test w/ flying colors(which later i would regret) i had allot of reservations prior to the surgery, i had bad dreams about getting the surgery. i had thought of cancelling it all together and waffling on just getting my hiatal hernia repaired and my gallbladder out. on 10/23/07, i had the lap nissen because the surgeon thought that would give me the best outcome w/ my GERD. i woke up hours later and was out of it and in quite some discomfort. i got pain medication. the worst was after the surgery i had strong hiccup burps that was agony that i didn't want to experience. they lasted for a week w/ severe pain. i couldn't urinate post surgery i needed a catheter to alleviate the pain from 750cc building up in my bladder. the dr. told me you get uncomfortable at 250cc. i was discharged on 10/25 w/ the catheter. i was experiencing nausea, a temperature and abdominal pain on the 26th. taken by ambulance to the local hospital, they deternined my bowel went to sleep. i was then transferred by another ambulance at 2am back to the hospital where i had the surgery. they wanted to do another ct scan, i had to drink a special contrast. since the first 2 choices were loaded w/ artificial sweetner. they wanted me to drink a huge cup of stuff. i couldn't drink allot at once. the 1st tech didn't seem to comprehend that i just had the fundoplication. the 2cd tech was more understanding. by 7am after laying in the er for 5 hrs. a dr. informed me i was getting re-admitted so they could try and get my bowels moving again. i was released on the 29th (my 36th birthday) i ended up at the local er twice that night for a blocked catheter. after they were going to give me a 3rd catheter the er dr. informed me it was normal for urine to go out around the catheter while straining to have a bm. do tell, what torture i endured. some birthday. i used to look forward to my birthdays ever since i was a kid. i think that feeling has died since that night.
the surgeon told me i neede to add fiber to my diet to keep my bowels going. try to find stuff like metamuscil w/o artificial sweetners. plain benefiber is what i tried. next i developed a severe urinary tract infection due to my 5 catheters. oh goodie, i needed cipro for it. i was still burping, had bloatedness and a sharp pain under my left ribcage. the surgeon recommended simethecone or the otc version gas-x. however gas-x has artificial sweetner. i found phaszyme at walmart that didn't. i was taking 2 a day. after surgery they warned me that i may be sensitive to hot and cold. i tried to go rifle deer hunting a month after surgery, the wind took my breath away and i started choking a dry heaving for quite a few minutes till i was able to stop. i have had terrible bloatedness, bouts of nausea and dry heaving. the acid reflux is much bettr.i started eating and gaining weight. people say i look great. i still have no energy. the added weight is a problem w/ my cerebral palsy, due to moving around. my family dr. warned me if i continue to gain weight i will develop more muscle spasms and run the risk of my surgery coming undone.
fast forward to '09 i now think i may be allergic to gluten, i eat at burger king talk about fast food. within an hour severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, add a beer and it is a perfect storm for a very bad coupla days. no gluten means no benefiber. i think i may have gastric dumping syndrome, so i am trying a gluten free liquid vitamin by doctor's pride. mentally since trying to cut out gluten for the past 2 weeks. i do feel more alert. however it means more dietary restrictions. i also found fruits and veggies are not very filling and are rather costly this time of yr. it also seems that when i get overheated i start to feel weak and lightheaded. prior to the surgery. i couldn't get warm now i can't regulate my body temperate to stay comfortable. i read somewhere online that you can suffer nerve damage from the fundoplication and you can get shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and the surgery can affect your gastro-intestinal hormones. although drs. are unsure exactly how or to what extent. i feel like i was misled by all my drs. the hospital and surgeon got 41k just for the surgery and initial hospital stay. i regret every day that i didn't stick to my guns and just had my gallbladder out(which broke in half when they tried to remove it, because it was thin walled, and they had to spend extra time cleaning me out in the or) an my hiatal hernia repaired. drs. have no clue, it is a total guessing game for them on how tight or loose to make the wrap. too tight, no burp and problems digesting. the food doesn't empty properly. too loose and it slips and welcome back GERD. this is why my fundoplication journey ain't been no fun.