But it definitely is a new stomach. The GERD and its complications are gone, and the delayed gastric emptying remains. What’s brand new is that I can’t burp, I have occasional hiccups, and I have mild gas/bloat.
So, what’s it like to not be able to burp? Before surgery, I belched almost every
time I ate or drank anything. It helped to relieve the constant trapped gas in
my stomach (I now know that with each belch came acid reflux). I was very
worried that I would be one of the people who couldn’t burp after surgery.
The first month or so after surgery, not burping was a very strange experience. When gas was trapped in my stomach, I could feel it expanding uncomfortably, but the only thing I could do to relieve the pressure was walk immediately after eating or drinking.
By about two months after surgery, though, I had much less trapped gas, and the
disturbing sensation diminished significantly. On those rare occasions now when
I feel like I really need to burp, I swallow a few times, and the feeling passes. That’s it!
I do take precautions to avoid swallowing air: I don’t drink from straws, I
avoid slurping soup or hot drinks, and I don't have carbonated drinks. I eat
small amounts of gassy foods, such as beans, every few days, rather than
consuming large amounts daily (some people swear by Beano, but I can’t tell if
it works). I eat small meals, stopping when mildly full, and I eat slowly (I’ve
been doing this for years, anyway). Taking simethicone as needed with meals
helps a lot.
Many people can burp after a Nissen fundoplication, but some can’t, and you won’t
know until you have the surgery. But, don’t let it stop you, because there is a real benefit to not burping: I know for sure that I’m not having GERD!
In my next two blogs I’ll talk about my hiccups and gas/bloat.