I am currently on 30 ml Lanoperazole a day after being diagnosed with a hietas hernia and "under lying barretts" although the biopsie did not show this. The ppis worked well until a few days into a trip to India where I was mostly on carbonated drinks and some spicy foods (these couldn't really be avoided while away) the heartburn has come back as well as throat issues. Is this normal for the ppis to stop working?
I am also considering the nissen fundoplication but have heard sometimes symptoms afterwards are worse than before the surgery.
I am again like others worried that these symptoms are progressing to something more serious especially being 32 years old.
Any info and advice would be appreciated.
If you're not accustomed to spicy foods, you may experience extra pain from them but it's actually a myth that they exacerbate acid hypersecretion or reflux. - Or the Indian subcontinent would have the highest incidence of Barrett's oesophagus and oesophageal cancer. Carbonated drinks are a more likely culprit.
30 mg lansoprazole is the low maintenance dose, you may need to double the dose for a few weeks. Discuss this with your doctor.
I was on omeprazole for 15 years, increasingto 80mg a day (equivalent to 120mg lansoprazole) which produces its own problems (induced hypochlorhydria leading to malabsorption of essential minerals and reduced immunity to bacterial infection).
I had the Nissen Fundoplication and it gave me my life back.
If you go to the www DownWithAcid org uk site / book and scrol to the end of the contents list (home page), you'll find included in the appendices a NICE OPtion Grid which discusses the pros and cons of lifetime PPIs vs surgery which may help you in considering and discussing this option.
Thank you Barretts for your knowledge as always. Can i ask with the Nissen fundoplication is there much pain after the procedure? Living with acid reflux is a nightmare and hope some day to live a heartburn free life!
I suffered with reflux all my life. (I'll be 68 in a few days time.) It was only 20 years ago, the doctors first realised it was the cause of the many symptoms I'd had.
I know I have a high pain threshold but I actually experienced no more than a bruising feeling following my surgery. I was prescribed soluble paracetamol (as swallowing tablets may be difficult for a couple of weeks as the internal scar tissue heals) but didn't need them.
On my personal website www chrisrob co uk I have a blog of my experience. If you're interested, click on the Barrett's tab and find Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication in the contents list at the top of that page.
Unfortunately my Nissen wrap did not survive 5 hours of violent retching from norovirus and I had to have it repaired nearly two years ago.
But prior to my fundo, I'd been anaemic from induced hypochlorhydria unable to wlak 50 yards. Afterwards I was cycling 20 to 30 miles a day before breakfast. Last year I cycled over the Andes.