I had surgery 10 weeks ago for GERD. Don't know exactly what was done since I've not had the follow up consultation yet. However, for anyone waiting or considering it (if it helps), here were my symptoms and experience.
Experienced heartburn (on and off) since a small child. Mother was troubled by it too (interestinglly Rennies haven't changed since the early 60's). As I got older my heartburn got more frequent until I ended up on Acid inhibitors from the GP when I reached about 50. This is when I started experiencing what I call reflux, certain foods coming back up my gullet and into my mouth again. My stomach was rejecting them. Porridge and the like. eventually, most things came back up.
My surgery seems to have been a complete sucess. Acid has gone completely and reflux has gone too. I've not been sick one or even felt nauseous. My wife tells me my loud snoring is not as noticible, but she's not sure, will have to monitor this one. I've been looking to see what excersize can be done and whether there is anything you cant do? Might have to wait for the follow up op. Went for a 5k parkrun last Saturday morning in Basingsstoke and didn't feel anything amiss but would like to see any advice given to other patients.
Oh well done! Great! Hoping all is well on your next appointment follow up. Yes i am and have been looking into the Linx op. Mostly positive from what i have read. It does sound good? But possibly might be different for different people? Again from what ive read. I have done an awful lot of reading/looking into since last fri night. Think i should have been a doctor now - ha.
Forgot to mention the real reason I felt compelled to get the op done. I couldn't risk eating too late in the evening or It could come back at me in my sleep. Woke up a few times choking (stuff had got into my lungs). That seems to be a thing of the past now
Nice topic thanks David for sharing. I recently watched a commercial on TV about a new technique fixing the ring of muscles not closing. They stated it was an out of office procedure. I normally do not listen to any TV commercials when it comes to medical stuff, but you know when it makes it on TV it's close to an epidemic. David, may I ask what the surgery was called? Please keep us up to date on your success.
2. I don't know the exact title of the operation I had but I believe it was the standard Hiatus hernia repair with Nissen stomach wrap. I recently watched some youtube videos on it, there's loads of them on there.
3. i must admit I tried to contain this condition without surgery but eventually common sense took over (or maybe the realisation hit home) and I bit the bullet rather than spend the rest of my days governed by this condition. The operation has really high success rates.
Hi to all GERD sufferers; the reason you have this condition, is that the Cardiac Sphincter (is a ring of Tight Muscles that is found at neck of stomach and bottom of oseophagus/gullet, that is mean't to stop regurgitation of food)..in yourselves, this sphincter is too loose...and therefore the food does come back up into the gullet, especially when lying down. The op is to tighten this sphincter, and voila, the regurgitation does not happen......anyone who is suffering from GERD, and not controlled by medications (including the use of Gaviscon and Mylanta) should seriously think of op...why suffer all the sypmtoms, including ulceration of gullet, ?? good thoughts on this......Bron
I too had the Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication about 18 months ago and it was a complete success. It took me a while though to wean off the twice daily omeprazole because although the hernia is repaired your stomach has been used to dealing with only a fraction of the normal acid and you get rebound symptoms. However, if you wean off slowly you can avoid too much discomfort. I think there should be a success stories section with tips on things that have worked or types of surgery that were successful. Angie
I;d also point out (in my case) the things you can/can't do post surgery are minor compared to my expectations of what they would be. Can't eat white bread or drink fizzy drinks and have to chew food really well and eat slowly. Well they are factors that change after surgery, but for me, not a significant change. I still drink beer, eat white bread and eat a little more slowly.
Hi David; I can agree with what you say re "what you can/can't eat, drink". I don't, thankfully, suffer from GERD, but my husband does, and from watching him.....yes, he does eat his food too quickly (he amazes me how fast he can finish his meals); and he doesn't drink much softdrink (only Sarsparilla), and there are only two brands of beer he can tolerate...Hahn Light and Midstrength Carlton...that's here in Australia...I have often thought/told him he needs another Endoscopy, as there are times he needs to take an extra Pariet, but refuses as he says ALL medical issues interfere with his MEDICALS for work.....so be it.....Bron
Thanks David; I am pleased that all has been resolved, and you sound like ?back to normal (without the GERD)....and what about your back....is it better, or still a problem? Bron
Funnily enough, I haven't thought about burping since the op when It kind of preoccupied me Yes I can burp although I cant remember when I last did or needed to. It's true most wind finds it's way out the other way but this is where diet comes in, I guess. I also worried about being sick and whether I could but I haven't actually felt sick really at any time. I can also each late at night, which is a huge plus for my lifestyle.
Hi Bronwyn, back ok. consultant told me anything to do with the hernia would likely manifest itself in the upper shoulder area rather than the back. Don't know if this is related to the post op shoulder discomfort, I was pre-warned about on the morning of the op. Funny place to get pain and assume it's referred pain
By the way, forgot to mention that 4 months on, I hardly chew my food any differently than I did pre-op. I probably should, but gullet seems to have settled back nicely. Glad to report that I don't need any medication now. Heartburn is a thing of the past, I hope it stays that way.
Hi david you have give me hope, i have suffered the same problem as you for 9yrs and all the doctor keeps give me is gaviscon, but it dose not work, now i know there is a opertion that can sort it out, i feel so relieved some thing can be done.
Please can you let me know the name of the op and how long it took, and how long was you in hospital for.
OK firstly, i'm not a doctor so obviously my experience is mine only
However, if you have had only Gaviscon you probably need to start with an acid inhibitor like Omoprazole 20mg. GP's always go for the easy stuff first I find and you have to moan to get them to up the treatment. Even then they start with a maintenance dose. Personally, it took 20 mg for me to be reasonably acid free.
If I'd only had acid reflux to contend with then the Omoprazole would have been enough for me, as it did deal with the acid for the most part.
However, I also had Volume reflux which is food coming back up the gullet into the mouth. There are no tablets that can prevent this, it's a mechanical process. My dentist also told me the acid was affecting my teeth.
Don't get too hung upon the name, the thing is that the consultant will decide which op is right for you but a hiastus hernia repair with Neesan wrap is what I had (the standard op)
I was wheeled in at 09:00 and left the hospital the same day. Spent a week recuperating at home and went back to work on the second week (desk job with no lifting). Most people I believe take 2 to 4 weeks off work.
Hi David; yes, for some unknown reason to me, (could go into all the nerves etc relating to this, but would get all too involved, so let's play ignorant) our body does have "referred pain"....under the diaphragm radiates to the shoulder tips....lower abdominal/groin pain radiates to under the diaphragm....when suffering from appendicites, it's the funny one...it starts mildly in the R) groin...goes to L) groin up to around the umbilicus,/diaphragm and then settles in the R) groin.... so yes, if you have shoulder tip pain, probably is secondary to op....also if you had surgery done by Laprascope,,,the gas that they pump into your abdomen, rises, and also causes really bad pain....I used to cheat a little with my patients...instead of sitting them "completely upstraight"...I would settle them at a 45degress for a few hours, until they started passing the gas out through their rectum/anus "fluffing", as we would call it.....then sat them up at the required 90 degress...so hope you continue to improve....Bron