surgery for GERD?

[gdulaney]

Has anybody had the Laparoscopic Nissen Fundiplication surgery for GERD? If so, can you share anything about the experience...and the results?

Thanks!!
Ginny

 

[LindaR]

I have a hiatal hernia and GERD. I bought a wonderful book to help me learn how to live with this. Its called "Eating for Acid Reflux" by Jill Sklar and Annabel Cohen.

From all that I have read, this surgery does not tend to be very sucessful. I would try EVERYTHING else first.

Did your doctor tell you that you must have this done?

 

[clarabelle]

My Mom had it and for her it didn't work. It was a little better at first but never substantially better. I don't know if she is the exception or the rule.
Now she is back to square one.
She is a little heavy -I wonder if she could lose some weight if it would help

 

[clh2]

I have also heard the long-term success rate isn't all that great.

I would do research and question the surgeon on a million things - including what is his complication rate, and what is his/her long-term success rate. As with any other surgery...ask how many times they've performed this procedure.

And...just becasue I am what I am...I would ask in advnace - who is going to be in the room. Do they allow sales reps in the room, and if it is a teaching facility - who is actually operating and doing the anesthesia - residents, interns or the doctors.

 

[melk]

I had this surgery very successfully...sent you a pm.

 

[gdulaney]

Thank you for all the replies.

Since I've asked a such a personal question, I thought it was only fair to share why I'm asking. Basically I have chronic cough. Doesn't sound too bad...but try coughing for no reason when every other story on the news is about "the bird flu". Or having to get a note from your ENT because you don't want to be denied boarding on a cruise ship. The worse part is the lack of sleep. I wake up several times during the night coughing. I now have some GREAT cough syrup that totally works....but it has codeine in it and I only use it when I absolutely have to.

Stop reading here if you don't want to read about barfing.

I've been scoped, poked, and prodded.

Roughly 6 yrs ago --- started complaining to my primary care doctor about this pesky cough that won't go away.

Roughly 5 yrs ago ---Started with an allergy/asthma doctor. Learned that I have allergies, but nothing too terrible... and nothing requiring shots or RX medicine.

Roughly 4 yrs ago --- Went to a pulmonologist. She said my lungs were fine... she could start me on allergy, asthma and reflux medicine to see if that worked. Let's just say that she ended up saying she had no idea what was wrong and that she recommended that I see a GI doctor (for throwing up) and a ENT (for the sinus issues).

3 yrs ago --- Went to an evil ENT doctor (if you live in the Conyers, Covington area of Georgia and need a referral for somebody NOT to see....PM me). He said I should get the GI issues checked out then come back to see him.

Saw the GI doctor. Endoscopy, Ph Bravo tests, and a horrid mobility study that involved my eating grits for the first time (and last time). He said that I have a hiatal hernia and a bit of acid reflux. No signs of damage.

Went back to the evil ENT doctor.... his reply "you don't have the worse plumbing that I've ever seen".... he suggested that I see an allergy/asthma doctor. I reply that I saw Dr. XYZ and he replied that "Bob's a good guy, go back to him".

Go back to the allergy/asthma doctor. His suggestion -- well, we can try giving you weekly shots for the next 9-12 months and build up resistance to anything you are allergic to and see if that works. I'm sorry... you want me (a chick scared of needles) to get weekly shots and you're not even remotely confident that it will do anything? I'll put this idea at the bottom of the list. The very, very bottom.

2 yrs ago --- Went back to the primary care dr.... had more x-rays and a cat scan. As a result, I've learned that I had goiter. Researched that and learned it can cause a person the need to cough. Asked for a referral to a thyroid doctor. Had a fine needle biopsy and found out that I had thyroid cancer. Promptly had my thyroid removed.

Still coughing....darn.

1 year ago -- asked to see another ENT doctor (head of the otolaryngology dept at a nearby teaching hospital). He began treating me with a two-pronged approach. But he noticed increased signs of reflux since I've been seeing him. I told him that at this point the only thing I really hadn't fully explored was the hiatal hernia. He suggested that I go back to the GI doctor.

1 month ago-- another endoscopy. Hiatal hernia has not changed. GI doctor put me on a different reflux medication. It's helped some. I've been on it a month. Up until this past weekend I've thrown up almost every day. I haven't thrown up in 2 days (yay!!!). The GI doctor says that if the medication doesn't work, then he'd recommend surgery. So, I'm starting to read up about it... because I would really want it to be a last resort.

Am I overweight? Yeah, a little. My husband and I go walking and as soon as I start getting hot, I cough. Or if the air is cold and I breath it in...yep, more coughing. Smog is definitely not my friend. Neither is pollen.

Do I follow a GERD approved diet? Well, that's the weird thing... I can eat spicy Mexican food and be fine. Then eat some roast beef and mashed potatoes and barf.

So....if this medicine doesn't help and I have to have surgery, I want to know the success rate, failure rate, etc. Yes, it's a teaching hospital. No sales reps in the room, but this particular surgeon believes in having two surgeons in the OR. There could be students, but I'd know ahead of time.

I haven't read "Eating for Acid Reflux" by Jill Sklar and Annabel Cohen, but I'll look for it. I appreciate the recommendation.

If you have any other ideas or recommendations, I'd love to hear them. Sorry about the length of this post... I know it's a super long one.

Thank you!!!
Ginny


--ps-- Melk, thanks for the PM!!

 

[LindaR]

Well you have been working on this for quite some time! I really suggest that book. It explains SO much! I have areas highlighted and post-it notes all over the place!

What I found is that YOU need to figure out what YOUR triggers are. I can tell you what MY triggers are.....so by trial and error, you can figure out YOURS.

You may create an even worse issue (again, stated in the book I recommended) by having surgery. I bought a copy for my sister and just bought one for my boss.

When I started eating for GERD, I found a very surprising side effect. The pounds just started melting away! I easily lost twenty five pounds in just a few months! I was eating five or six very small meals a day, eating the things that did not upset my GERD, was NEVER hungry.........my stomach felt so much better AND I lost weight without trying to lose weight!

 

[gdulaney]

Thanks for the tips Linda. I definitely want to explore my options.

 

[bonoriffic]

I had this surgery when I was 26. I'm 34 now. After about a year I had to go on a daily dose of Nexium / generic equivalents. With the daily low dose plus surgery I have zero issues.

The one thing to keep in mind is recovery is extreme. Even with my 6 tiny little incisions, it is major surgery. I also had the hernia repaired as well. I've had a kidney stone before and that was a mild pain compared to this. It was the most horrible pain I've ever had, and that was on morphine. The first day in the hospital will be the worst day of your life. I couldn't stand completely upright without some pain for at least a week, and it was about 2 weeks before I'd say the pain completely went away.

The diet after surgery is also tough. You will lose a lot of weight, even if you are thin and healthy like I was. It will be 6 weeks before you are eating food with no limitation. I no longer eat Jello, having grown to hate it during those 6 weeks.

As a side benefit, your stomach is slightly smaller afterwards as they use it to wrap around the valve. I eat less than I did before, which I guess is ultimately not a bad thing.

 

[arminnie]

I've had the surgery twice. 1999 and 2001. One of the staples failed so that was the reason for the redo.

I did eventually have to add in prilosec, nexium OR aciphex - not all three. In 2006 I had aspiration pneumonia for 8 months. I learned the hard way NOT to eat chocolate before going to bed.

I never had heartburn - just the asthma caused by reflux. You should get checked every 5-10 years for the condition of your esophagus to preclude esophagial cancer. I just got checked last week.

I had no real pain with the surgery. Just be aware that you will not be able to throw up after the surgery.

 

[gdulaney]

Thank you

--ps-- arminnie --- cute puppy

 

[bonoriffic]

Just be aware that you will not be able to throw up after the surgery.

I was told that too, and for the first few years it was true. Not that I tested it out, but twice I was very sick and went through the "motions" with nothing actually coming up. I was given a pain killer for a kidney stone that instantly made me sick and nothing happened. So I thought I'm unable to throw up. Earlier this year I was sick again and imagine my surprise when I was able to throw up. So maybe things "loosen" over time.