Anyone suffer from GERDS or acid reflux, and need surgery?

[beau13]

I was wondering if anyone has had such a severecase of acid reflux (daily) or GERDS, and needed surgery to repair the valve? If so, did your condition improve, worsten or remain somewhat the same after the surgery? Thanks

 

[sugarplum]

Hi Beau,

I don''t have it that serverly but I do get the occasional flare up...where it feels like you have a lump in the back of your throat and your esophagus feels kind of hot. It usually kicks in if I''m stressed out, let myself get too hungry (not eating at the right time) or have too much caffeine.

Do you need surgery?

 

[beau13]

Thanks for you reply sugarplum. YES I need surgery apparently, it never ever bothered me until about 4 months ago, and BAM! It doesn''t stop ever...despite taking Nexium twice daily! I lost 15 pounds in the first 3 weeks, total weight loss now is about 22 pounds. I try to eat...but I am limited as to what to eat. No chocolate, no alchohol, no coffee, no salad or veggies unless steamed/boiled, and no fruit, especially citrus fruit. No spicy foods, no fatty foods, and the list goes on. It''s difficult to live like this, where it affects your daily life and quality of life. I am scheduled for surgery but it will take 7 months before I can have it (long waiting lists here in Canada...we don''t pay for out healcare, but we sure pay when it comes to waiting and suffering). I wonder if the surgery is worth it...wondering if anyone out there has some input. Not sure what to do but I can surely tell ya I hate living this way!

 

[sugarplum]

Wow Beau... sorry to hear about the severity of your condition and the 7 months! That''s quite a while to wait but at least there''s a way to help cure the problem. You''ve lost 22 pounds? I hope you''re still at a healthy weight.

I know what you mean with the foods! I''ve had two acid reflux/GERD incidences where it lasted a week or two (I saw a doctor both times--was told to get over the counter antacids like Tagamet) and I felt like there wasn''t anything I could eat!

Did your doctor recommend surgery and did he/she say that it would completely cure the problem?

The Nexium isn''t helping? I usually take Tagamet if it''s bad but when I don''t need to take medication but feel like the acid reflux/GERD is going to act up, I eat 6 to 8 unsalted saltine crackers and then drink some hot water. I find the warm/hot water to be soothing (calms that lump in the throat) and I think the crackers absorb the acid in the stomach. Blah, I think it''s acting up right now as I''m typing this!! I feel a slight lump in my throat. Anyway, I hope you feel/get better soon! Give the crackers and water thing a try.

 

[Skippy123]

Oh no; that is awful! So sorry

 

[Harriet]

I have GERD and am on Prevacid. Hopefully, I can avoid the surgery!

 

[beau13]

I guess I have a more severe case. The hiatus (or opening) is so far stretched, medicine just doesn't seem to be helping at all. When the specialist did a scope(camera down throat) he said you could see directly into my stomach which is not what you're supposed to see! I am seeing him again this afternoon, to see if we can do something more right now...I can't take this unbearable discomfort/pain everyday...if really is affecting my quality of life. I can't work, I have a hard time doing daily chores and taking care of the kids..all I want to do is sleep in hopes that the pain will be better tomorrow. I will update ya's as to what the specialist says today. Thanks ladies~!

 

[diamondfan]

I am so sorry, that does not sound great at all.

I am supposed to be on protonix, which is a pump inhibitor pill that is supposed to stop stuff from coming back up, but honestly I am bad with pills. Your situation sounds different though. I got terrible reflux with my third pregnancy and it would feel like barf coming back up if I would lie down at all (sorry for the TMI) but it was so awful. Then I would get a burning searing pain mid chest, where the tubes meet, and it would leave me in tears. Would feel like something was stuck in there, and on fire. It was so unbearable sometimes I could not breathe. It let up a bit when my son was born.

Can you drink ensure or milkshakes to help with the weight loss? I would love to lose some weight but not that way!

 

[sugarplum]

Date: 7/26/2007 9:08:43 AM
Author: beau13
I guess I have a more severe case. The hiatus (or opening) is so far stretched, medicine just doesn''t seem to be helping at all. When the specialist did a scope(camera down throat) he said you could see directly into my stomach which is not what you''re supposed to see! I am seeing him again this afternoon, to see if we can do something more right now...I can''t take this unbearable discomfort/pain everyday...if really is affecting my quality of life. I can''t work, I have a hard time doing daily chores and taking care of the kids..all I want to do is sleep in hopes that the pain will be better tomorrow. I will update ya''s as to what the specialist says today. Thanks ladies~!

Yikes Beau. I hope they have something to help you now. What symptoms are you experiencing? Keep us posted.

 

[beau13]

I seen the doc, told him, I have sever pain in my collarbone area, radiating into my neck, lump in my throat (alwasy), heartburn, lump in breastbone area..and more. He said "I don''t know what you want me to do..look at my patient bookings...I have nowhere to squeeze you in at all". Let''s just say that by the time I left, he managed to bump my surgery up to October...not for sure, but he pencilled me in. I see him again Sept. 13th, and we''ll go from there! It truly is an agonizing disease...that came outta nowhere, and won''t let up. It started April 3rd, when I returned from Mexio, and at first thought it might be something I could have picked up there! After many tests, many doctors...etc..they all seemed to say it was reflux related, and after more evasive tests, they concluded that it needs surgery to repair the problem. Gaviscon, tums, and nexuim are my new best friends!! lol. Sparklies still come first though, I love them most!!