Gerd Op

[Bonnie]

Saw my GI today for a follow up after my gastroscopy and colonoscopy.

Been on Pantoloc for 6 weeks for my ulcers but now he wants me to have the op for GERD - laparoscopic and also to remove a hernia at the same time.

Has anyone had this op? Did it help at all?

My gastric symptoms have cleared up dramatically since I went on the Pantoloc. So much so that I though I would try eating gluten again. HAH! No such luck. GI told me to give up and just accept that I am gluten intolerant. There was no villi damage to suggest celiac disease but then I've been gluten free for over a year. My arms are killing me from eating a bit of gluten!

Not sure whether to have this op or not so any advice would be welcome!

Thanks

Yvonne

[zip2play]

I have had the hiatal hernia operations to fix a large hernia that was causing major gerd. I had it on July 1st of 2003. It was hell the first couple weeks, but well worth it. I have had NO gerd or reflux issues since having it done. I do believe the surgery prompted my gluten issues. I am sure I probably had them all along, but they became major after my surgery. At the same time I had this surgery, they removed my gall bladder, MAJOR gall bladder disease! (from gluten issues I am sure).

I have had one side effect from the operation. Something my surgeon says has never happened to anyone else she has done this on. When I drink (alcohol) too much or eat too much my left shoulder kills me. Surgeon feels it is scar tissue causing the issue. Immediately after surgery it was awful. For 4 to 6 months after, everytime I ate much at all, major shoulder pain. But it only happens when I am careless now.

For me, the surgery was worth it. My gerd was so major, you could hear it in my voice when I spoke. It is nice not to always have issues. Working out prior to the surgery was not easy due to the hernia.

I would make sure the person doing the operation has done it numerous times before. OH and the esophagus test that needs to be done prior to the surgery is horrible. Worse then the entire surgery itself. Not sure if you will have to do it, but if you do, you are now warned!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

I will PM you my email address.

Monica

My surgery was called a stomach wrap procedure. Is that what you are having done?

[chrissy]

my baby has had the surgery, called a nissen fundoplication---she also had a hiatal hernia repair. her reflux was gone immediately and she has never had any complications from it. she cannot throw up, but she can burp. at 8 months old her esophagus was ulcerated---she had the surgery at almost 10 months. my twins both have reflux also---i wish i could do fundos on both of them----the meds are so darned expensive.

[Guest cassidy]

I had the surgery 18 years ago. They couldn't do it lap back then. It really got rid of my reflux, but I think the root cause of everything was celiac. I started having bad reflux in November. I have had bad boughts every few years since the surgery.

I went through all the tests and the wrap was no longer in place. I was scheduled for a second one in Februrary.

My mom found out she had dh in September. In Janurary she read an article and realized that my symptoms were more classic celiac. I went gluten-free on 1/4. 3 days before my surgery I was feeling so much better that I cancelled it. My doctors thought I was crazy, yet again. During an endoscopy the doctor said, you really are gluten-free? Haven't you even cheated and had a beer?

I am gluten-free and no longer on any stomach medicine. I truely believe all my reflux was due to celiac and not to gerd.

I felt great for a month or so and then started feeling bad again (not reflux). I went to a natural doctor who is an md also. She did a stool test and found a bad bacteria, an amoeba and candida overgrowth. I asked her how I got all this. She said the antacids for the reflux make your stomach environment less acidic. The more neutral environment lets everyday bugs get through and make a home in your intestines. She also said that most gerd is caused by too little acid and not too much. If you have heartburn and take a tablespoon of vinegar and it goes away, you know it is from low acid.

If you have ulcers, have you ruled out h pylori? Stress?

I don't know how long you have been gluten-free, but does gluten make it worse?

I will never take an antacid again. It has been tough taking all these antibiotics to get rid of the stuff that the antacids let in. I really have dealt with this all my life and would be happy to answer any other questions.

The website heartburnhelp.com has people who have intestinal symptoms as well as reflux that don't get better. I suggested this website and no one wants to think that celiac is an option.

Good luck figuring it out, but the surgery doesn't last forever, so it isn't a permanent fix. If you can find out why you really have these problems, I think you will be better off.

oh, there was another girl on here once that had the operation as a child and thought that her reflux was also due to celiac. I don't know if she is still around.

It took a while to get over my anger at having a surgery I didn't need and also a second one. I have a huge scar on my stomach that I see everyday and wasn't necessary. I wouldn't want anyone else to go through that.

[Bonnie]

Thanks everyone for your responses.

I worry about having surgery that is perhaps not really necessary - I feel it can cause other complications. I have never actually had any surgery and am not keen to start!

The GI thinks my ulcers should have cleared in the 6 weeks I've been on the medication but my reflux has got really bad, especially first thing in the morning and late at night.

Cassidy your comments about it being gluten related are interesting because I've been trying gluten again over the last 2 weeks and its during that time the reflux has got worse, also bloated again and sore arms. Oh and not sleeping at all!

Hmmmm ........ need to take my time and really think about this. Haven't got time right now to go into hospital anyway

Thanks again!

Yvonne

[zip2play]

I forgot to mention, I too cannot throw up either. I can burp and have no issues there. But if I get a stomach virus, there is now way for me to purge myself.

If you think gluten free may handle it, I say do it. But I can say, gluten-free will not correct a hernia and if it is a major one, acid will creap up. If enough damage is done, you are then more prone to esophogus cancers.

Good luck!

Monica

[chrissy]

reflux is when acid washes back up your esophagus through the upper LES valve------so there is no way that reflux can be caused by too little acid in your stomach. the amount of acid you do or don't have in your stomach can definitely affect how BAD your symptoms are, though. even when the acid is neutralized, i can still feel reflux backing up in my throat when i lay on my right side or when i bend over.

i definitely agree with monica----gluten free will not repair your hernia----but alot of people have hiatal hernias without having surgery to repair them----but they have to watch their diets, their weight, and how they sleep. my daughter's hernia was bad enough that it made her reflux uncontrollable------but a hiatal hernia in an infant is totally different than a hiatal hernia in an adult. i think in an infant it is considered a birth defect.

both of my celiac twins have reflux. i was hoping that going gluten free would make it better, but one of them has it bad enough that gluten free hasn't even touched it---in fact she has been having more pain lately. the other one didn't even know she had reflux until her endo showed esophagitis.

[Bonnie]

I had no idea my hernia would require watching my diet or that it had anything to do with reflux. Its not massive at the moment but you can see and feel it, its pretty obvious - sticks out above my naval. Do you know of a website I can have a look at? Your poor daughters haven't had much luck, have they?

The GI didn't actually tell me too much at all. Wouldn't do any tests for Celiac either - which I didn't argue with because I've been gluten free for over a year and it would have been pointless. I was worried though when he kept mentioning wheat intolerance. I insisted it was gluten because I'm even worse with rye than I am with wheat. He asked me if there was gluten in rye!!!!! Anyway I have done enough gluten challenges to know without a doubt I am gluten intolerant.

The tablets I am on are helping but not completely. I am very uncomfortable in the mornings when I wake up and then after supper at night. The food doesn't seem to move down.

Thanks so much for the advice Monica and Chrissy - much appreciated.

Yvonne

[chrissy]

you can't see a hiatal hernia-----that sounds like a different type of hernia, but i can't remember what it is called.

[Bonnie]

Hi Chrissy,

After your post I re-read my report from the GI. I have a hiatal hernia as well as an umbilical hernia. Its obviously the umbilical hernia I can see!

Thanks for that, I didn't realise I had 2. I'm falling apart - must be an age thing

Yvonne

[ravenwoodglass]

I had no idea my hernia would require watching my diet or that it had anything to do with reflux. Its not massive at the moment but you can see and feel it, its pretty obvious - sticks out above my naval. Do you know of a website I can have a look at? Your poor daughters haven't had much luck, have they?

The GI didn't actually tell me too much at all. Wouldn't do any tests for Celiac either - which I didn't argue with because I've been gluten free for over a year and it would have been pointless. I was worried though when he kept mentioning wheat intolerance. I insisted it was gluten because I'm even worse with rye than I am with wheat. He asked me if there was gluten in rye!!!!! Anyway I have done enough gluten challenges to know without a doubt I am gluten intolerant.

The tablets I am on are helping but not completely. I am very uncomfortable in the mornings when I wake up and then after supper at night. The food doesn't seem to move down.

Thanks so much for the advice Monica and Chrissy - much appreciated.

Yvonne

Have you checked with your pharmacist to be absolutely positive that the meds you are taking are gluten-free? Your doctor will not know the answer to this. Many 'tummy' meds are full of gluten, they give instant relief but insure you'll need them again in a couple of days. Make sure you pharmacist calls each company to make sure and also check all OTC stuff you take, especially antacids.