Nissan surgery

[toy drive]

It has been four days since nissan surgery. I feel pretty good. I am able to drink fluids,eat 1 egg at breakfest,dairy is hard i really don't have problems with fluids. I really am not eating a lot , I get very full after a few bites. Pain is there -but not to bad. my main thing is that i feel very weak.I mean dizzy,lightheaded and nausea. I spent 2 days in hospital did not take any pain meds because it was not that bad.Thank you for all your comments. I hope this will help anyone who is having the surgery. I know you really need to find a great Dr at this surgery. I live in New York on Long Island, so if you need Dr this Dr has has done over 600 of these in 10 -12 years. Very good his name is Dr Alan Geiss.He was in book 100 best Dr's in NY. If you need any info or would like to contact me email is ***@****. Thanks again for all the comments. John

[Ange]

I am so sorry that you have so much pain.  Reading your messages has made me realize how blessed I am.  I honestly do not have pain (or else we would have detected acid reflux much sooner).  I already have 3 beautiful children, 8 years, 5 years, and 2 years and my baby is due at the end of September.  Even though I have lost my voice, I can still whisper into a microphone and have been able to keep my job.  I just can't stand the thought of getting too sick to take care of my kids.  But then I think of the pain that so many endure with reflux, and I know I have been extremely blessed.  God bless you and I'll pray for you.

[Bionic Granny]

I don't know of any alternative, but you are right,cancer is not an option. I too had it done, because I had two ulcers in my esophagous, the kind that can turn to cancer. I'm just upset, because the nissan isn't working as I had hoped it would. Of course they did say if you produce too much acid, that won't change--it's just harder to come up. I have not been sleeping at night- I'm usually up until 5a.m., then sleep till 11a.m. Life is not normal and I don't think the nissan is going to give you back a normal life. I have yet to find anyone, who can honestly say they are totally back to normal, after the surgery. When is your baby due? boy or girl. My children are all grown. Daughter is 31-single, but may have just found Mr. Right. I do hope you can get some relief. I suffered with reflux for almost 20 years. Got rid of one thing, now have the intestional problems. GOD never said life would be easy--darn that apple tree. GOD bless you and keep in touch.

[Ange]

Thank you for your concern.  I don't know what other options I have, though.  I am on the verge of losing my livelihood and my doctors tell me that my laryngx will be cancerous if left untouched.  40 mg of prilosec 2x daily with ranitidine at night has done nothing to stop the acid.  I'm too young to have the surgery last only 5-7 years, but I am also way too young to die of cancer.  Realistically, I can't do anything until after my baby is born anyway.  Do you know of any alternatives to the surgery if maximum medical management fails?

[Bionic Granny]

Two years ago this coming May, I had the nissan wrap and the doctors did not tell me it was only good for 5 to 7 years. My experience was a nightmare--lost spleen-staph,entercoccous faecalis, and pneumonia. Had to have central line to heart and have had 9 incisional hernias. Granted I am an unusual case, but nonethe less, you are too young (my opinion) to go through this--try every avenue first, then if all else fails, consider it. I am 52 and I don't like the odds--I already have had 5 severe refluxes in my sleep and woke up choking on acid. I am not  a normal person anymore and life is miserable. I still take pain medication and suffer from severe bloating and pain. Best of luck, if you have it done. I will pray for you that all goes well.

[Ange]

24-hour probe is when they feed thin fiberoptic tubes through your nose down into the areas near your lower esophageal and upper esophageal spinchters.  These tubes are connected to a fanny pack computer that you wear around your waist and the tubes measure pH levels during the 24-hours.  You are encouraged to eat and be active as you normally would, though this was difficult for me, because the upper esopheal probe seemed to pull and catch when I swallowed, triggering a gagging feeling.  You are required to keep a written log plus punch in events into the fanny pack computer for each time you eat or drink, bend over, recline, cough, belch, or regurgitate.  It was a very uncomfortable experience, but it give the doctors a 24 hr peek at acid levels at the two spinchter sites, and also to correlate acid levels with events like eating, lying down, coughing, etc.

In my case, I have never experienced heartburn per say.  The first symptom was that I lost my voice, which is devastating to a teacher.  This began 5 years ago, and now I can only whisper.  The 24-hour probe showed that I didn't have acid in my lower esophagus in large doses very often, and when I did, they cleared back out quickly.  Unfortunately, some acid traveled to my voice box each time, and the body has no way to clear this out very well, so my laryngx has had a lot of acid exposure.  I was planning to do the nissen wrap surgery shortly after the results of the 24-hr pH probe and my doc's recommendation.  I had already failed a nine month trial on Prilosec and ranitidine.  Within weeks, however, I discovered I was pregnant.  So far in my first trimester, I have progressed to breathlessness and chronic cough, which my doc is treating with an albuterol inhaler.  I am worried that the asthma-like symptoms will get worse, and that my already pre-cancerous laryngeal tissue will go malignant.  Now my other concern is that I have read that Nissen wrap may only keep it's benefits for 5-10 years.  I am only 30 and this is daunting to me.  Any comments, anyone?

[glanz]

What is a 24hr ph? and what does it involve?

[toy drive]

If i would you i would go to a dr who will do a 24hr ph test . I was going to this one dr who kept me on nexuim said short of breath was asthma i was on nexium for 17 weeks. I went to  2nd did ph and came back needed surgery. When gerd is bad can and will cause short of breath and coughing. I was short of breath 24/7 for 9 months. get a good dr

[Addie]

I am new here and was very surprised to read about this.  I also have reflux and have been on Priolsec, prevacid and Nexium.  I never stay on any of them long as i do not like the side effects.

i had an Endo last year with a horrid gastro doc. He said he ballooned a stricture and all indoications were that he did not.

One month later, i saw a nice female gastro who ordered a barium swallow.  It showed the stricture. She has me on nexium and will do anothwr Endoscopic in a few months. 9Hate the side effects)..

I have been having shortness of breath now for 3 months.  Went to the pulmonary doc and he said asthma and gerd.

Now, reading about Shortness of breath here, I am wondering if this is also my cause, GERD.

Thanks for sharing this and please get well.

Lisa

[toy drive]

I had problems taking deep breath (inhaling) i also had chronic cough like clearing of throat. I also had some heartburn but not alot. I went to cardio at first everything ok, then to gastro. I was on nexium for 17 weeks helped 20-30%. I had a endo and 24hr ph done and had really  got bad results lots of refluxes and weak les pressure.I was short of breath 24/7. It really took over my life from july of 2001- present.If you are having these or other symptoms ask for endoscopy and 24hr ph that will tell you what is going on.Good Luck

[glanz]

Why did you have the surgery? What were your symptoms? Please let me know wondering if I have to go for this also.