Surgery for GERD???

[Stefany]

HI im 16 and i have just been diagnosed with GERD and i have had reflux as long as could remember. Ever since i was 2 yrs old ive had cancor sores all the time......
I have always had throat problems and swollen glands and we now think its is b/c of the reflux. I want to know if i am a good candidate for fonduplication... I'm now on protonix, which is my 4th med i've taken for reflux so far. I don't kno what its like not to have  heartburn and me and my mom both agree that the sooner the surgery the better.
what do you think??? and does anyone kno of any surgeons that perform fonduplication near or in Nebraska. We were thinking maybe the Mayo Clinic would help us. Well if theres any advice for me out there...... please respond!!

[Motherof3girls27]

I had the lapnissen fundoplication about 3 weeks ago and I am still having trouble swallowing and bad diarrhea and nausea, dry heaves with pieces of blood, They think they damaged my vagus nerve, I go this thurs. for my 2nd post op visit it will have been 4 weeks after my surgery, I cant eat anything w/o having to run to the bathroom and then be violently sick but of course cant throw up, it's horrible and I would never had done it had I known these complications. I am on anti-diarrhea meds but they dont help. I have lost almost 15 lbs. and go days w/o eating and I have also been back in the hosp. due to dehydration. I am so miserable, I just want it fixed. I still have trouble swallowing. Do not have this surgery Id much rather deal with my chances of getting esophogeal cancer!!

[kocurran]

I have been told as well I have vagus nerve damage along with other nerve damage because of having the surgery for GERD(Nissen Fundoplication)I was told there is a good chance of slow recovery over the next two years. I would not recommend it. I lived with heartburn everyday 24 hours a day and still have it along with the inablility to eat much of anything. I now have to take nitroglycerin because the foods I am able to eat, get stuck. I have severe pain all the time and have developed seizures. 2 1/2 weeks after my 1 surgery I had to have a second surgery because my esophagus was tied too tight by the wrap, I went 18 days without eating or drinking before this was realized. I have been told I am in the 1% range of people who not only don't get better but develop more symptoms that are severe. I have since been diagnosed with colon problems now, gallbladder problems aspiration of stomach acid into the lungs and more. I often have upper GI bleeding well.

[perkytmus]

Don't do it.  My boyfriend had the lapnissan flundoplication a year ago April, and I have just found out a friend also had the same surgery.  They both had vagus nerve damage.  The vagus nerve damage has caused severe weight loss, gastric emptying problems, tremors, diarrhea, gas bloat and major intestinal pain.  Both of these people have had a second surgery.  My boyfriend lost so much weight so fast that he ended up in the hospital within a month with pancreatitus(almost diabetic).....He has now been diagnosed with celiac disease (a glueten allergy)  which one website said can be caused by trauma to the intestines.  He is now under the care of a holistic physician.  She says that if he had come to her with the gerd problems she would have had him try some other therapies before going to surgery.  Also, my friend that the surgery, one of her doctors in Portland, Oregon is seeing approximately 20% of his patients now have vagus nerve damage from these surgeries.  It is not an easy fix.  It can cause you a world of hurt.  I don't know where to tell you what will help if it goes wrong because we are still looking.  However, you are so young try everything else first.  Good Luck....perky

[needabreak]

Surgery?  Personally, I would try every other means first.  If you are interested in managing your GERD "naturally", see a Concerned Lady post below.  She offers several tips for GERD sufferers AND they work!! I and others are using them right now as is she and her husband.  It (GERD) CAN be managed following these tips faithfully.  Good luck in whatever you choose to do.  My heart goes out to you.  I hate seeing others suffer, but especially anyone so young.

[TexasTip]

I have been on Prilosec and now Nexium for years. Last April (2001), I had a severe bout of distress related to the gallbladder and came very close to having it removed. I elected not to, and went online to find relief for the severe gas pains that come with the attacks. You know, belching for hours, gas pains that keep you up for hours at night, etc.

I discovered activated charcoal. It is great! It can absorb gas and toxins in the digestive tract. I haven't used antacid one in over a year. Take 2 to four capsules when eating a "bad" meal or when you have distress occuring. It works for me.

Today, I'm trying to get off nexium. I stopped taking it two days ago. I have a headache, my stomach hurts, and I have additional acid. But the charcoal seems to be keeping the negative symptoms down. I'm going to try this approach for a few more days and see if I can live without it.

By the way, activated charcoal does a number of amazing things to cleaning the body out. It also absorbs drugs, so you should be wary of using it when you are forced to take prescription medications.

[Barend]

Have you checked out the Stretta procedure?  Clinics are all over the States?  It is a one-day-in-and-out operation. http://www.curonmedical.com/tech/locator.html.  Barend