Starting a New Post on My Surgery Update but Read Last One - Acid Reflux / GERD Message Board

CharBerry · 09-11-2008, 05:23 AM

Looks like me and MountainReader are on our way! I don't know about you, MR, but I'm scared to death. They make it sound so easy but if it was....why isn't everyone getting on the band wagon? Like you, I was very informed and asked some questions I don't think he expected me to or that I was aware of. I'm making me a list next time! He was very polite, caring, re-assuring and took the time to listen to my multitued of symptoms, tests and past Dr's over the years. Didn't disagree with me on anything like some Dr's did. Acting like that can't be happening. I'll keep an update and I certainly hope you will since looks like you'll be going first. I know there were a few that had it and I wish they would pipe in.

Char

nessie01 · 09-11-2008, 01:26 PM

good idea on a separate post char.........hay for the 24hr prob test do you have to come of PPI, just that im not looking foward to that if i have to cause it really does help alot of my stomach pain, i still get neasuea thou but never conssitently, so going of meds would freak me right out, also do your symptoms change like my cough is heaps and heaps better and so is my pnd this week, and not as much flem but now im geting ear fullness and a sensation of my throat tightening, goes form one thing to another lol,
anyway i will start up athread as well once i no what is happening, as i said i may need to hold of surgery until i have my baby, in that case we will be going for it like bunnies lol, as the sooner i have a bubs the sooner i can get the op done, i just dont want toget it done if i have to wait for six months for everything to heal and eat preoperly etc before i can have one, but i f my surgeon says its fine to have a buby afterward the operation then i will scedule it for the xmas holidays as i get 6 weeks of work, time to heal etc...............cheers ness,

MountainReader · 09-11-2008, 07:18 PM

Happy Birthday! It's kind of ironic. My b-day is next week so I guess this surgery could be a gift to myself also.

I can say that I am a bit nervous also. I had my first surgery ever last spring. It was laproscopic surgery on my shoulder. I've never had surgery that I have to stay in the hospital for. My biggest fear is that my asthma will trigger and I will start coughing and tear the stitches. I am putting a lot of trust in this doctor, but he performs this surgery pretty frequently. I did forget to ask the doctor one question. I will be calling back to clarify before the surgery. I am on quite a few medications. What do I do about taking them during the 2 weeks that I am on the liquid diet? I do have one daily inhaler and 2 nasal sprays so those will be OK, but I take 5 in a pill format daily. I may be able to skip the allergy meds for a couple weeks, but I will need to still treat the asthma and HBP.

The tests the surgeon reviewed: Modified Barium Swallow, Esophagram, EGD, Manometry, 24 hr pH. (I also had 2 chest x-rays, some blood work, a Pulmonary Function test and a TB test because of my coughing symptoms.) I had most of these 3 years ago and had to repeat them again so they could respond to my current condition.

Nessie, it is necessary to go off of the PPI's for the pH testing in order to get accurate results for the testing. They need to be able to actually measure the amount of acid coming up your esophagus. You can still take some OTC, non-PPI medications for a few days after you go off the PPI's. Your doctor should give you a list of what you can take and how many days in advance you have to discontinue their use. I can tell you it wasn't my favorite thing to do, but when my symptoms were bad I just kept reminding myself that this will help me get to the next step in my treatment process. The PPI's haven't worked properly for a long time though so my symptoms weren't that horrible compared to what I have been suffering with all summer.