Hill Repair VS Fundoplication

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forun and gerd, small sliding hiatal hernia.  I had a real bad time during my endoscopy, they used demerol and versed for sedative.  Versed can you make you mean and I guess I was combative through the whole procedure although I dn't remeber it. My new doctor wants to scope me again but they want to use propofol this time.  Has anyone had propofol, I'm afraid after what happened to Michael Jackson.  I too am looking into having somesort of surgery.  Meds help but still have annoying symptoms anyone know of any good surgeons?

Back in the 80's when I had my first EGD's, they used to use IV Demerol and Valium. I loved it... gave me a nice elated buzz for hours. In the 90s, they switched to Versed and Fentanyl, which seems to wear off quicker -- does the job fine, but with no bonus buzz. As far as I know, I didn't give anyone a hard time. I'm one of those people who is fascinated by medical technology and I like being a patient... which is part of the reason I'm now in nursing school at age 50.

Propofol, which is a milky white emulsion, is known in the biz as "milk of amnesia". It puts you out in seconds. They generally prefer not to use a general anaesthetic, but rather "waking sedation". One time my late wife had an endoscopy in her hospital room... I think they failed to take into account the substantial Dilaudid they'd already given her, and had a hard to resuscitating her. (No, that wasn't what killed her... she eventually fully recovered from the other problem.)

Propofol is not especially dangerous when used appropriately... that is, with constant and careful monitoring. The problem is that there isn't really a certain "safe" dose... The few recreational use overdoses (generally by medical people as the stuff is very rare on the black market) have generally had doses within the normal therapeutic range.

In other words, the thing that makes it safe (like most narcotics) is close monitoring so that any crash can be corrected promptly. The problem in MJ's case was that it had most likely become routine, and he wasn't beeing properly monitored, nor was there appropriate resuscitation equipment on hand.

--c

Wow! I don't think I could do it without sedation. The momometry was bad enough.

Joy

I felt nothing after the MJ drug.
My doctor is in Albany, GA, V. John Bagnato.
He does the TIF. But I had the Hill Procedure, which he's famous for in the area.
I had very little pain after the surgery. I only needed pain meds after the surgery for about four hours. I slept that night with no pain meds, rode home on one dose of loratab for comfort sake. Slept two nights with loratab and needed no more.
I'm having a little spasms right now because I caught a cold and the coughing is hurting me. I'm only nine weeks out.

Joy

Did you get snow today?

By the way...

The endoscopy with out sedation is not that bad. Its litererly only like 3-4 mins tops!!! Once they get it down there, you wont even gag, you only gag whne they put it down and up.

If you take like 10 sprays of the numbing stuff, you prob wont even gag more than a couple times. It does not hurt, but it is uncomfortable. My heart was racing like crazy and my bp was high. I could breathe fine, no problem.

In most countires they dont use the sedation unless, they do a procedure.

If you did it, you would say never again during the procedure, but right when it was over, you would say it wasnt that bad,

Its one of those things that sucks, but the sec its done, you are fine, all the uncomfomfotable stuff goes away instantly, and you can walk out the door and leave.

Plus you get to talk to the doctor right then, when he actaully rems doing your scope...

i had my surgery don on monday , the 8th of feb 1010. i was suffering every day with reflux that would last for hours at a time, i had no life at all, but im home now and today is sat and im so glad i had the surgery, im on liquids right now but i feel grear, i would reccomend the surgery to any one

thank you
also im 71 tears old

sam arco

couchtater, no we didn't get snow too far south, bet our house in NY did. i have two states to pick from when it comes to having surgery. Could stop in Georgia on way home in May. I haven't had thsi problem very long it started in July. how does it work GI doc order test and surgeon makes determination if you're a candidate. Hate to have test twice. Thanks for your input. Theresa. did you get snow?

chaz, I've only had an endo, colonoscopy, and ct of abdomen. came to florida after. seen doc here, who wants to do another endo using propofol. That's why I came to the forum. I'm scared of propofol but definitely have to be sedated because I severe esophagitis and endo was very painful for me. I'm going to go ahead and schedule endo, because my symptoms are terrible. can't sleep, can't eat, I've lost 12 lbs, without even trying. I know surgery sounds premature, but my mother ruptured her esophagus,and meds help but still have symptoms. Ct scan showed contrast in esophagus, which should have been in my stomach. I'm new to florida and I don't know anyone here, so I really don't have anyone to talk to about this.still learning the order of things. I keep hoping it will just go away

One of the coolest exams to really find out what is going on with GERD problems is the barium swallow. You stand in a machine, and have to drink a chalky "milkshake", and at some point, some kind of soda water. The thing that is so cool about it is that you can actually see your guts moving in real-time on a fluoroscope screen... When they said "cough", and I coughed and saw my stomach jiggling, and it matched a sensation in my chest, I was hooked on medical imaging forever!

I've only had that one twice, and the last time was probably 10 years ago... maybe they are moving towards the CT for that now, but the CT is not real time moving pictures.

I was hoping my new doc would order a barium swallow for me but instead another endo which makes me cringe! anyone have a capsule endo? They say the problem with calsule is if there's a problem they can't do biopsies or dilitation. started on protonix, then protonix and zantac, then my joints started to hurt so now I'm on nexium, and I go through a bottle of mylanta every two weeks. And now I'm taking miralax. All I do is take meds for my digestive tract all day long. I still can't eat or drink what I want and some days can't eat at all. Joy I don't know how you went four years.. Tomorrow I'm scheduling MD appt. along with endo, like he suggested. Maybe he'll increase my meds. I use to watch those heartburn commercials on tv, had no idea what people were really going through.

Hi Joy, and Chaz, I made appt. with a new doc. on the 23rd. they also use propofol for sedation hopefully they will order a barium swallow. Joy are you on solid food yet? still feelin' good?

On the Hill Repair - I'm very interested in getting this done. From the med journal article I read, it sounds like it's been very successful treating LPR, which is what I have, without all the potential problems of the Nissen. Can anyone point to any resources that explain this procedure in detail? Does anyone have any info on how long it's supposed to last?

Gerdedout - sent you on email, but figured I should post here, as well. No problems on the Propofol (I've had 2 endoscopies, both times with Prop). And no need to endure the procedure awake. When the doc said I would be "sedated" rather than under full anaesthesia, I was concerned I might be partially conscious and told him I didn't want that. But one of the nurses assured me there was nothing to worry about, so I went with it, and sure enough - I was completely out during the procedure and it was over when I awoke.

Thanks,
Christophe

Thanks Joy. I hope so too :). That sounds like the Nissen, though...