Linx system surgery Part 2 of 2

Two Dogs,
Thanks for the update. It is much appreciated.
I wonder if you have any clues as to why it did not work? Did it move away from its original position?
Did the doctor have any explanations? Maybe you can have it re-placed so that it will be corrected?

Best wishes
Gilad

Two Dogs,
I'm BUMMED!!!!!I've convinced myself that mine has slipped some. I also have the battery of tests the end of July and should confirm or deny my suspicions. Please don't give up just yet, this is experimental and this may be a bump in that road. Keep your spirits up and make sure that you talk to your Doc. Other than some occasional burn when I eat (goes away after a few minutes generally) mine seems to be working. As of today still NO meds of any kind. Stay strong and keep smiling!! Shooz

One doctor:

http://findadoc.upmc.com/PhysicianBioQuery.aspx?id=1604

Another one:

http://www.mngastro.com/mngi.nsf/our_practice/rganz.html

 

Post Edited (rummaan) : 5/12/2010 7:42:56 AM (GMT-6)

Hi Wolfz,

I'm sorry to hear you are having this complication with the surgery. I think one of the principle investigators for the Torax Linx is Dr. Robert A Ganz, MD. The contact number I see for him is:

Minnesota Gastroenterology PA
5705 West Old Shakopee Road Suite 150
Bloomington, MN, 55437
Phone Number: (612) 871-1145

Perhaps your Linx is pressing on a nerve or constricting blood flow in some way. Or maybe it is just too tight and needed to have one more magnetic bead in the chain. Please let us know what you find out.

hello all...Ive been at the hospital- inhouse for 3-4 months, its a house with nurses, i just couldnt live alone anymore....suffering alot with the Gerd and stayed at an inhouse with nurses cause i couldnt live alone anymore with the Gerd...i was too sad, too miserable, too scared...cositng me a fortune, mostly my youth, im just 26 and miserable young girl....now im back home but no difference...nasal congestion, 3 PPIS per day sometimes more, and a diet...
i want to die...im suicidal:(

what is happening with shooz?

Hi Julie,
I too am miserable because of this Gerd. It has very adversely effected my life.
Lets try to hold on together and hope that either the esopyhx or the linx or both will provide a satisfactory solution.
Keep well please
Gilad

Hi everyone,
A quick update...status quo. I'm waiting for my end of July appt for the series of tests to prove the Linx is working properly. The biggest thing for me now is this lump like feeling in my lower esophagus. It is something that my surgeon will check out when I go for the tests. Otherwise I'm feeling very good and reflux FREE. I hope the approval comes quick for the rest of you IF this fits your needs. My best advice to all is to talk to your Docs and stay informed. I know for many of you out there this is tough, I can only offer to hang in there. I'll keep providing as much info as I can. Keep smiling and stay tuff. Shooz

Hi Gilad,
The lump I feel is low in my throat. Unfortunately the more I think about it the more I feel it!! It feels like something is lodged there. I can feel and hear when I swallow. My son is getting married this weekend and I think when I get back I will contact my surgeon and discuss this with him. I do cough, constantly clear my throat and I have a rough feeling in there. As I have mentioned I do have my 1 year series of tests coming up in July and most tell me I shouldn't wait but go and have it checked now. Still no reflux and occasional burn for a short period of time when I eat. I'm sure stress plays a part in that!! Overall I'm still VERY pleased. All for now. Shooz

Hi Two Dogs, thanks for the update. Other people have said they have to eat small bites and chew things up completely to get food to go down past the linx. When you eat like a starving dog, are you able to swallow big chunks of food? If so, then it probably means your linx is a little looser than the other people that don't have as much reflux as you seem to have. Do you have any more followup appointments with the doctor to figure out what went wrong in your case? I think either the linx is a little too loose or else it moved out of the correct position. The biggest weakness of the linx seems to be that there is no way to fine tune it after it has been implanted.

Hey Shooz, if you're around, I was just thinking the lump in your throat could be from some acid being left in your esophagus when you lay down to sleep at night. People with GERD usually have weak muscle activity in the esophagus when standing up, but when they lay down, the muscles in the esophagus basically relax completely. So what might be happening to you is a little bit of after dinner acid is stuck in your esophagus between the linx on one end and the throat muscles on the other. I think you said earlier that you do not sleep with the head of your bed elevated, so that acid might be pressing up against your throat all night, giving you that lump in the throat feeling and congestion. You might want to give elevating your bed a try for a week and see if your symtoms start to improve.

Hi Two Dogs,
Thanks for posting your updates very much.

I also suffered from this horrific motility test. I heard that they have a new test now where the tube as several sensors at different heights instead of just on on the tip of the tube. I haven't done it but I read that it is more precise and also quicker and easier.

I also have learned now that the Stretta method is back in business. It uses ablation via radio frequency waves to the esophagus. I wonder if it is also a good option also. I didn't manage to find any patients that recommend it yet though.

Best wishes
Gilad

Hello Wolfz,

I'm sorry to hear the Linx did not work out for you. I didn't quite understand what you meant about one centimeter of the esophagus not moving and then being too narrow. Do you have an esophageal stricture? Does your doctor think it was caused in some way by the Linx, or was it just the result of the reflux?

Did they do a barium swallow test to see if the Linx was still working or had moved out of the correct position?

I suppose the good thing about the Linx is that it can just be removed and that will hopefully get rid of the pain you have been having. Good luck with the removal and please let us know if the doctor figures out why the Linx did not work for you.

Regards, speden

Hi,
Yesterday was my big day, manometry, endoscope and the Bravo test. I love the nurses and docs that work with my surgeon, they are the BEST. As we all know the "nose hose" (sorry my best description) is the hardest and with the right people it goes okay. I think I had an easier time with it this time than the first time last year. I go in next week for the upper GI and then see my Doc at the end of the week. I'm praying everything is fine. They did multiple biopsy's but I'm not sure why. I was pretty out of it when I left the hospital yesterday. Keep your fingers crossed and I'll let you know how things turned out next week. Shooz