Esophyx Tif surgery Part 1 of 2 Closed~see Part 2

Do you know Dr Tsai's first name, I want to look him up. Did they not tell you that you would be having the symptoms you are having now? they told me I will have bad soreness in my throat for about 7 days and may have more bloating/belching/gas than normal as well as pain in the shoulder which I think is a nerve or something.  But other than that they said I should be good to go to work about a week after procedure.

Seems like they are trying to use us as test dummies on the west coast as I cannot find anyone out here who has done it more than a couple of times. On the east coast and midwest there are doctors that have done it a hundred times or more. I am thinking that may be my best bet. Did your insurance cover yours?

I just called the main office for the TIF in Washington and they transferred me to the person who trains the DR's to do the procedure. He told me he trained Dr Wong and Dr Tsai personally and they are the best in N Cal. He also trained a Dr in Denver that has now done over 100 procedures and assured me that technically Dr Wong and Tsai are just as good as that DR. He said the shoulder pain is from you laying on your side for 1 hr during the procedure and it should go away within a week. The diarhia will pass soon too.  I hope you start to get better soon, from what I hear it will take about 1 month to feel normal again and hopefully have no more reflux. I had 410 reflux episodes during my 24 hr PH, how many did you have?

Tracey,

Thanks, yes, it is me wondering about food.  Did you have diaherra too?  Thanks for responding; it has been tough.  I hope it gets better soon.

Gerd11

 just called the main office for the TIF in Washington and they transferred me to the person who trains the DR's to do the procedure. He told me he trained Dr Wong and Dr Tsai personally and they are the best in N Cal. He also trained a Dr in Denver that has now done over 100 procedures and assured me that technically Dr Wong and Tsai are just as good as that DR. He said the shoulder pain is from you laying on your side for 1 hr during the procedure and it should go away within a week. The diarhia will pass soon too.  I hope you start to get better soon, from what I hear it will take about 1 month to feel normal again and hopefully have no more reflux. I had 410 reflux episodes during my 24 hr PH, how many did you have?

Wow, thats great you got to talk to the Dr!.  I had 150 or so for 24 hrs.  410; Thats a lot .  Thanks for the info.  I talked to my Dr. tonight and he said I was the first patient with diaherra.  He told me to stay away from dairy ; I am lactose intolerant.  My Dr. didn't think I should still be having voice hoarseness and heartburn.  Did anyone else have those symtoms and if so did the surgery work?

  Noah,

I'm still having shoulder pain and had diarrhea for 12 days.  That was tough!

Are your really going in on July 28th??... Bec/ I missed my Grandmothers funeral bec/ my surgery was the day after she died and I was afraid I would have to wait another 9 mnths until it could be rescheduled. 

Dr. Wong had also told me I was his first patient with these above posted symtoms.  He said the others were fine.  I'm a slow healer.  So I think you'll be fine.

Still not sure if it worked bec/ I still have acid coming up in my throat.  However, it still might be too soon to tell.  Good luck and keep posting. 

Gerd11

NPF,
Monday will be the start of my 5th week. I am still sore in the areas of the surgery. Getting
better each day. VERY gassy espec. walking and after eating. Over the counter meds don't seem to work. The diet is starting to get to me ! Can't wait for week 8. Did you have the surgery and if so how'd it work for you?
Gerd11

hey noahomes -

can you tell me who you talked to in Washington? - what did they say? I heard they are pretty good about letting their doctors speak directly with patients - thanks - I'll share my friend's convo as well
npf

Hi Gerd11 -

They were called in Washington because my friend wanted to have it reversed after it failed - and he was being told it was not reversible - he called endogastric solutions, and talked with Dr. Porter - he just got their number from the website and somebody placed him in contact with this Dr. Porter- who asked him where he heard it was reversible - and my friend told him on their website - on their videos and in the text - although it appears text is changed now - I have never heard of anyone having it reversed -

what we're trying to find out now is if a new study is true or not - that having the nissen after a failed esophyx is NOT the same as having the LNF (lapascopic nissen fundoplication) before the esophyx -

we read a new study that stated that "General quality of life after LNF was not significantly better than that before EsophyX® fundoplication" which is interesting since the LNF alleges success of 93 %

more troubling is results that there may be higher risk of "injury during LNF and a relatively high rate of postfundoplication dysphagia" when having the nissen after the failed esophyx - this is all new ground - but apparently there is a difference of having the LNF after a failed esophyx than before undergoing the esophyx first -

It sounds as though you're still early - although all 3 of the friends I spoke of knew their esophyx failed early on (like 6 weeks or so) - if yours has failed - I would be very interested to hear whether than can reverse it - also - find out as much as you can about what options exist and more importantly see if there is any truth to the reference I made to the study above - (it came out of the netherlands) - I'm not a doctor - but I would be careful about understanding whether to move forward with the nissen until more people share stories about having the nissen after a failed esophyx -

hopefully all of this is moot for you - and it did work -

hope you will keep me updated -
thanks!

Hi Gerd11 -

I am not expert - trust me - but am consumed with all this - and hope I can help you -

post-op testing is used to determine if the the procedure failed. You should have all of the same tests done. Did I read that you had around 150 reflux episodes after your Ph test? If that is the case, I am surprised you were ever even offered the EsophyX. The EsophyX is generally not advised for patients with severe forms of gerd. you may want to ask your doctor about that when you go for post-op. A bravo test is usually used to determine the effectiveness of an esophyx procedure....does your doctor plan on having that done?

If the surgery reduced your reflux episodes to below 50 a day, and your demeester score below 14.7, it will be considered a success. These are considered normal ranges. You could still have the acid taste..be feeling quite bad..but be considered technically a success.

Endogastric Solutions, Inc. makes no bones about their claims - They are absolutley claiming the esophyx "Eliminates heartburn in over 85% of patients", "Gets 79% of patients off PPIs 2 years after the procedure" and "Clinical results are comparable to more invasive GERD surgical treatments like the Nissen". This is from their website.

But a surgeon in this area has informed us that it was important to note that all of the studies done were funded by the manufacturer of the product, - I haven't seen the specific studies yet -

Two recent studies, not funded by the manufacturer, have shown only 37% of patients eliminate PPI therapy. 1 Univ of Pgh Surgeon, recently published his own study opining that while there may be potential - he doesn't believe it should be done outside of clinical studies and his name is now off of the referral list for Endogastric - (I'm paraphrasing of course)

I'm curious - did you rely on the advertising that the procedure was reversible when you decided to have it done?

good luck to you - I hope it has not failed for you - then you get into the whole issue of whether or not you should consider the nissen -

although if tests showed it failed - see what you can find out about having the procedure "revised, adjusted, or undone" as Endo claims you can so easily -

thanks
bowhunter33

Bowhunter 

I was wondering what your 3 friends have done after their TIF surgery failed.

I do not know what to think about mine yet.   It is just a little over 8wks and Dr says everything from my surgery is intact.    I had a scope done on Monday.   he is thinking my problem is weight related that I put pressure on the valve and acid still comes up.   I havent decided what I am going to do yet.

Gerd11   I am wondering how you are doing after your surgery.   The last time you wrote anything you were at 5wks.

Thank you 

Hi GERD11

I lost 50lbs before my surgery and probaby around 25 after the surgery.   I could probably stand to lose a good 50lbs yet.   My BMI is quite high 39.7.

I was getting acid and burning that is why he did the scope.   They did the barium swallow and the tech wiggled me around and rolled me back and forth and then he had me turn on my side and drink some water.....he said oops so I new he saw acid reflux.   He wouldnt really tell me anything after that.

The surgeon when he did the scope said he put pressure on the valve and air came up out of my stomach so he is thinking that my stomach is putting pressure on the valve and then acid is coming up.   He said everything was intact from the surgery.

I am still taking protonix I never quit.   I was afraid to try because of all the burning and taste I had in my mouth.    I take protonix in the AM and pepcid before the evening meal.

Maybe you need to wean yourself off the medicine.   Take one once in a while.

I am not eating anything either that would cause acid.    green beans and fish...oatmeal very plain stuff.

At week 8 I added meat, bread.   Will you be able to add those?

I am thinking about checking with another surgeron in Pittsburgh, but need to make sure my insurance will pay.       I want off these meds too.    Thats why I had the surgery done.  Same as you right.

I wish you well also.

 

hi Gerd 11

Yes I had the TIF surgery.     The dr thinks mine isnt working because of weight.

I dont really know what to think of that.

I just know I have reflux everyday.   I am still on my meds.

How are you doing.   Do you still have reflux.

my LES valve was kind of flat before the surgery.    That is the words the dr used.

I am overweight.      I lost 50lbs before surgery and about 25 after.

There are a lot of overweight people that dont have reflux.

I think the TIF surgery sometimes doesnt make the valve tight enough.

I had a scope done on Monday, the surgeron said that when he put pressure on the valve during surgery that air came out of my stomach.   That is where he came up with the idea that the reflux was due to weight.   Saying my stomach was pushing on the valve or something like that.

Well I pretty much have this burning all the time.    I cant see where my stomach would be pushing on the valve when I was standing.    I dont know what to think.

I pretty much have made up my mind I am going to need to go see another surgeon.   I just dont  know where yet and then I am wondering about the insurance end of it.   I am miserable.    I think my reflux meds are causing me to hurt.    I have Osteoarthritus and think this is making me hurt.

I am having a problem with my computer so I dont know how long I will be able to access the internet.

Hope your problem is just that you are not healed yet.