surgery repair life?

Hello everyone,

Am new here but been reading the threads for sometime and really helped me to understand so many things about GERD and laproscopic surgery, i have been suffered from “heartburn” in the chest little over a year and my doctor recommended that a go on and use PPIs “lanzor 30ml”twise a day with strict diet, however am still go uncomfortable through the day, after thinking about it i realized that i can link this to what i been suffering from last 7 years and still sore thrught add to this i have been also having Dental Erosion in the bottom of my tooths I think I been having silent GERD, after so many tests i was confirmed that i have acid reflux and the fundo surgery is highly recommended. I had a lengthy discussion with my surgeon i realized that the surgery will guarantee the repair for acid reflux for 10 year and after that i have the chance the reflux to come back 50% chance. My question is any one know or hear that the fundo surgery is guaranteed for 10 years?

Khalid

mine has lasted only 2.5

Hi Khalid,
I'm glad you've joined our forum! I had the surgery in February 2009. My main problem was that it was creating a lung problem. I have asthma, and the acid that was refluxing was creating constant inflammation.

Since my reflux was never as bad as yours, the doctors weren't sure that it would solve my problem. However, my lungs were very bad, and I really didn't have a choice--I had to try it.

After the surgery, my lungs improved 100% (minus some allergic asthma issues), and I am now off most of the medications I was forced to take to keep them open and breathing.

After about a year and a half, I think it may have gotten a bit looser, and I started getting a little lung reaction. After encouragement from my asthma doctor, I went to a surgeon to see if I needed a redo, and after all the tests, he said that my wrap was just fine, and he wouldn't ever touch one that was intact and looked as good as mine did.

My situation is a bit different, as the asthma needs only a tiny bit of reflux to cause them trouble. Anyone without asthma wouldn't even notice a change.

Still, my lungs are still SO much better, and I almost never get a heartburn sensation. I consider the surgery to be a success, and am very happy I had it.

If I begin to get enough reflux to get my lungs into the condition they were before the surgery, I will definitely have the redo surgery, without hesitation.

People who have had the surgery often need some medication for reflux. However, even with that, most are very happy with the results, as the amount of medication they're taking is so much less, and they're not suffering the way they did before the surgery.

As I'm sure you've read here, the most important thing is to get a surgeon who has done many, many of these procedures. (300+/more than that is better).

The other thing you need to keep in mind as you consider this option, is that many people who have this surgery don't post on the internet. They have the surgery and go on about their lives. People who have problems are more likely to seek out forums such as these.

The Nissen surgery has been helping people with severe reflux for decades. Is it perfect? No. Can it be a lifesaver? Yes!

Take care,
Denise

It's ridiculous for anyone to promise you that surgery will last 10 years, or any time at all! It does sound like you may need surgery, but I think I would check into this surgeon carefully, maybe get a second opinion.

Do ask a gastroenterologist whom he recommends locally, or even not so locally, who has a really good record for outcomes.

Maybe by "warranty" he means he'll re-do it if it doesn't work well the first time.