I just got the Stretta done

Hi all I wanted to let you know how my Stretta is going in the hopes of giving you all new options:

So I flew to Towson Maryland to have the Stretta done by Dr. Noar. From all my research, he is the most practiced doctor in America for the Stretta. My own GI used to do the Stretta but wasn't very successful with it. He said the Stretta is very physician skill based for a better outcome, which I thought was very cool of him to admit his shortcomings! Thus, the long flight to Dr. Noar. The Stretta was about $3500 and insurance does not cover it. My past history I am one of those 1 out of 10,000 people who are allergic to PPIs.

I had my Stretta done on may 17, 2011, so it's been two weeks.

Well, so far my results are WORSE! The Stretta REALLY aggravated my reflux. It's calming down a little bit now but still is worse than before I went in. Dr. Noar put me on Carafate which does help. You're suppossed to stay on your meds for the first month or so after the Stretta and because of my PPI allergy, I'm doing the Stretta while I'm refluxing, so it may take longer for my tissue to heal. I'm not giving up yet. They say it takes about 8 weeks to see any results so I'll keep you posted. But so far, 2 weeks it sucks! However, the actual procedure--piece of cake no different than an EGD; besides the worse reflux I felt fine and flew home the next day no problem.

Hey Jasmine,

It is way too soon for you to be noticing any benefits from the Stretta procedure. All the studies that I have read say that it takes up to 6 months to a year before you start noticing any benefits. At 1 year the Stretta effect is supposed to be at its full potential. So don't give up hope yet, you still have awhile to heal. Here are some studies of the Stretta www.mederitherapeutics.com/index.php?page=clinical-studies. Here is a video of the procedure if you’re interested www.mederitherapeutics.com/video/videoSTRETTA-HCP.html.

I’m curious; did you have a hiatal hernia or a large hill grade? Most times GI's only recommend the Stretta procedure to people that do not have any kind of structural abnormalities, as in your EGD comes back normal, but yet you're diagnosed with gerd through a positive bravo test.

HI to all my GERD buddies,

Well, today is the third week since my stretta. I know, I know I'm not supposed to notice any difference yet I just didn't think it would get worse. I actually had two good days this past week but today is not so good. I'm still refluxing a lot. I'm still on the Carafate and will be until the end of this month. So sorry guys not much extra to add to my past post.

about my anatomy, I did have a hiatal hernia but it is less than 2 cm which is the Stretta criteria. Dr. Noar asked that I take a Gastric Emptying test an EGG (which is also a gastric emptying test but easier) and a motility test to see if I would be a good candidate for the Stretta.

If any of you have had a motility test--I think that that is a form of torture, but I made it through so now I am 007 worthy.

Wow, I wish that PPIs were a magic pill for me this really hurts. My neighbor has been on PPIs for 9 years now with no problems--I'm jealous!

Hey Joy,

I chose the Stretta instead of the Nissen because my weight is so low (105 lbs) and everyone I know personally who had the Stretta lost a lot of weight. Because of my GERD it is really hard to eat and I just can't add the weight. Also since the Stretta is non-evasive and you don't have to be on a soft diet, I thought I would give it a chance and then if it didn't work do the Nissen next. I just thought the Stretta would work or not work I didn't think it would aggravate my reflux. I still have hope though it's still early and then if it does work--awesome--I didn't have to get a surgery. Also, and I meant to post this to give my full medical history, I got GERD as the result of a surgery ( a tummy tuck) in retrospect I wish I would have never done it. Well, I'm sure paying for it now. Maybe I can be on a talk show "Plastic Surgery Gone Bad".

PS. For those of you who can control GERD with your PPIs, the Stretta would be no big deal it didn't hurt at all. It's my reflux that's killing me. Sometimes I think God hates me. I can't believe that I can't take anything to ease my pain. I am in so much pain--I hate this!!!! I hope I start feeling better fast or at least that my GERD will go back to the way it was before the Stretta. Sorry this was a depressing post; it's just wearing on me.

Thanks Denise you are sweet. Most of my pain is in my throat and I can feel a lot of regurgitation. I was on Rantinidine and but it doesn't help at all I think it might make it worse--Seriously...I hate my body! It seems that everything that is supposed to reduce acid makes my reflux worse. Even Gaviscon and Tums irritate my reflux sometimes--but sometimes they work. I don't understand. I swear the carafate is causing reflux too. I'm going to shut up now. I'm tired of whining. Oh wait here's one more: I'm am STARVING, but it hurts to swallow :( There I'm done.
On a positive note I've had a pretty good asthma day.

Jasmine,

So sorry you are going through all this. I felt like I was reading a page from my diary when I read your last post here. Yes, even Tums gave me immediate HB (heartburn), just not every time. I thought maybe it was one of the particular flavors in the berry mix. I couldn't understand it at all. I made sure I didn't use the peppermint or citrus flavor, so I was shocked when I got the heartburn. I'm not allergic to the ppi's, but it did take a long time for the right one to work and kick in, so I do know the pain you are experiencing daily. I don't think you are whining, more like just telling it like it is!

I second the use of the Carafate if you can, and yes, it gave me instant HB and gurgling back up my throat too at times. I figured I'm going to have HB anyway might as well try and get some healing from the Carafate. My throat wasn't the problem though. My pain was midway down my chest that hurt and made swallowing and talking painful. Have you tried sipping liquid through straws to see if that makes the swallowing easier. I am still eating minimally but I can tolerate protein drinks right now and my new GI has me sipping all during the day in hopes of getting some nutrition and putting some weight back on. Because of the constant intake of food the protein drinks I can only take the Carafate at night. I'm still trying to figure out how to get more doses of it into my schedule. Even just that one dose is helping keep the pain away though and providing some healing.

I do hope you feel better soon.

Sewfun

Hi all,

So it's been 7 weeks since my Stretta. I'm still on the carafate. I thought I was doing well, so I went off the carafate but then it hurt too much, so I guess the carafate is working really well. But I dropped my dosage down from every 6 hours (3 x a day) to just morning and night and I'm doing alright the pain is manageable.

The verdict on my reflux so far is .... I've had better, but I've also had worse. So I'll give it some more time. But in the meantime I'm setting up the necessary steps for either a nissen or a toupet because I don't want to live with this any longer than I have to.

My asthma is the most difficult part so when that gets better, I'll be a happy girl. I'm on pulmicort and a rescue inhaler. Does anyone have any asthma suggestions or what they did that helped them?

Still having trouble swallowing. But again it's better than it was a few weeks ago.
I'll keep you posted

Jasmine
I was diagnosed with asthma about 12-15 years ago. I got to the point that I carried a rescue inhaler all the time, I did not have to use maintenance inhalers though. I was told my asthma was from breathing the smoke from wildfires off the mountains in VA. The last few months b4 my Nissen I was as bad as I had ever been, Within a few weeks of surgery I was treated with steroids twice. Neither time did the wheezing clear up completely. Thank goodness it cleared enough for surgery. I had surgery April 1st this year and I no longer carry the rescue inhaler. I cough occasionally but not often. I know I may be the exception rather than the rule, but I believe my asthma was more reflux induced than environment.
Good luck and keep in touch..
Sandi

Well, it is now week 8. Still no success to report. I do have an increased feeling of fulness (worse than before the surgery) which my doctor says may be a sign of it beginning to work. My asthma is actually doing better. I haven't used a rescue inhaler for 3 days. My throat pain is still severe and it is still difficult to swallow. I'll still give it more time. I know it will be slow but I can't stand the reflux for much longer so I'm thinking 2 more months and I'm going in for a wrap!

thank you Katherine. I hope that your road to recovery will be short and successful.

I just got back from the Pulmonologist and my lungs are doing well!!!! My breathing function has improved! I still have wheezing and coughing but it is getting better--in fact I'm even in the normal range! I'm hoping this is because my reflux is getting better even though my LPR symptoms haven't improved. The pollen count is also down so it could be that also, but I'm going to go out on a "hope limb" here and say that the reflux is starting to get better. I'll keep you posted with my improvements and I soooooooooooo hope that the Stretta will work 100%

Asthma better today but still a lot of reflux. It's been 3 months and no improvement. They say to give it six but I don't think I can wait that long. Keep you posted

I will pray for you Jasmine. I know you'll make it just fine. Lean on His word.

"Pile your troubles on God's shoulders—he'll carry your load." Psalm 55:22.

Thank you my sweet gerd friends. We can all make it. I'm trying hard to accept what is.