My LINX Journal - Part 2

I read your entire journal and I have to say that if my surgeon says we are good to go that I have the same results you had. I noticed you didn't have alot of dysphagia. Thats the one thing Im afraid of. What if it lasts longer than they say or never goes away.
But your experiance is motivating. I can;t wait to never feel this horrible burn anymore and to never take another nexium ever again.
Did you get acid rebound after the surgery? Or does it work so well you didn't even know you were having it.
Anyway thanks for taking the time. God Bless your new found health.

Hi NDL! I'm so glad to see you still on here and doing great since the surgery! I can't believe it's already almost been 3 months for you. It seems like swallowing is getting easier with time, so that's good. That is the one thing that I worry a little bit about, but I'm sure it clears up over time.

Well, I went to the doctor again at UCLA to have another endoscopy and then went for a consultation to speak to a surgeon at USC this past week. Things look good! My endoscopy came back normal and the surgeon told me I'm a good candidate for surgery! The only thing that may be a little concern for me is that I could have a little bit of hypersensitivity going on since I have conditions like IBS and Fibromyalgia, so there is a chance that I could still have symptoms from time to time, but probably not if the Linx works really well and preventing stuff from coming up. Oh, and the endoscopy revealed that I have "slight laxity" of my esophagus, so hopefully the Linx will do my some good! Anyway, I'm trying to schedule to have the surgery at the end of May, assuming that my husband can get the time off. It was going to be earlier, but he can't get the time off.

I do need to get an MRI soon because of the issues I've been having with my knee, so I will get that done thankfully before the surgery. I'm a little concerned that after, I won't be able to have MRI's in the future, but I know there are alternatives.

I also asked the surgeon about getting pregnant and he said it shouldn't be a problem. Which reminds me, are you going to be trying to have a baby soon??

As far as UHC, the girl at the surgeon's office said that after checking with them, the service will be covered 100% after I meet my $250 deductible, but I'm a little weird about it so I called UHC and asked about the CPT codes that are being used. One of them is something like "laproscopic esophageal procedure" and the other is for the one used from the nissen. The girl at UHC said that I should have the doctor's office send them a predetermination request and then once they get that, they will send me a letter stating what they will cover, so there will hopefully not be any problems. She did say that if it were to come back saying that I'm denied after the procedure, they are using a third party that will appeal it. Hopefully it won't get to that point. So you haven't paid that couple thousand dollars right? I think i remember you saying that they are working on getting UHC to pay that portion.

That's my update for now:) Thanks for continuously updating your thread! It's so important for everyone to know how fellow Linx people are doing. It's so wonderful that you are a complete success!

Oh I'm glad things are going well for you! Hurry and get your MRI :) I know there is a certain type of cat scan you can get that does the same basic thing. So I wouldn't worry too much.

We haven't started trying for babies just yet but I'm sure will be soon. He's still a little scared LOL MEN... But I don't foresee any problems... at least I hope not! I'll keep a diary of that when I get there :) So that way others have an idea.

I called UHC and talked to the 3rd party people and all that. I thought it would be fine ahead of time too...but they approved it, paid it and then took the money back. But the hospital is still working on appeals and yes, it's been worth it if I have to pay that $2,500... It really has changed my life!!

I can't wait for others to have the same results and be happy <3

Thanks, NDL! That's very encouraging. It's nice to read that even though at times stuff gets stuck, it no longer hurts. Do you remember how long after surgery the pain or discomfort lasted?

Hang in there and keep giving us these reports! It's both informative and good for morale.

NDL,

OK, I'll set my sights on two months as a benchmark for the LES pain to ease. At six weeks I'm still dealing with the pain and rawness, even though food usually doesn't get stuck much any more. Keep posting! Your progress is a real inspiration to me!

A star is born, NDL!! I don't blame them for approaching you to be a spokesperson. So far you've been very eloquent.

Overall I'm very glad I did the LINX. My heartburn is pretty much gone, and I have not taken ppi's since a day before surgery. And that has had some other very good collateral effects. The down side, as I said before, is the pain and rawness in the LES area. It's not just at swallowing time (that pain, of contractions trying to push the food through, rarely happens now). The situation now is a pretty regular irritation that can sap my energy and make my mind cloudy. This is all consistent with what I was told to expect from the healing process, but I'm getting tired of it. I know, however, that surgery is surgery, and it takes time to heal, no matter how "minimally invasive" they say it is. I still take tramadol once or twice a day to get through major tasks.

Did you have this type of pain/soreness, or was it just when you tried to swallow?

I'm glad I'm at six weeks, and look forward to things calming down over the next couple of weeks. When that is over I can then look forward to days on end without GERD, and can focus on getting back to full strength.

See you on T.V.!

Ok, now I feel even better. The pattern you describe for yourself is exactly what I'm feeling. So getting confirmation that it will indeed go away in a reasonable time period gives me the fortitude to endure it for a while longer.

Thanks!!

I've noticed in these posts as well as others how people with linx need to adjust their eating/drinking habits during recovery. For example, taking frequent and small sips of water. Taking one bite at a time and chewing thoroughly before swallowing and taking another bit. Something you probably take for granted before surgery when you "whoof" food down in a hurry or just out of habit.

I am curious, for those with 3+ months post op (and beyond), do you have to continue with these modifications? I am guessing yes for food. But what about drinking? Do you ever get back to just drinking normal amounts of liquid (especially after exercise when you are very thirsty)?

UPDATE

Sorry I've been bad about posting updates! Still NO HEARTBURN! YAY! I'm praising LINX to anyone and everyone that will listen lol I'm still eating stupid amounts of spicy all the time.

One cool thing is that KNOX called and said Torax wants me to be in a video that will be used on their website, possible future ads, commercials, etc! I'm pretty excited :) I guess I'll just tell my story and what I think of LINX. Dr. Taig has done the most in the country and they choose him to feature. They asked him for 3 patients to be included in this documentary.

So excited!

Gastric - are you on the LINX group on FB?

I guess to me this has changed my life so I can't help but want to endorse it. And when I say "changed my life", I'm not putting that loosely. Every aspect about heartburn/food is completely different now thanks to LINX.

How many people have had LINX but don't go online to talk about it? It may not even be a thought to them anymore since they feel better. Same thing the Nissen people say about how more people are apt to complain than praise.

I see where you are coming from and if something does happen later on I guess that is an issue. Maybe I'm still on the high of NOT HAVING ANY HEARTBURN but I truly believe in LINX and what it has done for me. I went from being depressed all of the time to being happy and feeling bright about the future - why WOULDN'T I want to share that with others?

I don't know if it was my exact test scores, my surgeon or what that makes me the "exception" but I do know that dark part of my life is gone now and I feel "free" so-to-say. I've never had anything that has had such a positive major impact on my life.

I was basing my review upon my own personal results I have had with LINX. Yes there are swallowing issues, but as I've said 100x it's nothing to compared to the heartburn issues/heart attack feeling I had before LINX.

I'm not being compensated. I have joked around that they should pay my bill, which they should. Even if I do not get paid, or my bill paid I still believe in LINX and what it has done for me. Nothing I've ever said about LINX has changed, so I guess I find it funny you want to basically throw away my opinion on it now. That's fine with me, I've had the procedure and am extremely happy with it.

If you had something change your life for the better, you'd believe in also.

Swallowing has gotten a lot better, there is never that pain associated with it anymore ... I hated that pain! I eat too fast I'll feel something stuck and need water...or french fries - those always get stuck. I'm just glad the "Swallowing an air bubble pain" went away LOL That stuff sucked!

I keep telling my husband I want to do the Triple Atomic Buffalo Wing Challenge (the one you sign a waiver) and he keeps reminding me how even if I don't get heartburn, it has to come out some way! The guy at the restaurant kept saying "For $5 more you get a tshirt" and I said "This isn't a challenge for the tshirt, this is a challenge for the magnets in my stomach" *** he had to of thought I was nuts!

I'm glad you are getting better, the dysphagia should lighten up with time. What kind of breathing issues do you feel? It's been about 2 months now for you right?

How did I not remember yours was 2 weeks after mine then? Maybe they did something with my memory ;) haha.. I've always had a bad memory.

So you do still have the pain? I was assume it would slowly go away? I try to take my vitamins and half the time they get stuck (they are huge horse pills) but with some water they go down... but no pain.

Will your breathing get better? Is there anything else that can be done?