I thought it might be nice to post a positive experience on this website as there don't seem to be too many out there! I highly recommend the surgery to all.
I'm 25 and have suffered from chronic heartburn / acid reflux for 2 years or so. I have always suffered from heartburn, but for 2 years it has been unbearable, i.e. all day everyday to the pont I would vomit acid (not nice!). It seriously messed up my life, and suprise suprise the docs put me on Nexium. I was on this drug for over a year (20 to 40mg a day) and decided that I didn't want to be on pills forever especially considering our bodies need stomach acid to naturally digest our food and nutrients.
Anyway, the good old NHS offered me the surgery, and they said although the Nexium was controlling the symptoms, I would be an ideal candidate if I didn't want to be on these pills for the rest of my life.
I had the surgery 7 weeks ago now, and I am extremely grateful to have done so.
Don't get me wrong, it's hard work. They told me it would be a 2 or 3 day hospital stay but this was more like 6. I was in agony from the shoulder gas pains for a while, and I really struggled to drink fluids and eat food for 2 to 3 weeks. I actually found fluids more dificult to swallow than food for some reason (still do). The toughest symptoms of the surgery for me were 1) difficulty swallowing 2) feeling sick - i.e. before the surgery after I ate, I would automatically reflux the food back up to my throat, especially on the Nexium. After the surgery, my body wanted to do this because it was so used to the motion of doing so, but it obviously couldn't because the wrap was preventing this from happening. It hurts and feels uncomfortble for a while, but this goes! I also had one episode of "dumping syndrome" or whatever they call it. This didn't last and stops when you eat more substantial foods.
Anyway, despite my trouble swallowing and eating, I have not had one case of heartburn or acid reflux. I did however occassionally get a slight burning sensation, but this was not heartburn, just a sensation of healing / swelling etc. I think.
You just need to gradually build up your diet. I started on "build up" milkshakes which really helped. Then mashed potatoes etc. and after 3 weeks I was eating normally (yes normally), BUT I had to chew my food thoroughly to a mush, and I ate very slowly and small portions frequently. I don't see the point in drinking liquids and eating sloppy food for 6 weeks if your body can hack the real stuff. I guess this depends on how quickly your body recovers and adapts. Sometimes I did get food stuck, and this was really uncomfortable, but just keep pushing yourself and your body (obviously not too much!), and it will gradually tolerate more solid food.
I can successfully burp (nowhere near as much as before, but I'm glad of this), and to my delight none of my stomach contents comes up with the air, just air! I don't get any significant gas / bloating problems.
All in all, this was major surgery for me and it was a scary experience. The recovery (which I am still going through) was tough at first, but it gets easier. I can now eat whatever I want (after 6/7 weeks) and don't take any medication (I do drink lots of peppermint tea to help digest after a larger meal - this really helps). The only thing I don't do now it drink fizzy drinks, but I stopped these a long time ago. I can't eat as fast as I did before, neither as much. But I can eat anything, from pizza to curry to chinese to pie and mash! I do however try to eat a healthy balanced diet, lots of fruit and veg etc. I can also drink alcohol and get drunk which I thought would be impossible, and I don't get any heartburn! But I don't binge drink at the moment lol, that would just be stupid (and I know it's stupid anyway but HEY HO!).
Anyway, if you are considering the surgery, you need to believe the statistics, that there is a high success rate. All these guys posting these failure stories fall in that 8% (or whatever it is +-%) where the surgery unfortunatley doesn't work. If all the successful patients posted a success story you would hardly see any failures on here I reckon. Don't get scared, and do it if you think you need to. We all read these online threads all day long before considering the surgery, but just go with the official stats and publications. IT WORKS, THEY WOULDN'T DO IT IF IT DIDN'T - SIMPLE :)
I now only hope that my success will be long term! I know I have a long way to go in terms of internal healing. But no heartburn and the ability to eat whatever I want after just 6/7 weeks makes it all worth it!
Good luck all.