linx reflux surgery March 2014

3 days on from my surgery this morning.
l had suffered from intermittent reflux for 6 years... but 6 months ago it became a heavy burden with symptoms most days. l think stress was a major factor.
My main symptoms were nausea and sore throat with some stomach pain.
Prescribed maximum doses of Ranitidine and Nexium for 4 months which did help but still suffered from flare ups. Coped well with most foods but coffee and alcohol were strictly out of bounds.. I'm sure many of you have enjoyed the potential consequences of those two!

l suppose l can be described as a moderate reflux sufferer but in essence wanted to be free of this condition which can ruin a day out, make work very hard to get through and stop me from participating in a full social life.

The day after surgery i felt sore around my belly from the 5 incisions and the inevitable demon of shoulder pain.
The staff at Spire in Leeds were all excellent.
l ate omelette for lunch and a jacket with cheese for dinner with little throat soreness and no issues with it going down past the Linx.

Today l have been free of most of the muscular pain but am suffering with a terrible sore throat that hurts during and after eating….
l am concious that l must keep eating solids and will have another omelette now and cottage pie tonight. Just hope this sore throat lessons soon. l did have nausea yesterday which i must admit l have become terrified of over the years. have not had any today though.
Just hope i have made the right decision about Linx!

Linxcat

Hi Linxcat,

I've had the same story-- about 6 years of intermittent reflux and the past 9 months of unremitting reflux that breaks through even while on the highest dose of meds. I'm currently waiting to see whether my insurance covers the LINX.

Please keep us all up on your progress- I hope you feel better soon!

GC

Hi Linxcat
These are my thoughts! You wrote that you had sore throat before implant. The sore throat won't go away right away. Need to let the throat heal over a longer period of time. I feel it will go away gradually. Also, they might have put an endoscope down you to check the working of the Linx immediately after implant. They did that for us and that causes sore throat. Wish you the best. You can also visit Linx Club 1 -- and read JPT's day to day Linx recovery. It was helpful to us.

Are you still on medicine? I don't suggest stopping it right away otherwise you will experience the dreaded 'rebound'. The doctor told us to stop the day before surgery--had bad rebound of acid. Titrated down slowly over six long months. Wish you to feel better. Regards.

Hello GroverCat: hope you get the insurance issue resolved. For us, they paid everything (within insurance limits) except the Linx device itself. Suggest you check that out. Maybe pay for device itself and let them do the rest. Take care.

Linxcat
We didn't know that we were scoped either, while under anesthesia, after the Linx implant. We found out after reading the surgeons operative report about 2-3 weeks after implant. We asked about it and I got the impression it was a normal thing to do. It tells about the scope passing through the LES then inverting to come back up from the stomach through the LES, commenting that the Linx opened then closed nicely around the scope. Scope helps the doctors to determine correctness of implant.

we found out that the entire medical details were on the Internet and access was available after signing up with passwords. Was able to see everything. Maybe --if-- they scoped you they irritated going in.

Can you call the Doctor/Nurse Assistant about the throat and what can help and if it's normal to experience. Ask about the scope too.

I've not read about lots of people being able to immediately stop medicine successfully without rebound. I've seen where they stopped then had to restart for relief then titrate down very slowly.

Please let us know how you are doing. Wish you well. Feel sad that you are so uncomfortable.

DAY 4 AFTER LINX SURGERY…..

Hi All..

My throat is still an ongoing problem…. have only been able to eat a quarter of a cupful of bran flakes and milk and 7 grapes… felt like vomiting all the way through the bran flakes (sorry gross l know).
So thats breakfast!
l have been able to take fluids though.

Followed your advise and rang the hospital where the treatment was done…. they said it is most likely the breathing tube which has scratched my throat.. l think they are right as its even painful when l move my head from side to side.

l have been reading the suggested blogs and they do paint a picture that the Linx is a device that does take some time getting used to and that l shoulnt expect some instantaneous miracle… which i suppose is always at the back of my mind when you look at some of the stella newspaper coverage.

However, been a bit of a natural worrier l am concerned about all the difficult times ahead.
If l had the choice now l'm not sure l would have had the op as l have zero appetite and feel a lot worse than before the op. Hope and pray l begin to feel better soon as does anyone else in a similar situation.

Linxcat

DAY 4 Second Post

Went out for a couple of walks today which lifted morale…. struggling with a sports knee injury which is a collosal pain ( when it rains it pours! ) but its important to get out of the house.
Managed to eat most of an omelette for dinner, handful of nuts and a small flapjack.
Plenty of fluids too.
My main negative symptom is still my throat.. my whole oesophagus seems very tender sometimes it hurts just to touch my throat lightly and when l stand up quickly l get an intense shot of pain at the top of my throat.. Any one else ever had this? :-(
Hoping for relief from this before l get a taste of the dreaded dysphagia.
Right.. off to finish the flapjack!

Lc

DAY 5

Today has been a little better!
After bounding down the stairs in the morning l thought my throat was going to keep going through the front door.. ouch!
l then did phone the Consultant who said l either had damage due to the oxygen pipe or a throat virus. He said the trout pain is not a symptom of the implant. So l feel a bit relieved as l was sure it was the Linx generating some spasm. It is still rather freaky thinking l have this alien inside me!!!
Gargling with Aspirin and taking Ibuprofen seems to have helped.
l have managed 3 small meals and some snacks… brazil nuts, flap jack and yoghurt… also drinking lots of fluids.
l go to physio tomorrow to see about my sports injury on my knee.. it would be such a relief to get walking again as it helps the soul.
Hoping for more improvement on throat tomorrow!
Good Luck GroverCat with whatever treatment you decide on… life is not easy is it!

GroverCat said...
Good for you for getting out and moving around! I think you're very wise. I hope your throat begins to heal soon. I just got the news that my insurance denied my procedure for the final time... oh well. I'm not 100% miserable at the moment, and I'll be switching insurance anyway this summer when finish my grad degree, so I might just bide my time. Or I might go ahead and go for it out of pocket anyway. TBD.

If you don't mind me asking, which insurance company are you with? I'm considering having the procedure, and am really hoping that my insurance company covers it (Aetna). Thanks,

D

DAY 9 Post LINX Surgery

Throat is now significantly improved which is a relief!!!

l have started to experience dysphagia though.. At the start of breakfast which was muesli and dinner which was jacket potato, baked beans and burger l experience difficulty in the food going down my oesophagus.. it got better as l carried on with the meal.

Didn't feel water really helped.. just breathed deeply.

l did feel pretty sick as all this happened but wasn't.

l suppose l have to look at the positives.. no reflux symptoms except a tiny bit of nausea.

Had a coffee today for the first time in months… l wonder what would happen if l had any alcohol my main reflux trigger… any ideas????

Day 10 Post Linx Surgery

Not a good day… little bit of trouble with meals… always the first 3 bites!

The nausea has been constant today…. has anyone else had the nausea continue after the operation?…. maybe l need to be more patient?

LC

Hi there,
l would say that the LINX has a great long term patient satisfaction rate… so its worth the gamble?!.

i am 4 weeks out and still have heartburn and nausea every day my two main symptoms before the surgery.
l must say l have not been taking any medication since surgery except Gaviscon on my surgeons advice. Lots of people don't agree with this.

l have persistant abdominal pain…. 8 weeks out

Yes I'm afraid l do still get all my symptoms and l am 12 weeks out I'm afraid.

Still on half dose PPI…. l would say l don't get intense reflux going into my back etc but still have heartburn, nausea and pain in stomach… not much that can be done now though… the surgery is done and we have to live with the consequences. Hopefully things ail improve in time for both of us