New member 5 weeks post Linx

ED,

Hello and Welcome to HealingWell. I am happy to read your surgery has been successful but I know you must be beyond happy.

I know you will be getting questions from members considering this procedure so it is nice to have someone onboard that feels good about their outcome.

Stick with us as your knowledge is just what we need and remember we are here for you too.

Kindly,

Kitt

guiness

As Kitt said...Welcome aboard!

Just in case you haven't been told this, the surgery won't stop all reflux and even those people who don't have to deal with this disease occasionally get some reflux. It impossible to stop all of it and be able to swallow.
Good to hear you are having great results with your surgery. It gets even batter with more healing.

Take care,
Bill

Hi quiness first off I'm so happy that your surgery was successful ! I'm in my darkest hour right now since this gerd started in September . Looking to get the Linx done since I can't stay on medicine for the rest of my life . Can you please list your symptoms before the surgery and did you have a hiatal hernia also how long the process take and how did you feel post up. What was your test results was your gerd really bed did you have any atypical symptoms. Sorry to ask so much but I'm really considering Linx and want to get as much info as possible. Thanks in advance.

Hello to the group, I am a 20 year old man who has recently undergone Linx surgery. My experience with acid reflux has been constant, ever since birth. It was firstly triggered by drinking Robinsons orange juice from which I would get an intense acidic burn at the back of the throat. This prompted doctors to perform a 24hr ph monitoring test when I was 8 years old. This found no abnormalities in the amount of stomach acid I was producing and showed minimal reflux episodes. The reflux then seemed to calm down until the age of 18 when I went to university and started drinking alcohol. This seemed to trigger supine reflux symptoms. I would often wake with bad breath, a croaky voice and copious amounts of phlem/mucous mostly white in colour, sometimes green. This reflux seeped into my everyday life and became commonplace even when I was not drinking. I went on to contract endless bouts of throat infections and tonsilitus with this uncontrolled acid reflux. This prompted a doctor to prescribe me 20mg of omeprazole once a day. The omeprazole worked well for the first few months reducing my symptoms instantaneously. However within months the supine acid reflux symptoms crept back in. This prompted the doctor to up the dose month on month over the course of a year. It seemed my stomach was adapting to the omeprazole, and countering it by producing more and more acid thus rendering the pills ineffective. After a year Of continuing despair I went back to the doctor who ordered an endoscopy. After having the endoscopy they discovered that I had a hiatus hernia about 3cm in size and sliding. Finally we had gotten to the bottom of a 20 year problem! The doctors reckon that I'd had it since birth, I believe as do many on these forums that it has caused a whole host of problems, for example I have had asthma from birth. this 'asthma' does not cause asthma attacks but a tickly constant cough/bark. It is remarkably well controlled and I have participated in many sports to a reasonably high level. This leads me to the conclusion that the asthma is actually the hiatus hernia and acid reflux that cause this tickly cough! Unfortunately many health professionals are reluctant to follow this 'unconventional' way of thinking and are quick to dismiss it prescribing pills and potions that control symptoms without getting to the bottom of them. Furthermore I have experienced heart arrhythmia's ectopic beats, palpitations that wake me during the night, a sense of uneasiness, a feeling of smothering and panic attacks. This led to me getting a whole range of heart tests which all reassured me that it is completely normal! I was sent away with the diagnosis of panic attacks...Yet again the professionals were quick to dismiss my hints to the hiatus hernia and reflux, which is amazing considering its position in the body, putting pressure on many things not least the diaphragm and the vagus nerve. Now, to the Linx, I had another endoscopy as is standard procedure and was diagnosed with low grade esophagitus, contact bleeding and a 2.6cm hiatus hernia, perfect! I was within the bounds for the Linx and it amazes me that these heart and breathing symptoms tie in with the development of the esophagitis...I had to go through my ph and manometry test. My Lower sphincter muscle was weak, no surprise, it has been absolutely frazzled by acid. My ph showed a demeester score of 34, the normal range is under 14. Furthermore they found significant supine reflux episodes, acid levels were normal when I am standing or sitting. I was the perfect candidate for the Linx according to my surgeon. He was so confident even asking channel 4s embarrassing bodies to film a before and after interview and the operation! That never materialised however and on the 5th of march I had the operation. It went well and I was discharged the next morning, (on request I will disclose details of the recovery period and what it entails) I had to reduce the omeprazole dose right down to 20mg twice a day, pre op I was on 40mg twice a day with a two ranitidine tablets as well! This dose is to reduce the rebound effects. However, the rebound was awful and just over a week later the supine reflux is even worse and the surgery as far as I'm concerned has not worked. I was given the impression that the Linx would work immediately, this is rational because surely as a physical device it will either stop the acid or not! But I am here with it having done nothing and £7000 down the drain. Now I wouldn't discourage the Linx, I still believe it is a revolutionary and much needed innovation in the fight against acid reflux! But I would get people with a hiatus hernia to heed caution. I have read a few cases where it has not worked in people with a HH maybe the lower sphincter is not properly closing, i can only speculate. Anyway that's my long and painful story!

I had a hiatal hernia, supposedly 2 cm sliding. When doc when in to do Linx surgery, he found that hernia was larger, perhaps 4 cm. So he repaired it, and then placed the linx. I have no more reflux, I could tell the night after surgery (I was drinking tons of water and was able to lay flat on my back in the hospital without reflux).

I'm now on day 18 post op, and still no reflux, I only feel a "burn" when the food doesn't go down properly (i've had on and off vomiting and regurgitation since about day 7).

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dote.12199/abstract

Latest study results (March 2014) on 1000 Linx implants. Let us know what y'all think. Wonder what the patients did after removal. Nothing or have fundoplication or back on PPI.

Hi all. I had the Linx procedure done 5 days ago. I am having reflux still. I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this post op? If so, did it stop over time? It's making me nervous.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!
thanks

Post Edited (fall18) : 11/23/2014 7:47:58 PM (GMT-7)

I am a 62 year old female, little overweight. I was told today I need the Nissen surgery. I went for an appt. wanting Linx if my insurance will pay. The Dr said the Linx is mostly done on younger people? After reading the recovery for Nissen it scares me. What about Linx? Can you ever Burp, Vomit, eat normal foods, not have severe gas like with Nissen??

Looking for information on the recovery after having hiatal hernia repaired and then having the Linx device. Thanks