Is there such a thing as - GERD remission?

During the last 4-5 days - my symptoms have reduced considerably. I haven't done anything different at all. In fact, I've been eating even less carefully during these days. My throat symptoms are way down. Heartburn feels like discomfort more than ache or burning and the bad taste in mouth occurs only may be a couple of times in a day. I am able to use tums and some other natural things such as fennel, turmeric/honey, chewing gum etc. to manage it - and to remind everyone ... I can not and am not taking any H2s/PPIs at all.

Now - the big question is - should I still go for my TIF - or not. We've got the paperwork going with the insurance company (will likely hear back from them in the next week or two).

I haven't felt this well since when it all began. On the one hand I know that GERD waxes and wanes and the medical science has already established that once this starts, it is most certainly a chronic condition. So, I can not expect to get cured. On the other hand .. I wonder what if I continue to get better and this reduces down to something I can manage - in which case - may be I should postpone my TIF procedure ...

I am very confused!

PPI-Less,

I really thing everyone goes through this before a medical procedure to cure something. You've been posting for a long time that you have symptoms that bother you daily. Why question now if TIF is right for you? I know that emotionally we all second guess ourselves before something major happens, but maybe look through your old posts and remember the bad times and then decide whether you really want this done or not.

As for the symptoms subsiding, I can't explain it either. For my EGD my symptoms couldn't have been more non-existent, despite the fact that they were horrible before. I compare it to a puppy who only trashes your house when you're not there.

I am currently going through a really bad GERD period at the moment, which was preceded by a really good period. Who knows. I know I don't want any more bad periods.

Take care,
Ashley

I'd go ahead with the paperwork for now. I've had innumerable remissions ranging from 1.5-4 weeks in length (and 1 period of 6 months). But the heartburn has always come back...

All I am saying is you don't want to be going ahead with the TIF 6 months late instead of now, and my experience has been that remission is always only temporary.

Thanks all, appreciate all your comments.

As of now, I am not going to cancel the process that I've set in motion. I will let it play out and figure out the date of the surgery and try to push it out as much as I can.

I am trying to put my mind around these thoughts at this time:

If the symptoms reduce in severity and frequency (but don't quite go away completely 100%) - do I still try to address them aggressively with the surgery? Even though TIF is incision-less, it is still an anatomical correction / alteration and as sk55 correctly said there are always risks/complications associated with surgeries ...
OR
Should I live with the symptoms / deal with them and manage them with Tums/Maalox and such (again note: I can not take H2s/PPIs).

I also wonder if I don't address them aggressively, am I leaving myself exposed to the possibility of barretts and possible malignancy in the future.

PPI-Less,

what do you think is the biggest factors that contribute to your healing? Deep breathing exercises?


one thing you could do after a month, do a dual probe PH study, see if your refluxing really decreased. That way you can make an informed decision.

Faith224 said...
Hey PPI-LESS,

I can tell you that I definitely experienced LPR remission in 2009/2010 and I ate anything and everything I wanted. I still had an occasional dry cough but I wasn't taking a single medication, not even mylanta, so I definitely believe this is possible.

Hi Faith,

Good to hear that I want to talk to you, my 13 year old daughter has LPR...:(

Any idea how you got a remission, were you doing anything special during that period ? She is not taking PPIs, only on natural supplements.

Thanks, for your time and help, Mita