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Posted 4/23/2011 1:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone!! I am a newbie all the way. I've rarely ever even looked at a chat room. I found the wonderful site last night while surfing the web on info for the Nissen procedure. I am going to see the surgeon May 11 and am so nervous. I have Gerd very bad. I cough so hard that I almost pass out and other bad symptoms too. I hope I am as brave as all of you have been. I look forward to conversations with all of you. Till then........
Posted 4/23/2011 1:17 AM (GMT 0)
I am fairly new to the site also. I am over a month out from my surgery. Things are not too bad. This is a wonderful site. Everyone is very caring. Good luck with your appointment.

CO Grandma

Posted 4/23/2011 1:53 AM (GMT 0)
I wish you well. I seems like it will be quite a challenge but worth it in the long run. I have read so many positive comments. The doctor I am going to specializes in this procedure so I think all will go well. I really don't know for sure what testing is done prior to the surgery. Did you need someone with you at home after surgery?
Posted 4/23/2011 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
Testing to be done before surgery:
1. Barium swallow -Swallow barium as they position you in different ways and xray you. Make sure to take a laxative afterwards to clear the barium out quickly. Not a hard test.

2. EGD- endoscopy to look at the esophagus for damage and the hiatial hernia. Not tough if sedated.

3. pH testing- to check for amount of acid in esophagus. There is two types they can do- 24 hr wire test and BRAVO capsule. I like the Bravo the best. I had my Bravo inserted during the EGD. No trouble with it.

4. Manometry test- this is a test of your swallowing strength. A small cather is inserted into your stomach through your nose and you have to drink 10 perfect swallows of water for the computer readings. It's the one test that is unpleasent to me. It only takes 15 minutes if you don't fight it. You gag as the tube is adjusted for the test.

5. Stomach emptying test- you eat a radioactive food and they take pictures with a special camera as you digest it. Some doctors do this and some don't. I think it's important because if you have a problem with your stomach emptying it can cause GERD like symptoms.

You will need someone with you the first week because you can't lift anything over 5 lbs and the pain meds make you loopy. I was back driving at day ten and work at day 14. Some people want to take longer off, but I felt okay to do it.
Posted 4/23/2011 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Chloem!
Welcome to Healing Well! Joy has given you some great information and advice. I'm glad you've joined us! I also found this site before making the decision to move forward with the surgery, and the people here helped me tremendously.

Please stick around! Members here will be able to answer questions and provide support that only someone who had gone through the surgery is able to do. Surgeons are great, and know the medical side, but members here know the nitty gritty of getting through the recovery.

Good luck with your appointment and decision. If you have any questions at all, ask away!
Take care,
Denise
Posted 4/23/2011 7:57 PM (GMT 0)
Joy and Denise. Thank you so much for the info. It seems like every time I start to talk myself out of the surgery I get another coughing spell and gag. It starts with a tickle in the back of my throat and just gets worse. Cough drops make it worse too. I am so back and forth on this decision because I am afraid of some kind of complication. Reading the other posts makes me feel more positive.
How soon after the testing is surgery usually scheduled? A friend of mine had the procedure a long time ago and said she was in the hospital a couple days last week with severe bloating. She said the doc said nothing was found to be wrong and that it must have been something she ate. I have been trying to get a hold of her for more info but she hasn't called me back. She could me out of town for Easter.
Posted 4/23/2011 8:30 PM (GMT 0)
It took two years for me because my GI dragged his feet on the testing and trying other alternatives.

I had that choking and coughing feeling too. It's gone now after the surgery.
Posted 4/23/2011 9:29 PM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed 3 or 4 years ago but was told to lose weight and quit smoking. I haven't been able to do either. I've tried to quit smoking at least 8 times. about 6 weeks ago I saw a doctor on the tv program called The Doctors who told about the EsaughX procedure. So I began to look in to it and found a doctor who performs the Nissen surgery all the time. He said the EsaughX surgery isn't performed by him any longer do to poor results. The scariest is when I wake in the middle of the night coughing so hard that I am left gasping for breath. I can only get my breath back by taking short sniffs through my nose for about 5 minutes. Some times I just sleep in the chair because I am afraid to go to bed because of this. I am now looking forward to the procedure. Thanks again.


Kathy
Posted 4/23/2011 10:14 PM (GMT 0)
Kathy
I am 3 weeks out after having the procedure done.. I too had coughing spells in the nite and mine caused me to gag and then heave.. I would race to the bathroom and trow up and then go back to bed.. sometimes I would try to sleep in my chair on the weekends and it helped some but not completely.. the testing that I had done before my surgery was scheduled was minimal but it told my drs the complete story. I had an endoscopy done 2 yrs ago this July, At that time my GI dr said that he wanted to try me on 2 nexium 40 mg per day. that helped for about 10 months.. at that time I went to my PCP, he said that I should go talk to a surgeon because I was about at the end of the line as far as helping the symptoms. I finally made an appointment and went to see my surgeon in January this year.. he questioned me for details of my symptoms. After I finished detailing the last 8 years of medication and diet and increasing medications every year or 2 and coughing and stopped up nose etc, he said he wanted to send me for a Bravo PH Study.. that was easy, at the follow up appt with the surgeon, he said that it was conclusive that I needed the surgery. I had a 4 inch Hiatal Hernia and GERD. There was only one other test that could be done and he felt the PH test was conclusive but he would order the other test if I wanted more proof of need.. I trusted my surgeon and I am so glad I did. I have not taken medication since the morning of my surgery. I can sleep on my back with no ill affects.
I am slowly getting back to normal.. I am adding a new food every other day and I am chopping and smashing and chew chew chew.. but I'd do it all over again for these results.. I am so happy I had this done.
I hope you have results as good as mine... I have not had a cigarette since the morning of my surgery either.... it has not been hard..
Sandi
Posted 4/23/2011 10:50 PM (GMT 0)
chloem

Welcome to HealingWell.  I am glad to see you have met many of our warm and caring members.  They are so wise and always willing to share their experiences with each other.

I have found the support, validation and encouragement that I receive here, to be so helpful and healing. I hope and trust that will be your experience as a member of the HW family.

Kindly,

Kitt
Posted 4/23/2011 11:21 PM (GMT 0)
I hope this doesn't post twice. I paged backwards for a minute but my message was gone when I came back. I had not hit submit. Anyway, I am so proud of you Sandie for not smoking. I hope the same will happen for me. I will try. It sounds like our symptoms were similar. As I look back I believe I have had GERD for many years and stress definitely triggers the cough too. When I was working and had to attend meetings I would always cough and I would really get the stares. I would leave, get a drink, come back and cough more. And like I said, cough drops make the cough worse. Bet they were glad when I retired. ha!! Did any of you ever feel a dry spot in the back of your throat? It felt like something was there but my ENT doc put a scope down me and showed me there was nothing stuck in my throat. Will I ever be able to drink soda again? I think I am addicted to Diet Coke but am going to start now to wean myself off before surgery. You just can't believe how thankful I am to have found this site and all of you nice people. Good luck to all of you.

Kathy
Posted 4/24/2011 12:13 AM (GMT 0)
How do you take meds like blood pressure, etc; that are not capsules?
Posted 4/24/2011 1:09 AM (GMT 0)
Ask the pharmacist if the pills can be crushed, broken, or dissolved.

I enjoy carbonated drinks now.

PS.Right after surgery you can drink flat cokes.
Posted 4/24/2011 1:29 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Kathy,
As far as pills go...smaller ones aren't a problem...it's the big monsters that are impossible without cutting. I switched to a different antihistimine that is very small, and take two smaller amount pills, rather than one big one. Also, I take liquid calcium, since the pills are really big. I guess another option is chewables. I take a One a Day type multivitamin because it's smaller. Vitamin D 400iu is plenty small enough to take.
Never fear...where there's a will, there's a way!
Glad you've joined us!
Denise
Posted 4/24/2011 2:25 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks ladies. So you think if my blood pressure pill is big I could just cut in 1/4s and take one right after the other or should I space each 1/4 over 10 or 15 minutes. My b/p is big.
Posted 4/24/2011 2:27 AM (GMT 0)
I will take your advise and ask the pharmacist or the doc.
Posted 4/24/2011 2:36 AM (GMT 0)
Good plan, Kathy. I depend on the pharmacist for lots of these questions...they even know more than the docs when it comes to meds.
Good luck!
Denise
Posted 4/24/2011 2:51 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Denise. I won't bug you any more tonight. Happy Easter if you celebrate it. I will be with my daughter and her boyfriend.
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