Gallbladder removal/ GERD

Yep - I sure do. Mine started really badly when my GB started going south over 22 years ago. It was removed 16 years ago and I developed bad reflux and bile diarrhea. about 10 years ago I ended up on acid reflux meds and had my first esophageal stricture. The GI doc stretched it and that began my downhill journey.

I was on meds in the interim and lost weight and got a bit better. Then I had another stricture and it was stretched again and I got worse again. The pain became really bad and I developed a hiatal hernia.

Two years ago I had to have another stretch of my esophagus and I got worse and meds quit helping. I lived on Pepto Bismol till just recently when it quit working.

I went in for another EGD/esophageal stricture stretch about 4 or 5 weeks ago and I've totally collapsed. My LES is wide open and the bile and acid have taken over. I can't eat or sleep and have lost 20 lbs in the last 3 weeks. I don't leave the house due to bile diarrhea and I have no appetite.

I had complicated pre-surgical testing at a large city near where I live which determined that I am a good candidate for a Nissen Fundoplication surgery. I see my surgeon on the 27th to set the date for the surgery which will hopefully be soon.

I'd reached the end of my rope about the same time my GI doc reached it with trying to help me with medication, diet, lifestyle and weight changes and I'm very much looking forward to getting some real help.

I do know that there are medications that can help with bile flow after GB surgery but while they did "soak up" the bile, they also made my diarrhea worse.

I am up to date on about every medical test known to mankind and am totally healthy otherwise and thus am going the route with surgery. I have two good friends who had it done several years ago and they are so very happy they did.

Just telling you what I know about GB surgery and bile. Mine was eaten up by gangrene by the time they determined that it was a GB problem that I had. When the doc removed it and laid it in the metal surgical tray it turned to a black tarry/oily substance which he said would have killed me in 24 hours.

I'm very lucky to be here and I'm not putting up with GERD for another day than it takes me to have the surgery.

I wish you well.

As I understand if bile is the main problem, surgery isn't always the way to go i.e. as it would be for bad GERD with some bile reflux so I understand what you're saying.

One of my questions at the surgeon next week will be about dumping syndrome and if the tests conducted in the hospital indicated I might have it. At this point I don't know for sure.

One thing I do know is that what fixes one of us doesn't always fix the next person. I've been down the road of trying all my GI's instructions, medications, etc. I've listened to well-wishers and holistic people and people who have been fixed by this med or that one. I've done about everything there is to do now except the surgery.

I'm very healthy other than the GERD/HH and open LES but those conditions have dragged me down to a point from which I cannot recover on my own no matter what the doctors or I have tried.

I'm happy for you but have no quality of life at this point without the surgery - or so it seems till I know the complete results of the hospital testing next week.