In Desperate Need of HELP! PLEASE read my story...

01-11-2011, 12:22 PM

For some types of symptoms there is a higher NF success rate than for other types. There are lots of different research articles out there on this. It really depenRAB on the population they did the surgery on.

For some, there is also temporary success that doesn't last long term. That may skue the nurabers of the studies depending on how long post-surgery they were researching.

01-11-2011, 02:11 PM

I suggest trying a foam bed wedge. Get a good one, such as memory foam. If you are a side sleeper, get the "Side sleeper bed wedge" from "Relax the back". It's expensive, but your doctor can prescribe it, and your insurance should pay for at least some of the cost. I've had LPR for years and while medication and diet help, I'm finding that you also have to elevate your head at night. Don't try just pillows - that won't work.

01-11-2011, 02:44 PM

OK, apparentely only a biopsy for a h pylori or whatever other infection was done, but only from the stomach area.

ENTs look into the throat with a scope but its not an accurate test for acid reflux, I've been told by my GIs. He obviously saw some redness or something, but it might not necessarily be acid, but this doctor was very old, experienced, top-notch, so I trusted him when he said he saw that I had severe acid reflux.

What kind of spray would clear up the irritation in my throat if its not indeed acid reflux related?

My GI doctor the other day mentioned doing another endoscopy but doing a biopsy of my esophagus to see if it could be Eosinophilic Esophagitis, which I read up on and that doesn't sound right. But he did mention that if it were that, I would stay something down my throat instead of into my nose.

01-11-2011, 07:35 PM

If I have silent acid reflux or post nasal drip, then why isn't my SEVERAL MONTHS of taking nasanex, allegra, and nexium or kapidex helping? How can you be on such high dosages of medication for months and see no improvements?

What makes post nasal go away? Can acid reflux literally just not go away, ever? I don't understand how people can live with this.

I can't go out, can't eat, can't be happy really. I know people have bigger problems in their life and thank god I apparently don't have some sort of life-threatening illness, but I feel like my life has literally stopped anyway and I can barely find any happiness during any point of my day. It just gets worse and I hate feeling physically nauseous PERPETUALLY every moment of every day.

I've done probably everything everyone has come up with and nothing works. I'm young, healthy, thin, eat right...I just don't see how this can suddenly pop up and never disappear and apparently doesn't happen to anyone else in the world cause all my doctors are stumped.

1SUNNY1 - Should I go back on the nortriptyline as a way to just mask my symptoms or do you think it's taking care of the CAUSE of my symptoms?

By the way, THANKS SO MUCH to everyone who is providing their 2 cents. Greatly appreciated.

01-11-2011, 07:39 PM

Your problems sound very similar to what I had about 3 years ago. I went through the same things for about a year until they found my problem. Has your doctor check the function of your Gall bladder and not just take a picture of it like they did to me? All my test were normal except that one. My Gall bladder was only working at 8% which was causing my chronic nausea. I had surgery within a few days of finding out to remove my gall bladder and my nausea is 100% better than it was before. I still have a little nausea usually once a month causing by reflux, but I'm much better now. Hope this helps.

01-11-2011, 09:07 PM

Zoe26, I definitely would go back on nortriptylene if it helped you in any way. I don't think it is masking anything and for whatever reason you have all these symptoms, it helped. I hear the same thing from my son and my nephew. I have Fibromyalgia and I fought taking antidepressants, but after taking cyrabalta, it helped me so much with the pain, I did research on cyrabalta and it said it treats pain as well as depression. You should do a research on nortriptylene, see what it tells you.

Sunny

01-12-2011, 01:19 AM

In response to Trymester's question, I had the Nissen Fundoplication last fall. While it has been effective for me, it really is too serious to be a standard treatment.

The NF is not 100% effective for everyone. Certain types of reflux symptoms have more success in being "cured" by this procedure than others. There are alwyas potential side effects for any surgical procedure. Since my NF procedure, I've had problems with Nausea that I never had before. On top of that, I'm no longer able to vomit because the NF physically keeps that from happening. I just end up wretching when those episodes hit.

With the Nissen, the stomach is stitched around the esophagus. Every time the stomach contracts, it becomes like another lower esophageal sphincter and keeps things from coming up. It is good for the acid and food reflux. It isn't so good if you need to vomit. It also prevents a lot of gas from passing back up. This can often result in uncomfortable stomach gas bloat. It is called Gas Bloat Syndrome. This is a lifelong thing. I also have a lifelong restriction on swallowing large bites. My surgeon really stressed the need to chew food well and take small bites so the food goes down. If not, it gets "stuck" above the wrap. Believe me, it is really painful what that happens. I was also warned against any future weight gain as it could pull the stitches apart.

If your acid reflux is mild, it really isn't a good option. For severe reflux, it may be an option depending on your symptoms and what the tests say.

In my case, I had severe breathing problems caused by acid constantly irritating my lungs. NF for people with respiratory symptoms does have a high success rate.

I think the NF typically has about an 80-85% success rate overall.

**mythought** · 01-12-2011, 02:23 AM

You have to just keep plugging away. I know it is hard so hard in fact that it seems at times you just want to quit. But the truth is you're not going to quit because you want to live and you want to live feeling like you did before all of this started. I know because I am in the same boat. I felt great and happy and tehn all of a sudden out of nowhere and for no reason I was so ill I thought I was going to die. I have been feeling this waqy for a little over a year. I would go in to a dr. and tell them where I hurt and they would run a test that would end up NOT showing anything wrong that could be causing my problem yet they would find some other thing. I kept getting a feeling of a lump in my throat and things would stick every now and then. But not my main problem. Anyway they sent me to a gastro who did an endoscopy and found i had barretts disease. Not going to go into what that is but to have barretts you have to of had SEVERE reflux for a LONG time. Which of course I never once felt and I am 42. They started prescribing antacid stuff like prilosec and nexium kapidex. Why did they do all of these? Because once I started them I sarted having heartburn from hell so much so that I had it all day all the time. It never went away. So now I had this new symptom to worry about and still no answer to my first problem. I said all of this to let you know that you just have to keep trying and keep talking to doctors and keep researching on the internet. make sure and write down in a journal everything u eat drink when u go to bed when u get up and I mean everything u can , and here is why. You have a problem that no one can figure out YET. This will indeed begin to frustrate your dr. and he may or may not say it is anxiety, even though you know it is not also he may start having you have all these tests that you dont need for what you feel.By having this journal you can discuss with him how it is not anxiety nor is it a cause for seeing a gyno. I would sau that you have silent reflux which means that you have it but dont feel it like most people with "heartburn" do. Have an endescope and get checked for h-pylori bug which could cause the nausea. I would try omeprazole 40 mg it works wonders. They want to put everyone on all this new stuff due to the drug reps. and drug companies. This can be gotten with a prescription or u can now get the 20 mg over the counter. Just dont give up keep looking and keep going to a dr. Find out if you can indeed go into a place like MAYO or Vanderbilt for some testing. Please let me know how it is going. I feel for you because I am in the same boat. As I said one day fine the next like I was also 80 years old with some debilitating disease and going to die. I am better than I was a year ago but still nothing like I was before I got sick. Seriously, email me and let me know how you are and what you are trying and what your docs say. I am new to this board stuff and have no clue as to how to find things. LOL. Just keep trying honey afterall it is all you can do if you want your life back.

01-12-2011, 03:36 AM

I was diagnosed with "silent" reflux at age 32. I think I had it for years before that without realizing what was going on. I had a chronic cough that wouldn't go away. I was diagnosed with asthma and severe allergies (which I already knew about) and sinus problems causing my cough. It wasn't until my reflux became so severe that my asthma was out of control, despite treatment, that I realized how serious reflux could be. It was just in this last year that I got the nausea you are dealing with.

It sound like you are being aggressive in trying to find a treatment that will work for you. That is a good thing.

I wouldn't worry about taking so much medication in the short term. For about 7 years now, I've been on: Allegra, Flonase, Astelin, Singulair, all kinRAB of PPI's twice a day, Advair 500/50 (for asthma that is triggered by reflux in addition to environmental things), Albuterol, and now stomach anti-spasmotics. I've done sinus rinses for years. I'm also receiving immunotherapy. I can't say I have had side effects from taking these meRAB long term. The only med side effects I've had have been to meRAB I was on short-term.

Other things you might try avoiding in your diet are: fatty and greasy fooRAB and citrus drinks and fooRAB for the reflux. Also, you might try reducing your dairy. For the IBS I was diagnosed with, I also avoid eating raw fruits and veggies, especially lettuce.

Have you been to a hearing specialist who specializes in balance? ENT's often have different areas they specialize in. It sounRAB like you need to do more follow-up with your Vertigo.

01-12-2011, 03:59 AM

I haven't read through this entire thread yet but I've just read some more and yes acid reflux disease can last the rest of your life just like any other disease. It kills me on a daily basis. I get relief from acid medication but the problems always ALWAYS come back for more. Once you develop chronic inflammation from this, it's literally impossible to get rid of. Acid reflux pills will hide the problem but truthfully, long term use of acid pills can mess with your proper digestion and make things worse. With lack of acid in the stomach, you cannot properly digest food.

I use them only as needed though I am fair warned I could end up with esp cancer if I don't take them everyday.

I agree about the digestive enzymes. If you've taken acid pills too long and lack acid, it can cause the same exact problem as having too much acid. Digestive enzymes that include Betaine Hydrochloride can really help that. Infact I had barrett's esophagus and after months of using this multi-enzyme formula, had myself retested and the barrett's disapeared.

Are you doing anything to irritate your insides? Ibuprophen, Aspirin, any anti-inflammatory's (big no no for these type of problems). Do not eat food too hot, it will stir up a spasm like that worse than anything.

Nortriptlyine does not help this type of problem you are referring to. Infact, it can cause it. Medications like clonazepam, beware, can cause you to get into a chronic depressive state. They are infact, downers.

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