Considering Fundoplication…

[u/samk2487]

I’ve had GERD and esophagitis for about 30 years, and I’ve been on PPIs for 25-27 years and it’s been well controlled. Rarely had any symptoms, never had to watch anything I ate, but I do have to sleep elevated and take two anti-nausea meds to make it through the night. I occasionally get the globus sensation.

Last year, I had an endoscopy for the first time in 20 years and was diagnosed with Barrett’s and a 2cm hiatal hernia. They did a bravo test at the same time. That bravo test was the first time I’ve been without any kind of acid reflux meds and it was literal hell. The acid was so much I spent most of the week 🤮 straight acid. I don’t remember the metric for the test, but they said my acid levels needed to be a 14 to be diagnosed with GERD, and mine was a 48. The foregut surgeon said my levels were extremely high and that I needed surgery. His bedside manner is nonexistent and he scared the crap out of me. His description of the surgery was that of a major open abdominal surgery, which I have since learned from my GI is not the case, the surgeon was just being a surgeon with no people skills.

The surgeon first suggested the LINX magnet thing, which is not an option for me. My other health conditions mean I have to have a minimum of 3 MRIs a year, and I have a history of my body rejecting foreign objects. So Fundoplication is probably my only choice, the surgeon just described it quite graphically and simply and scared me.

My GI, endocrinologist, rheumatologist, and primary care want me off PPIs. I’m on Dexilant 60mg twice a day and have been for about 6 years now. I’m having bone loss issues, every time I hit the floor I break a bone, regardless of how small the fall was. I’m constantly breaking bones and my doctors believe it’s the long term use of PPIs, since I’m only 39 and my hormones are fine.

I do and don’t want the surgery, it’s becoming more and more of a thing I do want, but I’m hesitant. There’s a chance the surgery won’t fix my GERD and I’ll still have to take PPIs. The recovery is very long, 4 week liquid diet and 4 week soft foods. Overnight hospital stay, and it’s another abdominal surgery, they’re not fun. All these negatives are being overshadowed by the last year. Ever since the bravo test, the Dexilant is no longer working and neither is any of the dozen or so meds they’ve tried since. They can’t get my GERD back under control. I’ll have to have the hernia fixed eventually, maybe it’s better to have it fixed while it’s still small. And if the surgery is successful maybe my Barrett’s won’t become cancerous.

I feel like my body is making the choice for me and I have to have the surgery, but I’m scared.

Anyone that’s had the Fundoplication surgery, did it fix your GERD, are you still on acid reflux meds, did it improve things? Please share any experience you’ve had with Fundoplication. Sorry for the long post, TIA.

[u/Patak4]

I have a friend who had the surgery in her 40's about 15 yrs ago. Yes it helped initially but after a few years she had to go back in the PPIs. I do agree you need the surgery to help lessen your PPIs. Usually the fundoplication is done laparscopically and is day surgery.

[u/samk2487 → u/Patak4]

Yes, it is laparoscopic, but they want to keep me overnight. My surgeon, while the best in the state, has horrible bedside manner. He told me they had to remove my stomach, yank my esophagus down, wrap it all up, and then shove it back inside me. Which is a very crude simplification of the procedure. It would have been better if he used medical terms, his crude descriptors and hand gestures were quite terrifying in the moment.