Has anyone had success with stretta procedure

HI Kate

I'm not aware if what Stretta procedure is, but I suffered from acid reflux, heartburn, GERD, for years on end, also Chronic gastritis. I was put on PPI's , was on and off them for two years, they caused a calcium and phosphate deficiency and I felt ill on them. I felt like a hopeless case, i struggled to change my diet and eat healthy. I am now in a position to come on here and let everyone know how they can cure these digestive related issues. It's not complicated, but does require a whole new outlook towards food and diet. I cured everything that was wrong with me by changing to a plant based diet. As much as I wasn't stuck on much veg, I had to come up with a way to incorporate loads of veg into my diet. I came up with the idea to chop my veg down really small and mix it through my Quinoa rice, that way I wouldnt really notice the veg. I then put in a tablespoon of organic extra virgin coconut oil and a tablespoon of organic olive oil. The oily taste through the veg and rice is fantastic, so I take this every night for my dinner, regularly changing my veg for variation. I don't eat after 7pm. For breakfast I would have everything organic. Porridge, with 4 fruits, ie Cranberries, Strawberries, raisins, Goji berries. One teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of ginger, 1 tablespoon of flax seed, 1 tablespoon of Chia seeds, Cashew milk or Almond milk. This is all i eat, two meals a day and im full up, because the flax seed and chia seeds have the ability to make you feel full, but in a nice way. Also at tea time, the Quinoa, has the same effect of making you feel full. I drink filtered water all through the day. I have cured myself of everything digestive related, and reduced my blood pressure to a healthy level. My skin is great, I cant even begin to tell you how healthy I feel, I feel like a new person. The point I'm really trying to make is most people on here can be cured naturally by eating a plant based diet. I'm not saying everyone shouldn't eat meat, a little is ok as long as the cattle is from organic and grass fed farming. The best being from New Zealand. I sometimes take a liver supplement from organic, grass fed cattle to make sure I don't become deficient in the B's, especially B12. For essential fatty acids, although you get some in flax seeds, its also good to take them from fish, I get mine from Sockeye salmon, as these fish only live for 3 years, their the cleanest fish you can eat. Ideally, your looking for 80% plant based and 20% meat, but not the processed crap that pumped with antibiotics etc. I forgot to mention, I've lost lots of weight as well, feeling fantastic, I have an overall feeling of calmness in my mind as well. A good healthy gut leads to a healthy mind. x

Hi gosh ive had it for seven months and its getting me down! Have you had an endoscopy? What causes yours? Ive not heard of the stretta procedure.

If mine carries on would like some form of procedure!

Hi, Just how bad is your gastritis? Mine started out of the blue although I can think of many reasons why and is extremely debilitating. I mean very bad. Almost every time I move I get a terrible pain in my upper back between my shoulder blades and masses of gas (burping). It is especially bad if I do even mild exercise including a bit of walking and god forbid I try to bend as in sit on a chair and tie shoe laces. This has progressively worsened over the last year to a point where I can literally do nothing but sit around. I have had all the tests, barium meal, endoscope twice and Oesophageal manometry 24 hour test.

As a meat eater I detest the thought of not eating meat and are horrified by the thought of changing my diet especially when so far after a year+ no one can tell me what has changed to bring this on. Yes I have a hiatus hernia but know others that have a similar defect that live pretty normal lives. I am not a health fanatic and at this stage refuse to entertain the drastic diet changes Gillian proposers let alone all the organic stuff. If that is the case I may as well not live.

My first mission is to find someone that can clearly explain what has changed and especially why what is considered a small sliding hiatus hernia is causing such dramatic problems in my case but apparently not in others. I am an engineer and demand to know what has gone wrong or changed before even contemplating surgical, non invasive or dietary changes. I have consumed fair amounts of wine and beer, eaten healthy portions of meat and more more or less had no diet problems throughout my life, what has changed.

The only thing I can assume is that the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) has weakened for whatever reason and needs strengthening or repair. The stretta procedure sounds very interesting to me as in principle it is supposed to tighten the LES muscle and make it close again after allowing food down and stopping the acid / gas rise. The problem with GERD is that there is always acid in the stomach so in my opinion changing diet or god forbid not eating at all in cases where the GERD is bad enough will serve no purpose.

I will ask my gastro surgeon on my next visit (amusing I am still alive by the time it happens they take so long) about it and to be honest will opt for it if it looks like it can help. Changing my diet will be a last reluctant solution. I guess it all hinges on just how bad your GERD is!