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Linx surgery for acid reflux

Posted , 135 users are following.

linda52539
linda52539

Has anyone esperienced this relatively new surgery for acid reflux which doesnt respond to drugs.

Or does anyone know anything about it. It is much es invasive than the nissen fondiplication op. done by day surgery I think. My gastro ent. didnt mention it but I thought I might investiage.just out of interest as a possible future option if all else fails. I am having so much trouble with side effects from

drugs and not much effect on my acid reflux either still getting reflux at night and quite sore throat.

Any comments welcome.

5 likes, 545 replies

545 Replies

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  • DGR
    DGR linda52539

    Posted

    Hello

    I have gone to the gym and came out with a severe all day all nigh reflux and heartburn....now 4th week and sleep only 1 hour a day. Dr tried all meds now and now on combination of PPI raniditine and motilium. ...nothing is working.

    reading some webs I have realised I must have been suffering from Silent rdflux for years....chest infections cough bad breath odd taste in mouth....etc. never connected the dots...WITH two children and main breadwinner job and long wait for GP appointment I did not go to gp just dentist who did notice erosion but did not realise reflux either....

    I am very desperate in constant pain and wonder if anyone can let me know how long on the nhs it takes to be referred to gastro. ..The doctor said we have to go through all medicines before he will consider referring me.....how much more do I have ahead of me? I would be grateful for all info. My life is he'll sad

    • summer200
      summer200 DGR

      Posted

      Hi if you feel your really struggling

      Even though your on medication

      Ask for a second opinion to be

      Refered to see a specialist. I asked

      My Gp to support me to try from the

      Linx procedure on the Nhs at Exeter

      Hospital. I had all the tests placed on

      The waiting list and then even

      Told by Exeter date would be

      Available in April. I live in Somerset

      So my gp had to apply for funding

      From the somerset individual funding

      Panel. It was turned down

      so i am now waiting to see if I can

      Appeal.so frustrating as I suffer constantly

  • donna38719
    donna38719 linda52539

    Posted

    Hi Linda

    I live in SE London and the procedure can be done by at St Helier Hospital. There is also a consultant at Shirley Oaks Hospital.

    I am currently fighting my way through to have the procedure done. Like others posting their experiences I was totally unaware of the condition and that I was experiencing reflux which presented itself to me as chest pains and for almost 1 year I was under a heart specialist and being treated appallingly. Another specialist totally not related to that field told me to ask my GP to refer me to a GI specialist who with one examination told me I had a hiatus hernia. I was relieved to have a diagnosis but I cannot cope with sleeping upright and the chest cramps despite meds. It's been 5 years now and the specialists just will not approve the procedure. They even used the phrase 'cost effective'.....so I still fight the fight.

  • kaki62895
    kaki62895 linda52539

    Posted

    This is really great info.  I suffered from acid reflux for many years and this is the type of advice that really helped me to overcome my problem.  So, to all you sufferers, YES! There is hope!  Just don't lose faith and know that your body can heal itself.  I was lucky to find some great advice that helped me overcome my acid reflux and get better.
  • Irishlass
    Irishlass linda52539

    Posted

    Hi Linda,

    I'm really with you on this problem with medication not having any effect on reflux.

    Just read recently about something called a Reza Band which has been approved by the FDA (USA) and I believe is now on sale in Britain. It's a band you wear round your neck with a pad placed just under the Adam's apple which is supposed to stop reflux at night when you're lying down. I know it's not the answer but it might stop the awful metallic taste in the mouth which is worst in the mornings. Have a look and see what you think. Unfortunately I can't get it in Ireland but if other people think it's worth a go I'll get it by post or through my GP.

    Good luck

    • rex_44766
      rex_44766 Irishlass

      Posted

      Hi Linda and all fellow sufferers,

      I am rather amazed that noboby here (and I have read every message) is trying to find a natural way to cure this dreadfull affliction. If you fall over and graze your knee what does your body do? We all know if repairs it with no intervention by us at all. The body is designed to self heal, so logical thought surely tells us that the same thing will occur with any damage that happens internally. I had got to the sucicidal stage reflux for 35 years at least, but I eventually got it cured with one trip to a brilliant doctor and it only cost me $110.00 and now on zero medication for anything because if you fix digestion problems it eliminates most of your other woes - the only thing I now have is tinnitus in one ear which I think was caused by a dreadfull BP drug. I would not dare to add up the money I have spent trying to cure this, all with totally wrong information. So please folks, try thinking outside the box and look elsewhere. The answer in my humble opinion absolutely positively for most folks does not lie in this massive thread.

    • Irishlass
      Irishlass rex_44766

      Posted

      Hi Rex, i would give my eye teeth  to find a holistic or alternative way to get rid of this nightmare. I thought I'd tried everything from herbal remedies to alternative practitioners but I keep coming to a halt. It's been going on for over 50 years now and I've kind of lost faith in anything. The result is I'm just going with the flow as far as my doctors/consultants are concerned. Our technology is fantastic in this day and age but we can't seem to do anything about a simple bodily function! I feel like giving up as I'm just going round in circles 
    • rex_44766
      rex_44766 antoinett60103

      Posted

      I went to an osteopath. He realigned the pallatine bone in the roof of my mouth. I then had 21 glorious days totally symptom free. I was absolutely over the moon. I could even sleep with no extra pillows and zero acid at night. Now dont get excited! Like so often here I got over confident and started going out to dinner, having coffee and even fish and chips and really ate anything including bread and dairy. I crashed big time and am now back battling this horrible afliction. I've just had another IiG food sensitivity test ($380.00) and have decided to really stick with it if I get another chance. I'm now resigned to the fact that I wiill have to look after my body till my dying days. I have well and truly learned a lesson big time. The doctor I went to is 1580 kms away so I cant just shoot up there for another treatment. I actually think I have done a bit of damage dropping Paleo. Now working through JPT's huge list on Facebook but of course he never really had a cure despite a massive amount of research and ended up with the Lynx as you probably know. Sorry if I got anyones hopes up.
    • dominique64820
      dominique64820 Irishlass

      Posted

      Hi there

      Could you please tell me what your doc did to cure your acid reflux? Are you still cured? I hope so! What kinda doc was he?

      Thank u for your time. Im sure you have been bombarded with replies.

      Dominique 😊

  • antoinett60103
    antoinett60103 linda52539

    Posted

    Hi LInda how are you feeling now. I noticed you posted this a year ago?  Are you feeling better now? Are you very satisfied with the linx surgery. I'm due to have the surgery on 09/21/2015.
    • summer200
      summer200 antoinett60103

      Posted

      Hi I have just had the Linx procedure

      4 August 2015

      I would be happy to share my

      Experience

      Where you due to have the procedure

    • antoinett60103
      antoinett60103 summer200

      Posted

      I'm a little worred because i've heard 6 weeks after the linx surgery patients began to experience symptons such as bloating, belching and tasting a sulfur like substance after they belch, and they  experience food coming back up.  Very mild symptoms of food coming back up. But I also heard that 90 days after the surgery the symptoms disappear. Do you know of anyone who had a surgery 6 months to a year ago? How are you feeling now?
    • summer200
      summer200 antoinett60103

      Posted

      Hi I don't know anyone that has had

      The linx procedure done over 6 month

      I had mine done 2 weeks ago

      I am feeling not too bad at the

      Moment. Little trouble eating tough

      Meat. I can feel the food if it becomes

      A little stuck but a bit of water and

      I relax and it eventually goes.

      for me it was the only solution

      As I had severe reflux and pain

      Hope all goes well

    • summer200
      summer200 antoinett60103

      Posted

      Hi yes I will

      I'm feeling much better this week even

      Managed to eat a lamb dinner today.

      I'm able to sleep better I'm off all

      Meds.

      Are you having the linx procedure??

    • BOBO1234
      BOBO1234 antoinett60103

      Posted

      Hi

      I see you had Linx surgery last year?!! I am scheduled for this procedure in 2 weeks... I am not sure I want to go thru with it?? How are you feeling???

      Thanks

      H

    • Roxyluv312
      Roxyluv312 BOBO1234

      Posted

      Tomorrow I'll be 3 weeks put from surgery. I feel SO much better it's unreal. I took my last dose of nexium yesterday which is such a relief. They ended up repairing a tiny hernia that didn't show on any tests, it literally took 1 stitch to fix. My manometry test also showed that the muscles in my esophagus were borderline too weak to be a candidate but my surgeon figured that had to do with the reflux itself so he simply put the device on a bit looser to compensate. I'm eating almost like normal now. If I eat too fast or take too large a bite then I have a small issue but I just take a break. I've kept a recovery journal to track my own progress, days 5-10 were the worst when it came to eating but after that I seem to have mostly learned how to use the device. I haven't had 1 reflux symptom since my surgery. Some of my side effects have started to go away as well. My hair is healthier, my nails look better, I'm barely snoring anymore and the quality of my sleep is such a relief. I would do the surgery a 100 times over and I suggest it to anyone. The temporary difficulties far outweigh the reflux in my opinion.

    • BOBO1234
      BOBO1234 Roxyluv312

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your reply! I also have a hernia that they are going to repair.. But the more I read about the Linx the more I was thinking of just fixing the hernia! I am hesitant because of the trouble swallowing and other side effects.. I would LOVE to stop my nexium! I know it is not good to keep taking it and I have been taking it for years!! but it does relieve my reflux.. Thanks again for your reply!
    • Roxyluv312
      Roxyluv312 BOBO1234

      Posted

      I was no longer getting relief from nexium and I had worked up to the maximum dosage my dr was comfortable giving me, 40mg 2x daily, which is a lot. The side effects from what I've read seem to be highly individualistic. Most people suffered from similar troubles but they were all experienced to differing degrees and for varying lengths of time. Your body just has to get used to the device. In my case, essentially replacing a faulty esophageal sphincter it just takes some time to get used to the new normal. The more severe side effects seem to be a very, very small percentage of patients. In the worst case scenario, you can always have the device removed if it causes a problem. Like I said, even having the little trouble I have experienced so far, I would do it again 100%.

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