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Nissen Fundoplication
I am a Mayo Clinic patient (past or current).
Your interests: LAPAROSCOPIC NISSEN FUNDOPLICATION Your experience as a Mayo Clinic patient (if applicable): Today is one week since surgery at the Jacksonville Clinic. It was a positive experience, in that the care was excellent. Now home in Boca Raton, I am 7 hours by car from my doctors. Although I have a local doctor at home, I feel the need to connect with others who have had this surgery. Anything else about yourself: The main symptom I suffered with was chronic cough. I also have been diagnosed with Asthma. Last summer I became a patient at National Jewish Health in Denver, CO, a hospital that specializes in Respiratory disease. I was diagnosed with Bronchiectosis, probably caused by GERD. I had been on the GERD diet, proton pump inhibitors, inhalers, antibiotics, cough meds, the works. Turning over every leaf possible, I was led to the Mayo Clinic. Somewhat cynical about the outcome, I chose to have the surgery. This week has been difficult. I experienced low grade fever, and belching every few seconds for hours on the fifth day out. This has finally stopped and I am now on soft foods, really I'm clinging to blended still. I would like to hear from others that have had this surgery.
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Yes I had that test, it wasn't too bad. I have no idea the size of the hernia, my gastroenterologist never told me
and I never thought to ask. Did they tell y ou why you're getting small pains in your abdomen and what is it from, will they
go away.
I've had excellent doctors in all of the specialties I've seen there... GI/Hepatology, Endocrine, Sleep, Nephrology, Pulmonary, Neurology, and NeuroPsychology. (Hmmm... I think that's all of them.) Doctors at Mayo don't strictly stick to 20 minutes and then kick you out the door like they do elsewhere in the country. They spend as long as you need with them. I've even had Mayo doctors chat with me and walk me to the elevator, and I've had Mayo doctors hug me after giving me good news. These are truly nice people.
As part of the pre-surgery testing, they will most likely have you do a manometry and then an esophagram if they want to further-test your esophagus after the manometry. You will need to go off of any PPI and H2 Antagonist medications, and then they will most likely want you to have an endoscopy (I think). They are checking to see what level of esophageal burn you will have from the hernia and not taking the medications. I've had them all performed there, and I've also had a colonoscopy there. Instead of prescription stuff for the prep, there is a prep that I do that uses Dulcolax and Miralax. You can google it and then ask your doctor before the colonoscopy if they feel this is a viable alternative. It's much more tolerable when it comes to having to taste it.
Many surgeons won't perform many types of surgeries if people are heavy because the weight can negatively-affect the outcome. In January 2016, I weighed in at Mayo at 198 pounds. After they figured out that I don't properly-metabolize certain medications later in the year, I was weaned off of them, and I lost ~50 pounds by the time I went back to Mayo in August.
I cannot even tell you how glad I am that I had this surgery. I wish I had done it years sooner!
Good Morning kdubois: I'm re-reading your post about Nexium, I have a feeling I kinda have that sort of problem with Prevacid. A lot of times when I take Prevacid, hrs. later I may feel a little heartburn, I don't know if that's from what I eat, or the problem you were talking about enzymes being polymorpbhic, I'm just guessing, don't really know. Did you ever think to go to the Florida Mayo Clinic? I was thinking about it because its closer. Let me know, again thanks for all the detailed information which I needed to make a decision about this hiatal hernia. Were you ever a nurse?
I considered going to the Florida offices, but I ended up going to Minnesota due to logistics. After seeing the success I've had at Mayo, a friend of mine took her daughter to the Florida location and has had much success there.
Regarding the Prevacid, which is an H2 Antagonist, from my experience, I don't feel they are as strong as proton pump inhibitors (like Nexium), so that could be why you feel the acid reflux sooner with Prevacid than with Nexium. It could also be whatever food you had eaten at the time.
They only way to determine if you have cytochrome P450 enzyme drug metabolism polymorphisms is to have genetic testing performed like I did. Currently, it is very expensive and insurers usually don't cover the costs, BUT last week I learned from Mayo's Center for Individualized Medicine that sometime mid-year 2017, they are planning to make a larger set of pharmacogenomics tests more-available and at a very reasonable price. (The tests will use saliva instead of blood.) They will be orderable via your Mayo Clinic primary doctor if you have one, or your home PCP will be able to order the tests via Mayo's pharmacogenomics partner, OneOme. They'll mail the test kit, you create the sample, and you then send it back to them for processing.
I've never worked in the medical field directly. I'm currently not working, but my trade was technical writing, meaning that I wrote specifications for software, user's guides for software and hardware, and technical documents. I have written for several medical devices. My PCP calls me his "professional patient." (My mother was a vascular surgery nurse for 40 years though.)
I'm learning more from you than I have ever learned from a doctor. I just went to look at the "Prevacid" I take, its not the Prevacid
you buy over the counter. Its called Lansoprazole manufactured by Breckenridge. I called it Prevacid only because it was easier to remember. But I take this as directed sometimes most times i'll get a little heartburn an hour later. So I don't know what the heck to take anymore. You should consider working with your doctor as his physician assistant.
I looked it up, and Prevacid and lansoprazole are the same drug. (Drugs have two names. In this case, Prevacid is it's "brand" name.)
And it is a proton pump inhibitor. My doctors had always told me to take my PPI capsule every morning to obtain the best relief from GERD during the day. If you are still getting heartburn, and you are taking it as prescribed, I suggest talking to your doctor.
If you Google lansoprazole, the resulting page will show a turquoise-colored box on the right side of the page, and you can read more about it. This info is derived from valid, reliable sources, including Mayo Clinic.
After my medical experiences for the past decade-plus, I'm considering getting an Advanced Certificate in Analytic Epidemiology, which will help me perform better research. I want to write a book about what happened to me... due to my symptoms of P450 drug metabolisms issues, which doctors around the country are widely-unaware of, I was misdiagnosed with a rare endocrine condition, had brain surgery that I later learned I never needed (which resulted in a brain injury), etc. My home doctors were prescribing me tons of medication of that I don't properly-metabolize, making me sicker and sicker as time went on. Doctors know about the P450 system, but they are pretty much unaware off the issues that can be caused by inhibitive/inductive drugs on Cytochrome P450 system, which can happen even if you don't have polymorphisms. And the more meds you take, the more likely you are to be subject to adverse drug-drug interactions. (I'll also need a pharmacist to co-author it with me.) If I hadn't taken myself to Mayo Clinic in September 2015, had them work on me for following 1.25 years, and had these pharmacogenomics tests done, I'm certain that I would have passed away by the end of 2016 due to these drugs and the "healthcare" I was receiving at home.
I always took the Prevacid 1/2 before dinner cause I didn't want any problems at nite and wanting a good nite's
sleep. So like I said before I don't know if this Prevacid isn't strong enough, or its actually my body having bad interactions
with it, or depending what I eat that nite. I have an appt. tomorrow with my primary care and i'll ask him what to take, knowing
him he'll probably give me Nexium haha. Oh no, you had brain surgery that you didn't need and now you have brain surgery
oh my oh my, how awful, I hope you sued them. Thank God you found the Mayo Clinic. God Bless You, you sound like you;'re
doing amazingly well. Thank the Good Lord!
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1 ReactionI hope your appointment turns out well today and that you find relief soon.
I cannot sue my doctors. I learned about the misdiagnoses and brain injury six years after they occurred, and in the state I live in, the statute of limitations for medical malpractice is only two-and-a-half years. My primary care doctor and pharmacist have been prompting me to write them a lengthy letter to help them "learn" what they did, which I plan on doing soon.
I'm doing much better, which I entirely attribute to Mayo clinic. With that said, I still don't feel "normal" and I know it will take time. I'm still detoxing from these medications, but I started acupuncture in January, and it is helping with the chronic body pain and inflammation. (I can't take pretty much all heavy-duty pain meds because I don't properly-metabolize them, and basic meds like Tylenol and Advil don't really help, and I don't want to take anything long-term.)
If my symptoms haven't progressed by mid-year, I already talked to my PCP and he supports me in sending me back to Mayo's Center for Individualized Medicine to see if they can help me.
Oh yes anticipation is definitely making me nervous. Thank you for your positive message, God Bless you too
thank you for sending a message to me, I appreciate it.
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1 ReactionOh that is so sad to hear about statue of limitations. I have found acupuncture is great! Thank you for your positive message about seeing my primary care today. All the best to you!
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