Confused Diagnosis

Okay, my GI doc says it is probably bile and acid and that the NISSEN will fix it. I go see the surgeon again tomorrow; he wants to have an Upper GI. Once we get that out of the way, it'll be surgery for me.

I need to read the posts about the Nissen.

Acid prone,

Please, please, get a second opinion before you do the surgery. If your Bravo is negative and your manometry normal, then why would your surgeon just guess at what is wrong. To have the surgery, your Bravo should be showing considerable acid reflux. There is another test that will show whether bile is the problem. It's called an impedence test and it will show acid reflux and non-acid reflux (bile, pepsin, etc.), distribution and clearing time. I suppose there is always a slight chance that the Bravo was giving you a false negative report. Your doctors are doing too much guess work...beware of it.  They have a very lax attitude and this surgery is not something you want to have if you don't need it. 

Why do you need dialations? You said your manometry was normal so what are the dialations for.
You sure want to really be sure you can swallow well before you have any surgery.

Is the prevacid doing any good for you? If you don't have acid, I would think it wouldn't be working for you. What you are describing is not  heartburn but there is a type of acid reflux that does effect the throat. It's called LPR or basically laryengeal phrenoesophageal reflux, not sure of the spelling.

I have read alot of posts from people who had misdiagnosis' and had the surgery and they still had the problems. Don't rush into this. Please do alot of research about your surgeon also. You have to have someone who has done alot of the Nissen surgeries to be qualified with very good successes.   Listen, I would be very concerned about a surgeon who wants to play guessing games with my body.   Don't just accept the surgeon that your GI suggests and especially don't go into this without knowing full well that you have acid reflux. 

We are looking out for you here and I don't want to alarm you at all.  The barium swallow is not a definitive test for reflux like the Bravo is.  Be your own advocate and I think I would insist on the impedence test first.  All the best to you, hon.  Take care. 

Post Edited (sillylilly) : 10/6/2008 5:24:05 PM (GMT-6)

Hi there...
Acidprone, how are you this evening? I hope you are feeling better. I, too, had tests done to find out why I was having so much pain. I am not a candidate for the surgery because I cannot swallow well now and my GI doc insisted on doing a monometry test and I have to say , what a miserable test! My doc said that he knows of surgeons who would have done the surgery just based on their theories , not on facts and a true diagnosis. I am thankful that he was honest and gave me the test first , I don't think that having this surgery is a cup of tea and not having has turned out ok for me. I take two Protonix each day..check into these...I tried all the others, this one really works for me...maybe it would for you as well. I fully agree with everyone else in that you need to be your own advocate and not let doctors tell you what to do or act so casual about it. I hope we can help here and that you find the answers that you need. God bless, Anne