Re: GERD Surgery

[Guest guest]

PJ,As you know, GERD

is generally a lifelong disease requiring long-term treatment. Patients who do not respond well to lifestyle

changes or medications may undergo a surgical procedure that is very effective

in treating GERD permanently. Laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery is a relatively

safe operation (also known as minimally invasive or keyhole surgery). It

involves reinforcing the "valve" between the esophagus and the

stomach by wrapping the upper portion of the stomach around the lowest portion

of the esophagus - much the way a bun wraps around a hot dog. In a

laparoscopic procedure, surgeons use small incisions (1/4 to 1/2 inch) to enter

the abdomen through cannulas (narrow tube-like instruments). The laparoscope,

which is connected to a tiny video camera, is inserted through the small

incision, giving the surgeon a magnified view of the patient's internal organs

on a television screen. Although

the hypothesis has not yet been proven, it is possible that what appears to be

an acid reflux simply in the esophagus could actually be getting into the lower

airways, attributing to the interstitial lung changes that are not otherwise

explained. My doctor (Raghu) at the UWMC recommends this surgery be

performed in those of us IPF patients who have been treated with super-maximum

PPI therapy to get the GERD symptoms under control as well as the disease. C_53_Familial IPF_5/09WashingtonTo: Breathe-Support Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 4:32:47 PMSubject: Re: Hi PJ

,Yikes, I hope not. I've been avoiding that thought. What kind of surgery have you heard about?PJ in OH, 54, IPF'09,Sjogren' s'95 Hi PJ

Yea I like the nap thing also----I have never taken a nap, but have always heard about the wonderful feeling of the proverbal "Power Nap"---since this disease thing---I have taken a few power naps and it does do wonders for me. I have a tendency to try to stay up and active and keep on the move---but boy it sure feels good to just veggggg out and do nothing.

Hope you are doing O.K.? I do read all the posts but by the time I am done reading I am to tired to respond--- so just bare with me--- I love all the info and attitudes and totally understand about how little all the Pulmodudes know about this disease. I am very lucky with my Doc---his office even calls randomly to see how I am doing. My wife (she is a RN), is always reading about PF and every time she sees something new, she prints it off and gives the Doc a copy and they talk about it during the visit--he even tells us how little the "experts" know and he appreciates the new info.

I quit making "to do" lists--that way I don't have to do anything and I am not disappointed at the end of the day. My dog Dakota (yellow Lab) gets up of the floor and just stares at me when he thinks it is time for me "to do" something--like take him to the park and play----so thats what we do.

G.