The GERD has been worse the last few weeks, to the point of keeping me up at night and eating Tums like candy. The Pepcid helps, but I’ve had a couple of times where even that did not quell the pain 100%.
At the private dinner the other night, the doctor (who I was cooking for) was telling me that I needed to get GERD surgery or I might have a hiatal hernia that is causing the GERD. He was very sure that a Nissen fundoplication was the answer to my problems.
After some research, it appears that I am not able to have Nissen fundoplication to relieve my GERD since I’ve already had VSG surgery. There are many surgeons who are starting to do the Nissen WITH VSG due to so many VSG patients ending up with GERD or having it get worse. But of course, I missed that train. :(
I asked the Mexico surgeon about it and his only solution was RNY Bypass. There is nothing surgically I can do for this fucking GERD – other than go full on RNY bypass and I will NOT do that. If I’d wanted bypass I’d have gotten one at the outset. Bypass is a nasty business and it interferes with nutrition for the rest of one’s life. NO THANKS.
I can (and probably will) check to see if there’s a hernia causing all this strife. THAT can be fixed laparoscopically. But knowing my luck, it will not be a hernia, just a weak esophageal sphincter, which can only be fixed by the Nissen procedure.
I guess I’m left with GERD. I should buy stock in TUMS since I eat them like candy – literally after almost every meal. And Pepcid, which I have to take occasionally to sleep. Sucks.
The one shred of good news is that the Pepcid is not binding me up too badly, which means it is helping without the horrible side effects of PPIs.
I guess I’m now a part of the chronic illness club. Awesome. I am not happy about this, but there is nothing I can do but treat symptoms. Just like Nick, who can only treat his fibromyalgia as it pops up. Sigh.