.........I wanted to give you my sincere thanks for performing the Linx Anti Reflux Surgery and giving me my life back.
I have suffered with GERD since childhood, even before there were such things as PPI's. I have never known what it felt like to feel completely well, I have always suffered with heartburn, indigestion, bloating, nausea and stomach ache intermittently or all at once.
My GP has tried me on various medications, in the end I was taking 80mg of Esomeprazole and 300mg of Raniditine a day without getting complete relief. After several tests my gastroenterologist has referred me to Dr. Nehra with the recommendation for Linx surgery as opposed to the traditional Nissen Fundoplication. After doing some research on the internet it seemed like a lot less invasive surgery with less side effects and also I was told it was reversible if unsuccessful so it seemed like the right choice.
The surgery went smoothly, I was able to stop all medications immediately and never looked back. Heartburn has been banished for good! I was given plenty of information as to what to expect in terms of recovery. You will get shoulder ache from the gas that was pumped into your stomach during surgery for a few days but I managed that well with plenty or rest. Also, after about a week you will start getting this sensation of food getting stuck in your chest and it can get quite painful, but this too will pass after about 3 months. The key is to eat slowly (I used to wolf my food down before all the time), small bites and stay away from sticky food like bread, pasta, rice etc. for a while. You will get bloating initially but I found I managed that quite well with fennel tea. The scars are very small as this is a keyhole surgery and they are starting to fade slowly.
I am now able to eat and drink anything, to be able to enjoy my coffee every day and even a glass of wine combined with tomato pasta without suffering afterwards is a dream come true.
For anyone out there who has suffered with GERD for many years like me and is not getting much relief from medication (or doesn't want to spend the rest of their life taking pills) I highly recommend this surgery. One small magnetic bracelet round your esophagus and you are sorted for life!
Dr Nehra is a very skilled surgeon and is very friendly and approachable if you have any questions. I found he explained everything to me really well and was upfront about what I could expect after the surgery.
Once again, thanks so much for your help and I hope you continue to improve people's lives like you have done with mine.
Kindest Regards
AL
.............. I was diagnosed with 3-3.5 cm Hiatus Hernia that had me on proton pump inhibitors taken daily for a couple of years with dosage strength gradually going up (latest 40mg esomeprazole). The symptoms of severe heartburn, reflux and constant burping would return after two days of skipping the medication.
I stopped the medication one week after Linx procedure with Mr D. Nehra. Between 1 and 8 weeks after the surgery I had difficulties swallowing food. The symptoms were gradually getting worse, then improving until completely disappeared. At its peak, every day I was not able to eat any meal without food painfully getting stuck in the lower esophagus. It is now 14 weeks after the surgery and I did not have a single occurrence of heartburn, reflux or repeated burping. My diet is unrestricted. There is no problem with swallowing food. No other side effects. I haven't had a need to vomit, so do not know about that ability. Let's hope it will stay that way forever.Mr Nehra was very approachable in personal contact and very accurately predicted the timeline of the recovery period with all its difficulties, bodily reactions and adjustments.
Ak
...............I am 50 years old and work as a stoma nurse. I only had 2 years of reflux but the reflux was very severe. I took various PPIs but the only derivative that gave me partial relief was Esomeprazole 20mg BD and copious amounts of Gaviscon Double Action! My symptoms were severe central chest pain which I think they call non functional chest pain, my GP initially tested my heart as it felt like I was having a heart attack even though I wasn’t. I would get burning and regurgitation at night and wake up with the most awful taste in my mouth. My tongue was permanently coated. I would also have this permanent throat clearing as I felt fluid at the back of my throat which I think they call post nasal drip. I slept with my bed elevated on blocks with at least 3-4 pillows but this would not stop my symptoms at night. Although I would get partial relief with my PPI medication these would give me side effects such as going to the toilet frequently and headaches. I was also worried about the long term effects of these meds as they can impede absorption and because I had an early menopause I was worried about the impact on my bone health.
I was offered a Nissan Fundoplication but I did not want such a major operation and I also was told that it could possible undo in 5-8 years time and I would be back to square one or have to have a redo.
I heard about the LINX and on March 1st 2018 Mr Nehra fitted me with the device. I chose to stay in one night as I lived a fair distance away from the hospital. Apart from some chest discomfort for the first week or two my recovery was smooth.
Over 2 months later having this surgery is the best thing I have done. I am off all my medication, I have no reflux, heartburn or regurgitation anymore. The best thing of all is I sleep flat and my symptoms no longer impede my sleep as before I felt exhausted all the time from the lack of sleep. I eat everything and the foods that I used to avoid, as the triggered my symptoms I can now enjoy again. I do have to take small bites of food such as bread and potatoes and remember to chew these foods well or they do get a bit stuck through the device but a warm drink usually helps. I feel like I have got my life back. For example I would avoid socialising in the evening as I could not eat too late or would be up or night with my symptoms. My life is back to normal again!
Thank you Mr Nehra and your team. I am very grateful for what you have done.
Kind regards,
JO
............ It has been a year since my Lynx operation and I just wanted to let you know how I am doing and how I am feeling. I feel fabulous, I have managed to keep the weight off that I lost after the op and still losing, Today I weighed 89.6 kg which I am really happy about because I was originally 101.6
Having the operation has really improved my quality of life and I highly recommend it to other patients suffering with acid reflux. I still find it hard to eat certain things such as bread, grapes and bananas so I just avoid eating them. I have to chew my food and eat slower and things digest better. The odd glass of wine does not give me acid like before.
Thank you so much for looking after me and making me feel like a new person.
Yours eternally grateful
CW