Showing posts with label reflux. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reflux. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

What's on My Mind

Lots of stuff going on inside my head these days.  I know, scary, right?  Here's a random list!

What are we gonna do for dinner tonight? I usually do e-mealz, but too much going on today so hubby's going to bring home some Papa Murphy's pizza hopefully.

House building.  Although very exciting, I think the process of building a new house is going to be anxiety ridden, challenging, scary, and expensive.  With that said, we are so darn, stinkin' excited!  Here's the plans for the new house, so far, minus the garage that's in the picture...House plans

REFLUX...My reflux has returned in full force.  I've been dealing with less than pleasant symptoms since my surgery to "fix" it, but now it's so bad I thought that I had a bad case of strep throat.  Apparently it was a  bad case of esophogitis accompanied with ulcers in the back of throat and esophogus.  I know, TMI, but I decided to post all my ups and downs associated with acid reflux in hopes it either helps someone else or maybe someone else might have suggestions for me.  Acid Reflux

Depression...sigh...not many people know I suffer from depression.  It's kind of one of those things that you don't go around telling everyone, ya know. I've had talk therapy in the past, and have tried different medications.  On a new one now, so I guess we'll see!  With those of you who live with depression, either yourself or know someone, I don't have to explain the daily struggles associated with this.  To everyone else, be kind to everyone you know or meet, you may not know just what that persons battles are. Depression

Topeka Zoo Homeschool Program    I'm am so excited to have discovered this at the Topeka Zoo!  It's every 3rd Wednesday of every month, and allows for the kids to mingle with experts and up-close animal contact!  Topeka Zoo Homeschool Program

Time to make lunch, so bye for now!
Aimee

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

My Reflux Journey

Oh reflux, reflux, aren't you sick of me yet?  I have been dealing with you for 10 yrs and am really sick of you!  You may have read one of my previoius posts about my reflux, so I just wanted to update and share in case it would help anyone else dealing with this horrible problem. 
As of February of this year I had been on a proton pump inhibiting pill (actually 2) everyday for over a year.  I had gone from 1 pill to 2 after I had recieved an EGD (Scoped down the esophogus to the stomach, don't worry, they put you out) and it was determined that I had mild esophogitis.  I guarantee you, there was nothing mild feeling about it!   I could barely eat or drink anything and constantly felt like I had a lump in my throat.  Anyway, a year after switching to 2 pills, it was not helping.  I had even given up chocolate, coffee, spicy foods, basically most of the things I love.  I was then refered to a doctor in our little town who by chance was one of the few in the country that  was trained in a new procedure/surgery that would fix my reflux woes. 
Dr. Rodney McCalla assured me he could help, after performing another EGD to determine if I was a good canidate.  Apparently where your esophogus and stomach meet, there is suppose to be a valve that allows food to pass through to the stomach, but then closes so the stomach acid and food do not come back up.  Well, apparently I didn't have a valve anymore.  It was completely gone, flat, non-existent.  Well no wonder I was having so many problems.  Everything was just washing back up including stomach acid.  Not only that but he also found stomach polyps from taking the reflux meds for so long.  Fun times right?
He explained this new procedure called the TIF.  It has only been in the states for about 3-4 yrs, brought over from Europe.  If you suffer from reflux horribly and have looked into surgery, you know how archaeic and brutal reflux surgery can be. 
Well, this procedure might be the answer to your problems......With this procedure, there are no incisions.  They go down the esophogus much like an EGD.  They use a tool specifically made for this procedure.  Read the following link if you want  more detail on the procedure, there is even a cool video that shows you how the procedure is done.
  TIF procedure
Anyways, it been not quite 3 months, and I'm doing better but truely won't know for 2 yrs.  Some patients are able to be off their meds after being on them for 3 weeks after the surgery.  I am not one of those lucky people.  We tried taking me off the PPI's as scheduled but having issues.  So, back on them I go for a possiblility of up to 2 yrs.  Beat's a lifetime of suffering and meds with a possibility of esophogial cancer though right?  Hope this helps someone suffering from this debilatating disease.  If you have any questions, just comment below and I'll try to help. 
Have a blessed Wednesday!

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