Hi. I had a Nissan Fundoplication 17 years ago when it was a new surgery for GERD. There are a couple things that have to be done before you get to Surgery. You'll have to see a Gastroenterologist, they actually do the Surgery. So your PCP would need to refer you most likely, you'd have to check your insurance.

The Gastro will review your films, examine you and then do an Ph Acid Level test. We have a certain level of stomach acid that normally comes up, when you have Reflux it pushes it too far up and if severe through your Esophagus. They measure your Reflux pH level by inserting a Gastroesophageal Reflux Monitoring Catheter, which is typically inserted down one nostril, and the pH sensor is placed in the distal esophagus. In adults the distal esophageal pH sensor is positioned 5 cm above the proximal border of the lower esophageal sphincter. You have to keep this in for 24 - 72 hours.

Depending on your Acid level/pH number your Gastro will decide if you're a candidate for surgery. This is a major surgery and its not a particularly easy one, so they may make you go through stopping all other things that can cause the Reflux first before they go the surgical route, but only your Gastro Dr. can answer that.

I had the Surgery, I also had a Hiatal Hernia repaired and had Barrett's so had to have part of my Esophagus reconstructed. For 17 years I had not a drop of GERD or heartburn, but it's started to come back this last 3 months.

Take care,

Thank you so much for this information. Now I can see more clearly where I stand with this. I will ask my doctor about a referral to the Gastroenterologist who did my gastroscopy. I don't know if I would be a candidate but it would be worth knowing whether I am or not.

I'm so sorry that your reflux has come back. If you take care of yourself it should go away.

Thanks again

My wife was found to have a hiatal hernia after her gall bladder was removed. Her advice: DON'T have it removed! (I don't know what alternative there is; hers was impacted.) But the issue of the hernia is what I wanted to write about. She has had agony so severe that she passed out. She has adopted a totally vegan diet and eats small portions, which gives some relief. She also takes digestive enzymes. During her most recent attack, I bought her alkaline water -- pH about 9. (She is resistant to the fact that acid reflux doesn't have to back up all the way to her mouth to be real.) The alkaline water flushes acid back into the stomach, neutralizing it as it does so. Compare to antacid tablets that only work IN the stomach. She was somewhat reluctant to drinking the alkaline water, but when she did, her symptoms were relieved. Note that I'm NOT saying to drink nothing but alkaline water! Under normal circumstances, it will be neutralized in the stomach anyhow so you are essentially paying a premium price for bottled water. But for the EXPRESS purpose of relieving acid in the lower esophagus, I see value in its use.