damage to vagus nerve

mazinse

I am sorry to hear that. I must ask why did you opt for surgery for something like GERD. Couldnt you have taken the PPI's or anti nausea medications. Even the most expensive PPI like Protonix is still cheaper than the surgery. I am sure those options were offered right.

michael7140

It started with GERD, then I was diagnosed with Berits esoph. and they said I had no other options.

mazinse

what grade was the dysplasia, was surgery recommended by your GI doctor, or did your surgeon recommend it.

michael7140

The doctor never gave me a “grade” for the dysplasia, and I didn’t know to ask. The Barrett’s was diagnosed by the same GI doctor who recommended the surgery. But I was told once, during one of my ‘many’ follow-up endoscopy’s, that once you have developed a ‘Barrett’s’, you always have it. I am not sure if this is true or not, but it made me wonder if I was diagnosed appropriately in the first place. But good luck trying to get one doctor to admit that another doctor made a mistake, it will not happen. Not in my case anyway. I believe that is why it took me so long to get any help after the surgery, and even now whenever I go to the doctor for help with the symptoms. To say some of the doctors had an ‘attitude’ would be an understatement! You would not believe how I have been treated by some of the doctors. This entire situation has been, and continues to be hell on both me and my family both financially and emotionally. I HATE the way I feel, and what this has done to my family.

Evo

My surgery was done because I was vomiting in my sleep 2-3 times a week and I'd wake up choking on my own vomit, even though I was sleeping sitting up and had been on Prevacid for years. It's a good thing I was such a light sleeper. But coughing vomit out of my lungs for 1-2 hours each time convinced me I needed surgery. Of course, the surgery was botched. The wrap was too tight for starters. Had I understood the problems associated with the surgery, I would have shopped around for a surgeon that was experienced with the procedure.

michael7140

Evo, can I ask how long ago did you have your surgery? Also, how long after that original surgery did you find out that something went wrong, and how did you find out?

Evo

I had the surgery in June of 2008 and the problems were immediate. A nightmare getting anyone to admit what was wrong.

A thread about the problems here. http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=520982

mazinse

Do you need to take anything to improve peristalsis or antinausea meds like reglan or zofran. How is your larynx / voice right now, I hope the vagus nerve damage didnt reach there.

michael7140

I take immodium, lomotil, zofran & oxycontin. Before they started me on lomotil, I would take up to 24 immodium every day. Now I take 10 lomotil and up to 6 or 8 immodium everyday, and still have problems. I have not had any problems with my voice or larynx, thankfully. The zofran does help, but I still get 'intense' heaves a few times a week.

michael7140

Thank you, but after all these years, I do not see things getting any better. The #1 part of this that I hate the most, is the affect it has had on my family. The 2nd part is finding a doctor who 'listens' and does not treat me as if I am making it up, which I don't understand why anyone would want to make up something so horrific.
Whenever I would go to a doctor, I used to think that they would have an attitude and be angry with me because I had the “nerve” to complain that another doctor did something wrong. I no longer ‘think’ that, I ‘KNOW’ it! I have and continue to be treated as a third class citizen at best. I feel COMPLETELY helpless. At times it feels like I had the “perfect” crime committed against me, the only difference between this crime and others is everyone knows who committed mine. And yet there is not a damn thing I can do about it. I just don’t know what to do anymore.