Still fighting reflux

Thanks to everyone who offered such great advice previously. I had an interogation appointment on July 18, 2008. The meeting was ok, and they reset the Pulse and Sense config. to Bipolar and reset the autocapture to off. the only thing still unipolar is the lead type. These settings helped but throat and neck was sore.The reflux or GERD whichever it is is still with me. I have since tried to get in to see a gastro specialist,first I had to be referred by my reg. GP. then they could not see me in the office until Oct. something(sorry! I was venting). Anyway, They are trying to diagnose me over the phone now. The Dr. started me on two types of strong antibiotics for a possible parasite(recent honeymoon to Mexico, just before pm). It has been three weeks now, and still no relief, my suspicion is still something with the pm wires but cannot find any road map showing the exact routing of wires. Tech says that only the upper chamber is being fired.Sorry this is so choppy.Help!

6 Comments

Reflux

by Blueaustralia - 2008-08-28 06:08:39

Hi Kev

Reflux can be caused by so many things. Manufactured bottled sauces are a no no with me. Tomatoes, Dried Apricots. One has to virtually eliminate everything and gently work out that which fires up the burn. I think there is a diagram of the wiring for the pm on the Ela Pacemaker site. Google it in. From my memory just google in Pacemaker and you will find a diagram somewhere.

You are a new member, anxiety can cause reflux. GORD puts a body through hell, I have stones removed every two years because I manufacture so much acid, even though I have no gallbladder. Even antiobotics give me hell.

Anyway, hope some of this helps and the acidity abates soon.

Sincere regards Billie

fighting reflux

by chip - 2008-08-28 08:08:09

I had a terrible bout with reflux for sometime. Had a Fundoflication done and the reflux is GONE! Talk to your GP about it and get into a specialist! It works!

heartburn/stomach issues/gerd

by Pookie - 2008-08-28 08:08:39

Hey Kev-o..

I'm going thru the same thing!

I'm presently on Prevacid which is an anti-acid med, and have been on Losec, Nexium, Pariot, etc.; they all stopped working after a time.

I just had an endoscopy and a colonoscopy. The first test came back fine, which is still hard for me to believe and I am waiting for the results of the colonoscopy. I just had it this past Monday.

In the meantime, I am waiting for a Fundoplication too as Chip mentioned and also waiting for a CT scan with some kind of dye for my abdomen...December 4th!.. I'm from Canada and we wait and wait and wait for tests!!! I had an ultrasound of my gall bladder and it came back saying no stones. All I know is something is terribly wrong, but it seems like no one is listening to me. It is becoming very frustrating.

I am very interested in the Fundoplication as it will prove once and for all if I do indeed have acid going crazy down there. Apparently it is some kind of a tube that goes down your nose into your stomach and it measures the acid bubbling around. Looks like a feeding tube. You only have to wear it for 24 hours. Still waiting for an appt date for that too!

I have been having acid issues for 4 years now and am on my second gastroentologist who says he could only see scarring from past gastritis! If ONLY he could feel what my stomach, chest and throat go through after I eat anything!! I am having a hard time convincing this guy that I do have some kind of problem as I also have had diarrhea for 6 weeks straight now. I am also waiting for a slew of blood tests to come back. I have also lost a total of 33 pounds! I am only 5 feet 6 inches and now weigh 122. I am actually scared and told all my doctors but all of them don't seem too concerned about the 6 weeks of diarrhea and the rapid weight loss. oh, I've given 6 stool samples too...and, you guessed it, I'm still waiting for the results. Sorry, what a subject, but it's part of the problem sometimes.

All I can say is keep fighting and pushing and get a second opinion if need be.

Good luck and would love if you kept me uptodate.

thanks
Pookie

reflux

by thomast - 2008-08-28 09:08:46

I was havinga lot of trouble with my stomach about the the time the PM was installed. I had tried all the proton punp inhibators. and they all made me sick. Finally a doctor put me on an old medication ( carafate) it is aliquid you take 3 time a day. It did wonders for me. I took it for about 3 months and then was able to stop it. Have been OK for 3 years now. Good luck.

Thomas

Funda-what?

by kev-o - 2008-08-28 10:08:20

All kidding aside, can someone explain exactly what a Kundoplication is and does, also wanted to say that I still get flutters over my diapraghm and it feels like someone is trying to remove a tennis ball that has been set on fire from my chest and throat. Somedays are better than others but today has been a day from hell! it does seem worse the more stressed out I am. Could the leads be causing this due to it coming on so bad after the PM? it has got to the point that I cant eat bread or anything fried. I have tried pepto bismo, mylanta, nexium, rolaids chewables, but nothing seems to work. It also hurts if I don't eat, and my stomach has been messed up too. Really am thankful for everyone on line!!

Unipopar lead?

by ElectricFrank - 2008-08-29 01:08:41

If the lead is actually unipolar there is no way the pacemaker can do bipolar sensing or pacing. In this case the pacemaker will revert to unipolar as a fail safe response. Normally what causes this is a lead failure where one of the two conductors breaks so can't function as bipolar. I wasn't aware that anyone deliberately used unipolar leads any more.

frank

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I'm 35 and got my pacemaker a little over a year ago. It definitely is not a burden to me. In fact, I have more energy (which my husband enjoys), can do more things with my kids and have weight because of having the energy.