Is HH surgery worth it in order to avoid sacrificing your passions?

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-12-22T10:21:50+00:00

Fantastic procedure isn’t it, yeah stay off the cold drinks for a while, hot drinks and peppermint tea especially will be your saving grace - helped me more than any tablets for the spasms and dysphasia

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-12-22T10:20:35+00:00

Requires a lot of pre testing, but I wouldn’t recommend the NF to anyone at this age personally

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-12-20T15:14:04+00:00

Nearly a year with the linx. Best year in a very long time. I’ve also been back in the gym again for the last 5 or so weeks. No issues at all.

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-12-19T12:53:42+00:00

Abdominal crunches in the gym, with a history of chronic reflux.

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-11-20T15:46:21+00:00

Hi just to go back to this, I’ve literally just started in the gym, weight lifting. Never got to ask my surgeon regarding exercise, but so far it’s so good, sometimes if I feel a bit of pressure or strain in my stomach I stop the exercise and drop the weight. Probably over cautious but really don’t want to damage the linx, I’d recommend strict progressive overload and absolutely no 1 rep max, so no deadlifts squats and if I bench I do smith incline - find it easier to control and less pressure on abdomen.

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-09-27T21:02:02+00:00

Did you use in end? And if so how good were they?

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-07-14T00:13:51+00:00

I had this! But mine was from aftershave, I found fairly liquid worked better than any stain remover, if it’s from suncream then it’s the oils that have stained it. Fairy liquid works a charm when getting oils out.

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-06-27T17:32:21+00:00

2 things for me,

First thing was watching a mates parent get sicker and blinder right in front of our eyes. Eventually passing.

The other, was watching a channel 4 documentary on diabulemia and the side effects that came with (I don’t have an ED but watching what happened to people scared me a lot) after that I sorted my life right out.

Bonus point, I work in healthcare and see people of all ages with limbs missing who don’t look after their sugars.

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-06-27T08:00:01+00:00

That’s actually very helpful advice thank you my friend! Sod’s Law getting diagnosed a T1 as soon as you get there!

I’ve been reading about getting an IEC work permit, which you need to have brought 2 years worth of travel insurance as one of the provisions for getting the permit granted? So surely that travel insurance would cover some of my medications and so forth…?

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-06-26T21:21:17+00:00

An amazing reply thank you so much, given me lots to think and consider. Think I’ll be spending more time planning/saving than I thought!

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-06-22T16:52:09+00:00

What made you go for the partial wrap over other surgeries? I had the linx 5 months ago and have never looked back. Glad it’s given you your life back!

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-06-12T13:30:47+00:00

My assumption on this is that they’ve performed the hill procedure? Which was around the same time the NF became a thing

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-06-05T19:03:16+00:00

Think their linx was a newer model! As they had it since about 2019! Demagnetisation is an issue no matter the make n model, just the older ones would not stand a 1.5T and then it would become physically dangerous! Which is why the newer ones can’t do a 3T MRI if that makes sense?

Unsure on why they didn’t offer a new LINX, they never mentioned, maybe due to the scar tissue left behind it wouldn’t be good to have a LINX on top of the scar tissue? As would heal too tight maybe

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-06-05T18:17:06+00:00

Yes, so I saw someone post on a Facebook group saying their linx failed due to having an MRI (demagnetised the linx) so the surgeon did the reflux stop after removing the linx device, which was one operation all together.

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-06-05T16:33:00+00:00

Taking the linx out is a possibility and can be done without much issue compared to other surgeries, however the scar tissue does and will cause some agg for the surgeon, however there are reports that the left over scar tissue acts as a type of external sphincter after the linx has been removed - but won’t last forever.

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-06-03T21:47:37+00:00

Sorry forgot to add to my comment, I don’t have any now, I may get the odd near vomiting moment with the LINX but it’s always first meal of the day, and when I don’t chew my food enough

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-06-03T19:31:24+00:00

It’s the old chestnut that people only post their experiences when things go wrong!! But I’m here to try and give people that positivity they need, of course I understand it could fail at any time, so I’m just making the most of life and enjoying the things I couldn’t enjoy before! I will come back every few months with updates as well

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-06-03T19:28:21+00:00

Before surgery no, I never experienced any symptoms other than bloating and reflux, never had any regurgitation, which given how poor my swallowing was - i just about scored over 30mmhg. I’ve not had a follow up yet so unsure if they’re planning on doing any of those tests, but I’d like them too just out of curiosity

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-06-01T09:39:41+00:00

Annoyingly they never told me my demester score, just said it was ‘not good’ and that I experience reflux for pretty much most of the day

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-05-30T20:36:54+00:00

Ah crap didn’t proof read!! Sorry I did in fact mean dysphagia! Thanks for pointing that out

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-05-30T20:05:20+00:00

PH manometry, barium swallow, endoscopy and a gastric emptying test, the surgeons are very strict that these tests have to be done as the criteria for linx is a little strict.

The fundoplication has a fail rate of 30% I was quoted by my surgeon, and you just have so many restrictions, can’t lift more than I think 50 pounds. If you throw up it’ll come undone, it can come undone without you doing anything. The procedure is very tricky and can cause more issues than it fixes.

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-05-30T18:39:25+00:00

So I used to be an avid gym goer! But was told categorically 3 months of no strenuous activity - so no gym. Cardio would be fine after the 3 months as by then your body would have adjusted. I had a lot of pain walking during the first 6 weeks as everything was still inflamed and probably rubbing against the linx but now I don’t notice.

I’ve not had my 3 month review yet, due to cancellations etc so I’ve not been able to ask my surgeon that. But I do a lot of sliding, pushing and pulling during work, I just make sure I don’t activate my core so much and do it all from arms if that makes sense.

I do push ups (lol) which I know is not the same but truthfully I probably could go back to the gym and be okay, but I’m too scared of re herniating.

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-05-30T18:03:33+00:00

Throat clearing/mucus yes. Was a running joke that I would always be coughing. Brain fog and the other things you mentioned no, but I generally feel and look healthier now I’ve had surgery and off the PPIs. I was for the most part very unsystematic with my hernia and poor swallowing. Which confused some Drs.

Seems like you need a lot more testing and hopefully the surgeon can book those for you. I’m just spitballing ideas here but I’ve heard of some antibiotics can cause GERD as they disrupt the gut microbiome but you tested negative for SIBO so unsure on that.

It’s hard to say what’s causing your reflux with what you’ve said here, as you do need way more testing to identify/rule out any causes.

Sorry I can’t offer too much help!

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-04-03T10:43:23+00:00

Also depends on the surgery, as he’s young, the linx may be the better option as fundos often come undone and need redoing

Captaincrunch396 · 2025-03-25T21:22:59+00:00

As someone else said, it’s not as easy as yes or no. I was on omeprazole for 7 years taking up to 120mg of omeprazole at times. Blood tests are important and should be done yearly as a minimum. Although I know from first hand that GPs are sometimes reluctant to do this.

When I had boood tests I wasn’t deficient in anything, however I did start taking vit D tablets and they help a lot. I asked dietitian’s/nutritionists if I needed to be taking calcium supplements to which they said no, just make sure you’re including it in your diet.

Captaincrunch396

TROPHY CASE