In late 2020 I became aware of strange sensations in my throat, and across my chest. The best way I can describe this was that it felt like a prickling/creeping sensation up my throat and neck, accompanied by a strong feeling of pressure across my chest. These sensations were sometimes felt independently of one another, and I also had difficulty swallowing a few times.

I went to see my GP who sent me for an ECG, (as one symptom was chest pressure a heart attack had to be ruled out). The ECG came back clear, so I went back to my GP, but he didn’t know what was wrong. As this was during Covid I signed up to a virtual GP service, one of the doctors suspected I had chronic reflux.

This surprised me, as I didn’t have typical heartburn symptoms, however, the more reading I carried out on the unusual presentations of chronic reflux the more I thought this could be the cause. The virtual GP prescribed a PPI (Proton Pump Inhibitor) heartburn tablet, but this didn’t ease my symptoms.

I wanted to see a specialist quickly – and knew this would be impossible on the NHS – so I found a Gastroenterologist who specialises in reflux issues called Dr Rehan Haidry. He recommended an endoscopy to look at the structure of the oesophagus and a Bravo test to measure acidity levels, given I wasn’t experiencing the typical ‘burning’ sensation in my throat.

The Bravo test involves placing a tiny capsule – about the same size as a tic-tac – in the oesophagus for around 3 days to measure the levels of acid. When it came to the test I was given light sedation and a tube with a camera attached was fed down the back of my throat to implant the device and carry out the investigation. I felt a bit groggy afterwards, but I couldn’t feel the capsule, and there was no discomfort.

In recovery I was given a small device – about the same size as a Walkman – that I could wear discreetly under my jumper. The capsule in the oesophagus transmitted wireless signals to the device for around 3 days.  I was instructed to press buttons on the device when I felt sensations. I also kept a written diary.

Afterwards I went back to see Dr Haidry who had reviewed the data and he explained the results to me. It showed that although I wasn’t feeling ‘heartburn’ there was a significant amount of stomach acid refluxing up my oesophagus, (particularly when I was lying down). The sphincter between my oesophagus and stomach was open wider than normal, which was likely the cause.

In order to try to resolve the problem Dr Haidry prescribed a different PPI treatment, and I put myself on a strict diet avoiding acidic foods and fatty dishes to try to reduce the acidity in my stomach. Unfortunately, these approaches did not help my symptoms.

I was concerned that doing nothing about the reflux could lead to a pre-cancerous condition called Barrett’s Oesophagus, so I began to research permanent solutions such as anti-reflux surgery.  I decided to pursue TIF (trans-oral incisionless fundoplication) as Dr Haidry had advised that I would be a good candidate for this option, and it does not involve major invasive surgery.

The TIF procedure involves lengthening the oesophagus. Then the top of the stomach is folded and partially wrapped around the lower oesophagus. It is held in place with staples made of benign material which has been used inside the body for decades.

I decided to pay privately with Dr Haidry for the TIF procedure, as I still hadn’t had a first appointment with an NHS gastro, and knew it could be years before I was treated due to the backlog caused by Covid.

The procedure is done in the endoscopy suite under general anaesthetic.  I stayed overnight after the operation and I did experience some pain immediately afterwards, but this was dealt with via a dose of morphine and oral painkillers for a few days afterwards. Also, during the surgery Dr Haidry discovered I had a hiatus hernia, the TIF surgery corrected this too.

I did struggle with the post-procedure diet. The diet consisted of clear liquid for 3 days (water, clear broth, etc), and then soups without lumps and pureed food, gradually building up to thicker textures.

I desperately wanted the surgery to be a success, and was very concerned that my symptoms may return if I didn’t follow the diet to the letter. In fact, I was very careful for far longer than recommended.  It wasn’t until about 6 – 8 months later that I started to eat a more normal diet again and tried tea and coffee – which were previously huge triggers.

I can now drink tea and coffee again in moderation and I have a normal diet, it is truly amazing.  Two years on I have virtually no symptoms at all. I prepare healthy balanced meals and eat out a couple of times a week. I know I have safeguarded my health and won’t develop a more serious condition like Barrett’s Oesophagus. I can’t speak more highly of Dr Haidry and I am so grateful that this procedure has given me back a normal life.