Dr. Eisner Answers your GERD Questions: Should I Consider Surgery?

I HAVE HAD ACID REFLUX ALL MY LIFE. I HAD ALL MY TEETH PULLED AT AGE 14. I HAD NISSEN SURGERY IN 1999 WHICH HELPED FOR ABOUT 5 YRS. I HAD AN ENDOSCOPY LAST MONTH AND MY GI DR. SAID THE BAND WAS STILL IN PLACE. MY QUESTION IS, CAN THE BAND BE RETIGHTENED? I HAVE BURNING IN MY CHEST AND THROAT,AND COUGHING.I AM ON PROTONIX WHICH DOESN'T DO ALOT OF GOOD.WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THE BAND RETIGHTENING. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT ON MAY 2ND TO SEE MY GI DR. AGAIN. THAN YOU 

I have been dealing with acid reflux for years now, and didn't know what it was until last December, I got a cold, and I lost my voice.  Weeks later after the cold ended, I still did not have my voice.  This went on for 2 or so months.  I started Prilosec, and it helped a little, the voice started to come back, but would go away if I even missed a day.  I have since then tried Protonix, and now Nexium, and I am still having problems with my voice 10 months later.  My voice lately on Nexium is more hoarse than it is normal, and I still am regurgitating food all the time.  I seem to burp alot and I know that when I have my voice, and several burps come up, My voice is sure to go.  I have had my vocal chords checked twice, and no sign of problems there, but nothing seems to help except for Kapidex (tried it as a trial for a few weeks but insurance won't cover until several things have been attempted)  I don't want to have to pay the high prices for the meds every month just so that MAYBE I might have a voice a few min. to hours a day, and still feel miserable.  I am scheduling a surgical consult, but want to check all areas before surgery is done especially if you all say that if we don't respond to meds, it may not work.  Any ideas?  HELP!