Nov 10, 2023
Wendy McCoy
Dr. Darido literally changed my life. I'm 5 years post-op from his fundoplication surgery and life has never been better. I am no longer a slave to heartburn/reflux and can eat and drink anything I want, with zero suffering afterwards. No more popping antacids, no more sleeping upright with multiple pillows, no more daily misery and suffering. My only regret is that I didn't meet Dr. Darido 30 years ago. People don't understand that GERD is a progressive illness, and over time, you can lose your swallowing reflex completely. This happened to my father in his 80's after decades of GERD and it was absolute misery for him in his last decade of life. By the time I went to see Dr. Darido, I had a positive biopsy for Barrett's esophagus (a vastly increased potential for esophageal cancer) and had lost 90% of my swallowing reflex. Scary! I've just had a 5-year follow-up endoscopy and my Barrett's is GONE. My swallowing reflex is vastly improved, and zero heartburn. EVER.
Dr. Darido is probably the top "heartburn doctor" in the world, and we're lucky to have him in Houston, TX. The success of fundoplication is 100% in the hands of a highly-experienced and skilful surgeon. Sadly, there are many less skilled doctors out there doing this procedure (or other procedures like LINX, which have, at best, a 50% success rate).
I'd fly across the world to have Dr. Darido do this surgery. I trust him that much (I'm a nurse and holistic nutritionist and I know a good doc when I see one).
If you are on the fence about taking care of your heartburn problem for good, this is the doctor to see. Don't wait. The long-term damage can be HUGE (and permanent).
5-stars, the BEST doctor out there to change your life for the better!!! Thank you, Dr. Darido!
Oct 22, 2023
kiran preet
Let me start by saying thanks Dr. Elias Darido. He literally saved my life. From past 2 and half years, I was living miserable life with severe GERD and LPR symptoms. The reflux was so severe that I ended up getting asthma since it’s flowing back to my lungs. I met three gastroenterologist before. All kept on prescribing me PPIs and asking me to change diet. I am 28 year old skinny person with very healthy diet. Even Eating simple food was giving me GERD symptoms.
I ended up finding Houston heartburn centre. I was very pleased and convinced with my first visit that I scheduled my manometry and barium x-ray next day. Only thing I can say is Dr. Darido understood my condition well and right. Hiatal hernia showed up on EGD which no other doctor noticed. I scheduled my hiatal Hernia repair and Nissen fundoplication surgery in July 2023. 4 months out of surgery, no more GERD or asthma. I feel like a normal person again. I can eat everything. No more PPIs and no more inhalers.
I would highly recommend Dr. Darido if you are suffering from GERD.
Sep 29, 2023
Amber Sanborn
The ladies in his office are the best. They were so nice and treat you like you are the only patient. Dr. Darido is AMAZING I should have done this surgery years ago. I had a hernia repair and nissen fundoplication wrap.
Aug 06, 2023
Ditterline
I know it sounds incredibly trite & possibly even cliche, but I really can not overstate the fact that Dr. Darido literally saved my life.
I’m 40 years old and have suffered from GI issues since I was a baby. I’ve had numerous tests, seen tons of various doctors and tried multiple treatment options (including previous surgeries) all with no relief. While I’ve been sick for so long that it was pretty much just routine to feel awful at this point, I suddenly took a turn for the worse about 18 months ago and became dangerously underweight and malnourished rather quickly. At the point where I found Dr. Darido online I weighed less than 100 lbs and was too weak to get out of bed most days.
My case ended up being quite complicated and rare, but Dr. Darido did not give up on finding both the correct diagnosis as well as a solution.
I had my first surgery May 2022, a Heller Myotomy, hernia repair and Fundolupcation. The recovery was a breeze, I was able to leave the hospital the very next day and hardly had any pain.
My second surgery was April 2023, of which I am just over 3 months post-op from. I had a partial gastrectomy (a modified gastric sleeve) to treat my remaining and debilitating gastroparesis. While this surgery recovery was far more grueling (hence the 11 month wait), Dr. Darido was able to offer me all the support and education to make it through the recovery I needed. I ended up with a very serious complication just hours after the surgery due to my mistakenly taking a medication with aspirin in it several times in the 2 weeks leading up to surgery and ended up in an emergency situation requiring I be brought back into surgery ASAP. However I was absolutely blown away with how Dr. Darido handled the entire episode from start to finish. He immediately came to the hospital and stayed in my room, or had another doctor in my room, while all the testing was being done & the data evaluated. He spoke firmly but respectfully with nurses and medical staff in explaining what exactly needed to be done when, and when everything started to point to an emergent situation, he didn’t hesitate to make the critical decisions necessary to save me. For this I will forever be grateful.
After all of that, here I am already 10 lbs heavier, eating regularly, not a single episode of nausea or pain and living my life fully for the first time in years. I do still have a bit of acid reflux unfortunately, but I will gladly take that in exchange for my life.
If you suffer from gastrointestinal issues, especially gastroparesis, please set up an appointment with his office. There is hope to get better!
Aug 01, 2023
Jeanette Beltran
Where do I begin!? 😭
For the past 10 years I’ve been miserable with heartburn that quickly advanced to GERD. I had Zantac, Omeprazole, Tums and mints in every car, purse and work bag.
After my recent pregnancy, heartburn went from manageable with meds to unmanageable. I woke up numerous time in my sleep choking on acid, nausea kicked in and I went into a good depression. I ate bland foods, stop drinking wine (which I love) and always felt bloated! 😭😭
Finally, I google “GERD”; “HEARTBURN” desperate for answers. Dr. Dairdo popped up with the most knowledge & expertise. I even found his media clippings further explaining his expertise in this procedure.
I met with Dr. D while I was pregnant, unfortunately I had to wait until I had the baby and wait past my postpartum timeframe.
I literally counted down the time until I could have this procedure done. The minute I reached out, Dr. Dairdo said let’s see what’s going on! We had an endoscopy, an ultrasound with Contrast which confirmed a large Hiatal Hernia & a severe case of GERD.
I had my surgery on July 19th, today I feel GREAT! 🙏😭😭😭😭😭 I haven’t had any heartburn, bloating or choking. 😭😭😭 the protein shakes I drank during my recovery, I couldn’t even drink those before today!
The surgery was quick, and all the medical staff said Dr. Dairdo was the best when they asked who my dr was. 🥹 My incisions are healing beautifully. The diet after surgery isn’t bad at all, PLUS I lost some weight! Which I’m pretty excited about. I had my follow up appt yesterday and I was a little emotional after that… emotional because this really is going to change my life from here on out.
Yes I was scared! Yes I was nervous… but the way I saw it was: you have two options reading my review… you can either get down to the root cause of your symptoms and decide to go with Surgery. OR you can continue to mask the problems with meds like I did for too long!
Dr. Dairdo, thank you for being thorough, for demanding excellence from your staff and medical staff. First Surgical Hospital was a great place to have this surgery and I appreciate your dedication to ending Heartburn!
Jun 03, 2023
John Revere
I am a medical doctor and because i know fellow doctors i don't always have respect for their work, in short there are a few great doctors, a few horrible doctors and a lot of average doctors. When i went in for my fundoplication, i wanted someone exceptional with hundreds of fundoplications under his belt, because the implications of a bad fundo are severe.
I found that doctor with Darido. He knows his reflux, and he knows his surgery and he is about as good as anyone you will ever be able to find. I know, because i just had my surgery and have just been through the process with him and it was very positive.
he is a great doctor of which there are only few out there. You absolutely must go to someone with specialized knowledge in this field if you are going to get a good outcome and he is it.
May 23, 2023
Robert Robinson
I am now just over 18 weeks post-surgery having had a Hiatal Hernia / Nissen Fundoplication Procedure performed in January 2023 by Dr. Elias Darido of the Houston Heartburn and Reflux Center. Surgery was performed at the First Surgical Hospital Facility in Houston.
I am a 55 year old male, reside in Houston, Texas and began experiencing acid reflux related symptoms in 2016 with the primary symptoms being throat clearing, cough and occasional burning throat. I only exhibited very occasional heartburn. Laterally, symptoms in Q3/Q4 2022 included significant bloating and belching.
I took PPI’s and other OTC medication on an as-needed basis until circa 2021-2022 when they were required/taken on an almost daily basis. Late 2021, I decided to seek out a longer term surgical solution.
I found Dr. Elias Darido through the Houston Heartburn and Reflux Center Website and scheduled an initial consultation late 2021. Through a series of consultations, discussions and evaluations the results confirmed GERD along with a hiatal hernia and I was confirmed by Dr. Darido as a candidate for surgery and a Hiatal Hernia / Nissen Fundoplication Procedure was recommended. The details of the procedure were very clearly explained and all my questions at that time were very clearly answered.
It is very clear from the moment you meet Dr. Darido that he is highly knowledgeable, passionate and an expert in this subject area of reflux related treatment/surgery. He is a highly confident individual which in my case, translated to an increased confidence from myself to proceed with Houston Heartburn and Reflux Center and Dr. Darido.
My surgery took place January 2023 at the First Surgical Hospital Facility in Houston and involved a 1 night stay. The procedure, care and attention was incredibly professional and re-assuring and my recovery steps since surgery have gone exactly as Dr. Darido had predicted.
I resumed coffee after 6 weeks and have been taking on a daily basis without significant issue. I have also drank red wine on occasion after 6 weeks without any significant issues. Also, no PPI’s or OTC antacids have been taken since prior to surgery.
It’s now over 18 weeks since surgery and on occasion I have felt what feels like lite heartburn sometimes in my chest area. I have conveyed this recently to Dr. Darido who is very confident that GERD is not the cause. I will meet with Dr. Darido in-person to discuss this in the near future and as necessary, evaluate further.
My throat feels well, I have little to no coughing, no bloating, no major burping and no belching. Belching during exercise was common for me prior to surgery. I also now do not have the need to constantly clear my throat like I had to do before.
I will update this review after I next meet with Dr. Darido. In the interim, if you have similar GERD/reflux issues and seeking an alternative solution to PPI’s or OTC antacids, then from my personal experience and interaction to date, I would highly recommend you to meet and discuss your options with Dr. Darido. You will find an individual who is extremely confident in his knowledge and ability (but not arrogant), and at the same time genuinely interested in helping his patients find a long term surgical solution. Also, any surgery is a big decision and a personal choice to be fully evaluated.
Sincerest thanks and gratitude again to Dr. Darido, his staff and all the staff at First Surgical Hospital Facility in Houston.
Rgds,
RR
May 16, 2023
Shervin Kalinia
I am truly grateful for the exceptional care my mother received from Dr. Darido and his entire team at Houston Heartburn and Reflux. Thanks to their expertise, her heartburn and reflux symptoms have significantly improved. I would highly recommend this clinic to anyone seeking specialized care for similar concerns.
May 15, 2023
Jacky Ho
I had been having reflux symptoms that were getting worse for a while and am glad to have found Dr. Darido especially since I am located in Vancouver, Canada. No pill had worked well, and it was time for a proper diagnosis plus the necessary procedure.
I was able to do the tests on Tuesday and had the necessary Nissen fundoplication surgery on Thursday. The entire process was smooth and I was informed fully every step of the way including after the surgery. The hospital stay was pleasant and I felt well taken care of. Dr. Darido has been thorough, professional, and thoughtful throughout.
It's been 10 days since the surgery and I haven't had any symptom yet. I hope this continues. The recovery has been going as expected. I highly recommend Dr. Darido to anyone who's looking for a permanent solution to their reflux problems!
Apr 09, 2023
guillermo perez
I’ve waited four years to write this review of Dr. Elias Darido. Simply put, he saved my life! For the last four years I’ve been reflux free. Dr. Darido is the leading expert in his field. I was terrified when I first went to his office, but he made me feel at ease with his sensitivity and knowledge. I thank the Good Lord for guiding me to Dr. Darido. I highly recommend him to everyone.
Mar 27, 2023
Maria Comis
Hello Dr. Darido. Thank you again for identifying and curing my stage 4 GERD with the Nissen Fundoplication and hernia repair. Your approach cured me of 10+ years of suffering from heartburn, difficulty swallowing, and severe nighttime reflux episodes to the point of choking, followed by 4 days of coughing up nasty mucus. It is such a relief to be able to go to bed without prepping my side table with a bottle of TUMS, Pepto Bismol, Alka Seltzer and pantoprazole. The best part is the peace of mind that my sleep will no longer be interrupted with severe reflux episodes. I can now sleep on my back! Had I known about your surgical procedure years ago, I might have saved my tooth enamel!! I am 1.5 weeks post-op and feeling fantastic!
Feb 19, 2023
krazykaren67
i had my procedure done 3 months ago and I couldn't be happier!!! I have had heartburn since 1986. I have seen several drs/ gastroenterologists and they always just prescribe me medicines. Medicines that are harmful for you when used for extended periods. Dr Darido is a blessing. He gets down to business. He runs tests and if necessary will re-run the test to be positive. He fixed my hiatal hernia and performed a Nissen fundoplication. Dr Darido is full of knowledge and can help you! If you are ready to get rid of your heartburn and digestive issues then Dr Darido is the dr for you!!! I can't believe it took so long to find a dr who was willing to actually fix the problem rather than just patch it with medications!!! No need to search any further this is the dr for you!!!! Thank you Dr Darido!!!!!
Feb 12, 2023
Sandra Lewis
It's been 10 days since my fundoplication surgery, I have to start saying that Dr Darido and his staff are very friendly, he gave me his personal cell phone number and answer every time I texted him right away, which is something that I really appreciate. Since I've been dealing with GERD, I've also been dealing with OCD, which made very anxioys about the surgery, recovery hasn't been fun. I was very, very scared because the first two days after surgery, I experienced a lot of belching and also had to clear my throat constantly, that
made me very anxious since I didn't know if that was going to cause migration, slippage or something bad to the surgery (fundoplication and mesh /hiatal hernia. I was also concerned since they had told me at the hospital that I was going to have an upper gi before I left to make sure nothing moved, but Doctor said he was pretty confident procedure was a success and didn't do it. I trust Dr Darido but I don't know how normal it is to still belching after 10 days. I think that even though Doctor was very very patient, I eventually annoyed him with my
texts so I won't bother him again and I'll just wait and try to have an exam with my Doctor in Brownsville. I hope nothing bad happened after my procedure but only the test will tell. I will do an update on a couple of months. (The reason why I was concerned about my belching if that I read in Dr Darido's website that excessive belching can indicate a failure wrap.
Feb 06, 2023
Collin Sledge
Came in on a liquid diet due to a malfunctioning Linx device. Dr. Darido was able to see me the day that I called and since I had already had recent testing, I was able to be scheduled that week for a conversion to fundoplication. Everyone from Houston Heartburn to the hospital staff where the procedure was performed was very efficient and professional.
I’m not recovered yet, but I’m off pain medication and already in a better place than when I came in. Will update in the future.
Nov 02, 2022
Amanda Childers
I had nausea, vomiting, severe bloating, heartburn etc. for years, I was diagnosed with gastroparesis. I saw about the procedure Dr. Darido has on a Facebook group for gastroparesis sufferers. I called and set up a virtual appointment, talked with him about everything going on and we got my surgery scheduled. I am 2 weeks postop tomorrow! I feel great! No more gastroparesis symptoms or heartburn at all!! His staff is wonderful and so helpful. Dr. Darido is a wonderful, caring doctor unlike most other doctors I’ve seen. He has given me my quality of life back and it feels amazing! I can’t thank him enough for what he has done for me!
Nov 02, 2022
Christina Burkhardt
Dr. Darido and his staff are extremely professional. The office is clean and welcoming.
Oct 21, 2022
Benjamin Wilson
I want to start by saying, I struggled with Gastroparesis and GERD for what seemed like forever. It was terrible everyday vommiting, nausea, bloating, pain. It made life miserable and I was at my end. I saw a review on Dr. Darido and decided to investigate further. I quickly realized the incredible talents of this man. I setup a consultation, had all my records faxed, and within a 2 weeks was scheduled for surgery. I had his novel procedure Antrum perserving longitudinal gastrectomy done as well as a Hiatal Hernia repair. I no longer struggle with gastroparesis, and my stomach emptying has normalized. He saved my life. If you struggle with gastroparesis don’t think its over! Dr. Darido can help you! He was bery caring after the procedure and has checked on me almost daily. This man is a blessing!
Oct 03, 2022
Andrea Monteverdi
I am 1.5 weeks post-op from a Nissen Fundoplication and hernia repair with Dr. Darido. My case was very unique in that I was likely born with a damaged LES and though we began searching for answers when I was very young as I was already experiencing symptoms, but no doctor prior to Dr. Darido was able to identify the root issue. After over 20 years of stomach pain, acid reflux, heartburn, regurgitation, and bloating I am beyond grateful to begin this new chapter healed. My recovery has been less grueling than anticipated thanks to his skill and work. I cannot recommend him enough. He took the time to really listen to my experience and was equally as dedicated as me as we searched for the answers. I am eternally grateful and hope others who are experiencing pain find resolution with Dr. Darido as I did.
Sep 07, 2022
DiViNo 2085
I had a 10 cm hiatal hernia, severe GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), and was in constant pain for many years. It did not matter what I ate or didn't eat or what medications I was on. I had burning pain and unbearable bloating day in and day out. My symptoms got progressively worse as time went on. If you want your pain and suffering to stop because of hiatal hernia and/or GERD then you need to see Dr. Darido. He is highly skilled when it comes to Nissen Fundoplication Surgery. If I had to do this surgery again, I would do it in a heart beat and with Dr. Darido.
