DroppingAcid

Any experienced Gastric Sleeve Doctors. in US offering Gastric Plication to regular Gastric Sleeve Revisions?

He is a really nice guy/top surgeon and probably would, but since it didn't work for me the first time, I think I rather do something else that will still have the restriction.

Glad to hear it! I am happy you feel better and found someone to help. Was it your original doctor who did your GPS? Did they give you the option to convert to a full regular vertical sleeve?

I am interested in finding about an experienced veritical sleeve doctor in the US that would convert or do a plication revision to regular sleeve. I have maintained weightloss due to strick calorie counting, but I live a unsatifying life of deprevation/hunger and live on veggies since a bigger stomach - although GPS worked for awhile. However most should know that my results probably aren't typical and GPS does work for other people. Does anyone know a doctor that would consider plication revision to regular vertical sleeve? I hope I don't have to gain all my weight back if I am self paying for revision surgery. If a stomach has stretched out or stitches have come undone, I really don't understand why it is a big deal to convert to regular sleeve since they would be cutting that part out anyway.

I am sorry for all of us going through this. Before I had my gall bladder out in Dec, I was on Carafate for 2 weeks - didn't make any difference for me. After getting my gallbladder out, my problems got worse for a while, not better. My "hunger pains" changed to like a burning feeling going up all into my throat. Infact, my stomach hurt pretty much constantly within the first 2 weeks. I even went to urgent care, because it was effecting my work and sleep and nothing helped. I tried 2 PPIs a day, then switched to Zantac or Pepcid, tried Tums and tried Malox. Tried switching to only spring water, avoided wheat, etc. Nothing worked, so I got off all of it. Stress seems to make it worse. The best I felt was when I went out with friends and had good time, with a good meal and a little wine. They told me to wait a month and then have a PH study done. I am now 2 months out and I am pleased to say my pain is still there, but comes and goes in short bursts. Eatting usually helps. I still am waiting to have a PH study done. I've talked to other gallbladder removal patients out there, and it can take up to a year to have pains stop. However, I still have HUNGER PAINS, which I guess is never normal. That is the whole point of WLS surgery,is to get rid of the hunger. Unfortunatley for me, I still have this and don't know if it is caused by Bile Reflux or what. It would be great to forget to eat because I am starting to gain weight again. I wish I was one of the lucky people who forgets to eat. My pain is reminder.

My acid reflex awful. I had it before sugery and a year later it is much worse. I was hoping having my gallbladder would remove some the symptoms but a week out, nothing has changed. Empty stomach hurts. Water hurts. PPI, tums and Zatacs dont help. Almost constant pain..at wits end. Help!

Thanks so much, Bensia for posting your experience. I am considering gall bladder removal surgery and although I haven't had many typical gall bladder syptoms, I do have gallstones. I am 35 but have acid for as long as I remember and thought it was just hunger, but it has become MUCH more problematic lately and happens about 6 times a day/night - constantly on and of throughout the day and night. Even on an empty stomach or with just water or milk, it hurts with anything I drink. PPIs, Tums, Acid reducer meds, Apple Cider Vinegar doesn't help at all, or only like for 10 mins and the pain and burning come back. The only thing that seems less or delay the acid reflux to help at all is eating. I have even resorted to drinking while I eat so there is less pain and burning. I have tried elminating the basic dietary problem foodsaand drinks for acid/gall bladder, but I get the acid pain no matter what I eat and drink (but it is the worst on an empty stomach or with just water) so I've given up. The burning/pain from acid wakes me up at night on empty stomach. My WLS was a year ago. Hopefully it will be solved with the gallbladder removal surgery.

Hi just checking to see if anyone has had acid issues or their gallbladder removed before or after surgery. I have acid reflux with water only, no food, etc. other than avoiding coffee, egg yolks and bacon, diet doesn't seem to help. My ultrasound showed gallstones. 2/3 of my doctors feel like getting my gallbladder removed will solve the acid issue. Tums, Pepcid and even 2 PPI Previacids a day do not stop the burning. I've heard that if the acid pills don't help it is gallbladder because the PPI medicines only kill stomach acid, not bile. It burns on and off throughout the day and night. Even on an empty stomach, like in the morning 8+ hours after eating and drinking it burns. Eating seems to help. I can eat most fatty foods with no problems or pains (most of the time I eat low fat anyway.) Sometimes I have pain off on the right side, or in the back on the right hand side, but mostly it is acid burning from a few inches above my belly button, to burning throat. I explained this to the gall bladder surgeon, and he ordered an Upper GI, barium test. The test showed no ulcers, but acid reflux firing throughout exam. 2 of the doctors still think I'd be helped by getting my gallbladder out, but the 1 the gallbladder surgeon seems to now think I will need something more serious (like stomach wrap surgery) to address the acid. Would love your feedback on whether or not your acid went away after gallbladder removal. I had my hitial hernia repaired at the time as well, been My gastro also put me on carrafate the medicine for ulcers, and that didn't help at all, and seemed to give me acid reflux too. I have also been tested for H. Polyri and it came back negative. Before surgery, I had stomach polyps before I ever had taken PPIs. I had a colonscopy (clean no polyps), blood tests and nothing else shows abnormal. Looking back, I must have had acid reflux every since I remember, since I've always thought hunger was stomach pain and burning. The gallbladder surgeon seemed to think I have a couple years before the acid is problem, but I am wondering if it continues to burn if that is health concern and could cause other problems. Diet and medicine do not help the acid burning. Any advice or personal experience is appreciated.

Thank you for your reply! It's been almost a year since surgery. I am fairly certain it is my gallbladder. The pains are more frequent on the right.

Hope it goes well for you and we are so glad you figured it out! Hi thank you all for posting this. Could some our symptoms be GALLBLADDER? Although I have had the Sleeve Plication, I am going through the same thing, even though I had a great, experienced, diligent surgeon who also fixed my hiatal hernia. PPIs, Anti Acids, Apple Cider Vinegar and Tums do not help me at all, and acid medicine should really fix it if ACID REFLUX is the problem. I've been tested for HPolyri, had an endoscope, even been on stomach ulcer medicine. It doesn't matter what I eat or drink or if I have a completely EMPTY stomach (Water on an empty stomach is especailly bad for me), the acid keeps firing and I have burning, gnawing pain from about 2 inches above my bellybutton upto my throat. Sometimes I have a pain on the right side, above my belly button, chest pains or backpains, but it is much more rare. The acid running between my rib cage upto my throat happens on and off throughout the day and night, into morning on an empty stomach and the burning wakes me up at night. Some people have reported getting relief from acid after their gallbladders come out. Usually fatty foods can could pain/discomfort when you have gallstones, but salads/raw veggies can as well. I usually have the worst symptoms from vinegar, citric acid, egg yolks, and bacon but cheese is no problem. My younger sister had an issue with veggies and had the acid reflux symptoms and they were relieved when she had her gallbladder out. Have any or all of you had your gallbladder out? I have stones, and a few of the doctors say that getting the GALLBLADDER OUT will take of this acid problem. Since I had acid all my life, I didn't know it was a problem, I just thought that was what hunger was. Now, 3 doctors seemed convinced that my acid problems are due to the Gallstones I have. I had an Upper GI where you swallow the barrium, and the results were "ACID FIRING CONSTANTLY" throughout the exam. One of the doctors, the surgeon changed his tune about Acid being fixed by gallbladder and said I should probably research to something else handle ACID converting over to the regular Gastric Sleeve or getting a Wrap (where part of the stomach is wrapped around the esphagous to protect it when acid comes up, this would not solve the long term weight loss issue and has it own set of problems) but I could not have both. I am wondering why he thinks getting a normal sleeve will help with the acid. Maybe having less stomach = less acid? At this point, I don't even know if CAN convert to a regular sleeve, I don't know if my stomach has stretched far enough yet or if a surgeon will do revision surgery. I am also researching if regular sleevers have ONGOING ACID issues too, so thank you for your posts. I told my gastro doctor and my surgeon about my "hunger pains" before and after surgery. Because I dealt with what I thought were "hunger pains" my WHOLE LIFE, I thought that was NORMAL. I thought STOMACH PAIN & BURNING, GNAWING FEELING = HUNGER. Usually when I eat something, it takes away the pain. Even now eating seems to help a little. But now, the pain comes back much quicker than before. At surgery I found out I have stomach polyps (this was before I ever took a PPI.) I had many tests, including a colonoscopy and no other polyps in the colon, only stomach. I had to make a decision on whether or not I should have 85% of my stomach out forever or folded over and sewn (at the time doctors seemed to think Plication was reversible, I doubt that it is due to scar tissue.) In the end, I went with plication, because I was afraid someday the polyups would cause a problem and I might need more of my stomach. I am happy to say I've almost lost ALL of my necessary weight, and although I know my sleeve had stretched alot, I am happy that I utilizee my powerful tool. (I can eat a small plate of food or probably 1 1/2 to 2 cups of food.) Someday I know if want a smaller stomach I will probably need to convert to a regular sleeve, but it is still a little scary. Let me know your feedback and if you haven't had a Ultrasound for Gallbladder, it might be a good idea. I had the hida scan (that made my gallbladder look fine), MRI, colonscopy, gastric emptying study but no ultrasound for gallstones and barium test until recently after I lost my weight. I think what I may do is try to have my gallbladder out first by a surgeon who also does sleeves too so he can look at what I've got and let me know if it is even possible down the road. Or I wonder if it is better to get it done sooner, although I would think a year is enough to get scar tissue from current surgery. Hope this helps and give me your feedback!

Hi thank you all for posting this. Could some our symptoms be GALLBLADDER? Although I have had the Sleeve Plication, I am going through the same thing, even though I had a great, experienced, diligent surgeon who also fixed my hiatal hernia. PPIs, Anti Acids, Apple Cider Vinegar and Tums do not help me at all, and acid medicine should really fix it if ACID REFLUX is the problem. I've been tested for HPolyri, had an endoscope, even been on stomach ulcer medicine. It doesn't matter what I eat or drink or if I have a completely EMPTY stomach (Water on an empty stomach is especailly bad for me), the acid keeps firing and I have burning, gnawing pain from about 2 inches above my bellybutton upto my throat. Sometimes I have a pain on the right side, above my belly button, chest pains or backpains, but it is much more rare. The acid running between my rib cage upto my throat happens on and off throughout the day and night, into morning on an empty stomach and the burning wakes me up at night. Some people have reported getting relief from acid after their gallbladders come out. Usually fatty foods can could pain/discomfort when you have gallstones, but salads/raw veggies can as well. I usually have the worst symptoms from vinegar, citric acid, egg yolks, and bacon but cheese is no problem. My younger sister had an issue with veggies and had the acid reflux symptoms and they were relieved when she had her gallbladder out. Have any or all of you had your gallbladder out? I have stones, and a few of the doctors say that getting the GALLBLADDER OUT will take of this acid problem. Since I had acid all my life, I didn't know it was a problem, I just thought that was what hunger was. Now, 3 doctors seemed convinced that my acid problems are due to the Gallstones I have. I had an Upper GI where you swallow the barrium, and the results were "ACID FIRING CONSTANTLY" throughout the exam. One of the doctors, the surgeon changed his tune about Acid being fixed by gallbladder and said I should probably research to something else handle ACID converting over to the regular Gastric Sleeve or getting a Wrap (where part of the stomach is wrapped around the esphagous to protect it when acid comes up, this would not solve the long term weight loss issue and has it own set of problems) but I could not have both. I am wondering why he thinks getting a normal sleeve will help with the acid. Maybe having less stomach = less acid? At this point, I don't even know if CAN convert to a regular sleeve, I don't know if my stomach has stretched far enough yet or if a surgeon will do revision surgery. I am also researching if regular sleevers have ONGOING ACID issues too, so thank you for your posts. I told my gastro doctor and my surgeon about my "hunger pains" before and after surgery. Because I dealt with what I thought were "hunger pains" my WHOLE LIFE, I thought that was NORMAL. I thought STOMACH PAIN & BURNING, GNAWING FEELING = HUNGER. Usually when I eat something, it takes away the pain. Even now eating seems to help a little. But now, the pain comes back much quicker than before. At surgery I found out I have stomach polyps (this was before I ever took a PPI.) I had many tests, including a colonoscopy and no other polyps in the colon, only stomach. I had to make a decision on whether or not I should have 85% of my stomach out forever or folded over and sewn (at the time doctors seemed to think Plication was reversible, I doubt that it is due to scar tissue.) In the end, I went with plication, because I was afraid someday the polyups would cause a problem and I might need more of my stomach. I am happy to say I've almost lost ALL of my necessary weight, and although I know my sleeve had stretched alot, I am happy that I utilizee my powerful tool. (I can eat a small plate of food or probably 1 1/2 to 2 cups of food.) Someday I know if want a smaller stomach I will probably need to convert to a regular sleeve, but it is still a little scary. Let me know your feedback and if you haven't had a Ultrasound for Gallbladder, it might be a good idea. I had the hida scan (that made my gallbladder look fine), MRI, colonscopy, gastric emptying study but no ultrasound for gallstones and barium test until recently after I lost my weight. I think what I may do is try to have my gallbladder out first by a surgeon who also does sleeves too so he can look at what I've got and let me know if it is even possible down the road. Or I wonder if it is better to get it done sooner, although I would think a year is enough to get scar tissue from current surgery. Hope this helps and give me your feedback!