I've been banded for well over a year now, and all of a sudden I started getting acid reflux. This happens mostly at night (I wake up suddenly and feel like I'm gonna puke). I've got good restriction with no problems, and haven't had any adjustments for at least 6 months. Has this happend to anyone else? If so, what did you do?

I have not had this problem except right after a fill. It's strange that it's happening 6 months after a fill. Normally reflux at night is a sure sign of being too tight. Maybe try not eating after 7pm? Try eating tums before bed? Maybe you have developed a tiny hiatal hernia? I hope it stops soon.

Thanks for the tips. I thought the band could have been somewhat tight, but I really didn't want to get unfilled. I have been trying to watch not eating a few hours before bedtime. I think that is helping. I'm scheduled to see my doc next month. I think I'll just hold out until then.

I had something similar about a year or so into my band, Apparantly the stomach wall can lose resistance against the band over time so it automatically tightens. A 1ml unfill fixed it and I'm back to normal restriction. Good luck

Nick

Thanks for the tips. I thought the band could have been somewhat tight, but I really didn't want to get unfilled. I have been trying to watch not eating a few hours before bedtime. I think that is helping. I'm scheduled to see my doc next month. I think I'll just hold out until then.

If you are having reflux at night its a sure sign that you're too tight. Maybe you got something stuck and have some swelling. You need to go have a little fluid taken out for a month or so then get it put back in. Reflux is very dangerous in a bandster. It can cause a prolapse and you don't want that!

If you are having reflux at night its a sure sign that you're too tight. Maybe you got something stuck and have some swelling. You need to go have a little Fluid taken out for a month or so then get it put back in. Reflux is very dangerous in a bandster. It can cause a prolapse and you don't want that!

I have a question. How can reflux cause a prolapse?

I'm looking at this thread because I too am having reflux. Not just at night. Anytime I am asleep. Even dozing on the couch I wake up coughing, sputtering and gasping. I've even woken up with fluid running out of my nose. I have tried not eating for three or more hours before bedtime. No luck. Still happens. Tried not drinking anything for a while before bed...still happens. Tried elevating the head of the bed...still happens. I've tried liquids only...still happens. Because I wake up in the middle of the night, EVERY night, for a couple of weeks now I am exhausted and nap often. Every nap is interuppted with coughing, gagging, wheezing and gasping.

It's been a while since a fill and I was actually thinking that I don't have enough restriction. While awake there is absolutely no problem at all and like I said restriction is questionable. My fills and unfills are 150.00 each so I'm reluctant to go back in. I have budgeted for 6 fills a year. And yes...they charge to take fluid out unless you just got a fill within the week.

Any ideas? What in the world could sleeping do to cause this?

I have struggled with acid reflux for years (even before the band). Lucky for me, my mother is a gastrointestinal nurse so I get lots of help and tips from her! Contrary to popular belief, acid reflux is not necessarily a sign of being too tight, although getting an unfill can give you some relief. There are a lot of other factors such as diet, stress, other medical issues, etc. Acid reflux can be controlled by diet, and will probably call for major changes. Avoid fried & greasy foods, fatty foods, spicy foods, anything high in sugar, caffeine, and chocolate (the devil food for me!). Also if you find a food is causing your reflux to flare up, avoid it! If you're not already on an acid reflux medication, you can get it over the counter. My mom suggests Prilosec over Prevacid because you can by it OTC at a higher dose, although she says all things being equal they both work just as well. She also says generic brands don't work as well (this from the queen of cheap! she'll buy almost anything generic if it's cheaper, but won't for certain meds). Also make sure you stay hydrated, it will help keep the acid down. My dad and brother also suffer from severe acid reflux, and were on medication for a while. They both have been able to wean themselves off the meds and control it simply by diet. And raising the head of the bed is the BEST thing you can do for reflux, whether you have nighttime flare-ups or not. So, there you have it...advice from a bona fide GI nurse with a bandster daughter! Hope this helps!

Update...

I did have a slight slip on my band. The doc removed over half of the Fluid and has started gradually putting it back in. I got back in a couple of weeks for another fill. I'm hoping this gets me back to good restriction. The bad news... I gained 14 pounds during the unfill process. I'm hoping this next fill gets me back on track.

Bobbi

Bobbi, did removing the fluid fix your acid reflux?

Hi I have had the lap band now for a year and a half, Lost 65 pounds and now at a stand still. Yes I have been bad, but the thing that is the worst is I have acid relax all the time. I guess that is what it is. Most everything comes back up. The only thing that stays down is fish and sweets. My doctor is leaving and the program at my hospital will be no more. So I don't want him to take a fluid out,. I told him about the relax and he filled my anyway. I have had this relax for about 8 months now, Band still in place so that is a good thing. Klariode said There are a lot of other factors such as diet, stress, other medical issues, etc. My grandson of 4 has stage 4 cancer so that has been very stressful and I have fibromyalaga which I take med for. Could this be the reason I have the relax as I do?

Oh my goodness! God bless you and your little grandson! I will keep you inmy prayers. A sure sign your band is too tight is that you can't keep down solid protein. Fish is really a softer protein. Candy and sweets are sliders. You will gain weight or stay the same with this type of diet. Trust me I've been there! Get a tiny unfill. Good luck and keep us posted!

Thank you Jrae, I see him for the last time in a week, I will try that than. I know soft foods go down just fine, although I did eat some steamed chicken and it stayed down while it was still hot, cold it didn't do very well.

I had a similar experience, to the point that I had to stay up later at night than I wanted because I could tell that lying down would make it worse. I went back for a check and the PA at my physician's office told me that acid reflux wasn't possible with a lapband, that what I was experiencing was an inflamed esophagus from food getting backed up in the esophagus because my band was too tight. She took out 2 cc and I immediately felt better and have had no more problems. I'm to go back in a couple of weeks for a small fill, about 1 cc, to keep me losing. Has anyone else been told that acid reflux is impossible with lapband?

I had a similar experience, to the point that I had to stay up later at night than I wanted because I could tell that lying down would make it worse. I went back for a check and the PA at my physician's office told me that acid reflux wasn't possible with a lapband, that what I was experiencing was an inflamed esophagus from food getting backed up in the esophagus because my band was too tight. She took out 2 cc and I immediately felt better and have had no more problems. I'm to go back in a couple of weeks for a small fill, about 1 cc, to keep me losing. Has anyone else been told that acid reflux is impossible with lapband?

I'm sorry but that PA was 100% wrong. Acid reflux most certainly is possible with the band, and if you are having reflux with the band then something is wrong. Acid reflux with the band is one of the first red flags of being too tight or having a slip.

I'm sorry but that PA was 100% wrong. Acid reflux most certainly is possible with the band' date=' and if you are having reflux with the band then something is wrong. Acid reflux with the band is one of the first red flags of being too tight or having a slip.[/quote']

I agree with Mis73. A definite red flag.

I have had my band in for about a year and 4 months. The first 6-7 months was wonderful. In September of this year right after Labor day I was at 4 1/2 cc in my band and went for a fill because I was eating everything. I asked for 1.5 ccs and the PA gave it to me. About a week later I started getting slight heart burn and then it began when I dozed off on the couch (woke up and needed to run to the bathroom to puke). I went back to the doctor about 3 months later (right around Christmas break) and he took out some of the fluid. I cried and was so upset that I would gain the weight back, but I didn't. I went back around end of March when I was still getting sick and he took all the fluid out for a wonderful "Band Holiday" as he called it and left me unfilled for a month. Well after almost having a nervous breakdown when I got home. I had some pizza (i know i know terrible) and from then I watched what I ate, not so much what I drank (Beer...I haven't drank beer since before my surgery). Anyways after a month of my band holiday The PA filled me up to 4ccsper docs orders instead of going slow like when I was first filled. Needless to say the acid reflux was back and man was it back. I called him again because I was so sick some nights that I hardly slept and missed work. So, he told me he will not remove the fluid, I need to eat better and more smaller meals (I don't really eat that much during the day). I try to eat dinner before 7pm and I have been taking Prilosec per my mother's advice and that's been helping, but every night after dinner I’m throwing up. If I try and go to sleep I need to throw up about 15-20 minutes after getting into bed. Now, my throat is getting sore and I have a cough. I am a school psychologist and my last day of school is next Friday so I’m hoping that whatever is going on stops before September. I am watching what I eat and not eating fried foods or acid causing foods (tomatoes and what not) and I'm feeling OK. It's just dinner I can't get a handle on.