Severe Acid Reflux

[Jazzy Rayne 6]

I have had my lapband for almost 2 years (june 3rd will make 2 years) I have lost 75lbs. I love my band. However, I am having issues. Now, when people see "acid reflux" they automatically say... "band is too tight, go see the dr." etc. Well. about a year ago, i started having severe acid reflux, where i am actually waking up at night choking on it. Even sitting straight up to sleep. I went to my doctor, he unfilled me. I still had acid reflux, but it was taken care of by pepcid. I got a great fill and wham... the severe acid reflux is back. So he unfilled me again, did the barrium swallow... and seen i did have acid reflux even with out a fill. So he put me on protonix for 2 months, which worked amazing. Gave me a great fill... and kept me on the protonix. Which worked great for the first 3 weeks. Now... 1.5 months later i am taking protonix in the am 30 mins before i eat, then around 4pm i take pepcid and around 8pm im throwing up my food just to get relief from the acid reflux... not bc im stuck. Then i chew some tums, go to bed sitting up. I really dont know what to do. I made a dr appt to see my dr on the 4th to discuss this... but all he will want to do is unfill me. But my fill is fine. I never get stuck. And the thing is, my acid reflux flares up 1-2 hours AFTER i eat. I get that "stuck" feeling 2 hours later. I think whats happening is ... the food i eat is sitting in my pouch and slowly going through to my stomach. The acid is coming up and getting stuck in the pouch with the left over food. And i end up throwing up the food in the pouch.

Im at a loss... scared. I dont want an unfill nor do i want anything to mess up my throat, or band slippage. With all the fills and unfills... ive gained 16lbs. I recently lost 9 lbs with this last fill. So the fill is great. This acid reflux is killing me. Is anyone else dealing with this? I feel so .. blah! Any words are welcomed.

[adorkbl 156]

I just wanted to say I am sorry for the pain and reflux you are having. I have been having issues too... but not quite as severe. I had an EGD a few weeks ago and was diagnosed with severe esophagitis and a hiatal hernia. My Dr wanted to remove my fill or remove my band. I changed my diet drastically and that has helped. I am hoping to avoid losing my band.

Some diet tips:

~Avoid spicy foods such as those with pepper, chili powder, curry, and nutmeg.

~Avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea.

~Avoid greasy and fried foods.

~Avoid hard foods such as nuts, crackers, and raw vegetables.

~Avoid acidic foods and beverages such as tomatoes, oranges, grapefruits, and their juices.

~Take small bites and chew food thoroughly.

~Drink liquids through a straw to make swallowing easier.

~Avoid alcohol and tobacco.

Sorry I don't have a lot of advise. Just wanted to give you some support. I hope you can find relief!!

[B-52 7,113]

Agreed, I have found with a tight band I have to be careful with the type of foods I eat now.

Things like Mexican or anything hot and spicy I need to avoid.

I think it is because food will sit in the pouch longer that it effect you greater and quicker.

Don't eat near bedtime. Give all the food time to move from the pouch. Going to bed, lying down, with food still in the pouch id=s bad for anybody.

[elcee 3,340]

I had my band at the same time and have also had some issues with acid reflux. It probably started about a month before Christmas. It wasn't every night but there were quite a few where I would wake up coughing, choking , with a sore throat.I got Nexium from my GP but it still happened. The strange thing was I was not too tight, if anything my band was loose. I could eat just about anything and was getting hungry sooner than I should have been. I was not eating late, was not eating spicy foods or other trigger foods and have no idea why it was happening.

I had an issue a month ago where I got stuck on steak(because my band was so loose I thought I could eat anything) that culminated in me having most of my Fluid taken out. I was at 6ml and they took out 4ml. I have since had another 2ml put back in and am scheduled to see for Dr in 2 weeks time. I am starving and feel like I have no band which is horrible. However the reflux has all but gone. So that would seem as though the band was too tight but if that was the case then why was I able to eat so much, get hungry quickly etc. It doesn't make much sense to me.

I have to say though I did have 1 episode about a week ago where I woke up choking and have no idea why. I cannot say that i ate any later that day or ate something different to usual that would have been a trigger.

[Lake Momma 0]

I am having the same problems...I have a Dr. Appt on Thursday. The last three nights have been horrible waking up and choking...

[RbL7FB 4]

I had severe acid reflux BEFORE the band, found a hernia, and did a plication with the placement of the band... acid reflux is GONE...

You may have a hernia and that is causing the acid reflux...

[Bardy 6]

Well at least I'm glad I'm not alone -- have been having awful acid reflux at night and same thing -- having to sit up or feeling it come up and burn my throat... I'm below my goal weight so am going in on Tuesday to have an unfill and talk about getting some Nexium or something for the acid reflux. I've been living on Tums and have not really been able to eat much either so I do think it's time for an unfill. I just hope the band hasn't slipped... I've been banded since December 2010 and feeling great otherwise. I also think I need to give up my white wine! oh well ... I'm happy to be a size 4-6 now!!

[mandagay 93]

I was having horrible reflux. Dr removed the Fluid for a week then put it back in and everything is fine now

[bigpoppa62 0]

I had my first fill last Tuesday after having my port put back in in February.Friday I started getting bad acid reflux.Last night it got so bad I took some Tums which helped out tremendously.I know to watch what I eat,but I have never had this problem in the past.I have had the band for a few years but had some major problems in the past which is a long story.I read somewhere to try apple cider vinegar for the reflux,has anyone tried it?

[Jazzy Rayne 6]

Thank you to everyone who responded. Its nice to know im not alone in this. My dr seems to think its something im doing.

UPDATE: I went and had all Fluid removed from my band, but still have restriction bc my stomach is so swolen. I went to my primary dr and he sched a endoscopy done on the 30th of this month. So they can see if i have a hernia, ulcer, etc. To find out why i have such severe acid reflux.

The other night I had some chicken, and got stuck so bad I threw up. I went to the dr yesterday and told him i wanted a barrium swallow bc i know something is wrong. How can i get stuck when i have no restriction?? Well. I have a piece of chicken lodged in my pouch and stomach. The dr says it will pass. If it doesnt pass by the 30th, they will remove it when i have the endoscopy. Nice.

I am so over all of this!

[Bardy 6]

Update -- I went to my doc and had all the Fluid removed from my band -- I feel so much better and haven't had reflux or vomiting since. I'm well below my target weight and still keep my portions small, but overall feel good. I think often folks get their band adjusted too tight for fear of gaining weight, and should rather get a little fluid removed and pay more attention to food choices and portions. It is an ongoing journey for sure, and there are sometimes other health issues to address. Good luck everyone.

[bigpoppa62 0]

After a few days on Prilosec I feel fine.

[Bardy 6]

Well, I'm back - unfortunately I am developing more acid reflux even though I do not have any Fluid in my band -- not feeling well again - get hungry, try to eat a little mild food, then sometimes even throw up again -- don't know quite what's going on - maybe a hernia or something else interfering -- how do you know if your band has slipped?

[adorkbl 156]

Well' date=' I'm back - unfortunately I am developing more acid reflux even though I do not have any Fluid in my band -- not feeling well again - get hungry, try to eat a little mild food, then sometimes even throw up again -- don't know quite what's going on - maybe a hernia or something else interfering -- how do you know if your band has slipped?[/quote']

Have you told your surgeon that the reflux has returned? I would start there and see what he suggests. Maybe EGD to rule out hiatal hernia?

[ICUnurserachel 17]

The symptoms you had were the ones I had when I found out my band had slipped and caused a hiatal hernia. I had to have a very painful and long band revision and hiatal hernia repair as well as tons of scar tissue removed. My slippage was caused by a fill that was too tight that caused the band to slip. I had horrible reflux that woke me up at night. These were my only symptoms and I could still eat so I though nothing of it until it got to the point I was waking up choking on it. I went in and boom there is was on the xray. What followed was weeks of misery and pain. So don't take it lightly as I don't anymore.