Hey Bandlarians!

Yesterday was my 2 month check uop with my band doctor. He was happy with my loss. However, he will not renew a prescription for Protonix, an acid blocker.

I have been on prescription strength acid reducers since 2003 due to GERD and gastritis. He said I should not have to take them and if I still have acid then the band is not for me.

I'm not agreeing with him. The reflux is not worse, it's the same it was before banding. Although I do understand his line of thought that they have side effects and I should not be on them long term.

SO, here is my dilemma...I have been without a acid blocker for 3 days now and my stomach hurts without them. Always did.

I'm looking for solutions and remedies. I am drinking aloe juice but need more.

Go and see a GI specialist and they'll write you a Rx. You can also buy OTC acid blockers.

Gah! This really stinks. I've always had gastritis and acid reflux problems pre-band and now that band doctor doesn't want me on them, I'm in a lot of pain.

Anyone else go on Acid Blockers long term after banding? Or pre-banding?

I picked up the Prilosec OTC, Gaviscon too but it doesn't seem to be doing much. Any suggestions?

I was able to get off prilosec, nexium, antiacids, etc, etc, etc.

The problem I had before the band has disappeared. I had one problem once...took nexium for 7 days and gone. It has been about 13 months so far. The doctor explained that most of the acids are produced in the lower stomach and do not come up past the band.

hmm... I wonder why mine is so bad then? I do have gastritis too.

I have never had reflux before and just recently started. I will be asking Dr. Abkin for a prescription for something tomorrow. Hopefully he'll go with it. I do not fully understand why it started but am happy that the prilosec helps. Talk about a miserable feeling. I do not understand why he would say no to a drug that helps. Does it do something bad to the band?

Gah! This really stinks. I've always had gastritis and acid reflux problems pre-band and now that band doctor doesn't want me on them, I'm in a lot of pain.

Anyone else go on Acid Blockers long term after banding? Or pre-banding?

I picked up the Prilosec OTC, Gaviscon too but it doesn't seem to be doing much. Any suggestions?

I had severe GERD and didn't even know it until I got to Germany and had my EGD (scope). They put off the surgery for a week and treated me with Protonix and rescoped and was resolved. Was not instructed to take anymore and my PCP here says most of the time it stays resolved. I'm not taking any changes and I take OTC Pepcid. I take at night before I go on the empty stomach the longest... plus laying down. This is a mild med but there is Zantac, Prevacid and Prilosec. The Prilosec does take a little time to get in your system to really start to work so don't expect miracles the same day. I agree that you should go to GI doc. You know what works for you. So no ulcers or anything else going on? Seems like they could give you something that you can take long term and keep your symptoms under control.

Celeste

3/1/06

Pre banding I had acid reflux and was on Nexium. Post banding I was able to stop taking Nexium. However, I always seem so tight that I hardly ate anything. I have had all fill removed and then refilled a couple of times. Recently I had acid relux so bad that I went to see my GI specialist and several tests. All seemed normal. When I continued with the problem, he recommend that I take Nexium 2xday. That is when I called my lapband doctor. They had me come in and discovered that my band had slipped.--it had slipped before that this is why the fill removal which is the first step at trying to fix the slippage. But this time he would need to surgically go in and fix it. In doing so he discovered a hernia which needed to be repaired. My acid reflux is gone albeit I am still taking the Nexium until I finish the prescription. I have a post op visit in a week but I suspect that everything will be fine. I am experiencing shoulder pain for the first time--I know this is related to the gas and that walking is the cure. Anyway I thought I would share my experience.

By the way, I may have caused the slippage by drinking carbonated drinks.

MLJ

Thanks to all of you.

I had GERD AND gastritis before the band, and have always taken the prescription antacids to prevent further damage. Part of the reason I had the surgery was to get my weight down so I could hopefully get off of it. My GERD did not start until I hit 200 lbs, but I have always had gastritis.

Just an FYI:

The FDA is very close to approving the LapBand as a treatment for GERD and Reflux. Apparently the Lower stomach/Upper Stomach combo that occurs after banding goes a long way to preventing/decreasing GERD symptoms in those who suffered with it before banding.

I've never been diagnosed with GERD but before banding I never bought a Rolaids or Tums before either (yet I keep them in my purse now) but I do like a good meal!

Anyway, just wanted to include this.

Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

Hmmm. Maybe I 'm missing something here. Why should your band doctor have anything to say about what your internist/pcp/gi specialist/etc., may have prescribed? It wouldn't even have even occurred to me to ask the LB surgeon about it:confused: .

Hmmm. My GI guy won't let me get a lap-band until the gastritis is resolved.

Hi----i had very bad GERD before my surgery---which was just aug 13 --2007 so i am a newbie---but I had a Hiatuial hernia (sp?)--and my doctor told me that fixing the hernia would fix my GERD---it has been a week and I haven't had any GERD meds and I fell great!--have you been checked for a hernia?