Hi, I am new to this board. I was banded in July of 09. I have had a lot of problems with my band. It seems that as soon as my band gets tight enough to give me a little restricion, I get terrible acid reflux. I can't eat or drink anything for about 3-4 hours before going to bed. I need to sleep sitting in a chair and I often wake up choking on acid. I choke so violently that I end up puking. This in turn irratates my band and I get so tight that I can't keep any food down. Even liquids become a problem for me. I have been in for unfill after unfill. I have had 2 complete unfills. Currently I'm unfilled and my doctor said that it looks as if my band may have slipped. I am waiting a month for him to check it again and then start to fill me again. He said this is the last time he will try to fill me because I have had so many problems. He is talking about converting me to the sleeve.

My question is: for those of you who experienced acid reflux with the band, do you have problems with acid reflux with the sleeve? That is my biggest fear. I certainly don't want to get the sleeve and have the same problems with acid reflux. I am on a daily dose of prilosec (generic) and when the reflux gets bad, I also take malox to help with the symptoms. I am afraid to loose my band but I can't live like this.

Shelli

I had a little reflux with the band, but no problems with the sleeve. I still take a daily acid reducer though.

I didn't have reflux with my band, and I take Prilosec to prevent reflux now with the sleeve. If Prilosec isn't doing it for you, Prevacid works pretty good from what I hear from a couple of the members here. Even some people have to take 2 doses to reduce the acid enough early out from sleeve surgery.

I was super worried about Barrett's esophagus if I developed reflux with the band, and I can imagine how miserable you are right now.

I do not have any acid issues at all, but I'm also not willing to go off my Prilosec.

Good luck with your research. Hopefully some of the other band to sleeve revisioners will chime in.

Hi, I am new to this board. I was banded in July of 09. I have had a lot of problems with my band. It seems that as soon as my band gets tight enough to give me a little restricion, I get terrible acid reflux. I can't eat or drink anything for about 3-4 hours before going to bed. I need to sleep sitting in a chair and I often wake up choking on acid. I choke so violently that I end up puking. This in turn irratates my band and I get so tight that I can't keep any food down. Even liquids become a problem for me. I have been in for unfill after unfill. I have had 2 complete unfills. Currently I'm unfilled and my doctor said that it looks as if my band may have slipped. I am waiting a month for him to check it again and then start to fill me again. He said this is the last time he will try to fill me because I have had so many problems. He is talking about converting me to the sleeve.

My question is: for those of you who experienced acid reflux with the band, do you have problems with acid reflux with the sleeve? That is my biggest fear. I certainly don't want to get the sleeve and have the same problems with acid reflux. I am on a daily dose of prilosec (generic) and when the reflux gets bad, I also take malox to help with the symptoms. I am afraid to loose my band but I can't live like this.

Shelli

Shelli, this is a very real concern and something you need to speak to your surgeon about with band to sleeve. (i have the same problem) depending on the severity of your band reflux the sleeve could potentially be worse even with PPI keep doing research, ask your surgeon, consult a GI specialist, get a second opinion with a seasoned bariatric band to sleeve dr. talk to those patients that had gerd, reflux, hiatal hernias etc with band and who were revised and how the reflux is at 1-3 yrs post sleeve.

Mila

I am so sorry about all of your problems! I am ready to kiss my band good-bye to from endless complications. I haven't had reflux problems, but I would like to know if anyone has had problems with this after revision. Good luck and I hope healing is in your near future.

The last 6 before I was totally unfilled I had the same problem. Filling my band over half way caused reflux and vomiting in my sleep. When my band was unfilled the reflux went away completely. I've only been sleeved for 12 days and I'm on liquid Xantac for a month - don't know if that changes to a regular pill after that or if they take you off but I've had no problems yet.

Good luck!

Hi, I am new to this board. I was banded in July of 09. I have had a lot of problems with my band. It seems that as soon as my band gets tight enough to give me a little restricion, I get terrible acid reflux. I can't eat or drink anything for about 3-4 hours before going to bed. I need to sleep sitting in a chair and I often wake up choking on acid. I choke so violently that I end up puking. This in turn irratates my band and I get so tight that I can't keep any food down. Even liquids become a problem for me. I have been in for unfill after unfill. I have had 2 complete unfills. Currently I'm unfilled and my doctor said that it looks as if my band may have slipped. I am waiting a month for him to check it again and then start to fill me again. He said this is the last time he will try to fill me because I have had so many problems. He is talking about converting me to the sleeve.

My question is: for those of you who experienced acid reflux with the band, do you have problems with acid reflux with the sleeve? That is my biggest fear. I certainly don't want to get the sleeve and have the same problems with acid reflux. I am on a daily dose of prilosec (generic) and when the reflux gets bad, I also take malox to help with the symptoms. I am afraid to loose my band but I can't live like this.

Shelli

Hi Sheli: I'd ask more questions from your consultant and doctor. I never had acid reflux in my life and I am now day 8 on the sleeve and have spent 3 nights up all night with acid. I'm not happy about it and I'm hoping it will be less in time as not only is it very uncomfortable I worry about ulcers and other issues caused from the amount of acid

i am a band to sleeve revision - 8 days out - and had acid only after I was pregnant with the band, but now have it with the sleeve also. I am fine when I remember to take my acid reducer, otherwise it can be uncomfortable.

Hi there,

When I had my band, I only had one bad episode of reflux, after a fill. Had it for a day or so and went right back to get un-filled. That was the beginning of the end for me anyway and I never really was filled up too high again. Otherwise, I had the band for almost 4 years with no reflux issues.

That said, I do have reflux with the sleeve occassionally. My doctor's orders were to be on Nexium or Prilosec for 6 months - that is the instruction for everyone, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms. I will say that there have been a few days where I actually took double dose (one in the AM, on in the PM) but I have scaled back down to one a day in the morning and I am doing fine. I have a jar of Tums by the bed just in case I feel a little funny before I go to sleep. I wouldn't dare go off the prilosec yet, as I am not quite 2 months out. I am going to wait, per dr's instructions and try to wean off in another 4 months or so.

The prilosec/nexium is a way of life for a lot of us. The good thing is that I am rid of all the other problems that I had with the band.

Make sure your doctor checks everything out thoroughly and you may want to stay unfilled. You don't want to do too much damage if you are thinking about having a revision to the sleeve. Get healed and good luck with your decision.

Lara

I had horrid acid with the band -- that is a symptom of a slipped band, so I would check it out. I was in the same boat -- couldn't live like that anymore. Before I went under -- had reflux. When I woke up from band removal surgery -- reflux GONE! Pray I won't have reflux or anything else (!) when I get sleeve next week.