I am seriously considering getting the lap band after being morbidly obese for the past 5 years, since having my one and only child. I am 42 years old. I am wondering if the lap band is NOT for me because I have a very acidic stomach (had an ulcer when I was 23, that is healed), but I do need to take either Prevacid or Nexium everyday, otherwise I get heartburn, regardless of what I do or do not eat. Will my heartburn get worse with the lapband?? Any thoughts are appreciated. I am looking to go to the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Fl. and meet with Dr. Rosenthal very soon!:help:

I had heartburn every single day of my adult life. I took Nexium, tums, I still had heartburn... up until the day I got the band. I haven't had heartburn one single day since. Go talk to a band doctor - he or she will tell you whether it will cause a problem or not.

Wow! Thanks for you quick reply Puddin! That is amazing! I can only hope that happens to me, I am sick of popping these pills every day, besides they are expensive!!

I was told the band could go either way....I personally, had lots of heartburn before the band and have only had a couple times since....self-inflicted!! (I overate).....I think since I eat so little that it doesn't force the sphincter (valve/muscle) between the stomach and esophagus doesn't pop open!! I am improved since the band!!!

Again...like puddinpie said that it's important to talk to your doc!!!

God Bless,

Melody

Banded 3/20/06 -49lbs

I had horrid heartburn before banding. I took Prilosec daily and still kept Tums on the bedside table. I havent had it ONCE since being banded. Seriously, not one single episode. I dont understand how it makes so much difference.

I have (had) GERD. I would wake up in the middle of the night choking on acid. I popped tums/rolaids then maximum strength Zantac in bigger doses than recommended just to try to sleep at night. Since I changed my diet and got my band I haven't had one second of heartburn or acid!!!! I am so happy about this! However, your problem may be more complicated than mine so talk to the surgeon about it. Hopefully, your outcome will be as wonderful as mine. Good luck!

Most folks get rid of the heartburn problems with the band. However, if you are too restricted then some of those very issues pop-up with the band. Shawn

I had really bad GERD before being banded and had to take Nexium. About 10 years ago, the doc said that I was heading towards an ulcer if I didn't change certain things about my diet. At that time, I had to give up caffeine completely. So I did. I still had to take meds. I've been on pepcid, prilosec and finally, nexium.

My band doctor told me that there was a good chance all of that would go away once banded. And you know what....it did. The only times I've taken a Nexium, or any other acid reliever, since was for indigestion that I had and later found out was related to my gall bladder.

On the other hand, some bandsters find themselves with severe reflux. Not just heartburn, REFLUX where stomach acid comes back up into the esophagus while they are in a horizontal position (mostly at night, while sleeping). It has been known to cause choking and what others describe as vomiting. I was lead to believe that this is caused by being too tight, BUT in my experience I get a little indigestion laying horizontally when I have NO FILL and when I've got a little restriction I'm right as rain.

Talk to your doc and learn about the risks in your own case.

Hi banded jan 07, i had heartburn everyday of my life. Since banding i have not had any. 98lbs gone 30 to go whoooo.

I too have been on Aciphex for a long time. I quit taking after I was banded but after about a month my heartburn came back. I started taking it again and I don't have any issues.

The Aciphex is a little yellow pill about the size of small eraser so I haven't had trouble taking it. I'm really tight in the mornings now so I can feel it when I do take the pill but I gotta have it

I too was on two Prilosec before surgery and a great comsumer of Tums. I have not had either since. Yea!!!!!!!!!

Well.. I've had chronic heartburn since I was 10.

I've been taking Prilosec OTC one a day for years now. For surgery I had to be off of them for a week.. and I had such horrible heart burn.. Tums don't do anything for me.

Post-op, I let it go a little, see if banding helped.. it didn't.

If I forget to take my Prilosec, the heart burn is unbearable.

However, I can swallow them fine still, and the band hasn't made it worse in any way.. Prilosec still works perfectly for me.

I see this is an old thread, but I'll answer anyway so newbies can see.

I had terrible heartburn before getting banded. I was SUPPOSED to be on Prevacid (I think that's the prescription one...not the purple pill, the other one), but since I'm self-pay, that stuff is not cheap on a regular basis and I just did my best with Tums, Rolaids, whatever I could use that would make it stop. Sometimes I just dealt with it because I was sick of chewing chalk or chewy nasties. I haven't had it at all since banding. This band is a God-send. I was so worried that I was killing my esophagus and putting myself at risk for cancer. But now it's gone and I sure hope it stays that way!

I see this is an old thread, but I'll answer anyway so newbies can see.

I had terrible heartburn before getting banded. I was SUPPOSED to be on Prevacid (I think that's the prescription one...not the purple pill, the other one), but since I'm self-pay, that stuff is not cheap on a regular basis and I just did my best with Tums, Rolaids, whatever I could use that would make it stop. Sometimes I just dealt with it because I was sick of chewing chalk or chewy nasties. I haven't had it at all since banding. This band is a God-send. I was so worried that I was killing my esophagus and putting myself at risk for cancer. But now it's gone and I sure hope it stays that way!

I've never had any problems before or after the band but my doctor prescribed Prevacid or Nexium for me as a preventative measure. I thought they were both too expensive ($98 copay for one and $58 copay for the other) so he told me I could take Pepcid Complete or Prilosec instead. The first is chewable but my mother takes the second and she said the pills are very small so I may switch to the Prilosec when I run out of the Pecid Complete. I already take so many chewables (Calcium, multi-Vitamin, glucosamine, Fiber Choice) that it amounts to a small meal!

I took prilosec every day for years but have not had to take it once in 4 months since my surgery.

i had severe GERD and I could not go a day without my nexium. Since banding the GERD has gotten a lot better, but I am sad to say it is not gone, but it is not affecting my band or my results and is easily controlled with Nexium so I am a happy camper.