I have a question around heart burn but want to give you my background. I currently have a lap band in place. I have had it for 6 years and 1 month. For the past 3 years + I have had horrible heart burn. I had been on Protonix and then switched over to 60 mg Dexilant a year ago in July 2012. For the past few months the Dexilant is not relieving the symptoms. My doctor has taken out all the Fluid from my band and for the first few days it felt great. Now I have been waking up in the middle of the night due to heart burn.

Finally the question part. If you had heart burn with your band:

1. Has it gotten better since being sleeved
   
2. Gotten worse
   
3. No heart burn since being sleeved
   
4. Can control it with antacids
   

If you have had any heart burn symptoms could you please let me know when they occurred and how long they lasted? I have seen some people say the symptoms have lasted for a limited duration and then appear to be resolved.

Thanks in advance for your replies. If this has been posted somewhere else before, sorry for reposting. Right now I am a little sleep deprived and didn't do a thorough search.

I had reflux and heartburn with my band..and never lost any real weight with it either.

I was sleeved August 1 and have not experienced any heartburn or reflux at all.

I think that everybody is different though.

The way I used to relieve my reflux and heartburn would be to take pills like prilosec and to sleep in an upwards position. Thank God I am done with that!

I can control mine with antacids. For me it did get a little worse at first for about 3 or 4 weeks but has calmed down to the point where when I take the antacids I don't have any symptoms. Good luck.

I actually never had a problem with it when I had my band. However, once I got my sleeve it was a whole different story. Over four years out and I still have to take a Prilosec every day, otherwise it is unbearable. But that's okay with me, it was a small price to pay and the Prilosec does a great job of controlling it.

Sent from my iPad using VST

Had my band for 4 yrs. it slipped last year and I had nightime reflux - really bad. Everynite I woke up choking on stomach acid. No heartburn, really tho. before my revision almost 4 weeks ago, I asked my dr about this same thing. He said about 50% of people will get worse reflux, some it will be the same, some it will get better.

Haven't had reflux in almost 4 weeks now. However, about a week into it I started getting almost contant heartburn. I take RX Prilosec and that helped alot. Haven't needed any Tums since switching from Pepcid back to Prilosec a couple weeks ago.

So I guess the answer: it's controlled by ppi's. My doc keeps everyone on them for 1 yr. then we'll reevaluate. if I have to take 2 pills a day forever, so be it.

Good luck!

So the answer is "it depends" like most questions in life. Thank you all so much for your replies. Right now I just want to get this band out and get my sleeve surgery. I will know a lot more about my date after 8/19 when I meet with my surgeon to discuss test results and the next plan of action.

When I had the lapband, I had terrible heartburn and took a ppi everyday but it didn't give me much relief. After the Sleeve surgery and 45 pounds lost, I don't have heartburn. I am still taking a ppi but my doctor will start reducing my dosage and hopefully, I won't need it anymore. I had considered having a Bypass instead of the Seeve as I was told it would eliminate my heartburn all together. I am so glad I opted for the Sleeve.

I was just approved for the sleeve but I too considered bypass (and my surgeon even recommended the bypass for me because of my GERD) but I'm taking the gamble with the sleeve. I guess the bypass is pretty much a cure for reflux and the sleeve can make it unbearable. . My surgeon quoted some study with sleevers being 5 yrs out and getting worse heartburn that many years later. I weighed the pros and cons and figured if I could live with the lap-band for 6 yrs and all the crap that came with it, I can deal with the sleeve too! Good Luck!

Hi, I too had my band for 6 yrs and was revised to the sleeve on 5/20. I had horrible GERD to the point of sleeping propped up 6 mos. prior to surgery and never full night's worth for about 4 yrs. (even though on Pepcid all that time). Surgery was all in one....band removal, sleeve, but the added bonus was finding a hiatal hernia I didn't know I had. Post-op my Dr. first had me on on liquid Zantac then Prilosec for a month (all about 2 mos. total).

This all said, I feel GREAT! I sleep like the dead again and haven't had any problems since. Oh...I also had my gallbladder removed back in 2004...that is something that adjusted my eating before any bariatric surgeries. We're all different, but I wish you all the best!

Take care. :-)

That is my concern too. I just had the Manometry Study and will meet with my Dr to go over the results. Dr wanted me to do the bypass because of my issues with gerd, acid reflux because of complications from the lapband. But I was told if the test was bad and my muscles were not strong I would be strongly suggested to do the RNY which I really do not want to do. And they were supposed to call me and let me know if the sleeve was not going to be an option. But I haven't heard anything, so my fingers are crossed.

So good luck to you, I hope your test results give your doctor the knowledge needed to advise you on what is best for you. The best path is the optimal health you can have! hugs : )

I had my band just over 3.5years. I had no heartburn whatsoever during this time but once I had the band removed... it came with a vengeance. My doctor prescribed 20mg omeprazole first thing every morning which took it away completely. I had my sleeve done in Feb 2013 and my doctor doubled the dosage to 40mg. On the odd day I've forgotten to take them, I have experienced heartburn, but nothing an antacid has not cured.