Acid reflux after gadtric bypass

[PJSH 0]

Help! I had hiatal hernia and horrible acid reflux before gastric bypass which got fixed at time of bypass surgery. Doc said very tough to fix the hernia. 5 months out and I've had a bout of acid reflux. I thought the bypass was supposed to prevent reflux because there's no acid in the pouch. I read somewhere that an ulcer could be causing the reflux maybe something like that poking through the staple line.

Anyone else experiencing this it know what I should do???!

[revision in TX 38]

First...take a deep breath and relax...stress only makes it worse.

I had severe reflux/GERD and an inflamed esophagus (from the band) when I had bypass surgery. Yes, I had hiatal hernia repair also. I have had a few (small) bouts of reflux/heartburn, but when I have one, I just take a prilosec or zantac (or whatever) and I'm fine. BTW, I am now 18 months out from bypass.

You may still have some episodes of reflux...the "bypass surgery cures GERD" is a marketing ploy. It helps greatly and I'm sure SOME people ARE "cured", but the majority (that post here) still have some minor episodes from time to time.

Consider it a warning...you are either eating too much or the wrong foods....or both. Some foods will not be tolerated the same after bypass and sometimes you will eat too much, even though it doesn't seem like you ate all that much. Sometimes things just "hit your stomach" wrong and you end up with reflux/heartburn. I have found that, for me, it's usually something I contributed to, but not always.

I would suggest trying to be particularly mindful of overeating, spicy foods, caffeine, dairy...all the "normal" culprits, for a couple of days and let everything settle down. If you are only 6 months out from surgery, that it not very long...it takes 3-6 months to fully heal from the surgery itself, and you will probably find that some foods you used to tolerate fine will just not "agree" with you or will cause reflux. Also, for me, some foods "go down" fine if I eat them ALONE, but some things I just can't eat together...or have to eat certain foods on an empty stomach...you will slowly discover which foods fit each category for YOU. And, unfortunately, sometimes there just isn't a particular rhyme or reason to it at all!!!

Best wishes on your journey...you will succeed.

[Ginger Snaps 1,323]

The way my surgeon explained it to me, bypass does help improve GERD because the majority of acid is made in your lower stomach which is now separated from the digestive path. But, there still is some acid in the pouch, just not as much.

Revision in TX sounds like they have some good ideas about what might be going on.

[ranchbrat 5]

I tell ya, I willl wake up with an awful burning in my throat and the more I try to swallow the worse it gets. I am 9 months out and I was supposed to be taking an OTC Omeprazole its an acid reducer. So I got some at the store today and while it comes in capsule form I just break it open into some greek yogurt or apple sauce and take it that way.