Hi all,

I still have to take a PPI (omeprazole) 7 months after surgery. I have had zero complications to date and have slowly but surely been losing weight. My surgeon is a bit concerned that I still have to take the PPI otherwise I'll get reflux within 1-2 days. For the last week i'm also getting a sharp pain around my largest incision when i bend over. The surgeon asked that I get an upper endoscopy here in Canada (I had surgery in Mexico). Has anyone had to get an endoscopy after the healing period when there were no issues post surgery?

Thanks!

I'll be 2 years out Sept. 18th and I still take PPI's every day (or every other...) I was told by my surgeon that I would have to take them always, but especially for the prevention of Barrett's Esophagus (precancerous cells in the esophagus caused by excess acid that usually lead to esophageal cancer). I don't take them every single day anymore but if I don't take one every third day at the most, the heartburn begins and it takes DAYS to get rid of once it gets to that point. Seems like it just does more damage by not taking them. I, too, have not had any physical complications. The weight loss has pretty much come to a screeching halt and those last 10 or 15 pounds are gonna take some hard work I hope your tests show all is well. Keep up the good work !

I also had my surgery in Mexico - back in December. My surgeon told me I had scar tissue in my esophagas from acid reflux, it was silent reflux because I didn't know I had it. 5 months later I was still relying on the PPI, so I scheduled an appt. with a GI doc. Once he heard I had my surgery in Mexico, he ordered an uppper GI and a very thorough ultrasound series on my entire mid section. My doc said while he had seen patients with a lapband and bypass, he had never seen a patient with a sleeve. Below are his findings:

Acid Reflux supposedly on the mild side (doesn't feel mild to me when it wakes me from a dead sleep) - no hernia (had a tiny one repaired during surgery)

No Celiac Disease (he tested me because I had wheat allergies as a child)

Mild Gastris

Biopsies turned up NO Barretts or precancerous cells. What a relief.

Ultrasound revealed gallstones. I haven't had an attack yet. I suppose I'll have it removed by the end of this year given that I've already met my deductible for the year. Makes sense.

I am still relying on my PPI daily, twice a day in fact. As long as I can control with meds, a PPI is better than the Diabetes I was most certainly going to get. I suppose it's a trade off. I'd be lying if I didn't say that there is a nagging worry at the back of my mind, what if the PPI quits working one day? Then what?

The insurance issue - my insurance picked up the tab for the testing, or for a major part of it anyway. I still had a pretty hefty bill. I wasn't sure they would cover any of it given that my policy has an exclusion for WLS or complications from WLS. In case you were wondering.

Thanks for the responses. I'm also getting a strange pain when i bend over right above my bellybutton (right around my largest incision). I've never had pain here before. Any ideas on what this could be? Is it possible that this is pain from scar tissue after 7 months? I think I'm going to ask for an ultrasound as well as an upper GI