Can my surgeon who has 16 years of experience be wrong?

[animallover1247 249]

I have been on Nexium for about 15 years. I was sleeved on 2.15. Every since the surgery I have been starving. The hunger never goes away. It feels like I haven't eaten in a week 24 hours a day. My stomach is growling/rumbling very frequently and burning at times. There has been no acid to come up in my throat. Twice I had gurgling in my throat.. I thought my Nexium needed to be increased (taking 40 mg). Additionally, I never feel full regardless of how much Water I drink or Protein I consume per day. I was not prepared to deal with this hunger all the time. It is a gnawing hunger pain. I understand the fullness may not present itself until I start eating food. I just hope something is not wrong. I am also able to do way more than sip water.

I went to see my surgeon yesterday thinking maybe my Nexium needed to be increased. However, instead of increasing it he told me to stop it stating I should no longer have GERD now. Based on my research some doctors even require a PPI after surgery for a short time.I will not stop the Nexium. I am really confused. My doctor has been a bariatric surgeon for 16 years. I would assume he knows what he is doing. The only reasonable explanation I can muster up is he is such a busy surgeon he was confused and thought he did bypass surgery on me. I've lost 13 lbs in two weeks but I've been miserable in the meantime. I am very discouraged. In fact I saw a PCP provider this morning (who also had the surgery) and he said he doesn't understand the hunger either.

Any insight would be appreciated.

[sbg224 318]

I am not sure if this is helpful, but I was hungry from day 2, and I was for some crazy reason, craving fried chicken, which maybe i would eat 1-2 times a year. The hunger is still there, I am almost 7 months out, but it has changed. I used to envy people that wrote they had to remind themselves to eat. I take Pepcid 10mg twice a day, and before surgery I had very bad GERD, but thankfully now, unless I eat carbs, it is pretty well controlled. My doc told me I was not getting enough fluids and to take the pepcid and it would help the hunger, so I am, but I still get hungry. I am not telling you to go against doc orders, but you could see a GI doc for the Nexium issue that has some experience in the sleeve, but good luck finding one. Just try to stick to your food plan, and drink more.

[JamieLogical 8,727]

Definitely sounds strange to me. It is well documented that sleeve has an increased likelihood of overproduction of acid. Some people do experience a lessening of their GERD with sleeve, but it seems that FAR MORE people experiencing a worsening or a new onset (for people who didn't have GERD pre-op). I didn't deal with GERD regularly pre-op (just occasional heart burn), but I have had to be on 20mg of omeprazole twice daily since I was sleeved 18 months ago. Every time I have tried to reduce my PPI, the reflux has been terrible.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Your surgeon's apparent knowledge of and post-op prescriptions of antacids are certainly different than my surgeon's.

Pre-surgery I was already on Ranitidine twice a day, which handled my GERD fine.

Post-op, my surgeon switched me to a PPI (Protonix) for 4 months. He said my new stomach would appreciate, while it was healing, to deal with less stomach acid.

At 4 months, he switched me back to Ranitidine.

[animallover1247 249]

I am not sure if this is helpful, but I was hungry from day 2, and I was for some crazy reason, craving fried chicken, which maybe i would eat 1-2 times a year. The hunger is still there, I am almost 7 months out, but it has changed. I used to envy people that wrote they had to remind themselves to eat. I take Pepcid 10mg twice a day, and before surgery I had very bad GERD, but thankfully now, unless I eat carbs, it is pretty well controlled. My doc told me I was not getting enough fluids and to take the pepcid and it would help the hunger, so I am, but I still get hungry. I am not telling you to go against doc orders, but you could see a GI doc for the Nexium issue that has some experience in the sleeve, but good luck finding one. Just try to stick to your food plan, and drink more.

Hi sbj224. Thanks for your response. I am meeting or exceeding my Protein and Fluid goals. Can I ask were you hungry all the time, to the point where you were miserable and would eat an entire pizza if you knew it wouldn't kill you? OR at least make you wish you were dead? Yes, you are right. I have friends who didn't want to eat for months after surgery. You said your hunger has changed 7 months out I am jealous. How so? Has the hunger lessened?It does make me feel a bit better you were hungry as well. I did the best job I could preparing myself for this surgery and I just didn't expect this!

Your surgeon's apparent knowledge of and post-op prescriptions of antacids are certainly different than my surgeon's.

Pre-surgery I was already on Ranitidine twice a day, which handled my GERD fine.

Post-op, my surgeon switched me to a PPI (Protonix) for 4 months. He said my new stomach would appreciate, while it was healing, to deal with less stomach acid.

At 4 months, he switched me back to Ranitidine.

Exactly VSGANN2014 ---I thought the PPI was to help you heal as well!