Heartburn help please

[HopefullXOXOXO 73]

Two weeks and two days post op. Most of my recovery has been uneventful except for 3 days of bad heartburn. First time I was on Protein Drinks and mostly Water. Lasted two days. This time I’m on soft food. Nothing spicy. Scrambled eggs with little bits of ham. Tiny ground turkey burger. I can’t figure out what’s causing this. I barely ate today even though I’m allowed to, I was too sick all day. It feels like there’s a hole being bored into my stomach. Tums helped for about 3 minutes. Any thoughts about cause or what I can do to help myself? I can’t live like this. Is it to be expected the first month?

[browneyez42 280]

Try going back to Protein Shakes and see how you feel.

HW: 256
SW: 238(4/25/18)
CW: 226
GW: 165

[allwet 868]

did you surgeon prescribe Omeprazole - if not you get over counter and take for next 2 months

Edited May 20, 2018 by allwet

[Taoz 284]

As above, if you are not already taking a daily medication for heartburn you need to start one, and inform your surgeon's support team. Many surgeons (including mine) prescribe medication to reduce gastric acid for at least the first 2 months post op, as it helps treat both early reflux (while stomach volume is super small with the swelling from surgery) and the reduced acid also helps the stomach to repair itself post surgery.

[HopefullXOXOXO 73]

I have been taking Pantoprazole (another PPI) for about 20 years. I'm still taking it now but for some reason there have been, now 4 days, where my stomach is on fire. I can't eat much when this happens so it hasn't turned into GERD. Believe it or not, I had hoped it was common the first month and not something specific to me. Clearly, I'll have to contact my surgeon tomorrow and let him know. Thank you for your thoughts.

[Sammy 10-30 57]

I did not touch solid foods until day 35 after surgery and at day 16 I was only having pureed foods, again it sounds like you were given different advice like some others who have posted in the forum, so I attached my nutrition book free of charge to help with your issue. Another suggestion is to try the no flavor Protein in this book, it helped allot for myself during phase 3. Since you asked for help, my advice is to stop eating solid foods before you cause damage to your new pouch, regardless of what people say in this forum and contact your doctor to be sure you have nothing else going on besides heartburn.

Eating to Succeed_Bagshahi_0317F(1).pdf

Edited May 20, 2018 by Sammy 10-30

[HopefullXOXOXO 73]

Thank you Sammy 10-30. I appreciate it. They have me on "soft foods" but maybe that's too much. This also happened for two days during my liquids phase the first two weeks.

Edited May 20, 2018 by HopefullXOXOXO

[Sammy 10-30 57]

Anytime, sorry for being so direct, but this very subject gets my blood pumping because I can not believe the inconsistency in the diets we are given and I am beginning to believe that some of us may be victim to physicians only in this arena for the money.

[madscientistmommy 124]

My program has me on 2 Oz of shake, yoghurt, puréed Soup, cottage cheese pudding etc 6 times a day for a month. Then soft food for a month. I would go back to extremely soft food. How much are you eating at a sitting too.

I’m just 11 days out.

[HopefullXOXOXO 73]

I’m 17 days out. Was on Protein Shakes and Clear Liquids only first 14 days. I’d been eating whatever size a boiled egg is. 1 Oz-2o? Each meal, so not much. Going to do purée and Protein Shake mix to try to get under control. Thanks!

[Taoz 284]

15 hours ago, HopefullXOXOXO said:

I have been taking Pantoprazole (another PPI) for about 20 years. I'm still taking it now but for some reason there have been, now 4 days, where my stomach is on fire. I can't eat much when this happens so it hasn't turned into GERD. Believe it or not, I had hoped it was common the first month and not something specific to me. Clearly, I'll have to contact my surgeon tomorrow and let him know. Thank you for your thoughts.

Have you been taking the Pantoprazole specifically for reflux for the past 20 years or for another reason? Did you discuss this with your surgeon pre-op? I was under the impression that most people who already have reflux will get it worse after being sleeved (except where it was being caused only by hiatial hernia which would be fixed during surgery),with most surgeons recommending bypass instead for people with reflux?

Reflux is quite common in the first few months post surgery (hence standard issue of PPI post surgery).

Hopefully some of the foods were just too soon for your stomach and dialing back on the solids/meats for a bit longer brings relief. (I too was on a fairly fast moving plan, with 2 weeks liquids, then 2 weeks of both purees AND soft solids, and I'm finding I still prefer mostly my Soups and Decaf coffee + Protein supplements. I have had twice now some very soft cooked chicken (5 hours slow cooked sous vide hot Water bath 165F) which seems to agree with me fine, and some mashed avocado.

[HopefullXOXOXO 73]

6 hours ago, Taoz said:

Have you been taking the Pantoprazole specifically for reflux for the past 20 years or for another reason? Did you discuss this with your surgeon pre-op? I was under the impression that most people who already have reflux will get it worse after being sleeved (except where it was being caused only by hiatial hernia which would be fixed during surgery),with most surgeons recommending bypass instead for people with reflux?

Reflux is quite common in the first few months post surgery (hence standard issue of PPI post surgery).

Hopefully some of the foods were just too soon for your stomach and dialing back on the solids/meats for a bit longer brings relief. (I too was on a fairly fast moving plan, with 2 weeks liquids, then 2 weeks of both purees AND soft solids, and I'm finding I still prefer mostly my Soups and Decaf coffee + Protein supplements. I have had twice now some very soft cooked chicken (5 hours slow cooked sous vide hot Water bath 165F) which seems to agree with me fine, and some mashed avocado.

Hi Taoz, I have been taking Pantoprazole for GERD. My surgeon knew about this pre op and I specifically asked if getting the sleeve would be a problem as I'd heard it can make it worse. It was his belief that fixing the hiatal hernia would fix the problem (took him a 1 1/2 to fix) and even told me to take the Pant. for only 30 days post surgery, 10 days off, to see if I still needed to take it. I was excited...till now. LOL! The LAST thing I want is another surgery!

The other thing he told me I can do is take my regular medications and Vitamins. One is a Iron supplement. I'm strongly suspecting that's the cause of this even though I didn't get heartburn every day. I began taking it last Sunday and had heartburn Monday and Tuesday. Took Wed., Thurs & Fri., no problem. ??? Took Saturday and had a big problem Saturday and Sunday. I did not take it yesterday and will find a liquid I can take instead. I was also told to take them all together, 2 hours after Breakfast, on an empty stomach. Not doing this anymore either! Going to divide them AM & PM and take with food or Protein Shake. I'm really hoping this will help.

Like you and others have said, I'm also going back to more Protein Shakes, Soups, purees and BLAND soft foods for a few more weeks. To be honest, I was shocked when my nutritionist said (and gave us in writing) we could have meat already. She did say to cook it in a slow cooker until very tender first and cut into pieces no bigger than my smallest fingernail. That's what I'd been doing. Not going to do it now. Going to see if I can get my stomach back to feeling better first. This has been very scary for me.

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it.

[Ernie D 44]

My Surgeon prescribed me Prilosec 2x day for 60 days , said heartburn is very common. Same here with even clear drinks seeming to set it off.

[HopefullXOXOXO 73]

14 minutes ago, Ernie D said:

My Surgeon prescribed me Prilosec 2x day for 60 days , said heartburn is very common. Same here with even clear drinks seeming to set it off.

How many milligrams of Prilosec? Have you had any problems? Thank You!

[Ernie D 44]

I was given RX of Omeprazole 20 mg 1x morning 1 x evening. You can look into prilosec OTC is the same as the Omeprazole but double check with a doctor to be 100 % sure .