Acid reflux question? Based on recent poll.

[The Preacher 161]

I posted a poll a few days ago about acid reflux.

4 people said they developed acid reflux after gastric sleeve surgery.

5 people said there acid reflux got worse after gastric sleeve surgery.

My question is to those that participated in the poll, or to those that fall into either one of these categories.

Now for the question, have you been able to control the acid reflux? If so by what means?

Thanks very much!

[Foxbins 625]

Hi, Preacher--

I took your poll. I did not have reflux before the sleeve, I developed it about 18 months post-op. I had a hiatal hernia repaired during my surgery but it has reappeared and my gastroenterologist believes the GERD symptoms and the hernia reappearance are connected. Rather than having a great big stomach where acid can accumulate, now there's a narrow tube and the tube is higher in the chest than it should be due to the hernia, making it easy for the acid to come up. I'm taking 40mg of omeprazole twice a day and that controls the acid, but I am thinking about another hernia repair (surgical techniques have improved since mine was done.) So yes, the reflux is controlled, but I'd like it to go away completely or be managed on a much lower dose of meds.

[Orchids&Dragons 9,046]

I also took the poll. I don't really know if I had GERD before my sleeve. If so, it wasn't bad enough to need medication. I'm now on omeprazole 40mg 2x/day, too, plus TUMS as needed. Problem is, they used to think omeprazole was fine for long-term use. Now it is recommended for no more than 6 months. If mine hasn't improved by the 6-month mark (Sept), my surgeon will probably do a revision to bypass.

[The Preacher 161]

2 hours ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

I also took the poll. I don't really know if I had GERD before my sleeve. If so, it wasn't bad enough to need medication. I'm now on omeprazole 40mg 2x/day, too, plus TUMS as needed. Problem is, they used to think omeprazole was fine for long-term use. Now it is recommended for no more than 6 months. If mine hasn't improved by the 6-month mark (Sept), my surgeon will probably do a revision to bypass.

I'm sure that I can handle the lifestyle change that it takes to succeed after this surgery, but after much research and reading numerous accounts of people developing severe acid reflux after having the gastric sleeve surgery, this really has me beyond concerned.

It seems that the only solution to get rid of the acid reflux, is to have a revision to gastric bypass surgery, I'm not sure that I can come to terms with that, just not sure that I could handle that.

Edited August 11, 2018 by The Preacher

[Orchids&Dragons 9,046]

1 hour ago, The Preacher said:

I'm sure that I can handle the lifestyle change that it takes to succeed after this surgery, but after much research and reading numerous accounts of people developing severe acid reflux after having the gastric sleeve surgery, this really has me beyond concerned.

It seems that the only solution to get rid of the acid reflux, is to have a revision to gastric bypass surgery, I'm not sure that I can come to terms with that, just not sure that I could handle that.

Well, it's certainly not ideal, but you pay your money, you take your chances! I chose the sleeve because I didn't want to deal with the malabsorption issues. In general, I have always eaten pretty healthy, just too much. So, it seemed like the sleeve was my ideal choice.

I didn't realize until after my surgery that I may have had acid issues all along. (Not reflux, but too much acid). I realized that (pre-surgery) I wasn't eating when I was hungry, I was eating to handle the acid in my stomach. Since we don't know what anyone else's hunger feels like, we just assume we're feeling what everyone else feels. But since we're told after surgery that acid mimics hunger, when I'd feel hungry I'd take a TUMS to see if it fixed it, and it did. I wish I had tried that experiment before the surgery!

I don't regret going with the sleeve first. It's less invasive and has a good track record. It just has been a problem for me. Remember, on boards like this, most of the people who don't have acid reflux don't respond to threads about it, so you're getting a skewed sample that may make it look like it's a bigger problem than it is.

[Foxbins 625]

Preacher, one of the issues my surgeon told me about before surgery was the possibility of developing GERD. He said about 20% of his patients who had no GERD symptoms prior to surgery developed them after. I was, and am, okay with it. Being obese was a much greater health risk for me than GERD.

[elmatador 167]

Didn’t see the poll, but I’ll just add that my reflux is better after VSG - I guess for me weight loss made more of a positive difference than the revised anatomy did a negative one.

[Dawn Marie Silvestro 22]

I thought I would have it for sure. They put you on omeprezole after surgery but only for 30 days. I stayed on another 30 days terrified. Switched to rantidine. And knock on wood. No acid reflux. Occasionally ill take a pill but no need really. Hope you have the same experience.

Sent from my LGMS210 using BariatricPal mobile app

[Beta98 93]

I haven't had surgery but I have been a sufferer off and on for 15 years... so you can live with it when you have no other option. I do find what used to be called the purple pill, prilosec (omeprezole) to be the best but there are other newer over the counter options as well that my doctor will switch me to from time to time which works just as well or better. My tried and true solution for when it's at its worst is to sleep upright. I can't afford or at least haven't invested in an adjustable bed so I just do it by propping pillows. Good luck in whatever you decide, but I just wanted you to know that you can get chronic acid reflux even without surgery and still live a decent life. I forgot to add the key is to never let it go untreated. My doctor told me years ago when people let it go for a long period of time without medications or treatment that is when trouble sets in. Also, ironically my CPAP machine helps keep the acid down at night. I know a lot of people come off of their CPAP because the sleep apnea goes away with weight loss, sometimes I wonder if that is why their Acid reflux is more noticeable as well.

Edited August 12, 2018 by Beta98

[abefroman329 704]

I had pretty bad GERD before the surgery and I still have it, it’s just much easier to control and the symptoms aren’t as bad.

[Letsgetgoing2018 448]

I had gerd pretty bad before surgery and haven’t had one episode since I was sleeved.

[The Preacher 161]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

[FancyChristine15 810]

I had GERD before the sleeve, and I haven't noticed an increase in my GERD symptoms either. I still take one 15mg Prevacid right after I wake up in the morning, which is what I did before surgery, and I'm good the rest of the day.