GERD after sleeve Dr said bypass is only option to fix??

[Kikikiki 13]

Hey! So I’m 4 years post op with gastric sleeve and I’ve just recently fallen ill... my symptoms are constant and not easing up with any medication. After GP appointments, specialists appointment and even a trip to the emergency department I finally decided to call my surgeon who thinks it may be a hiatal hernia or GERD. He said if it’s the hernia he can repair and if it’s GERD you will need to go ahead with the bypass... is this true?? I’m 163cm tall and 57kgs... I really really realllllly don’t want to get the bypass but I’m feeling so sick daily... has anyone experienced GERD after the sleeve??

[JessLess 1,163]

It's very common and if it were me, I would switch to the bypass.

[The Greater Fool 2,071]

7 hours ago, Kikikiki said:

Hey! So I’m 4 years post op with gastric sleeve and I’ve just recently fallen ill... my symptoms are constant and not easing up with any medication. After GP appointments, specialists appointment and even a trip to the emergency department I finally decided to call my surgeon who thinks it may be a hiatal hernia or GERD. He said if it’s the hernia he can repair and if it’s GERD you will need to go ahead with the bypass... is this true?? I’m 163cm tall and 57kgs... I really really realllllly don’t want to get the bypass but I’m feeling so sick daily... has anyone experienced GERD after the sleeve??

Welcome.

I'm confused. Why would you not trust what your surgeon is saying. He knows your plumbing better than anyone else, certainly better than us.

The sleeve doesn't really change much about your plumbing. All the things that could have caused GERD pre-op is there for the sleeve post-op.

Since your Doc said *IF* either you have not done imaging yet or you have not spoken to him about the imaging yet. That is what will tell him what is going on. Until then guessing and vexing, while fun, is not useful. The kind and generous folks here can share their experiences and give you encouragement, but your Doc has the answers.

No one can make you get RNY. As your doc indicated, if it's a hernia it can be fixed. If it's GERD you can deny surgery and hope and try possible medications. Or you can simply choose to suffer with it. Chances are it will not kill you soon, but your Doc will be able to give you the scoop. The choice is ALWAYS yours.

Good luck,

Tek

[catwoman7 11,278]

that's the usual fix for it, yes. You don't want to mess around with unmanageable GERD. It could progress into Barrett's esophagus, which in turn could progress into esophageal cancer. Sometimes it can can be managed via meds - but your surgeon may be thinking this is a case for revision. Like the person above said, they can't force you to have surgery, but on the other hand, if you have dangerous GERD, I'd be inclined to at least listen to the surgeon. If you're really doubting it, you could always get a second opinion.

[GreenTealael 25,590]

8 hours ago, Kikikiki said:

Hey! So I’m 4 years post op with gastric sleeve and I’ve just recently fallen ill... my symptoms are constant and not easing up with any medication. After GP appointments, specialists appointment and even a trip to the emergency department I finally decided to call my surgeon who thinks it may be a hiatal hernia or GERD. He said if it’s the hernia he can repair and if it’s GERD you will need to go ahead with the bypass... is this true?? I’m 163cm tall and 57kgs... I really really realllllly don’t want to get the bypass but I’m feeling so sick daily... has anyone experienced GERD after the sleeve??

Yes and conversion to RNY seems to be the top choice of Surgeons. Bypass is *almost* imperceptibly different from VSG at least in my experience

[Foxbins 625]

I felt like you and did everything in my power to NOT have a bypass, but in the end the GERD was just too awful to go on with. I was at goal and didn't want to lose more weight. I lost 10 lbs the first postop week on liquids but haven't lost any more. Look in the Revision forum for lots of people's stories about sleeve to RNY revisions for GERD.

[tarotcardreader 196]

Well its another surgery so another risk of death. You can develop barrots esophagus which can turn into cancer from gerd if you dont. Sleeve has higher incidence of gerd. Gastric bypass has more complications so who knows what bag your gonna get there. I think you should get two opinions because you may be able to manage it medically - perhaps get a referral to a gastro and see what pharmaceuticals they got for you to try first

[catwoman7 11,278]

35 minutes ago, tarotcardreader said:

Well its another surgery so another risk of death. You can develop barrots esophagus which can turn into cancer from gerd if you dont. Sleeve has higher incidence of gerd. Gastric bypass has more complications so who knows what bag your gonna get there. I think you should get two opinions because you may be able to manage it medically - perhaps get a referral to a gastro and see what pharmaceuticals they got for you to try first

I agree on getting a second opinion - but re: the first part of your comment. esophageal cancer (although getting it is definitely not a sure thing - but a risk nonetheless) would be worse than most complications of RNY would be. And mortality rate on RNY is 0.3% - which is pretty low. Either way is a crap shoot, of course - but I think I'd be more afraid of potential esophageal cancer. There are deadlier cancers for sure, but the survival rate on that is only about 50%.

Edited September 21, 2020 by catwoman7

[summerset 5,265]

7 minutes ago, catwoman7 said:

There are deadlier cancers for sure, but the survival rate on that is only about 50%.

That's the 5 year survival rate, mind you. If it has spread to local lymph nodes make that a 25%.

[GreenTealael 25,590]

58 minutes ago, catwoman7 said:

I agree on getting a second opinion - but re: the first part of your comment. esophageal cancer (although getting it is definitely not a sure thing - but a risk nonetheless) would be worse than most complications of RNY would be. And mortality rate on RNY is 0.3% - which is pretty low. Either way is a crap shoot, of course - but I think I'd be more afraid of potential esophageal cancer. There are deadlier cancers for sure, but the survival rate on that is only about 50%.

49 minutes ago, summerset said:

That's the 5 year survival rate, mind you. If it has spread to local lymph nodes make that a 25%.

Good points and considerations that helped me to move forward with conversion to RNY rather than play Russian Roulette with a preventable cancer

[Kikikiki 13]

7 hours ago, The Greater Fool said:

Welcome.

I'm confused. Why would you not trust what your surgeon is saying. He knows your plumbing better than anyone else, certainly better than us.

The sleeve doesn't really change much about your plumbing. All the things that could have caused GERD pre-op is there for the sleeve post-op.

Since your Doc said *IF* either you have not done imaging yet or you have not spoken to him about the imaging yet. That is what will tell him what is going on. Until then guessing and vexing, while fun, is not useful. The kind and generous folks here can share their experiences and give you encouragement, but your Doc has the answers.

No one can make you get RNY. As your doc indicated, if it's a hernia it can be fixed. If it's GERD you can deny surgery and hope and try possible medications. Or you can simply choose to suffer with it. Chances are it will not kill you soon, but your Doc will be able to give you the scoop. The choice is ALWAYS yours.

Good luck,

Tek

I’m not sure what confused you... simply asking a question, isn’t that what these forums are for? I’m all alone here and thought what better place to ask about this then a place where possibly others have gone through it too.... as for imagining, I’m on a waitlist

[Starwarsandcupcakes 2,091]

I had my VSG in December of 2019. I had a VSG to RNY in August 2020 because of severe GERD that was so bad I was on 3 different acid reducers and a bland diet. I didn’t have reflux issues before my VSG outside of pregnancy. However a pretty bad hiatal hernia with the GERD lead me to choose revision.

Two months out, I’m glad I chose the revision because my throat isn’t constantly sore and I’m not chewing 8-12 tums a day anymore.

[The Greater Fool 2,071]

30 minutes ago, Kikikiki said:

I’m not sure what confused you... simply asking a question, isn’t that what these forums are for? I’m all alone here and thought what better place to ask about this then a place where possibly others have gone through it too.... as for imagining, I’m on a waitlist

I may have answered through the lense of my baggage: Once I got the word from my docs I would not be asking about what the Doc obviously knows better than strangers. Sometimes I forget it's about listening rather than fixing, and sometimes it *Is* just about asking questions and not how to get around what needs to be done. Sorry.

I'm a dumb guy who sometimes doesn't speak woman. I'm still learning. Worse, I'm overly analytical. Again, sorry.

Good luck,

Tek

[Guest]

On 9/21/2020 at 4:03 PM, The Greater Fool said:

I'm a dumb guy who sometimes doesn't speak woman.

...what? I wasn't aware women and men had different levels of language. Seems kind of a sexist remark to make.

[The Greater Fool 2,071]

5 minutes ago, Keatsy said:

...what? I wasn't aware women and men had different levels of language. Seems kind of a sexist remark to make.

Apparently there are differences in how humans relate to humor.

And, it's sexist of YOU to assume I was talking DOWN to women.

Wow.

Edited October 1, 2020 by The Greater Fool