I'd like to ask just how many people have acid reflux problems after the surgery? Is this common?

Thank you !!!

I had it before surgery and now only once in a while if I eat spicy food I don't eat before bed any more either

Now that I have had more fluid taken out of my band...I dont have any...grrr but Im hungry more often :-(

HI, I have been banded for going on 3 years this coming October. I still have issues with reflux but only if I eat past 7pm. I was recently in the hospital and learned that I had Asperation Pneumonia which was caused when I sucked food down into my lungs while sleeping due to reflux. It set up infection in my lungs. I had eaten too late that night and boy did I pay for that. NOT FUN!

hiya

I had my surgery on May 5th and had acid problems / suspected ulcer beforehand. I also take a lot of medication for bipolar disorder. As soon as I had my adjustment, the acid reflux got so bad I ended up having the band emptied and having an endoscopy. It showed bad erosion but no ulcer thank god. I had my band adjusted up again a fortnight ago and the acid reflux started again - so bad that I threw up constantly, particularly after drinking on an empty tummy or taking my meds. I saw my dietician and he said two simple rules - no foods high in fat (I had been told nuts would help - wrong) and lots of dairy. My diet had practically no dairy in it. I now have a miniature low fat fromage frais or yoghurt with every meal / medication dose and my acid problems are gone completely. if you are suffering give it a go, I would never have believed the difference it has made.

x

PS my weight loss whilst all of this has been going on has been pants but is starting to kick in at last!

I need advice.I had my last fill about 7 weeks ago.Ever since I have been getting heartburn off and on.Now the last 3 nights have been hell.I wake up several times a night from a burning choking feeling and end up throwing up a clear bile tasting liquid.I go back and lay down propped up and in 30 to 45 minutes later happens again.I was banded a year ago and have just barely started to make progress and then this happens.HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds to me like a slight unfill is in order.

When the band is too tight, you tend to overfill, and the food sits too near the esophagus, and the result is reflux.

I cannot explain it as well as it was shown to me in a diagram at the surgeons, but.....that was the basic idea.

You might not need to have all the new fill removed, but some.

Be sure to try to not eat after say 6-7 PM, and about an hour before you go to bed, try drinking a glass of Water to flush out any remaining food, and that could help too.

I take an OTC acid reducer, because I have a haital hernia. I take it every day at 5 PM (set my phone alarm to remind me!!), and if I do these things, I am ok.

When you go back to bed, even tho you are propped up, try laying on your left side as opposed to your back, it lets your stomach fall into a position that helps reduce the reflux.

Good Luck! Do not ignore it for long, it can cause serious damage and eventually disease the esophagus. And when your esophagus is irritated, it does not allow you to swallow in a normal manner, and you might find yourself choking----it happen to my DH, and I had to do the heimlich on him 2 different times, and it ended up it was an irritated esophagus due to reflux---and he is not banded, but had damage done to his during a medical crisis he went through.

Thanks.I hate to get some removed due to finally making progress,but this is miserable.I am also worried about long term damage.Thanks for your quick response I knew that is what I should do I guess just needed to hear from someone else.

That is all really great advice. Do try to increase your dairy (like low fat fromage frais and yoghurt) and cut out anything which is high in fat like nuts etc. maybe even 0.5ml out will help - good luck. let us know how you get on, the misery you describe is all too familiar so I feel your pain x