ALL FLUID TAKEN OUT IN PREPERATION FOR REVISION - NOW ACID REFLUX??

Hi! I had all of my fluid taken out of my band (approximately 6cc) and I am now (for the first time ever) experiencing moderate to severe acid reflux on more than one night per week. This is something that has not happened to me EVER while I had fluid in my band, or pre-band.

For your information, I also had an Upper GI study (swallow the barium) not too long ago (before I decided to take the band out) because I was not losing any weight (after three years - uh duh), and they found that my band was "fine" but that my esophagus was "slightly dilated" and I am wondering if this could be related to my new condition.

Have any of you experienced this?

Please advise, because it is extremely uncomfortable! I hope to get revised to the sleeve but am now extremely nervous that I will have a lifetime of heartburn ahead of me.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

Michelle

The same thing happened to me after I had my band taken out in January.  I just take an Omeprazole and am fine.  I haven't gotten sleeved yet but I would try something over the counter to control the acid. 

Thanks so much for your response - I was really worried. I am glad it's not just me. I'm going to ask my surgeon if this is something that is persistent after the sleeve surgery is completed, or if it is just because of the liquid being taken out of the band. It also makes me worry that there was or is some sort of inside damage that is done due to the band. I can not wait to get this POS out of me!

 

I would definitely talk to your surgeon about this! VSG puts more pressure on the the lower esophageal sphincter (muscle) since the pyloric of the stomach is left intact. That means all sleepers are at more risk for reflux. If you already have a dilated esophagus, VSG might not be the best surgery for you. RNY does not increase the pressure on the esophagus because there is no valve at the bottom of the pouch to hold things up. Some surgeons will do VSG on people with reflux, but you have to be aware that if you end up with uncontrollable reflux, revision to RNY may be your only choice. Good luck.

Thank you for your response! I did not know this. I will speak with my surgeon and the surgeon who is doing my gastro clearance as well. As I stated before, I have never had reflux preband or during my band, until they took the fluid out. It seems like a very strange phenomenon to me. Thank you for your input, it's appreciated (and a bit scary)!

One of my docx told me the same things.  He did not want to do a sleeve on me because he has had patients with bad reflux.  I am worried about this as well.  I've never had reflux, but sure don't' want it.

 From what I've gathered in research it seems that people who do get it, most of them, had it before with normal band maintenance, and others say that it lasted....... the most I could find.......... was one year and it finally quit on its own.

I read one thread a woman typed that said the problem is our stomachs make enough acid to accommodate our larger stomach and it takes a while for the acid production to change to the amount for a new smaller stomach........sounds reasonable to me, and I sure hope if I get it, it won't be for life.....  :o(

Thanks for your response. I am trying to do some more research on it now. I have never had acid reflux, even pre-band, and never ever during my band days, even when I was at my tightest, that is why this is so surprising and concerning to me. I am going through my presurgical clearances right now, and when I go for my upper endoscopy I will mention it to the surgeon and see what he says. Maybe he will find something down there when he scopes me. For now, I am going to have to take a preventative acid reflux OTC medication and have something on hand like TUMS in case of an emergency situation! I really, really, am hoping that this is not permanent.

I never had problems with acid reflux with my band but when I had it removed (I had two separate surgeries for my revision) my surgeon said I had developed a hiatal hernia and that he would remove it when he went back in to do my sleeve.  Two months later, I developed GERD (really bad acid reflux) which shows itself in a really bad cough, almost like bronchitis.  I thought I had bronchitis but my doctor told me no, not bronchitis, GERD!  Since getting the sleeve, I've had no acid reflux problems but I do take my PPI daily just in case.

This is exactly what I am experiencing as far as it only developing after I had my fluid taken out. I do not have any cough (yet), but will be sure to mention this to the gastro surgeon who will clear me for surgery after an upper endoscopy scope. Hopefully he can give me an answer as to what is wrong with me. I appreciate your response, thank you for sharing!