When I got discharged from the hospital, I got the pain med Rx and a Rx for Prilosec...the nurse just quickly said it's "for acid reflux" (which I already knew).....but I noticed that the Rx had 2 refills.  I'm not having any reflux.....so I'm wondering if I need to take this for 3 months?  Is there MORE of a reason that one may be prescribed this after RNY surgery?  I could call my Dr tomorrow and ASK if I need to take it for 3 months of if it was more as an "as needed" Rx.  Any thoughts on this?

I've been taking it since my surgery in March. They are using for me to prevent ulcers because I've been under a wee bit of additional stress... I was having pouch pain from drinking or eating ANYTHING. Even water was hurting. So they gave me that and after a couple days the pain went away. So it could just be something your dr is worried about.

  I've been taking Nexium for GERD for about a year.  When I met with my surgeon, he said I would be on it for a few months after surgery.  I'm used to taking it, so I didn't ask him specifics about it, but I think I remember them saying something in the very first information meeting about it being a preventative medication rigtht after surgery - I think it had to do with helping to give your new stomach time to heal without any stomach acid flaring up.  Sounds like a good idea to give the doc a call before you stop taking it.  Sounds like you're doing great so far - congrats!!!!

I guess I'm odd one out b/c my surgeon says I should be on this for life. I did have severe reflux before surgery though.

My surgeon told me it was in part b.c your old stomach is still producing acid but there is no longer any food going to it. They said the prilosec would help so you dont get ulcers in either the new pouch and the old stomach.

Im on it for three months as well. It is to prevent ulcers in the pouch. My dr said it was critical I take this twice a day for that reason.

I was given Tagamet to take once at bedtime for 30 days and ghats it. So interesting how each doctor is different.

Only 1 month?  That sounds very odd.  I would be very careful and also Tagament isn't very strong.  It is recommended by most that we take a PPI - Prevacid, Prilosec, Nexium, Aciphex or Protonix for atleast 6 months and many say for 1 year or for life.

You have a newly healing pouch that needs to be protected plus you also need to eliminate acid for as long as possible to prevent ulcers and reflux.  It is very dangerous if too much acid is exposed to your staple line causing marginal ulcers which if get bad enough can need surgery and also your remnant stomach can also get ulcers since there is acid produced in there, so taking a PPI will lower the risk of ulcers in there.  It is very difficult to diagnose an ulcer in the remnant stomach, which makes it worse since all the time that it takes to diagnose it causes it to get that much worse.  Many times surgery is needed just to look for it.

I am one of those what will be on Protonix 2 times per day for life.

My doc said it is for ulcer prevention and told me to take it for at least one year and that it would not be a bad idea to take it for life.

I'm on Zantac and my surgeon told me that even though I no longer have GERD symptoms that I should continue to take it because it prevents ulcer formation.