REFLUX - re-post

Cat person (me too!) - any new reflux not associated with a new fill, especially in someone a couple years out, needs to be checked out with a fluoro. The most likely cause is a pouch or esophagus dilation that needs treatment - assuming, of course, you're following the essential anti-reflux eating/medication guidelines in my "reflux" document.

Taking TUMS is NOT the solution -this is simply trying to cover up symptoms of a problem. you MUST find and fix the problem! Further, The tums is never going to suppress all the acid, so there will be ongoing damage.

Please insist on being seen asap, If ANY reflux remains after religiously following the anti-reflux guidelines.

We have to take VERY good care of our stomachs if we want the band to last inside us. WAY too many people are losing their bands from neglect.

Sandy r

Thanks for your response.  I have had very little heartburn/reflux today, if any.  I am still waiting to hear back from the nurse.  I'm hoping I can just control this by altering my eating & drinking habits.  If it is pouch or esophageal dilation, how is this treated? 

a pouch dilation is less serious than a esophagus dilation. a pouch dilation is a type of "small' slip and is treated initially with an unfill and rest period of several weeks, in the hopes that the pouch will shrink back down to a normal size. Some require surgical correction.
an esophagus dilation is more serious, as good esophagus function is essential for normal living. These dilations are treated with an unfill and rest period of several months, typically - again with the hope that the esophagus - a muscle - will shrink back down to a normal size and good function.

with both of these, we need to creep back up slowly with fills again. We can never just jump right back to a big fill. the new "good" level is likely to be very different than the "old "good" level,

Also, neither heals completely, (adequately, usually, but not completely) so we would have to be especially careful after wards to follow band eating guidelines - especially never to eat more than a band sized meal of 1-1.5 cups, even if we "can' eat more. We can never eat until the band slams shut and MAKES us stop. of we do, we have over=eaten and will get into trouble sooner or later. docs do not stress this enough.
people think thy can eat until they cannot eat any more. Just no so.

Good luck - hope it was only from forgetting eating needs to prevent reflux.
these should be instructed to us even before fills, so e avoid trouble. PREVENTING band trouble is far safer and wiser than trying to pick up pieces after we have already gotten into trouble.

sandy r

I'm so glad to find you!  My band surgery was Monday, the 8th.  I have been taking Nexium for "reflux" for about 2 years.  Never had any episodes.  Almost right after surgery, during which I had hernia repair, I started having terrible pain in my chest anytime I drank anything.  That went away after a day or 2.  The past couple of days I have been having a problem with little burps with something coming up a little.  I haven't been able to sleep well because of these burps!  This morning, I actually threw up.  After the surgery, the doctor gave me soluble prevacid, which didn't seem to help a lot.  So, another call to the doctor tomorrow.  Before surgery, I read a lot about people having reflux, so I asked 2 different doctors about it.  They both said that problem had pretty much been resolved and if I ate correctly, it shouldn't happen.  Since I've hardly eaten anything, I'm very frustrated.

Hi , Feisty - you are still swollen from surgery, and may be for a week or so more.You likely have a bit of extra swelling from the hernia repair, too. 

During the post-op time, reflux can happen for basically the same reason as with a too-tight fill - the stoma is not open enough.

The swelling will go down over the next week or so, as you heal more, and then you'll be able to eat and drink normally, accoording to your doc's post-op diet progression. Then, until you get to a good fill in a few months, you will probably not notice any difference at all in your eating. However, if you're serious about weight loss and making the essential lifestyle changes, you'll be self-limiting quantities, getting better exercise, learning a lot more about nutrition, etc. This will allow some good wt loss even before you get to the first good fill level . 

You can place a warm (not hot) heating pad over your chest up to your throat (the area where the band and swelling is) for 30 min every 2 hrs or so. This will speed healing and also will relax the esophagus spasms that can be very painful. The esoph. spasms are a reaction no the new band pressure that the esoph. does not like - this will also get better as you heal . 

Some docs also allow a couple days of an NSAID like Motrin , which has an anti-inflammatory (anti-swelling) effect. Ask your doc if it is OK. Be sure you take only a liquid form, like adult-strength liquid Motrin. You'll need to ask the pharmacist for it - it is not on the shelf so sleep-deprived young moms don't grab it by mistake for their squawky , ill babies.

Later on, when you're healed and are eating good band foods and have learned good bandster "processing" (chewing) , there should be little reflux unless you have a fill that is too tight, or other problems going on. Be sure now to drink lots to dilute the stomach acid, and follow the anti-reflux guidelines i posted re no meds within an hour of bedtime, and not laying down for at least an hour after drinking.

Keep the faith - things will be better as you heal more.
Hope this reassures you -

Sandy r

 

This forum has a great group of people, it is nice to hear the experience from others....I'm taking it all in!!

thank you very much about the info sandy... i have had the reflex problem now for 4 days at bed time... i am going to call my dr first thing in the moring to have some fluid taken out....i have never had this before so did not know were this was coming from and have not been able to sleep.....thanks shelia