Need some advice...

Hi all,

I am hoping maybe you all have some advice for me...(6 weeks out) I posted a week or so ago about what I thought was acid reflux, thinking it was brought on by some strong antibiotics. I have been off the antibiotics for a week now but not having much relief. I was on Protonix and then the surgeon told me to switch to over the counter med, so now doing Prilosec. While it is a little better, nothing like I was hoping for. As soon as I start drinking water in the am I start feeling the "bubbling up" and it just continues throughout the day. Now I am starting to wonder if its something else. Am I eating too fast, eating too much? Right now a typical day is:

B: egg, sometimes with cheese

S: Greek yogurt (half the container to 3/4 the container) sometimes add canned peaches, no juice

L: Tuna packet w mayo, 2 saltines

D: 3oz chicken breast, a few green beans (canned)

I do have a hard time eating slow, but the egg takes about 5-7 min and dinner 10-15. I do chew carefully. I guess I am wondering if maybe I'm pushing it with food and this is my stomach not liking things or if its too fast? Any thoughts are appreciated. If this is my new normal I'm going to cry.

I have lot 60 lbs so far, so happy about that, but cannot figure out how to do the ticker at the bottom.  Thanks!

It could be a variety of things.  If water is giving you acid in the morning, it's probably not related to food or the speed at which you eat.  But, that's just my opinion.  I'm 2 years post VSG and revising to RNY because I developed severe GERD post surgery.  I tried all combos of PPIs Prilosec did nothing for me.  Protonix was better.  Dexilant even better (but again, that's me).  I'm currently on Protonix 40mg in the morning, dexiland 60 mg at night, carafate 4x a day, zantac 150 in the afternoon and 150 before bed.  If I were you, I'd go back to my doctor and see if there's a medication combination that can control your symptoms.  Good luck!

Thanks for the info...I am hoping this calms down. I see my surgeon next week so will be asking about this then. Did you have GERD before surgery? I have never experienced it before now and its not fun. Read somewhere that its caused by the staples and your stomach not liking them. Good luck with your revision.

No. I didn't have GERD before surgery. I've never heard that about the staples and my surgeon never mentioned it when we discussed the cause. Thanks for the well wishes and good luck to you!

That seems like a lot of food to me. I can only get 1.5-1.75 oz dense protein in iin a sitting... And that is with feeling too full after. And usually takes at least 30 minutes. 

Are you drinking with your meals? That increases the amount you can eat... But I don't know if it worsens acid reflux.

What I do know is prilosec is a 24hr pill--extended release, and it can't last that whole time with us, the tiny tummied. I had lots of acid issues that kept me from eating or dinking, switched from Protonics 1x a day to 2x a day... Didn't improve. Was on 40mg prilosec 1x a day before surgery and asked to go back on it--got some relief.. for about 16hrs. My Dr switched me to 20mg every 12 hrs and I'm doing much much better. No complaints at all. 

That's the only thoughts I have... But I'm usure osomeone else will have more!

Hope it gets sorted, the feeling iis miserable.

Thanks for the info. I don't drink with my meals, but sounds like I could slow it down even more and watch the dense protein amounts. Its been hard because since surgery I can't tolerate the protein shakes anymore and having a hard time getting in the protein.

No protein shakes is definitely a hindrance to getting protein in. I started hiding it in SF chocolate or vanilla pudding... Otherwise I can't make 60g a day either.

Everyone reccomends unflavored powders, but stirred into any liquid? Gags me. And I bought samples of every unflavored Netrition carries, all gagged me. (But I can hide it in pudding-- for the small pudding mix boxes, I usually do 1 unflavored scoop and one chocolate or vanilla. Basically, some textures can hide it and a strong flavors can too.) 

It's definitely a challenge, especially with my egg allergy. Seems like that makes eating harder... 

I also abuse cheese... It's good that I don't have fat intake restrictions... I put cheese in/on everything. I put Parmesan in cottage cheese(for flavor). Like... I know what this cheese needs....MORE CHEESE!

I also throw ricotta into soups to boost the protein. 

Also, you maybe just can fit in more than I can. I'm a week further out, but was so sick the first four weeks I pretty much didn't eat. My capacity might be further diminished with still relatively new to eating again.

Fingers crossed for you.

I don't have any experience with acid problems so I can't advise on that, but your food intake looks really high to me (for each "sitting", not in total) for only 6 weeks post-op.  I'm over 2 yrs out and I'm pushing it if I try to eat 3 oz of chicken - it took many months to even get to 2 oz, so I can't imagine being able to eat that much dense protein at 6 weeks.  Maybe it will help to spread out the eating a little so you're not overloading your sleeve?  Try to eat slowly (I know, I eat fast too) and really pay attention to how it feels.  Make sure to avoid drinking for at least 30 min after eating.

Good luck!

Thanks for the feedback, going to cut back on the dense protein. It all sounds so "easy" in the classes, but then when you are on your own so many questions come up.

How much food are you taking in with one bite? If you're having trouble, aim for bites the size of a grain of rice; that really helped me visualize and keep my bites small.

3oz of chicken is a LOT. Over 2 years out, it's very hard for me to eat more than 3! Might want to try a smaller amount.

Eggs seem to give a lot of people trouble at first. I got quite sick when I ate them early on, and I couldn't handle them until several months out. Seems to be the case for many others here as well, so maybe try waiting on those?

Also-- skip the saltines and the peaches, even without juice. Most people avoid carbs completely, especially stuff like white bread and crackers. Best to break the habit now.