GERD??

A little bit ago I read a post about someone saying they were having bad GERD after VSG so I looked it up online since I did not know about this potential side effect and I am now freaking out a little bit. You read about all the possible side effects or complications with anything (even over the counter medicine) but some of these stories I have been reading are REALLY scary. Has this been an issue for many of you? I expected it would be tough at first just cause the stomach being so small and sensitive, but not months or years after or that it would be a daily battle potentially leaving to a a bypass surgery, esophagus closing due to scar tissue, and inability to sleep due to choking and vomiting stomach acid! Can you guys enlighten me, please?

I had GERD prior to surgery and had a hiatal hernia fixed with my surgery.  So far (6 months) the GERD is gone.  I don't know if anyone knows the odds of developing it later?  I was aware of this risk when I chose my surgery so I waffled a bit over RNY vs VSG, but I personally felt more comfortable with VSG.  I figured if it was an issue later I'd deal with it then.  My surgeon who has been doing both operations for years wasn't concerned.

I had no GERD prior to surgery and none now 11 years later.  There are some that get it as a surprise, but it's not the norm.  It's those who had it before their surgery that are likely to have it worse after, the exception of hiatal hernias being repaired at the same time.

Not everyone gets GERD like I do. Typically it's more of an issue if you have a hiatal hernia or pre-existing GERD.  My case is atypical because I had zero GERD to start and it actually may be bile reflux too or other issues for various reasons - I will be getting an EGD to check.  Even if people do get it, often it's easily controlled with meds or goes away eventually.  The majority of people do not have an issue at all.  I actually didn't start having issues until well into solid food.

By the time your esophagus would close to scar tissue...that would take forever.  I mean, I have severe GERD and I don't vomit acid regularly.  That would only happen if you had a serious physical issue causing it (a hernia, ulcer, etc) or if you let it go forever.  It gets caught immediately post-op if you have a good team.  I spoke to many DS and VSG patients post-op and none had the issues I'm having.  One or two had annoying GERD, but they wound up on Dexliant which controlled it extremely well.

Donna you really are a thoughtful and excellent fountain of information. Appreciate it.

It is possible. I would say after being years on the boards, however, that it is not probable. Yes, we have that risk. Yes, some go into surgery without issues and end up having problems with it. But also, just as many of us it seems go into surgery with terrible reflux, have the hernia repaired during the surgery, and do not have any issues.

I had terrible reflux, hernia repaired, and no issues for years. This past year my  hiatel hernia returned with a vengeance, and it became an issue again with another surgery to repair it and remove the gallbladder. That is not typical though. Additionally, the hiatel hernia may have come back even if I was not sleeved, no way of knowing. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience!  I guess it'll just be a wait and see thing.

I had GERD prior to surgery, and it's about the same after (maybe a little worse) but is also better managed. I take a good PPI (Protonix) twice and day and as long as I stick to it, never feel my stomach sour. Even with my mild GERD, my surgeon still opted to do the sleeve because even without a hernia, sometimes GERD can resolve somewhat with weight loss. Never had an issue with sleep, or anything, and even if I do forget to fill my PPI, a 150mg Zantac does the trick. :)

I developed GERD post-op.  I need to take my PPI at least every other day to keep it in control.

It was a small price to pay for the life I get to live now.