What is your post-op heartburn story?

Here is mine: I'm finishing up the 4th week post-op. I took ranitidine for the first two weeks and omeprazole for the last two weeks. I often forget the omeprazole and when I do I feel fine during the day but have a lot of hot and bubbly activity all night - not actually uncomfortable. One night I woke up with sour regurgitation.

I am so scared that I will need to be on PPIs long-term and equally scared of esophageal erosion/Barrett's esophagus. I was not on any medications and had no medical problems pre-op aside from obesity, so there is a part of me wondering if I haven't made a huge mistake.

I knew this was a risk pre-op and at the time the weight loss seemed worth the risk. Maybe it still is. I am not willing to consider a revision to RNY unless esophageal erosion is clearly happening. I am really hoping that this is a temporary situation for me!

I haven't had issued with heartburn. My program requires taking omeprazole daily for the first six months. I see my surgeon on Friday for my 6-month checkup, and assume he will tell me to stop taking it now.

How much omeprazole do you take daily?

Same as Prilosec OTC...20mg delayed release. I just buy the Equate brand of omeprazole at Walmart, much cheaper.

Ugh, heartburn! I've really struggled with it. I didn't have any problems prior to surgery. I was on omeprazole prescribed by my surgeon for the first three months. It mostly controlled it, but I used tums if I had "break through" burn. When my prescription ran out, I bought Prilosec (OTC) because I was still suffering days and nights. Around month four, I didn't need it during the day so much, maybe three times a week? But every night or I'd wake up miserable. I was starting to believe I was going to be one of the poor folks that had developed chronic GERD. Depressing. But, the daytimes went away completely a couple weeks later. And now, 5.5 months out, I haven't taken a PPI at night for two weeks, and have no problems.

I'm not sure if this is helpful because everyone is different. But I empathize with your fears. I'm glad my heartburn issues seem to have passed, but now I'm losing gobbs of hair! (They say that's normal too) I still have no regrets, but it's not all easy to handle. I hope your heartburn resolves quickly.

I'd never had heartburn/GERD pre-op. Now, I can't go two days without my PPI before symptoms appear. I am hoping to get to a Tecta/Pantoprazole every third day with Ranitidine to supplement in between because I don't like the idea of being on PPIs long-term.

The one thing that the drugs don't fix, though, is the regurgitation if I try to go to sleep before my stomach is entirely empty. I have to be very aware of waiting no less than an hour after eating to lay down for anything.

Still worth it, though. It's entirely manageable as long as I'm paying attention.

Prior to surgery, I used Prilosec (omeprazole) for a long time. I was on pantoprazole for three months post-op and worried about how I'd react once that stopped... but I have literally had NO heartburn since I stopped taking that.

I count that as a NSV!

I am three years out and take an omeprazole daily - when the "dementia" news was front and center I tried to stop and use an alternative but the heartburn was brutal - to the point of it felt like i was having a heart attack. They say sometimes if you don't wean off the acid surges and is actually worse. That was the case for me. My doctor says he is not concerned at all with the risk of dementia and to take the omeprazole. I'd rather have dementia than esophogus cancer. That being said, it is manageable with the one dose a day.

I have noticed no acid issues and my program does not call for me to take anything at all post op. I did not have more than very occasional (explainable) heart burn prior to surgery.

I was given Dexilant and took it for a year post-op. I stopped taking it after the script ran out and I have had no trouble since.