PPI/antacids

I had horrible reflux before my surgery and had to take a PPI or couldn't even ge****er down. Most of it was due to my extremely large hiatal hernia that was repaired during VSG, which is quite normal to do. I am six months out and just had my follow-up appointment. They told me to stop taking them daily and just when I needed them. Of course I was terrified to stop because I still remember the pain if I didn't take them. I'm 5 days now without them and feel great!!! Even ate something spicy yesterday and was ready to take Tums or something. Nothing happened and felt fine.

Such great news! Very happy for you. Thanks for sharing!

I took them for 3 months following surgery. I have low functioning kidneys and was concerned about kidney damage. That being said, my function has improved after vsg and my diabetes has completely reversed. I'm so glad I had this surgery.

I took pepcid of many years and during my pre-op visit, it was suggested i try protonix because they were finding less post op nausea with people on it before surgery. Of course i said sure let's try it. I had labs the day before surgery and my ALT was up a bit at 60 but no one mentioned it assuming fatty liver. I saw my family doctor 1 month post op because my BP was running pretty low and she decided to get labs and my ALT was 660 which bought me a day in the ER to get evaluated. Fortunately they didn't find a clot or hepatitis as suspected. Over the next 2 months, I had every test known to man and was a week away from starting high dose steroids for treatment of autoimmune hepatitis. We saw a 200 point drop so i asked to give it one more week before steroids and thankfully my ALT dropped to 208...currently it is normal. During that 2 months, i stopped everything except micardis for BP and pepcid.

I really feel like it was protonix (and possible compazine) in combination with a rapid weight loss (i lost 50 pounds in 2 months) and a mild fatty live.

I am now adamantly opposed to people in our situations taking PPIs and recommend tagamet/pepcid. We don't have the best livers and it is well supported in the literature that PPIs are not good for the liver. Also my surgeon doesn't get labs until 1 year post op...this might happen to patients all the time and they don't even know! I'm also a nurse so i urge you to stay away from them. I've also found that carafate works great or drinking tea with milk.

Mine is twice a day 6 months once a day till 18months. I have no history of GERD or refux this is just the protocol. I have to be honest, I have tried two different types but they make me feel sick, so I dont barely take it. It tastes so gross. :(

I don't need them. But my calcium source is calcium carbonate and that is an antacid. You wouldn't believe the level of BS I've gotten based on me saying that .. but oh well. It works for me.