My EGD showed all kinds of craziness...what does this mean for upcoming VSG?!

Well, just finished up my EGD and results definitely were NOT what I expected:

Esophageal stricture (which she opened), GERD and an ulcer!!

I typically haven't had any type of heartburn so was expecting the EGD to be a breeze.

Doctor has prescribed protonix and sucralfate and is waiting to see if the ulcer is caused by infection or not.

She seems to think everything will have healed in the next week, and is sending all of this over to my bariatic surgeon,

But now I'm worried- what does this mean for my VSG surgery that's scheduled for the end of October?!

Hopefully it means you'll get RNY instead of VSG due to the GERD.

Unfortunately I'm a self-pay and my surgeon doesn't do RNY. Really hoping it doesn't mean that the VSG cant be done.

Here on OH, we've seen a LOT of people who end up having revision to RNY because of acid problems after VSG. Technically it could be done, but you would be risking serious acid damage and the RNY would probably be much safer.

If this surgeon doesn't do RNY, you may want to get an opinion from a doctor who does.

if you already have gerd and ulcers,likely caused by the gerd,you really,really don't want to have the VSG. It is know to CAUSE GERD ,for some, and to make existing GERD worse.

i suggest you think about finding a surgeon who does RNY.

I'm hoping that your surgeon has enough integrity not to perform a surgery that can exacerbate GERD on you.

Are you getting your VSG in Mexico by one of the VSG specialists like Alvarez? I can understand that some of those operations aren't set up to deviate from their norm, but in the States, most in the bariatric world grew up on the RNY and added or adopted the VSG later, so they can still do the RNY even if they don't "offer" it. My doc doesn't normally do the RNY by preference as the DS and VSG usually give better results, but he is certainly capable of doing so if that is what the patient needs.

You are in a bit of a quandry with conflicting complications, and it is in such cases where it is best to take a step back and re-evaluate things. Get a second, or third, opinion, preferably from surgeons with different backgrounds.

Yes, the VSG is predisposed to GERD and it is generally not advised to pursue it with pre-existing GERD unless there is an identifiable cause, such as a hiatal hernia, that can be corrected as part of the procedure. Unfortunately, the RNY is predisposed to marginal ulcers, so the ulcer finding is a yellow flag (if not a red one), at least until its' cause can be determined - you don't want to go into an RNY leaving a blind stomach with a history of ulcers. I have seen cases where the finding of stomach polyps was enough to sway the decision away from the RNY to the VSG. There are things that they may be able to do with the RNY to accommodate that problem, such as not leaving the remnant stomach behind, but that entails its own set of compromises.

Good luck in working this through - hopefully it's just a bump in the road (but still one that you should slow down for....)

Agree with the other posters. If I was diagnosed with GERD prior to surgery, I never would have had VSG. I had to revise to RNY 2 years after my original surgery because my acid levels post sleeve were 409% higher than normal. Even though you're self-pay, you should consider the great advice others have given and maybe try to find a doctor to get a second opinion.

I agree with all the other posters. Like Stacy, I had to revise to RNY from the sleeve due to GERD. I know it's a pain to change doctors, but you will probably end up paying for two surgeries (the original sleeve then the revision) if you stick with the sleeve.

Please, please, please don't do it! Ask your surgeon for a referral to a surgeon who does RNY. If she won't do that, RUN!!!!