Proton pump?

I'm pretty sure that's what my doctor said I was going to need if my medication failed (which it is big time) for GERD (which I actually didn't have before surgery). It's gotten so bad that I have to sleep sitting up at night. Anyone else have bad reflux after surgery or heard of this pump?

I had a bad case of GERD pre-op, and the proton pump is what creates the acid that your system needs to digest/process food.  A Proton Pump Inhibitor is the medicine that prevents some of this acid in order to reduce acid reflux/GERD/Heartburn.  As far as I know, you can't replace the "pump", but there are many different meds to try and calm the acid production to help you.  I think one of the better ones is called Protonix, and they do have it in generic, it is very expensive if you don't have med insurance coverage, and most docs want you to take it twice a day, and the insurance company will probably say no to the twice a day, at least it seems that way with most people.  If you have an ulcer, there is a med called Carafate, usually given as a liquid (slurry) form, tastes awful and chalky, but taken over a lengthy period of time it can be very effective in healing an ulcer.  I hope that helped.  I had a ton of GERD before surgery, and now have had a few traumatic ulcers since my surgeries and I have a constant supply of Protonix in my cabinet :)  Take care!

I wasn't sure I heard him right so you are probably right. I didn't really go into with him too much because why go there if we can try meds first? I'm pretty convinced it is probably an ulcer causing the problems as I've started having sharp pain with it right below my breasts (already lost my gall bladder so it's not that but feels similar to when my gall bladder stopped functioning)in the center. I'm going to call the doctor Monday but his office is over two hours away and I'm a full time student and working so it's such a hassle for me to go that I usually try to put off any issues until my check-ups. Maybe he can let my PCP do whatever they need to do to check for an ulcer (do they just go off of symptoms or do they actually go in and look?) so I can get care here or try a different/additional medication. I refuse to google medical stuff because it always gets me more worked up than help. I'd rather just come here and ask since there seems to always be someone here that has been through it!

The only way to truely test for an ulcer is to have an upper endoscopy.  You can find a local Gastroenterologist to do this test without going 2 hours to your surgeon.  My surgeon never does my endoscopies, I always go to my gastro doctor.  They specialize in this and do them all day long.  Most even do them in there office under twilight sedation.  You will never know you had it.  They give you an IV and you wake up when it is over.

If it is truely an ulcer, you need to have then test during the endoscopy for HPylori - a bacteria that causes ulcers.  If it is HPylori, then you need to be treated with Prevpac - a combination of Prevacid and 2 antibiotics.  If it isn't HPylori, then you will get a PPI - Proton Pump Inhibitor = Protonix, Nexium or Prevacid and Carafate to coat your stomach to help heal the ulcer.

Either way stay away from spicy foods, caffeine, milk, citrus fruits and juices - that is all I canthink of now.