Acid Reflux?!?!

I'm very unhappy, tired and worried!! I was banded in 2006 and had health issues, unrelated to the band, in 2007 I developed Fibromyalgia and had back surgery. Since mid June of this year, I have had acid reflux EVERY night! It's killing me! I can't even nap sitting in a chair without acid reflux hitting me. I talked with my doctor and he said there was no way my lapband could be causing the acid reflux. I have now found a doctor in Colleyville that I'm going to go see, which is 2 hour drive for me. After reading on line about acid reflux and the lapband, I'm now worried that I may have a slippage. I was already looking at having a revision done to the gastric sleeve. I can't take much many more nights with about 3 hours of sleep. I have tried acid reducers, both prescription and OTC and nothing is working. I'm not eating anything past 7pm and nothing works. I don't eat spicy foods either!!!! I don't know what else to do. I have had some nights that I have this reflux coming out my nose! I'm so very tired!!!!!

Has anyone ever had any issues with acid reflux that has been this bad?

Thanks in advance!

Your Dr. is FOS. Bands often cause reflux. Mine has started as well. More than likely it is a slip, HH, or erosion. :-(

Good luck!

Do you have fluid in your band? if so ask for a slight unfill. I had reflux when my band tightened up,  a slight un fill helped. also  You can also try a  couple sips of warm water with baking soda.  It neutralized the acid. I did that for 19 years until I had LB surgery and had my hernia fixed.

I have very little fluid in my band. Maybe 1cc and I can eat whatever I want to now. UGH! :( I'm very afraid that this band has slipped. Reflecting back to before I got the acid reflux I was having issues with food going down. So I was throwing up pretty much everything I ate. What's really bad is everytime, no matter how much of a fill, I would get reflux and have to go have 1/2 of it removed. Like I said, I'm very tired! I'm very aggravated and I need relief.

 You're completely empty and experiencing reflux and able to eat anything, no PBs, vomiting etc?  Are you taking a PPI?  I would start on Prilosec ASAP to reduce the acid while you wait to see the doctor.  At least you will be able to see if it helps and give the doctor that information.  Also try eating several small meals per day to avoid putting pressure on the top of your stomach.  Good luck, keep us posted on your outcome!

An unfill could do the trick. Glad you switched drs cause the other one was WRONG.
Has bad acid reflux this year and had fluid out and was better. Last year was the same but waited too long and didn't have a slip but caused the pouch to streach over band. Had an unfill and waited 10 weeeks and it was beter. Good Luck
wendy

I hate to say it but I agree with you sounds very much like a slip. I bet your surgeon also doesn't know that over time scar tissue builds up under the band which also causes it to tighten and increase the possibility of reflux. Reflux is very common with the band and one of the main reasons people revise to other surgeries. I'm glad you are getting a second opinion and pray the new one is more educated about the band than your last doc. Honestly the first doc is frighteningly ignorant about band life. I wish you the best but be prepared and start looking at other surgery options just in case you do lose the band.

I am revising to the Sleeve in a few weeks due to my Acid Reflux.  It's not a slip or an hernia, but the scar tissue around my stomach.  This is common with some longer term banders.  It might be time to take that revision decision further.  It's best to not have reflux too long, it can cause very serious problems.

Good Luck!

If you don't have slippage are you sure the Sleeve is the answer to your acid reflux? From what I hear and those that I've talked to most Sleevers suffer from horrible acid reflux and most are on PPI's forever. Have you fully researched the Sleeve? Remember reflux is NOT normal with the band unless it has slipped, but most sleevers say they have it normally.

I will 7 years post op this month and the only time I've had acid reflux is when I eat too close to bedtime or if my band has been dangerously too tight or I've been eating too much, other than that I have no reflux issues. Also I find it critical for most long term banders and my doctor office recommend Papaya enzymes to chew after each meal to allow the food to digest to prevent reflux issues at nigh with tight restriciton, but if the band is damaged this does not work.

I wish you luck.

 Don't listen to NanaB - she knows nothing about the sleeve (as I admit I know nothing about Lap Band) but I can say that the sleeve does not cause Acid Reflux in any greater quantity than the general population.  I have been sleeved for almost 2 years and have never had an issue with reflux and do not take a PPI.

Kelli