Severe Heartburn after my RNY

Since I had my RNY weight loss surgery, I have experienced severe heartburn off and on. I didn't have this before my surgery. I have to carry a bottle of water with me where ever I go because at least drinking water helps a little.(Almost like pushing an air pocket down) Do any of you have the same issue since surgery? If so, what works best for you? It really scares me because at times when the heartburn happens I cannot breathe very well and I have asthma.

I had GERD before surgery (which was the reason I went for the RNY) and it went away completely for the first two or three years. It's back again, but milder than before. I was eating Tums and other antacids like crazy, until my endocrinologist noticed I had WAY too high of a calcium level - so now I'm on Protonix (panteprazole). I hate being on a PPI again, but this is supposedly one of the safer ones, and it's better that than risk getting Barrett's Esophagus (or worse...). So anyway, if it's bothering you, see your doctor. Chronic GERD, if unmanaged, can cause problems...

Thank you for your insights. I was put on panteprazole once before but I didn't seem to tolerate it well. However, I have been experiencing other medical issues so maybe I misread my interactions with the medication. I will definitely go see my doctor. Right now, he is still only doing TeleHealth visits.

Unfortunately i developed GERD a few years post op. First few years I hadd it but not very bad, and taking just OTC omeprosole would help. And there were times I didn't need any PPI. A few years ago I developed a severe GERD that did not responded to any OTC, no matter how many an how often I would take them.I had to sleep sitting up (recliner) because laying down, even when my upper torso was slightly elevated was not enough to prevent the pain and the burn. The dc put me on Rx Dexilant and that is the only PPI that works for me.

My gerd can be triggered by foods and drinks. I had to limit coffee, and type of coffees. Alcohol, specially wine would trigger reaction that would last a few days.

Our stomach releases acid in response to histamine. Histamine that is naturally in some foods (i.e. meats, cheese, etc.) or histamine that our body produces as a response to things we are allergic to. Excessive acid - GERD- may be caused by food or drinks we are allergic to.

There was a time that I developed severe allergies to dairy products, soy and some others foods. It was much worse with whey or milk products, than with dairy items almost whey free, like aged cheeses. I had to stop eating it, any soy, any wine or beer, (even just one serving), some veggies, mos pasta, tomatoes and tomatoes sauce, ect. etc. That lasted app 6-7 years. Recently my body can tolerate more foods including aged cheeses, bread, some grains, etc. I don't know what happened and why, but for now I enjoy hard cheese, meat tomatoes sauce, and even raw tomatoes.

Sometimes hernia can cause GERD. You may need to see your surgeon to determine what is going on. Either good surgeon or great gastro doctor may be able to help you.

Thanks for sharing such good information! I have never heard of Rx Dexilant. I will ask my doctor about it. I do have food allergies and as I get older I seemed to have developed even more. It never entered my mind about a possible hernia causing heartburn but I have been experiencing pain on my right side near my gallbladder. It is not constant but persistent. I appreciate your time in responding.

I really hope you can make an appointment with your doctor about this. As a prior member commented above, it has a possibility of getting worse and causing damage. I had a friend of mine who needed a revision because she was diagnosed with Barretts Esophagus. HALA was really helpful in passing along great information to my friend for some comfort.

It's one thing to have it every now and then, another for it to disrupt your daily comings/goings. I sometimes get it if I don't drink enough water when taking my meds before bed. Hoping you find an answer soon or get some relief!

Thank you Dee for your time! I will be making an appointment with my doctor for sure. It has become a disruption and an issue I cannot ignore.

I had a revision to try and take care of GERD but alas it is almost as bad as it was before. I had a few months of reprieve though.

I also think I developed lactose intolerance. I can't eat a lot of stuff. Shoot even plain water sometimes gets my throat burning.

i see my surgeon on July 2nd. Hoping to see what the next steps are. With a few of my other symptoms I'm afraid I might have a hernia of some sorts.

wishing you luck in dealing with this!

I hope you get some relief from your symptoms soon and that your appointment in July gives you some answers. Wishing the best for you too!