Question on VSG and GERD

I am interested in what the outcome has been on your GERD.  I am six years post op VSG and have developed horrible GERD.  I am t aking a ton of meds and basically an alkaline diet.  If I stay very strict things calm down, but anything can set it off.  I can't take all these meds forever, but never wanted to do an RNY because of the vitamin deficiencies I have heard about.  I would appreciate any info you can share.

Hey Deby!  

I am 14 months post op and still have GERD.  Eating a low carb diet helps tremendously, but I still take omeprazole 40g 1x daily.  Dexilant worked the best, but my copay is $50 a month which is very expensive.  I would say it's well-controlled, though, at the moment.  

Low carbohydrate diets and whole versus processed foods definitely help me, though.

I encourage you to research RNY a bit more because RNY is not inherently more frightening than VSG. Personally, I was more frightened of needing a revision surgery. Also, research the link between long term PPI use and bone loss. Using high does of PPIs for many years has been linked to osteoporosis. Taking medication for the rest of your life is a big deal.

Well, one of many reasons I don't want bypass is because I am already deficient in Vitamin D and I am anemic. It took 10 months to get my Vitamin D up from 10 to 40. I take 750 mg of iron daily and my levels always hover on deficient. I do have a hiatial hernia that he is going to repair/fix at the time of surgery..maybe that would cure my GERD? 

I am going to call my surgeons office and see what he says. 

Yes, I do know someone IRL who had to convert to RNY after VSG.  She was probably 3 years post-op and her GERD symptoms weren't controlled with any lifestyle or medication changes.  So she chose to convert to RNY.  It solved that problem.    

No idea on the prevalence of the problem (how often it happens).  I don't think it's super common but I've heard of it in these forums.  And honestly, if I was told I had to have bypass surgery to cure my GERD, it wouldn't be the end of the world.  I'd much rather do that than risk esophageal or stomach cancer, which are much, much bigger problems and excess acid has a direct link to those cancers.  

I came close. I had a reoccurrence of a hiatel hernia. The doc said going into the surgery that he might have to revise to a bypass if he couldn't fix it (2nd one, not much to work with).  I was ok, but if I have another hiatel hernia that makes it tough to eat again, the next step would be revise to bypass.