Reflux Poll

I was banded 14 months ago and had terrible acid reflux for about 4 months. I would wake up 5 out of 7 nights vomiting. I spoke with my doctor and learned some tips on managing the reflux and now it's not a problem and I sleep peacefully. I tried a lot of things, but these made the most difference.
- I got a small un-fill and then refill a month latter.
- I don't eat or drink anything after 5pm
- I sleep in a recliner at an incline
- I don't drink beverages with citric acid

I didn't have any acid reflux before surgery.

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Juniebug
Banded: September 18, 2006
Height: 5'7"
Starting Weight: 225
Current Weight: 178

Very interesting poll and some very interesting replies!
I've been banded for almost 3 yrs now and never had any reflux problem.
I wonder what doctors say about this question. It seems that in several cases, reflux is a consequence of being too tight and a simple unfill will solve it, but in others it doesn't seem to be corelated, or people that have had the band for several years without any reflux issues, suddenly it starts happening even without a new fill... It's kind of strange.
niki

I had SEVERE reflux preband and vanding made it VANISH!!! My surgeon said it would and he was right!!:clap2:

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215H/208S/160C/150G
Banded 9/14/06 9.75cm 4cc band
11-14-06 1cc fill
1-2-07 0.5cc total 1.5cc
4-20-07 0.5cc total 2cc(in theory)






Broken tubing 10/08

Banded at age 58 ok don't laugh......never too late.

I have gastritis....pain of the stomach lining. I had it before the band. It sometimes flares up now.I take protonics 2x a day. Reflux is bad for asthma.

Reflux happens if you eat too fast. Filled too tight. Eat to much. It took me a long time to cut back to a 1/4 to a 1/2 cup of food at a meal. If I'm hungry at night I have a protien shake......coats the stomach and esophagus and empties into your stomach faster than food. I hope this helped.

Happy holidays
Spunky

I don't know if I posted this already, but the thing that I really really hate about reflux is the day after. I swear I feel like I'm hung over the entire day. It's just awful. I figure it's because I'm dehydrated. Anyone else get that?

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Banded 2/2003 - Dr. Horgan, Chicago

I had my 2nd fill 5 days ago and had my first reflux that night. I was miserable. My doc said it was because I ate and laid down to quickly and it would subside in a day (which it has).

However, I constantly feel like there is a lump in my throat (even when I wake up and haven't eaten anything). Also, when I do eat a meal, I sometimes get a back ache.

Has anyone experienced a backache? This confuses me because I don't understand how the band would be related to back pain.

Any ideas are welcomed.

I definitely will try the tips I've read - not eating 3 hours before laying down, using less splenda (that's a hard one), and I'm going to get some aloe vera juice.

Brenda

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I suffer constant reflux not just acid but also food.

I had mild reflux pre banding and was assured the band was a "cure" for reflux by my surgeon. Since being banded the reflux has been worse than ever and dissapointing as i keep having to be asperated. Every bit of weight i lose is regained when I am aspirated.

Three years banded heavier than ever biggest regret of my life

While I haven't had ACID reflux very often since surgery (I still take Prilosec daily, and if I forget it for more than 2 days, I pay for it), I have had some weird reflux (non-acidic) issues at night (see my thread under Complications).

Guess I must be one of the lucky ones....I've been banded for 9 months (currently 3.5 cc's in a 4 cc band) and have yet to experience reflux/GERD (but have had several BP'ing episodes).

I am 2 year and 2 months post-op and have lost over 100 pounds. I have not had a fill in over a year and have now started having acid relux symptoms. Will be going to the doc this week. When I called, the coordinator told me that sometimes your body needs a rest, and the doc may take some fluid out. I guess our bodies need a rest from the pressure the band places on the esophogus? Just want to feel better.

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I am SO glad I found this site and this topic! I have been banded for 4 years and have lost 88lbs (not the world's fastest loser). For the last year or so I have been having reflux occasionally, never having had it before the band, but sometimes it makes me really ill. I get a temperature, pains in all my joints and feel like I've got a 24hr flu. I went back to my surgeon and he took out .5 ml which helped with the reflux but all my restriction disappeared! I could even eat steak. Of course I put on weight immediately so went back after 3 weeks and he put back in .25ml. Perfect for a while - great restriction and no reflux until this week when I have been struggling again and had one of these 'episodes' yesterday. I think I will have to have the .25ml out again and try the old willpower.

I've been banded since July 2006 and since June 2007 I have had reflux problems. I never had reflux problems prior to surgery. I've changed my diet by eliminating foods that can trigger reflux and taking Nexium. 2.5 cc's was removed from my band (I had 3 cc's) and was hoping that this would help which it hasn't.

Six months later, the reflux is still around. I've had horrible backaches and am only able to eat 1/4 cup of food at a time. I was having so much pain eating and drinking that I was put on Sucralfate which is used for ulcers and helped for a short time. I got an Endoscopy a few weeks back which shows no ulcers. Somedays I can tolerate liquids and other days it comes back up. Each day is different and I never know what will happen. The only upside to this is that I have lost 15 pounds since June.

Linda

I've Been Banded For 7 Months And For The Past 4 Months I Wake Up In The Night Coughing On Phlem And Food Particles That Have Came Back Up In My Throat And Mouth. I've Been Researching And Have Found Out The The Number One Sign Of Gerd Is Heart Burn Which I Don't Have. So I Talked With My Doctor And He Said It's Not Gerd It's Regergitation. It Is Terrible And Taste Nasty!! Some Times The Coughing Is So Bad I Think I've Aspirated It In My Lungs. I've Tried Not Eating Or Drinking 3-4 Hrs B4 Bed And That Doesn't Always Work. I Still Will Wake Up With Food Particles In My Mouth. It Seems Like If I Sleep On My Stomach It's Worse. Just Wandering If Anyone Else Has This Problem? Does Anyone Have A Cure For This?

You are too tight!!! Please get an unfill. I had the same problem for 9 months and suffered needlessly. Being too tight can actually make you gain weight. I could not eat the good protein that I should because of the acid reflex and went to eating soft foods and got soft food calorie syndrome. I gained 5 pounds and didnt loose one pound in 9 months. I never want to go through that again!

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Banded 12/12/05
248/172/155
Dr. Curry
Clifton Surgical
Cincinnati, Ohio

Does anyone have any tips? I have severe reflux problems, I'm on periet ( a prescription medication) & find that I sometimes have to take zantac or a rolaid at night before I go to bed at night otherwise I might be up coughing or having to throw up in the middle of the night. In the morning I have sliva & some unswallowed food in my throat (despite the fact that I stop eating at least 2 hours before I go to bed) & have to regugetate in the morning.