Acid Reflux

Anybody have any good advice on how to avoid or what to take and when?

[Kande]

Hello, Have you ask your doctor for anything? I would check with him first. I do know of a natural cure, that people swear works, but again I would check with my doctor before doing. I have had many people tell me that ,1 Tlbs. of apple cider vinegar does wonders. I don't have acid reflux, so I don't know. It would be wonderful if it did work, low cost, safe.

[Barb925]

When I first got it my dr told me to use chewable tums. Unfortunately it got so bad that they put me on prilosec. And I definitely notice problems. I would check with your dr first and see what he wants you to do.

Barb

[ngm44]

i had my lapband done almost a year ago.  since my last two adjustments i have been having problems with acid reflux.  i have nexium and prilosec and neither have really helped.  i am considering having my band loosened unless someone has found something else that works?

[LADYBUG331]

I'm in the same place you are.  Have you found any help?  My doctor seems to think it's not that bad. WelI I have new for him it is that bad.  I didn't think Iwould consider having it removed or loosened, but it has gotten that bad for me..

[zOnnA]

I had my lap band put in back in 2001....and I had pain that I thought it was heart burn turned out to be stones in the gallbladder I had an emergency surgery to remove the gallbladder out
but  now i'm suffering from acid reflux i only feel it when i go to sleep my doctor gave me nexium and it didnt help and now i'm sleeping in a tilted bed and it's not helping either ...I miss sleeping ...i do wake up at least every 2 hours which is annoying

[adms]

I had my band surgery done a year ago this past March.  Things were going well until this week.  I have had reflux so badly that I cannot sleep in the bed.  I've had to sleep sitting up in a chair.  When I do try to go to bed to lie down, I wake up choking and almost inhaling reflux.  Having alot of heartburn too.  Scared to eat anything.  Thinking I should ask my dr. to loosen the band and maybe prescribe someting for the reflux and heartburn.  I am miserable.

[Teddybear09]

I am in Australia and I have had the reflux thing - band has been in since 1997.  Make sure it is not an ulcer - I had an ulcer the first time I had reflux.  I am now on somac.  Also sleep with the bed head at an angle as that will stop the reflux happening.

Good luck with it all.  With regards to the comment made about apple cider vinegar - mix is with some honey and have a sip of it - it eases it but make sure you only have a sip and keep the rest in the fridge to take.  My grandmother who is nearly 107 years old had apple cider vinger and honey all her life and swears by it.  Think she is proof that the doctors want it works/is a natural cure.

[Mayya1984]

I had my lap band done in 6/3/08 , everything was great i'v lost 22 kg since , until a month ago i started having reflux for the whole day and sometimes at night , drinking fresh milked helped me to soothe it. anyway my problem is tht my last visit to my doctor i'v told him abt my reflux , adviced me to consider having a bypass instead of the band . to be honect i'm scared. plus i was eating alot lately and gained 2 kg. what should i do ? remove the band ?
thank u  

[Divamonea]

Helllo, I have had my lapband a little over a year and I notice six months ago that I have become lactose intolerant when ever I have any dairy, my stomach bloats and caused my band to close up on me... Meaning I can't eat or drink.. So my Doc would take the fluid out and I would have to start my fills over gradually get it filled.. My solution take Lactaid or stay away from dairy.. Well, that problem was solved during my last fill I've developed acid reflux... OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!  The girgling in my stomach, sour stomach is terrible... I was just prescribed Protonix, which I've taken for two days... I have good moments but then I get those really bad moments... I hope it will work because I don't think I can take this...

[fun_lady44]

I had my lapband surgery 2 years ago....about a year ago I started experiencing acid reflux so I had the band loosen and had  x-rays and other test done to make sure nothing was wrong with the band...there wasn't anything wrong...so it was tighten up again and the acid reflux returned so I had more test done....nothing found again so it was tighten up again...I seem to me that the doctors should look into finding out what can be done to fix this problem, since we have paid more then enough money to have this surgery done and look to them for the answers....its seems they just give me the run around and the answer is always the same, to have it loosen up but then I start gaining weight which defeats the purpose of the surgery...Anyways this is my opinion....

[George_lost100]

I had my lap band done back in 2006 with several fills in between (I lost about 100 lbs).  Lately I have had acid reflux, and I attribute that to eating/drinking too late before bed.  If I stop by 7pm then go to bed around 10pm, I am usually fine.  There are some issues I read here that concern me about several folks: First, the band is a tool to help lose weight, not the end all solution. I see remarks about this being the doctor's responsibility, but it really is you, the patient, to determine what you are doing that is causing all the grief.  Sure, if the band is way too tight, you will have reflux issues regardless.  Then you get it losened a bit.  If I have an eipsode where I end up getting food stuck in my band and have to throw it up, my band area gets swollen and I need to drink soup and other liquids for a day or so and avoid solids.  It seems like many people here are not aware of their own bodies.  Make a diary and try to do things different.  Most likely you are eating/drinking too close to going to bed or your band is, in fact, too tight. Good luck.

[deputy001]

Had reflux every day. Took nexium for one year before deciding this was not a good idea for long term use. looked for a naturopath doctor and natural cures. Got sucked into paying $40 for " the cure".
My god it worked. Try the apple cider vinegar and honey, sip it. or try honey and tea! Another one that sounds silly but works is eating a red deliciuos apple to calm the belly- takes a while to calm down but keeps it calm for quite a while. Reflux is manageable now and sleep better.
Thought i got sucked in but maybe not. Why not try it. Anything that helps is a relief. Might work for you too. But dont pay the $40 just try the advice. ***@****

[Slim2010]

Nice to know that I am not the only one who gets acid reflux.  I've started sleeping on an adjustable bed and that really made a big difference to me.  Also, like many others have said, don't eat/drink too close to bedtime.  The only thing I try to drink before bed now is herbal tea.  I'm a wine lover but boy, it sure doesn't like me anymore!  

I have my good days and my bad days with the acid reflux - next episode I'm going to try the vinegar/honey cure and see if that doesn't work!  

My band went on Feb 07 and didn't have any reflux until 2010 - doesn't sound like I have a lot to worry about if I watch my diet.  I do carry a little tin of tums in my purse all the time - they help too.

Cheers!

[jj82]

i got my band in 2007, had no problems until late 2008 where i started getting really bad acid reflux, especially in the mornings and at night time. i went to my doctor and got tablets which i was on for 6 months and they helped but as soon as went off them, it came back again. so i was told to try 'rennie' tablets. they are the only thing that gives me immediate relief for hours at a time and although i eat them like sweets, they are cheap and i don't think they are harmful in the long term. i usually take two peppermint ones in the morning and two at night. they are not the nicest things to chew but by god they do work! i would love to find a permanment solution but for now rennie's are my new best friend and i dont leave the house without them....

[rl16]

So glad to hear someone else has a best friend to help them get by each day with reflux..I live on quickease I think I go through about 10 a day..I had my band done in 2003 and have lost over 76kilos.. My band is not tight I can eat only after 1pm, but I find milk also helps with the reflux... But as soon as I hit the pillow I start to feel yuck and i have to go to bathroom to relieve the flud thats come up.  Then in the morning Im heaving up acid stuff its not good. I have tried so many diff things to help me out and the Dr has just taken 0.2 out again and the reflux is still there.. The morning is the worst for me its like living with a fire in your chest.

[Stherngal1]

Did you ever find any relief? Is this common after lapband? I take a generic prilosec in the morning which does help, But sometimes it gets so bad I am choking and coughing up out of my lungs. Please email me at ***@****
Thanks,

[Jones212]

I had the lapband placed 1 1/2 yrs ago and I have just started having reflux problems about 2 weeks ago.  All day long and waking at night from the reflux and almost inhaling it.  I am miserable.  I also noticed that it's a little difficult to get fluid in first thing in the morning and I can't take anything solid until noon and only semi solid stuff.  I have read all the comments and have even considered having it deflated or removed.  So before I do something drastic I will try the apple cider vinegar & honey or a prescription acid reducer and no eating after 7 pm or 3 hours prior to going to bed.  I have gone through a lot of trouble to get the band placed and I would hate to have it taken out.  I am open to more suggestions.
Thanks.

[shie692]

thank you i have been having the same problems as the rest of these people ready to do anything that will work. i just read ur art- iam going to try it i sure hope it works. it hurts so bad i was thinking about haveing it removed i dont want to gain the weight back. but i dont want something bad to happen to my throat!!!!!!!

[Raineydays]

I had my band put in four years ago, I think it was the best thing I ever did. However this year I have been getting reflux at night, waking up with acid in my mouth and choking is not good. I always have to get up and have a warm drink to stop the gurgling and acid taste. I do  worry about my throat and teeth. I am visiting my GP again today, but after reading these comments it looks like I am not alone with this problem. I am sure my GP will prescribe an endioscopy, as this is the 4th time I will have seen him and the tablets arent helping.

[jjclisa]

I think u need to be more sympathetic. I had my band 2 years before I started having reflux so bad that 3 to 4 times a day I would have to go lean over the toilet and open my throat and let stomach acid just poor out. Some days I didnt eat anything to see if it would happen and it did. I tried prilosec, nexium, I've tried not eating several hours before bed. Nothing helps. If I loosen the band up for the reflux to stop I can eat pretty much anything I want without restriction through the band. I hope this does not happen to you.

[huntergirl87]

I had the lap band in 2008 and lost 150pds I've never had the reflux until now. I went to the Dr. for a fill and now I cant sleep do to me waking up coughing and having a hard time breathing at times. What should I do to take care of this.  

[liz3800]

I read the post about aspiration pneumonia and am responding to you since I had the same thing occur.  Take it serious and have it checked.  I hope you are better by now but if not, follow up with a Dr

[SpellingAddict]

I haven't had bariatric surgery, yet anyway, but I can tell you what works for me. I'm SO GLAD I do this now and don't waste money on Tums, etc. or the reflux drugs which trigger migraines for me. I eat soda (saltine) crackers when I get flare-ups. So much more natural and effective than over the counter stuff or drugs, not to mention they're cheap. Don't give the drug companies your money for this condition - they probably keep places like Taco Bell in business so they'll sell more of their drugs!