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2208734 tn?1339004030

will the lap band help gerd?

I am overweight. I have GERD even when taking dexilant. Will lap band surgery help correct my Gerd as well as my weight loss?
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63984 tn?1385437939
Selma is right, there are no guarantees, but the lapband surgery appears to be so successful on so many levels from my persective, I'd sure consider it.  I'm in a volunteer position where I meet, visit with, encourage and counsel with people with digestive and heart issues, and overwhelmingly I'm told that the procedure is a game-changer and life-changer.  The rewards sound to me like they trump the losses.  

I'd make sure you have a good surgeon with a good track record, select someone with experience.  The advantages are many, from what I've been told.  Certainly, a loss of weight controls diabetes.  Diabetes just hammers the organs in the body.  Loss of weight equals gain of mobility, less stress on the heart and lowers blood pressure which reduces the risk of stroke...

There is a chance that your digestive processes will be compromised, but given the risk/rewards, I'd suggest you strongly investigate the lapband procedure.  I have a young friend I helped train to do a volunteer position, she could hardly walk, she was morbidly obese.  She met me on the elevator, and this lovely lady hugged me, and asked if I knew her.  I sorted it out, but she lost over 135 pounds, and has gone from hardly able to walk to taking Kick-Boxing classes!  We had coffee and I asked her about her digestion.  She replied she's fine as long as she follows her diet. She pays a price for backsliding.

If you have the means to have the lapband procedure, have a surgeon with lots of experience, meet with a dietician and agree to follow a post-surgery diet, I'd go ahead.  There are always trade-offs, natural is always better, but interventional surgery can keep you walking on the sunnyside of the earth.  GERD is easier to deal with than diabetes, heart disease, strokes, etc.  

Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648

  Hi and welcome to the GERD forum.

Weight plays a large role in GERD issues, and weight loss for those that are over weight is always suggested.

SO, the lap band will help with that aspect, reducing the weight....but, if that is not the only reason u have GERD, it will not rid u of the problem.

  In fact post op u may find an increase in symptoms as the drugs used during surgery can cause GERD to flare up.

With time and diet modification as well as lifestyle changes u may see a reduction in ur symptoms...have u talked to ur GI dr concerning this?
Helpful - 0
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