Reflux - severe and awful

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Hi,
On the advice of another member (thanks blue bags) has anyone had severe reflux???  I have had this now for 8 weeks, I have had 5 different tablets ( nexium, Zantac, somac, losec and now Pariet). Can anyone tell me how long theirs lasted after being sleeve or what they did to help it subside.  I have it so bad it also makes me extremely nauseous.

Any help would be much appreciated

I have had GORD since I had my gallbladder out 16 years ago. Having the sleeve only made it worse. I would wake up vomiting bile. Shudder.

Gaviscon is the best treatment for instant relief that I have found. QuickEze did absolutely nothing for me. Mylanta did help a tiny bit but the Gaviscon wins hands down!!!!

I must say, since I have been revised to the bypass I have had absolutely NO reflux!!! NONE. Its a bloody miracle for me!!!

Next thing I want to address is the reflux and heartburn names. They are the same thing. The only difference is with heartburn is the acid has travelled up higher away from your stomach and into your oesophagus. You may also find your breath starts to smell weird to your partners too. Generally can't smell your own breath so don't bother trying lol.

You really need to continue the trial and error solutions to the reflux as if left untreated it can cause multiple problems including cancer of the oesophagus and it will rot away all the enamel on your back teeth from the highly acidic fumes coming from your stomach. 

If the 20mg twice a day does not control all of the reflux please go back to your doctor and get an increase in your dose. It is not uncommon to be on 40mg tablets of Nexium.  I must say that they didn't work too good for me, Somac was the best for me. If you have tried a higher dose and still not enough relief from symptoms ask to be changed to a different PPI. A change of formula can be the best thing to do.

Good luck with it all :)

Hi,
My GP the other day changed my meds for reflux back to nexium, 2 tablets twice a day, the reflux has settled a little however I now have a constant dull stomach ache, I have read this is a side effect however I am wondering if any one else has experienced this and if so does it subside.  I try and sort out one issue only to deal with something else...

At present 20mg twice a day, Suzi in your experience does it get rid of the lump in the throat, feel like I am gagging and want to vomit..

Nexium isn't an instant fix unfortunately. It will take a few days in my experience. How much is the dose?

Today not only do I have reflux but now there's the heartburn.  Can anyone pls tell me at what week reflux started to subside. My dr had put me back on Nexium yesterday and all I want is for it to kick in and start working. Why does it feel I am asking for to much???

I don't know if it counts as fruit juice, but I find water easier to get down with a dash of flat lemonade (not diet). Doesn't have a big effect on taste. A couple of drops of lime juice works for me too, but no good for your reflux Garfield.

My dietitian said apparently it's something to do with the surface tension of water, that we find it so hard to get down, and anything that changes the surface tension should help. I've always been a big water drinker but postop I've been struggling. I can get coffee, thin soup, opti all down slowly but easily, but water gives me an indigestion sensation after 2 mouthfuls unless something is added. I've never been keen on jelly, cordial or juice, pre or post op, and I miss guzzling a glass of plain water :-(

I can't have any fruit at all - whole, juiced, diluted, hence I can't even add lemon etc.  brings on reflux in the worst way.  And I'm lactose intolerant so only soy or almond, but I can't have much more then a quarter cup.
Jelly is something I would avoid as not only can I not stand the texture, it's pretty high in sugars, I can't eat much at all so if I do, it's something highly nutritious.

Might give my dietician a call for some suggestions on getting enough fluid in.  I really don't want to be living off hydralight or those disgusting tasting sports drinks.

DIET Jelly is one way to get more water. Light or skim milk is another that shouldn't upset your tummy & can be mixed with Aktavite or equivalent. Watermelon is over 90% water but has a fair ammount of sugars.
 That's all I can think of. Hope it helps. Cheers J.

Changed Mind, two weeks sounds about right.  I've run out and will be getting a script again tomorrow, so there will be another 2 week wait until it kicks in.  Try the Quick Eze in the interim.  You can get them in the lolly section at Coles/Woolies or any chemist.  It will just help you cope.

Swayback, funny you mention cordial as I drink it all the time (also can't stand plain water) so I wonder if that is contributing for me too?  And like you I've reduced my liquid intake dramatically (nawdy nawdy) as sometimes it's just too friggen hard.  No way I can drink an entire cup of coffee in the morning.  Even if I push myself I will throw it up.

Can't drink lemon with the water, nor any other fruits so not sure what else I can dilute the water with so I will actually drink it.  Any suggestions are appreciated :-)

Oh my god this damn reflux is driving me to absolute tears, will it never stop.  Had my pariet 3 hours ago and it does absolutely
nothing. What have I done on earth for me to be suffering so much!!!

I am probably painting the surgeon in a bad light. What I said to him at the pre op visit was that I was worried the sleeve would make the reflux worse and would the bypass be better. He said no, I'd be okay with the sleeve, now, whether he meant that I wouldn't get reflux with the sleeve or that I'd get reflux with both surgeries..I don't know. At the time I assumed he meant that the sleeve wouldn't cause problems. We even specifically talked about how he had to undo the anti reflux surgery I'd had. I asked if that would cause reflux but he said it wouldn't have any negative effects.

To be fair to him, I didn't mention my reflux at my only post op visit...I was too intent on getting a solution for my vomiting. The reflux doesn't bother me much but the thought of irritating the Barretts is a bit concerning seeing as it is a pre malignant condition. I'll just to have routine gastroscopies to keep an eye on it.

Hi Changed I've heard it takes two weeks but to be honest, the very day I had my first one I had instant relief....that was back in 2001 and back then you had to get permission from Canberra to be started on them. The specialist had to prove that you had reflux complications by gastroscopy. Now you can get Pariet from your GP without any bother.

Out of every anti reflux tablet I've had Pariet has been the best.

It's so hard for me to work out trigger foods because I have had reflux for 8 weeks straight with no improvement, I have just starred on Pariet as of Monday so hoping there will be some relief by Friday.  I am told these tablets take 2 weeks to fully work, is that correct???

Sway, I couldn't believe your surgeon said your severe reflux wouldn't be a problem post sleeve !!!!!
My surgeon said he wouldn't sleeve anyone with bad reflux. No reflux showed on my barium swallow test but because I had had some episodes in the past he has said it could be a little worse after surgery.
Fortunately I know my trigger foods & when to avoid them. Fatty, spicy & acidic foods are some I have to avoid at times. Also, it's best to avoid bending over, laying down or any lifting after eating.
   Do talk to your dietician who may be able to advise you how to resolve your reflux.
All the best, J.

I've reduced my fluid intake (naughty me) and I only have two 300ml drinks a day. I have a coffee made on skim milk in the morning and a very milky tea mid afternoon. When I was trying to do the right thing and drink 1.5l a day I was constantly sick and constantly swallowing to keep the reflux down.

Please don't follow my example it's completely the wrong thing to do.

Sway, how do you cope every day with reflux, I hate it!!!  I would never have thought that water or cordial can cause reflux that's what I tend to consume all day, what do you drink????

I was on rabeprazole for years too. I even had a Nissens Fundo surgery (which had to be undone at the sleeve surgery) to stop reflux because I developed ulcerative oesophagitis and Barrets oesophagus. I was most concerned about reflux problems post this sleeve surgery and it would have been the only thing that would have stopped me from having the sleeve but my surgeon said that the reflux wouldn't be a problem. He was wrong.

I was taking Nexium for three months since surgery and was sick every day. I've stopped it now and I'm better.....co incidence?? I have reflux every day now but it's better than vomiting everything I eat.

I'm just making a list of foods that help and ones that worsen.

So far the bad ones are onions, tomatoes, banana, Apple, orange, coffee, tea, water, cordial, tomato sauce.

The good ones are cheese, yoghurt, milk drinks, mashed potato.

I'll find out my trigger foods with trial and error and in the meantime Rennies are my friend.

I am yet to be sleeved but have been on Pariet [ Rabeprazole Sodium ] for a number of years.
It may take a little while to kick in, so worth sticking to it.
  Try keeping a food diary & note what foods trigger reflux.
You could also try the old fashioned remedy of a level teaspoon of bi-carb mixed in a little water or milk.
What has your doctor suggested ?
Hope it clears up & you feel better soon. Cheers J.

I also have bad reflux and devour a packet of Quick Eze daily (it's my lifesaver especially when I wake up in the middle of the night).

The only tablets I have personally found that works for me is Pantoprozole.  It is similar to Somac, but it works unlike the rest.  If I don't take it daily I know about it.

Another thing is to look at certain foods that bring on reflux.  For me it's fruit and fruit juices including fresh tomato.  Banana is supposed to help, but it made so ill I vomited all day long after 2 small bites.
Anything with fat e.g. deep fried foods, meat with fat, a party pie, a chocolate covered biscuit, marshmallows, spicy or chilli foods, some cheeses, alcohol & especially wine.

I've been told to look at a liver cleansing diet as it can help with those suffering severe reflux.  That is on my list of things to do as I eliminate culprits from my diet.

I sleep with my body elevated, have quick eze on hand at all times and choose meals that I can clearly see the ingredients or just make it myself.

It certainly sucks but you are not the only one :-)

Hi,
On the advice of another member (thanks blue bags) has anyone had severe reflux???  I have had this now for 8 weeks, I have had 5 different tablets ( nexium, Zantac, somac, losec and now Pariet). Can anyone tell me how long theirs lasted after being sleeve or what they did to help it subside.  I have it so bad it also makes me extremely nauseous.

Any help would be much appreciated