Reflux with the sleeve?

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Hi not sure where this should go so feel free to move it if its in the wrong place.

I am scheduled for a band at the end of October. I was initially more keen on the sleeve, but my surgeon and my gastroentrologist think the band would be better because I currently have bad reflux which can take me out of action for a few days (like in bed crying bad!). My surgeon is Peter Nottle so he does both, but he thinks for me the band would be better.

I am hoping that losing weight will help get it under control, but if it doesn't both are concerned that the sleeve may make my treatment options limited if it does get worse, whereas a band can be removed and I can go back to the status quo (which isn't great anyway).

I am still not convinced that reflux would be any worse with the sleeve, from what I have heard the band can make it worse but it is not a common problem with sleevers.

I was wondering if anyone here had reflux before surgery and if the sleeve has made it better or worse?

Applesauce, you make me sorry I asked in the first place. Of course I have researched, your not the only one that can hit google. Thanks everyone for your comments and experiences, I will now crawl back into my uninformed, evil lapband hole.

Once sleeved or banded, white bread shouldn't even be on the menu anyway, everything we eat needs to be of nutritional value, hence eating a good high protein, high fibre bread.

Losing weight hasn't cured my reflux, still on meds!!

All I can say is enjoy your lapband, I can tell from your comments about it all being about the inability to eat white bread that you have done all the research that you need to make an informed decsion.

applesauce

Quote :

....You need the band tightened or it is a bit of plastic decoration in your stomach.

I love this description, I am imagining it with a fountain and a peace statute. I also think it is silicon, not plastic and not dis-silimar from having a row of titanium staples holding your stomach together.

Yes I have read the lapband forums and there are numerous posts from people with all sorts of ailments, all attributed, some almost impossibly, to the lapband. But at the end of the day I revert back to the guy who has done nearly 4000 of these operations and follow ups and the gastroentrologist who deals specifically with that area of the body and has 25 years experience, rather than those a few weeks, months or years out from surgery who are mostly annoyed that they can't eat white bread anymore.

"He also said the worst case scenerio would be that the band is left in, and all the fill taken out for a while and they can keep adjusting it until it is right as well as playing around to get the meds right"

read the lapband forums this NEVER works. you end up with either reflux or no restriction eating just like you have no lapband. I have read the lapband forums now for more than 4 years and I have never seen a single person come back from reflux with a band. Sure weight loss may and does for a lot of people curer the reflux but selling the lapbad as a well if the reflux doesnt go we can just adjust it to stop the reflux is just not something that ever happens without being left with what amounts to a useless bit of plastic in your body doing NOTHING as you have no restriction. I have seen people suffer years of doctors him included pulling filling in and out trying to find that spot that works and none work for more than 5 minutes.

I just can not see over all these years that ever single success case just doesnt go the lapband forum. the odds of that are a million to one or more. then there are the so many on the forums all being told by their doctors it is just a matter of resting it with no fill in then getting the fill right which just is like the tooth fairy it doesnt exist.

Again doing the band because it is your choice I have no problems with. Doing it because of some idea that if you get reflux with the lapband it can be fixed is just as I said scary because you never see anybody who does.

Yes weight loss can fix reflux I am talking about the reflux that people then get or returns as the band gets tightened. You need the band tightened or it is a bit of plastic decoration in your stomach.

applesauce

Applesauce I didn't say that I thought that the band would fix the reflux, I said weight loss would probably fix reflux and that is why I am considering both options. The "fix" is weightloss, either with the band or sleeve to enable it.

seriously take into consideration I am yet to see the remove fill rest EVER work the minute the fill goes back back comes uncontrolable reflux. Second read these forums and see how this totaly reversable band can leave you with so much non reversable scar tissue no further weight loss surgery is possible. I would so get a second opinion.

choosing to have a lapband because it is a personal preference I understand perfectly doing it to because you think reflux and the band is something they fix is scarey.

applesauce

Thanks so much for sharing experiences, I suspect that when they finally open me up they will find a hernia like you describe Tracey that is being masked by something else. Bring on the surgery!

Just to clarify, I really like my surgeon, he is highly experienced and if nothing else, completely lovely to talk to. He didn't "push" one surgery over the other, in fact he said he wanted some time to talk to my gastro guy before making a recommendation either way. He has all the facts, including all the investigation and a long conversation with my regular guy.

Based on the opinions of both of them, they recommend the band because it is reversible should the reflux get too much and not be cured by the weight loss. He also said the worst case scenerio would be that the band is left in, and all the fill taken out for a while and they can keep adjusting it until it is right as well as playing around to get the meds right. Apparently there is some research done for some long term sleeve patients which says that in some cases reflux is worse becuase of the shape of the new stomach, which is what is worrying me the most about this path.

Basically they are taking a very cautious approach, it's just that I don't like the solution that these highly experienced doctors have come up with, I'd rather a magic wand and a pair of size 12 sass & bide jeans immediately with no surgery, diet or exercise involved!

Based on a discussion with DH last night, I am going to go for the band and should I hate it, move onto the sleeve. I realise it is two sets of surgery should something go wrong, but I think I have to try the band to be satisifed to move onto the more "serious" sleeve surgery. I also don't mind the idea of the foreign body inside my body, I think of it as a bit of reconstructive surgery like a hip operation.

Thanks so much for your opinions, I really love to read them!

applesauce wrote:

dont let any surgeon talk you into a band to fix reflux bloody idiot see how many bandits have to go to a sleeve because of that uncontrolled reflux.

I'd be careful calling a surgeon who has been named a "bloody idiot" - particularly considering you have no knowledge of the patient's medical history and any particular reason the surgeon has made his particular treatment recommendation. What someone reports and what the actual medical facts are may not be the same thing.

Hey Slimjim, I also had a scope and my surgeon couldn't pick up the hiatus hernia because of so much reflux 'activity' in my stomach. It wasn't until I had a swallow xray (where they tip you upside down) that I learnt that I had a fairly large hernia (8cm) pushing up near my lungs (thus giving the heart attack like pain). Pre op even on 80mg a day, I still had shocking reflux and somedays just bending over, food would come straight back up. It was my surgeon who recommended the sleeve as he felt banding wasn't even an option in regards to my reflux issues.

I had a few rough days after surgery, again with reflux and also pain from internal stitches on my diaphram (to close up the hole made by the hiatus hernia). Drinking water was painful, but easily managed with a shot of apple juice added for the first few months. Couldn't drink coffee for about 6 months, mainly choosing plain hot water or peppermint tea. Nearly 20 months post surgery, I still mainly choose to drink water at room temperature and take 20mg losec every morning with a cup of peppermint tea. Still get the burps (little ones, lol) sometimes but have no pain and can pretty much eat what I want now.

Having this surgery was the best thing I have ever done, I certainly have no regrets.

big hugs
tracey

I didn't choose the band becuase it wasn't permament, I mean I am over my weight problem and the thought that I could loose a lot of weight and then have the band removed and put it all back on was more than enough for me to decide on the sleeve, plus I don't like the thought of a forgein body in me, with the port etc

I also do not have time to go for fills etc.

I did choose the sleeve and was done 2 weeks ago, and already have no relux (take 40mg of nexium) no vomting, making sure I follow the dietican but it's all going along beautifully. Thank god it's permament, this time it's the last time the weight is coming off!

Janelou x

Great idea Az, I will have to go and make another appointment with him to discuss. He is a lovely surgeon and pretty much every medical professional I have spoken to has said he is one of the best in this field, so I take his advice seriously.

I've this delimma at the moment, hate the idea of the band because it is not permanent, hate the idea of the sleeve because it is, but with 50kgs to lose, something has got to give!

I agree with apple, that sounds odd, but i will say this Dr Peter Nottle was my surgeon and a few others on here, he had no problem with me skipping the band and getting sleeved at all and he is a fantastic surgeon so I'd like to think his concern is genuine. Maybe find out exactly what options would be unavailable to you if you did proceed? That way you can completely understand there concern and make an informed decision :)

read the band forums it is full of thousands with uncontrolable nightmare reflux that NOTHING fixes. then look at the sleevers form not a single

solitary case of reflux that was and is not controlable with meds. even then long term the numbers are tiny who even use meds most come off them within a year. for those who stay on them life is NORMAL no bloody reflux when taking the meds.

dont let any surgeon talk you into a band to fix reflux bloody idiot see how many bandits have to go to a sleeve because of that uncontrolled reflux.



applesauce

I use to have nightmare reflux vomiting acid all night had a sleeve now fully controlled reflux with meds.

I am on 80mgs of somac every day and have had every test under the sun, including a scope this week. No hernia sighted, just put down to GORD apparently.

At this stage I am not even scared of the surgery, I am more scared that it will make everything worse. The sleeve sounds great and doesn't seem to have the problems that the band does, but it is a more "serious" operation.

So unsure! Have booked for the band, but may change my mind beforehand.

On a different note, this forum is great, unlike some of the band forums, no agro, just help! I'd almost choose the sleeve so I can stay on with all you lovely ladies (and gents).

I had reflux for 8 years pre-sleeve due to a hiatus hernia.
It was well control with medication.

I had the hernia repaired at the same time I was sleeved.
I have no reflux, but must take anti-reflux medication for 12 months post-sleeve.

Hi slimjim,

I'm surprised your doc hasn't suggested an endoscopy to find out the reason behind the reflux. It is often common practice before sleeve surgery that they do an endoscopy and sometimes a hiatus hernia is found and operated on at the same time as the sleeve surgery.
I had reflux and my surgeon did both operations. I still get reflux 2 years on but not to the extent that I had it prior to surgery. I haven't been back to see him to find out why I still have this problem but I know often it is because I have eaten too much or too late.
I am on Nexium but only take every 2nd day.
I think there are others who have been fixed by the repair of their hiatus hernia and not needed to have any further treatment for it.

steph

Hi not sure where this should go so feel free to move it if its in the wrong place.

I am scheduled for a band at the end of October. I was initially more keen on the sleeve, but my surgeon and my gastroentrologist think the band would be better because I currently have bad reflux which can take me out of action for a few days (like in bed crying bad!). My surgeon is Peter Nottle so he does both, but he thinks for me the band would be better.

I am hoping that losing weight will help get it under control, but if it doesn't both are concerned that the sleeve may make my treatment options limited if it does get worse, whereas a band can be removed and I can go back to the status quo (which isn't great anyway).

I am still not convinced that reflux would be any worse with the sleeve, from what I have heard the band can make it worse but it is not a common problem with sleevers.

I was wondering if anyone here had reflux before surgery and if the sleeve has made it better or worse?