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Question about acid reflux

Suzie

Suzie

Member
Hi there. So, with all the research I've done, I can't seem to find the answer to one question...

Acid reflux. Most people tell me that with the RNY surgery, the portion of the stomach that produces stomach acid is the part that is cut away, and attached lower...meaning that you shouldn't be ABLE to experience acid reflux, because there is no acid produced in the pouch. I understand that reflux is a common occurence with the lap band surgery. I did see a post from a woman who had the surgery due to a number of health problems, which included acid reflux on a level that's horrible to imagine. She stated that the surgery fixed it. This, by the way, also seems to be the logical conclusion after reading the scientific descriptions of RNY.

However, I know that I've seen several posts from people who state that they have had problems with acid reflux since the surgery. How is this possible, if they have moved the part of the stomach that produces the acid? Is it something other than actual acid reflux? Is this one of those random issues, or is it more common than I've been led to believe?

It's not something that would stop me from getting the surgery, but I've never had acid reflux issues, and would certainly not look forward to developing them after surgery...trying to decipher reflux from other pains or what-have-you.

I'd love to hear opinions on this one. Thanks, all!

-Sue
 
I don't know the answer to your question but after RNY surgery everyone is given prescriptions for antacids like prilosec. I have to take it twice a day with a meal.
 
Today I was discussing Sleeve vs RNY and I told the doc I had bad Reflux we decided to do the RNY. He said that the surgery that is done for RNY actually is better than the actual surgery done for reflux. I do not think that there is a part of the stomach removed but it is bypassed and there is only a small pouch made for food to come into. It must be the cuff on that pouch that prevents reflux. I believe the medicine given to RNY people, Prilosec, is because we are more sensitive to ulcers(I do not know why) so that prevents it.
Best of health to you!!!
 
Sandie-My surgeon explained it to me this way. The things that cause ulcers are more concentrated because the pouch area is so much smaller than our pre-surgical stomachs so the ulcers form much quicker. And because our stomach acid is re-routed from the remaining "old" stomach directly into the small intestine to help digest our food, that acid along with all the other things that can cause ulcers in our pouch can also cause ulcers in our intestines. These ulcers are far more serious because they can not be found easily in all of the folds of the intestines. The prilosec is used as a preventive measure to help neutralize the acid and other things that cause ulcers.
 
Is the Prilosec you take a capsule or is it liquid? After a while can you take meds by pill or capsule or always either injection or liquid?
 
Sandie-The prilosec is a capsule with a bunch of tiny beads. I open the capsule and pour the beads onto my tongue and swallow them immediately with a few sips of a cold beverage. Some people mix the beads with applesauce but they start breaking down quickly and become very bitter. I was allowed to take all my meds as pills and capsules as long as they weren't any bigger than an M&M. If they were bigger I just broke them in half. But not everyone can take pills and capsules and need to follow the advice of their surgeon. The only liquid I took was one of the pain meds in the hospital which was also sent home with me. It was hydrocodone. I took this pre-surgery in a pill form and still take it because of hip pain (I need a total hip replacement). The reason they use the liquid is because it works faster and is tolerated better and like I mentioned, not everyone is allowed to take pills in the beginning. As far as I know everyone eventually switches back over to pills and capsules.
 
Thanks Pt. I would think with all the people saying they are nausaeated and vomiting, that a pill would not work or even putting the beads of Prilosec into applesauce since it would take a long time to get down the applesauce if nauseated. I think Reglan comes in a liquid, maybe they use that for people who cannot take pills at first. Hydrocodone is a BIG pill, bigger than an M+M for sure. I wonder how many people go home on pain meds or if they are necessary once home. Is the pain that severe to need a narcotic days after the surgery?
 
Sandie-Everyone has a different pain tolerance and the variables that contribute to it are many. That being said, some of us need pain meds for a short while after surgery and some don't. There have been quite a few posts on this forum where people said they didn't have enough pain to warrant taking pain meds. But the majority of people said they needed something for pain for at least a few days after returning home. I stayed on my liquid hydrocodone until it was gone but didn't take my surgeon up on the offer of a refill. I take pain meds for back, hip and leg related pain that I continued taking after my liquid hydrocodone was gone. I'm hoping to either stop taking this or at least take a reduced dose once I have hip replacement surgery. Although this med makes me very sleepy during the day it also prevents me from sleeping on a regular schedule.

If you have a high pain tolerance you may not need to take a pain med once you are released from the hospital but I would have the prescription filled at the hospital just in case you find yourself needing it. The liquid hydrocodone isn't carried by a lot of pharmacies so getting it from the hospital pharmacy is your best bet. You don't want to find yourself in a situation where you need it and have to find it when you are suffering from pain.
 
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