Acid Reflux - Which wls is best?

IsabellaL · May 25, 2015

Hello all, I've just had my first meeting with my consultant and my surgery is now booked for August but I've yet to decide between a sleeve (which was what I thought I wanted) and an RNY (which scares me). My surgeon said his no.1 recommendation for me is RNY because:

1) I have had acid reflux for at least 10 years ( medicated with lanzaprazole) and he fears the sleeve will make it worse. He did say though that if when he's doing the op he finds a hernia he will as a matter of course repair it, which I thought was brilliant. I've never had an endoscopy so have no idea what's going on inside me, and I did have my gall bladder removed (by keyhole) 20 years ago.

2) I'm a sweet eater. I don't have particularly large portions, but if you put a selections of puddings in front of me I'd probably eat them all. So he thought the rny and the joys of dumping might be the solution - hopefully I'll be a good little Pavlov's dog

Anyway I do take his advice on board and having done yet more research I'm almost at the point of opting for the rny, but I wanted to know if:

1. Is there anyone who has had an rny who previously had (medicated) acid reflux, and if so was it improved post surgery?

2. Is there anyone who despite having medicated long term acid reflux went ahead and had a sleeve? If so how did you get on post op.

It's such a big decision choosing what surgery t go for and I've come a long way since I first started my research where I thought the only option was a band! I want to get it right so all advice will be gratefully received.

Isabella

HelenAngelfish · May 25, 2015

IsabellaL said:
Hello all, I've just had my first meeting with my consultant and my surgery is now booked for August but I've yet to decide between a sleeve (which was what I thought I wanted) and an RNY (which scares me). My surgeon said his no.1 recommendation for me is RNY because:

1) I have had acid reflux for at least 10 years ( medicated with lanzaprazole) and he fears the sleeve will make it worse. He did say though that if when he's doing the op he finds a hernia he will as a matter of course repair it, which I thought was brilliant. I've never had an endoscopy so have no idea what's going on inside me, and I did have my gall bladder removed (by keyhole) 20 years ago.

2) I'm a sweet eater. I don't have particularly large portions, but if you put a selections of puddings in front of me I'd probably eat them all. So he thought the rny and the joys of dumping might be the solution - hopefully I'll be a good little Pavlov's dog

Anyway I do take his advice on board and having done yet more research I'm almost at the point of opting for the rny, but I wanted to know if:

1. Is there anyone who has had an rny who previously had (medicated) acid reflux, and if so was it improved post surgery?

2. Is there anyone who despite having medicated long term acid reflux went ahead and had a sleeve? If so how did you get on post op.

It's such a big decision choosing what surgery t go for and I've come a long way since I first started my research where I thought the only option was a band! I want to get it right so all advice will be gratefully received.

Isabella

I've had a sleeve - I had never had Acid Reflux BUT I am a sweet eater, so in hindsight I should have had a bypass.

However, I do not regret my sleeve and do love that I can eat everything, just smaller portions and no dumping.

Downside is I CAN and DO over eat on sweet foods, as they tend to slide through or can crumble to nothing. SO I have to be extra careful with the sweets I do eat.

I didn't want to every worry about not eating something again - turns out we all have that worry either way.

Do whatever is right for you! Write a list of pros and cons.

Not much help - sorry.

Good Luck with whatever you chose. xx

mouse57 · May 25, 2015

Just a follow on I would go for the bypass there is more restriction and you won't get as much reflux even with medication.

HelenAngelfish · May 25, 2015

mouse57 said:
Just a follow on I would go for the bypass there is more restriction and you won't get as much reflux even with medication.

I get very good restriction with my sleeve - I can't eat more than 50g of anything without feeling full or like I will burst. With heavier foods or chewy foods its sometimes less than that - Literally 1 sausage and I'm full.

I seem to eat less than most bypassers when it comes to restriction.

However, with Acid Reflux sufferers I believe a bypass is the best option and consider what your surgeon has said and what you feel most comfortable with.

xx

Kar8858 · May 25, 2015

I also have a sleeve and have a lot of restriction. I love sweet stuff too but with not much appetite I've lost interest.
I never had acid before and don't have it now but I believe some so suffer.
I would listen to the consultant, they are the expert.

buglady · May 25, 2015

Hi just wanted to say I've had both a band and a bypass and would with out doubt recommend the bypass! The band caused my severe reflux and a hernia so maybe I'm biased but having my band took out and becoming bypassed and hernia repaired I now am proud to say I'm acid and reflux free! I couldn't comment on sleeve and bypass as I only know the bypass!! Delighted with it too!! Good luck with your choice!! X

IsabellaL · May 25, 2015

HelenAngelfish said:
I've had a sleeve - I had never had Acid Reflux BUT I am a sweet eater, so in hindsight I should have had a bypass.

However, I do not regret my sleeve and do love that I can eat everything, just smaller portions and no dumping.

Downside is I CAN and DO over eat on sweet foods, as they tend to slide through or can crumble to nothing. SO I have to be extra careful with the sweets I do eat.

I didn't want to every worry about not eating something again - turns out we all have that worry either way.

Do whatever is right for you! Write a list of pros and cons.

Not much help - sorry.

Good Luck with whatever you chose. xx

Actually it really is a help because you are describing the realities of living with your sleeve and being a sweet eater. I know someone with a band which has never worked for her as she circumvents it with chocolate buttons and wotsits. I don't want to do that no matter which wls I opt for but wonder if I could eat sweets that I would eat sweets so it's certainly a consideration.

IsabellaL · May 25, 2015

mouse57 said:
Just a follow on I would go for the bypass there is more restriction and you won't get as much reflux even with medication.

Being reflux free would be brilliant. I hadn't even considered that as a potential benefit of wls when I first started my research.

IsabellaL · May 25, 2015

buglady said:
Hi just wanted to say I've had both a band and a bypass and would with out doubt recommend the bypass! The band caused my severe reflux and a hernia so maybe I'm biased but having my band took out and becoming bypassed and hernia repaired I now am proud to say I'm acid and reflux free! I couldn't comment on sleeve and bypass as I only know the bypass!! Delighted with it too!! Good luck with your choice!! X

That's so helpful, thank you! I'd love to have no reflux. I'll be interested to see if I do have a hernia. Must admit I was delighted when my surgeon said that if I did have one he'd repair it with no extra charge. If I do have one at least it will explain why I've had such bad reflux for so many years.....as well as the weight ofc

Su2ie · May 25, 2015

I had a huge hiatus hernia resulting in severe reflux and was medicated for years.
Because if this my surgeon said rny was really the best option even over a mini bypass the thought of which terrified me.
It took a while to get my head around but eventually was persuaded it was a bypass or nothing!!
Had surgery 1st November last year so coming up 7 months and so far so good. Weight loss has been great and haven't had any problems with reflux at all. I was given lansoprazole to take for 6 months but I'm struggling to get off it because without it I do get pain in my stomach and feel really uncomfortable and gassy.
Overall I'd recommend listening to your surgeon, I understand your reservations because I felt the same but I can honestly say I don't regret a thing

Su2ie · May 25, 2015

Oh and I also have a terribly sweet tooth and unfortunately that hasn't changed

IsabellaL · May 25, 2015

I think I'm seeing a theme here

I also think I knew what people would say but still really needed to hear it. I don't suppose my sweet tooth will disappear either but from the sounds of it a RNY will give me the best chance of overcoming my sweet addiction. Thank you very much for responding, it's very reassuring to hear that RNY has had positive results on so many people's lives, and hopefully it will have the same effect on mine

mouse57 · May 25, 2015

I can only speak about my own experience, I wanted the sleeve because of the absorption issues with vitamins etc. but my surgeon said he would only do a bypass. When questioned he said although I had done my research this was and should be my first choice because it was more beneficial there was a greater loss and for longer. Within 15 minuets he had convinced me it was the op,I should have. The other option was that at least if it didn't work I could then have a sleeve as a last resort. If I had the sleeve first there was no where to go. Which made perfect sense to me. Now on the other hand I have met two people who have had sleeves privately and I can not believe the amount of rubbish they can eat. I've witnessed them in the office which is open plan and there is always cakes, snakes etc and they both complain that " the surgery isn't working for them " they don't know I've had surgery And I'm shocked to see what they are willing to eat. Now I know there will be done on here who,will say I don't do that etc. but I now know which I would rather have had and that is the bypass. I can only speak from the heart.

IsabellaL · May 26, 2015

Thank you for giving me the benefit of your own experience. I have to say that even when the sleeve was my first choice (because I didn't want the malabsorption issues, or my intestines rearranged) I did worry that if I could tolerate cakes etc that I would still eat them. I've heard many who have had wls emphasise that the surgery is on the stomach not the head and I think I'd be naive just to assume that my sweet addiction will miraculously disappear. I know with rny that it is still just a tool, but from everything I've read it's the tool that will give me the best chance of success. I suppose that's really what people mean when they say we're all different and we really do have to understand ourselves and so understand which wls is right for each of us.

I can picture in my head the scenario you have painted in your office, and if I'm being totally honest I can see me being one of the women reaching for the cake. I don't want that and I sincerely hope that I will fight being that but yes I'm now convinced that a rny is the best tool to help me not be that woman.

Again thank you for telling me that as it has helped me a lot in reaching a decision. In fact everyone who has posted has helped me a lot, so a heartfelt thank you to all of you.

Isabella x

Acid Reflux - Which wls is best?

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