Question for all Post Oppers

[wobbles]

From memory, and mine isn't very good, but after surgery i was prescribed tablets which were for reducing the amount of acid my stomach produced. Was told that too much acid can cause ulcers, and sickness, so the tablets reduced it in the first few months to avoid these things.

Is my memory playing tricks on me, or is that right?

If it's right, did anyone else take similar tablets?

Do you remember what they are called?

My sister had a lap band a couple of weeks before i had my bypass, and 9 months on she suffers very badly from acid reflux and vomiting due to over production of acid, and i'm wondering what it was i took for that problem post op.

Do any other banders have similar problems at all with nausea, vomiting, reflux due to over production of stomach acid?

 

[CCPM]

Yes I had Lanzoprazole effervescent after my op and still take them

M

 

[candie]

mine are called zoton fastab(lansoprazole)

 

[brett30]

yea i took fast tab for the first month post op ... not needed or given anything since

 

[wobbles]

Thank you so much guys, i remember now it was Lansoprazole. Might have been Losec. My memory sucks.

Is it something that should be taken continously or just for a short time?

 

[candie]

Thank you so much guys, i remember now it was Lansoprazole. Might have been Losec. My memory sucks.

Is it something that should be taken continously or just for a short time?

Continuosly according to my surgeon

 

[fairyringuk]

You can buy Ranitidine in the chemist, or have it prescribed I am pre op but suffer terribly from reflux and had ulcers caused by medication, so take them every day, and they do help.
There are lots of different ones, but they are all much the same give or take, hope this helps

Jay xx

 

[LizzieBee]

Continuosly according to my surgeon

Same surgeon as Sally - and for life due to the reduction of acid needed in the big stomach so as not to develop ulcers.

Lx

 

[ladybird_gal]

I was told to take it for a month or so. I guess if reflux occurs again I should take it again. I've had no problems with it since surgery though. x x

 

[fuze]

I know im not post op (well I am 4 years post of gastric band) but......You need to make sure she does to see her doctor as you should not be getting such bad acid reflux after a band, it is actually ment to help reduce it from coming back up. She needs to see her GP or the people who fitted the band as it could mean there are complications. On the other hand it just could be that she is one of the unfortunate ones that having the band does not help with acid regurgitation so may need to go on some medication. I have been one of the unfortunate ones as in my acid reflux started to come back when my band started to fail (hence why im having bypass shortly) and I now take a PPI (Proton pump inhibitor eg. Lazoprazole or omeprazole). Like I said it could be nothing but she should get checked out!

 

[fuze]

By the way peeps it I know im preop (preop bypass but 4 year post op band)so you may not choose to listen to me but it is important if you have had a bypass and you have the big portion of stomach left inside that you take an acid suppressant medication for at least a few years post op and really should do it for life. This is because the bit of stomach (the antrum) that produces acid will still be producing acid however you wont know if it is over producing easily as it is no longer connected to your oesophagus (food pipe) so instead of getting reflux you can get ulcers in the stomach in the duodenum (the bit of intestine that is bypassed) this can particularly happen at the joins where the intestines have been stapled/ sewn together.

 

[phatgirl]

I was told to take lansoprazole for life by my surgeon, the advice does vary. As for over the counter equivalents, there is not one sold in the UK that is equal to the prescription proton pump inhibitors such as lansoprazole & omerprazole. I have friends that have had the band and suffered severe acid reflux which can lead to damage to the throat so please advise her to see a doctor before it gets serious and perhaps check her restriction isn't too tight.

Nic

 

[Flibber]

Just to agree with phatgirl and fuze - my operation was changed from a bypass to a sleeve (and now a full DS) because of my tendency to have excess acid and ulcers (I have to take non-steroid anti-inflammatories for arthritis, which probably exacerbates things). I take Omeprazole twice a day - anything less and I get bad reflux and I can actually feel the acid burning my throat.

But one thing puzzles me, and maybe it's because I don't now fully understand the anatomy post-bypass. If the large part of your stomach is sectioned off (not removed as it is with a sleeve) how can the antacid medication get through to it to reduce the production of acid and stop the formation of ulcers? Maybe the answer is staring me in the face, and I'm just being thick, but one thing I do believe is that no surgeon should be giving a patient with a history of reflux or ulcers a bypass operation. As Fuze says, it's just very hard to know what's happening in that sectioned off part as you can't have a normal endoscopic examination.

 

[Bonita]

I'm on Fastabs for life or so I'm told by my surgeon. I read Sharons Osbornes biog and she said she suffered really bad with acid after her band was fitted. Said that some nights she had to sleep sitting up it was that bad.

I got it like that pre-op even though I took omoperazole <spelling... But haven't had any acid at all post-op

 

[tpt]

Yup - mine are called zoton fastab (lansoprazole) - twice daily for life. Both my GP and the clinic / surgeon confirmed that.

 

[candie]

My late Dad had acid reflux for years and it burnt and damaged his oesophagus to the extent he couldn't swallow food without constant ops
I don't want to alarm anyone, but I don't see hoe some of us have been prescribed it for life, and others not.It's a scary prospect

 

[fuze]

Just to agree with phatgirl and fuze - my operation was changed from a bypass to a sleeve (and now a full DS) because of my tendency to have excess acid and ulcers (I have to take non-steroid anti-inflammatories for arthritis, which probably exacerbates things). I take Omeprazole twice a day - anything less and I get bad reflux and I can actually feel the acid burning my throat.

But one thing puzzles me, and maybe it's because I don't now fully understand the anatomy post-bypass. If the large part of your stomach is sectioned off (not removed as it is with a sleeve) how can the antacid medication get through to it to reduce the production of acid and stop the formation of ulcers? Maybe the answer is staring me in the face, and I'm just being thick, but one thing I do believe is that no surgeon should be giving a patient with a history of reflux or ulcers a bypass operation. As Fuze says, it's just very hard to know what's happening in that sectioned off part as you can't have a normal endoscopic examination.

The medication still gets into the place it needs to because it is absorbed and transported into the blood stream and the portion of the stomach that is left to one side (no longer part of the food digestive process), still has a rich blood supply so it gets to the cells that way!

 

[thinkbethin]

I did'nt have to take anything and so far have'nt suffered with acid thank goodness xx

 

[wobbles]

Funny how different surgeons tell you different things. I'm worried now that i should be taking the medication as i've not taken it since shortly after the op.

My sister has been back to the doctor a few times now who tells her it's to be expected. She has to sleep on the sofa sitting mostly upright every night. Can't eat after about 5pm otherwise is up most of the night coughing and vomiting because of the acid.
I'm guessing she's one of the unlucky ones who produces too much and suffers with it. SHe has another appointment in a week or so and i've advised her to request the lansoprazole. Hopefully they'll listen to her.
SHe's losing weight, not as quick as she'd like, but still losing, just has so much trouble with the acid, and i'm really worried about her because of the frequency of vomiting which isn't due to amount or type of food she eats. SHe's somewhat bulimic now because of the acid, and i'm worried about the effects this will have on her body.

Thanks everyone.

 

[teen]

I also take fasttab and I havent had any acid since op I started to take them 4 weeks before my op