Reflux -GERD

[Bookie]

Hiya!

Long time no see, but no news is good news, right?

Doing ok, still loving my band. Very slow weight-loss, but I am still getting major restriction so there is absolutely no point in going for another fill. Even though the scales don't seem to be shifting much, my body shape is and I am now a steady 18, slowly shifting towards a 17 1/2, lol.

So, all was well in Paradise, I thought I had it all sussed, and then, bang. For a while now, the reflux has been getting worse. Now, bear in mind I have always been prone to that ever since a child, that I am on Lansoprazole to control it and that it normally works well.

But this is a different beast. Basically, I have some food, doesn't matter what or how little. My band will start gurgling like a waterspout in a summer storm. Then about 1 hour later, sometimes more, I will end up regurgitating the most burning, horrid acid, choking me up, and I have to throw it up, quite often with whatever food had obviously not gone through yet. It's happening practically every night, no matter how much earlier I had eaten. If I doze off during the day, same happens, even if I am not actually lying down. It's driving me slightly potty, to tell you the truth. (and it's very unpleasant to me and others, as you may guess)

any ideas, suggestions?

thanks in advance.

 

[sharon2014]

Hi!!!

I'm new to the band so not an expert but could it possibly be a band slippage?? Might be worth speaking to your aftercare team!

Well done on the weightloss! I'm a slow loser as well xx

 

[Gladys Friday]

If it's coming off slowly doesn't that mean that you don't have as much sagging skin?

Debbie

 

[Stacey83]

Could it be a case of trying a different medicine and seeing if it works better for you? Perhaps omeprazole would be worth a try?

I have had throwing up both regurgitation and proper vomiting and although I have 2 kinks in my sleeve I have also just been diagnosed with alkaline reflux, who knew?! I'd never heard of it before!

I had an endoscopy and my throat was so raw I'm on this chalky liquid 4 times a day for 14 days an hour before eating and at bed time and although my stomach still sings it's not hurting as much.

Might be worth chatting to your surgeon.

 

[Banderbird]

Are you sure the band's not too tight? Give your provider a call for advice..

 

[top_kat]

call your provider, a major sign of a band being too tight is acid reflux and you say you have major restriction, but too tight a band can really cause an issue

 

[Bookie]

I don't have an after care team as such. I got the op done in France, and the refills in a clinic in London, that's it.

I always have had acid reflux, started when I was a child, so it's not the band's fault, in fact, it improved a lot after the op and with the weight-loss.

I am going back on soups and liquids for a few days, as I wonder if I have a bit of a blockage and that's why I am eating so little and why it's not going through. Will let you know whether that makes any difference.

 

[Mazza]

Hello, stranger!

Sorry to hear you're suffering. Going back to liquids should help calm things down but you should also go and see your GP, a change of meds could be the key.

Good luck and let us know how you get on xx

 

[Mazza]

Bump, how are you getting on now Bookie? xx

 

[Banderbird]

^ thanks for clearing up the other thread Mazza.

How are you doing now Bookie? I hope things are better x

 

[Bookie]

Oh gosh, I am SO sorry, I just posted and ran, didn't realise it had been that long ago! How very rude of me!

Thank you to all who posted, especially as it seems thee was some ruckus afterwards...

Anyway, the update is that I'm still here, pretty much in the same position, still having reflux if I eat too much/too late, or sometimes if I just look at food with too much intensity, or so it feels...

The way I see it is this: It would be nice if I could eat what I want, when I want and still lose weight. If that was the case I would never have needed the band, though, right?

Fact is: I am losing weight very slowly. 1 kg a month average is really not a lot. If I go get the band loosened, that's likely to stop the weight loss altogether. Until I am a lot closer to my goal weight, that's not a risk I am prepared to take. I'll stay with the discomfort for now. If it gets to the point where I can't take it, then I'll go and get a de-fill. Not just yet.

It is still a learning curve. There are things I can handle and some which I cannot, and that varies according to the weather, my state of health and what not. If that's the way it's gotta be, then that's the way it's gotta be. Losing the weight is the main goal here, discomfort is secondary and food way, way down the list of priorities. I wanted to be able to lose weight without feeling hungry, and that is exactly what I got, so, onwards and upwards.

So, enough whinging from me.

I am now a steady 18, slowly edging towards a 16, although still a long way away... but forgiving clothes designers have allowed me to squeeze into some s16 jeans once or twice, so it's all good. Got myself some jeans at Costco yesterday, got a size 18, and they are frankly a tad too roomy. Wey-HEY!!!!

i really am starting to have too much of an apron of loose skin, and I know that getting that taken off would help me going down at least another dress size, but I am not prepared to put myself through that. Maybe that will change, right now, I accept that I will be 52 at my next birthday and that this body has gone through the wars and will never go back to its pristine 22 years old condition. I used to be a sports car, now I'm more like a war-battered tank, lol.

Other news: I am now doing my 2nd year distance course with the Uni of Birmingham on autism, still caring for my soon-to-be 18 autistic son, still trying to tackle the mountain of mess that is called my home and trying to get rid of some of my hoarding behaviours... trying out new crafts, my current obsession is decoupage, I love upcycling stuff! I haven't managed to get back into a gym/swim routine as yet, I am having problems with my son going to school in the morning, so I cannot even think of having a routine there when his is so disturbed.

Less than 1 month to Christmas, and this is going to be the most laid-back yet: DD is away elsewhere, son no1 doesn't care about food as long as there is something to eat, and son no2 doesn't "do" Christmas food, I don't care any more either, so it's going to be low-key, cheaper and with no stress added. Yippee!

What else? Oh yes, less than 2 weeks until hubby and I get 1 week's respite away to Agadir, and I cannot wait. I need sun, sea and sand to recharge the batteries before the long slow slog of winter.

Well, that's me. I hope you are all doing well individually and collectively. I am using this short time where everyone is still asleep to pop in, update my weight charts and say hi, and now I am off again... god knows how long for this time!

Funny thing is that even though I do not post here often these days, you are always in my mind, and I often think of people on here, hoping they are happy and well. After all, no-one else understands us better than our comrades-in-arms, hey?

If I don't come back before, have a fabulous Christmas, however you spend the time, and a very happy slimming New Year 2015!

Lots of love, always.

Marie. x

:48:

 

[Monalisa]

Hi bookie
Please do not ignore this reflux go and get an X-ray they are about £150 but worth every penny. I have been through two years of hell with reflux and so wish I had had one sooner I tried an endoscopy but that didn't show problem. I now have a pouch which has forced my band down and am waiting for a reposition when I finally got accepted on the nhs due to reflux problems they have been brill and told me reflux isn't normal and Is usually a sign of being too tight pouch dilation or slippage and the earlier it is caught the better and easier to treat so please there may be nothing wrong but go and be checked to be safe I so wish someone had told me to. Good luck xxx

 

[Bookie]

What do you mean by "I have a pouch which has forced my band down", please? I don't understand?

 

[Monalisa]

I have pouch dilation which then moves the band out of position and it is lower down than it should be the pouch holds more food than it should and this causes Gerd and acid reflux I was crippled with it choking at night etc they emptied my band which cured it but as soon as they fill it again it comes back so I now have to have another operation to reposition the band. My nhs team have told me never to ignore heartburn or reflux with the band as it can be a sign there is something wrong my private care said it was normal but it isn't so please just go and get it checked you may be fine or may just need a slight defil but I wasn't so lucky and I have met another girl at the hospital in exactly the same situation I don't want to worry you but I wish I hadn't left mine so long x