hello my name is elizabeth im new

[elizabeth]

Hi my name is Elizabeth. I had the sleeve with hital hernia repair on June 11 2013. Things have been rough since surgery not able to eat much or get much fluids in. Had gallbladder out nov 11 2013 with hital hernia repair again. Never had issues with reflux/acid buildup before surgery now its horrible. im taking priolsec 2 times a day. I have lost so much weight I weigh now 108.5. My tummy does good with yogurt and handi snacks cheese and crackers. It does ok with some chicken and bite size cod fish. Other than that everything else bugs it meaning I am miserable afterwards for hours and hours. I feel like I need to burp and try and some fluid comes back up sometimes. Anyone else have these issues. Im not getting anywhere with my surgeon or his office because my labs are and have been coming back normal.

 

[southernlady]

Elizabeth...from another Liz!

Have your tried a different PPI? Prilosec does NOTHING for me, I had to take Prevacid or Protonix.

Who was your surgeon and how long ago was your surgery?

 

[Larra]

Welcome Elizabeth!
I'm sorry you're having such terrible problems. I agree with Southernlady that a different PPI might help more. The only way to know is to try. What concerns me more, though, is why you are having such a bad time. Has any kind of assessment been done to see if your hiatal hernia repair is too tight? If your sleeve is too tight, or perhaps has a stricture somewhere? Some surgeons are making sleeves extremely narrow to try to prevent weight regain. Whether or not it really will prevent regain or just postpone it isn't known yet, but an excessively tight sleeve could certainly cause problems. If your surgeon won't order diagnostic testing, perhaps your pcp will...or perhaps you need a second opinion with a different bariatric surgeon.

 

[JackieOnLine]

Hi Elizabeth!

have you tried omeprazole for heartburn? you can get it over the counter. that's what has worked for me.

and how much liquids are you getting in? if you are dehydrated that could be causing problems.

wow, sorry it's going so poorly, if you could get the heartburn fixed everything else might work out. for now, stick with the foods that you can tolerate.

why did they do a second hernia repair, do they think you got another one or the same one wasn't fixed right the first time? :085:

 

[southernlady]

Hi Elizabeth!

have you tried omeprazole for heartburn? you can get it over the counter. that's what has worked for me.

and how much liquids are you getting in? if you are dehydrated that could be causing problems.

wow, sorry it's going so poorly, if you could get the heartburn fixed everything else might work out. for now, stick with the foods that you can tolerate.

why did they do a second hernia repair, do they think you got another one or the same one wasn't fixed right the first time? :085:

Jackie, Prilosec is the name brand for Omeprazole.

 

[Larra]

Omeprazole is Prilosec - so won't help. A different PPI might.
Omeprazole works great for me too, but I've seen many people report that it did little or nothing for them while another PPI did wonders, so this really is something to try. But I still think there may be more to the story.

 

[JackieOnLine]

sorry!! yes, try a different PPI for sure then.

I have also used Gaviscon now & then. it's like eating chalk but it helped.

 

[Lilyofthevalley]

Oh Elizabeth your problems and concerns parraell my own. My heart goes out to you. Please make sure you are staying hydrated. Eat what you can tolerate and add foods gradually. Please stay in touch with your doctors and insist that they find solutions and help for you.

I took Lansoprazole at first and it did help in my recovery after surgery but after more severe problems it seemed to have no positive effect for me. I am now on Omaprazole which seems to be working for me. Perhaps it would be the opposite for you. My doctor suggested we use the omaprazole and in combination with a probiotic. That seems to be giving me some relief and I am able to add more foods to my diet. So glad you are here with us. Best wishes.

 

[Terri]

Elizabeth! I take dexilant. It works great for me, but I am still pre-op.

 

[Whit]

Welcome to the group Elizabeth. I am sorry you are going through this. I had revision surgery Dec 2012. I started with a micro pouch so my Dr did not have much to work with to create my sleeve when he put it together. It is very small. It works but it's tiny...maybe 2 oz. He did not tell me and I did not ask. I could not really eat much for the first 8 months. I supplemented (and still do) with protein shakes. It is important you get protein in. You may hate them but if you can tolerate just do it. I only use 4 oz of water and 2 scoops of powder (54 oz of protein) so I can drink it in about 3-4 swallows.

So now I am 15 months out. I do eat more but I eat all day. It can take me an hour or more to eat a couple of eggs with cheese. Today for example for lunch I had pre-packaged chicken salad from Trader Joes. It took me 2 hours. I just picked at it until it was gone. Also I found I do better with food if I start my day with a protein drink in the AM. If I skip it food can be an issue the rest of the day. I do not want to eat. I have absolutely no idea why that is...it just is. It is almost like if not primed in the morning it just will not work.

Defiantly go to the Dr. and have the structure checked out. Make sure there is not something mechnicaly wrong. Rule that out first. See if an alternate PPI works better for you. I was on Protonix and found it effective. I was able to stop it after 6 months but I do take a healthy swig of liquid Ant-acid to coat my stomach a couple of times a week.

Please let us know how you are and again welcome to the group.

Best,
Whitney

 

[chevtow]

I take a dexilant in morning and famotidine before bed. Great combo, I never have problems. I am pre-op though.

Oh yeah almost forgot….. Welcome to the site

 

[brooklyngirl]

Hi Elizabeth! I'm sorry you're having a rough time. Definitely take the advice above, a different PPI or antacid could make a world of difference. Omeprazole and dexilant didn't do anything for me, but Zantac works. Lots of people have to play trial and error in that department to find the sweet spot. Plus finding out if the internal structures are as they should be is a step in the right direction. Good luck!

 

[newanatomy]

Welcome! I hope you get some relief soon.

 

[Sheanie]

Hi Elizabeth. I have a very tiny sleeve. Your description fits what I went through, but more extreme. I do wonder about the possibility of you having a stricture, or narrowing (tightening) in your sleeve as well. My surgeon is known for his teensy tiny sleeves. He does them that way to prevent re-sleeving in the future. I also may have had a stricture, but declined an EGD (scope) to stretch it. I found that arching my back helped force out a burp, and GasX helped as well. It took me a LONG time to relearn slow eating. I have to chew my food until there is nothing left to swallow or I still get things stuck.

As for your surgeon, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Call the office and complain until he pays attention to your issue. Or shop for another surgeon or specialist who will listen. But your surgeon should be finishing the job, in my opinion.