Gastric ByPass/VSG/LapBand

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Long time sleevers....do you still take meds for acid reflux?

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KDar1988
KDar1988 Posts: 650 Member
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I'm only 6 months out and my doc wants me to start weaning off Prilosec. I've been taking it 1x a day since surgery. I started taking it every other day, ended up getting sick (unrelated to weaning off) and i could feel the burn in my chest. So I started back to 1x a day, no more burn. I was curious if you have been able to stop it altogether?

Thanks!

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  • garber6th
    garber6th Posts: 1,894 Member
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    My surgeon wanted me to take it in the beginning as I healed, which I believe is pretty standard, but he let me stop after a couple of months I think. I am 2 1/2 years out and I don't have issues with acid at all, and I haven't taken acid reflux meds at all.
  • cheekitty
    cheekitty Posts: 101 Member
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    I'm about 15-16 months out and no longer take it. I stopped around 6-7 months and had no issues.
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,439 Member
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    I have been successful at weaning myself off of these medications (I was on them for 25 years!), but still needed to treat the reflux. I learned that Apple cider vinegar (acv) (2 tbsp in 12 ounces of water) helps better than the PPI! My internet research led me to learn that most heartburn is caused from not having enough acid in the stomach (contrary to conventional medical wisdom)! When the pH of the stomach acid becomes too alkaline the lower esophageal sphincter relaxes, which allows the stomach contents to reflux into the esophagus, and throat. When the pH is more acidic (as when adding the acv) the sphincter functions properly, so, no reflux!

    It did take me a couple of months to wean off of PPIs. The side effects they are seeing from these medications now (memory loss, chronic kidney disease, and risk of a heart attack increases 22%, to name a few) makes them very risky meds! The pharmaceutical company released a statement that as long as they are taken according to the label, that no side effects should be seen. The thing is, the label says they should only be taken for up to eight weeks!

    I also have been using cabbage juice to help my gut heal, and taking a gastric enzyme too! But if I am awakened at night with heartburn I will chug the acv, and it goes away within a couple of minutes!

    Look these up, and educate yourself about these issues! Also, know that some vsgers have a terrible time with reflux (I was one of them!)! Good luck!
  • KDar1988
    KDar1988 Posts: 650 Member
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    Thanks everyone. Very good information, I appreciate it. I think I'll go back to weaning off and see what happens. I suspect my getting sick for several days didn't help matters. Thanks again.
  • authorwriter
    authorwriter Posts: 323 Member
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    I'm on pantoprazole. I take a pill every few days. I am more than 2 years out. I did not have GERD before the surgery. I'm careful to monitor the heartburn. On the one hand pantoprazole interferes with calcium absorption and can through some of the more obscure blood panel items way out of wack. I get the milk products in before I take the pantoprazole. If i stay off it longer than a few days, I wake up in the middle of the night with stomach acid shooting out my nose.

    yes. It's very painful.
  • boncharlie
    boncharlie Posts: 487 Member
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    Im 9 months out from a sleeve and stopped my tablets 3 weeks ago. 3 weeks cold turkey with no heart burn and feeling pretty good about it all.... :)

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