Hello all,
I was banded 13 years ago at 250 pounds. During this time I have truly changed everything about my diet and my exercise habits. About 6 years into having my band, at 135 pounds, I developed acid reflux. I didn't know what it was at the time as I had never had it before and just ignored it. Eventually I started taking tums, then nexium 20mg.
I would say I took nexium for 4 or so years before going to my band doctor who told me I had to drain my band. He scared me and warned me I would gain weight but I never did (I wish I had read more positive stories about draining/removing so I wanted to mention that)!
Once he drained my band my acid went away for a week. I was so happy I could cry. Until one day I ate a bowl of chili, it came back and never went away (so heartbreaking) even with my band fully drained.
Fast forward, I made the decision to take out my band to get rid of this acid reflux that has been really effecting my quality of life. That was this last October. After surgery I continued to have acid reflux and the doctors said to keep taking my nexium for a couple weeks. I did, it didn't go away so he prescribed me sucralfate. That didn't work so he prescribed me Protonix 40mg twice a day along with the sucralfate 4 times a day.
I am now almost 2 months out from surgery. I eat so healthy and have removed everything possibly triggering from my diet. While I have not gained weight which was all I could think about before surgery, I never imagined I would still have acid reflux after I got my band removed. The whole point of having my band taken out was to be free of this awful GERD that has haunted me for the past 13 years.
I am so heartbroken to still be going through this after surgery. Has anyone gone through this and come out on the other side? Any advice would be amazing.