PPI's - should i or shouldn't i?

[mommytoethan 1]

My doctor does not require that i take one.

I used prevacid the last few months of my band because i had horrible acid reflux. i have not felt that feeling with this sleeve. in fact, i dont have any symptoms that i can tell.

i haven't taken anything since 3 days after surgery. honestly i can't tell if i need one or not.

i know there are quite a few people that use a PPI, so i thought i would ask - do you think i should take one anyway even though my doctor told me i dont have to if i dont want to?

[TexasT 99]

Your doc is the expert, not any of us. So if you're doing well without one and he says it's OK, then don't take one. The fewer meds the better in my opinion. But if you start feeling like you're hungry when you don't think you should be, that may mean you should be on something. That's one of the first warning signals of excess stomach acid with the sleeve. I take the generic Prilosec - which is OTC at any drug or grocery store.

[Tiffykins 673]

I didn't have reflux pre-sleeve. Even with the band, I had zero reflux.

Once I started eating mushy food, I got the gnawing, twingey feeling in my stomach even though I knew I was not hungry. Went on Prilosec RX 20mg once daily, and haven't had any issues. I didn't want to wait for acid to come spewing up my esophagus in the middle of the night that I had read about when people didn't go on the PPI. I'm still on it and have zero intention of going off it anytime soon.

[CharityW 0]

I have had GERD for 12+ years. In my experience, you KNOW if you need the meds or not. I personally feel like I have a cotton ball stuck in my throat, I cough and cough, If I inhale too hard then I can feel the acid being inhaled too. I wake in the middle of the night coughing and vomitting. I lose my voice for long periods of time due to the acid irritating my vocal cords. I have even gotten chemical pneumonia from the stomach acid getting in my lungs.

My reflux has gotten worse with my surgery, so I avoid any tight clothes, all citrus and Tomato products. No caffeine. And take two 40mg Prilosec a day. I knew it was a risk it would get worse, and I still feel the surgery was totally worth it!