SCARED OF DEVELOPING GERD!

[Natí Beesh 8]

I'm terrified of developing GERD. I don't have any reflux issues now. How many of you developed GERD? what has your doctor told you.....

[brixmix4420 10]

I did not have any issues either, I am 4 weeks post op and doing good. No problems

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[JamieLogical 8,727]

Why are you afraid of it? I have to be on omeprazole daily now, post-op, but it's no big deal. I just take it along with all of my Vitamins.< /p>

[Natí Beesh 8]

I'm a vocalist. worried it will ruin my vocal chords.

[MrsSugarbabe 727]

I'm with @JamieLogical.

Talk with your doctor about it; know that there are medications available to help control it, IF you do develop GERD.

I take Previcid daily and probably will for the rest of my life. Several years ago, way before my WLS, my breathing kept getting harder and harder, even just while standing and talking with someone I would have to pause for a deep breath to be able to continue talking; gasping at times. And I can't begin to tell you how frustrating the shortness of breath was anytime I was exercising! It kept getting worse over about a 2 year period. I got checked out for heart issues, none, got checked out for asthma, mild. Then the pulmonologist I was seeing saw something on an x-ray of my throat that caused him concern; sent me for a CT of my throat which confirmed his suspicions. He referred me to an otolaryngologist who I saw within 2 days. As soon as he scoped me to look at my trach and esophagus, he immediately scheduled me for surgery -- diagnosis: subglottic stenosis (Google it). I am a rare case because 1) I'm an adult 2) I'd never been on a ventilator. Even though I rarely had "acid" reflux, apparently I had asymptomatic GERD during the night. My body created this scar tissue barrier across my trachea to protect it from the GERD. Fortunately, my vocal chords were not affected by the GERD. At this point, he said it was no wonder I was having trouble breathing because my trach was 80% blocked by the scar tissue and it was like I was "sucking air through a straw." On to my very first surgery ever. Laser surgery to remove the scar tissue. Surgery was successful and several years down the road now, no reoccurrence of the subglottic stenosis. After a few tests before the surgery on my throat, and one to follow, he came to the conclusion about the "non-acidic" GERD and put me on Prevacid 2 times per day. The dose was reduced to once per day just before my WLS.

I'm not sharing my story to scare you, just to reinforce the fact that GERD is very treatable.

[Armygalbonnie 643]

I had GERD before surgery but it has worsened since. Like the others above, I will take a PPI the rest of my life. The trade off is worth it though. I'm a speech pathologist and GERD can affect the vocal cords but you can control it.

[triplethreat 257]

Prior to surgery the only times I ever had heartburn were in the final weeks of my pregnancies. Post surgery I have GERD. I take a daily pill. It's fine. It's a small trade off for my overall health.

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[MrsPenguin 103]

I quit gluten 3 years ago which 100% solved my reflux problem. I was sleeved 6 weeks ago, was on Omeprazole for 4 weeks to protect my stomach while it was healing, but have had no occurrance of reflux at all since I stopped the Omep. I am still gf. It's not hard to do once you get used to it.