Reflux Revisited???

Wyld Blu · April 15, 2005

Hi everyone....I need your input. I have been banded for a year next month. I have ok restriction, but seem to be hungry a lot sooner after a meal than in the recent past. I go in to the docs on the 27th of this month for a band check and maybe a fill. My problem is that for the last few days, I have woken up in the middle of the night with burning acid in my throat...the worse reflux ever. I had bad reflux before banding (never like this though)but none after, until now. I am eating dinner at least 3 hours before I go to bed. The only difference I can think of is that I have had 2 strawberries around 4 in the afternoon each day this has happened. Could this be it? I would worry about a slipped band except my restriction hasn't changed. Whatcha think??

vinesqueen · April 15, 2005

It is rather suspecious that you've only had this on days you've eaten stawberries. It could be that you have an alergy to the berries? I would not have berries for a few days then have a a couple of berries. If you have the reflux again, you have a problem with the berries!

flower · April 15, 2005

I just went for my surgical consult and they said if you have acid reflux at night it is probably that the band had slipped or eroded not to get you worried but you have to probably get it checked up plus the acid eats away at the band let us know how everything is.

Wyld Blu · April 15, 2005

I don't understand how the acid IN my stomach can erode the band OUTSIDE my stomach. How can this be? Did you doctor explain this? I am going on the 27th of this month to my doctor. I am not gonna have any strawberries for the next few days. If the problem doesn't subside, I will try to get them to move the appt. date up.

paula · April 15, 2005

Hi Wild Blu!

Ive been having nighttime reflux off and on since December - my last fill. Everytime I think that its time to get a slight unfill, the reflux stops. Because I was worried about the reflux being due to a slipped band, I asked for a barium swallow to check on the position. Everything checked out ok. Soon afterwards the reflux was much better. Probably due to a number of things... prilosec qd and no eating after 8pm. For the past week this reflux junk has kicked up again. I even called my pcp today to get a script for something stronger then prilosec. (shrugs shoulders) I dont know!

Have you read our "sticky" thread about reflux?

Good luck - and let me know what happens.

flower · April 16, 2005

they stitch the skin of your stomach around the band to hold it there I believe

Alexandra · April 16, 2005

When I had reflux my doctor also wanted to take a look and see how things were. The first fluoroscopy was a little unclear, so he gave me an unfill and told me to come back in six weeks. The reflux went away with the unfill, and so six weeks later he gave me a little more fill. That time the fluoro confirmed that everything was fine with my band, no slippage or erosion. But with the fill the reflux came back and this time it stayed. So I've had another little unfill and now things are fine.

I think with the passage of time it's not surprising that our esophagi act differently, and people who may never have had problems start to experience some refluxing. The strawberries could be the culprit, but if not an unfill could be in order. Don't worry about that, it's not the end of the world and you'll feel better!!