19 months out and still struggle with acid reflux

I had VSG January 2015 and am down 100lbs and have been at goal weight since January 2016. I never had issues with acid reflux before the sleeve surgery. I have not been able to get off the acid reducer medicines since the surgery. I've tried but pay the price of horrible acid reflux.  My dr recommended having a scope done to make sure there are no issues and I will be doing this but wondered if anyone else has had to deal with acid reflux for this extended period after surgery. i know that being on long term acid reducers is not ideal and really don't want to be on them any longer but Ieven with the acid reducers I still feel the acid reflux almost every day. Would love to know if any others dealt with this issue. Thanks 

2.5 years out, I still deal with it everyday.  It is unbearable without the meds. My doc has mentioned having a revision to rny that it may help :( 

my dr briefly mentioned having it revised to the Ray but I will not have that done. RNY may be for some but I was never a fan of changing how my body digests food. And at 125 lbs 5'2" I do not want or need another bariatric surgery. I may just have to deal with this crap! Everything else has been great after surgery I just now have reflux and never had an issue before with reflux. 

Once your acid gets bad enough you may reconsider your decision.  I wasn't a fan of RNY either, that's why I went with the VSG.  However, I couldn't live with the pain or damage any longer.  I was at goal when my acid started and over the year I dealt with it I gained about 12 lbs because it got to the point where I was eating crackers to try and stop the acid.  My surgeon told me I likely would not have a significant weight loss after revision and he was right.  I'm 3 months and 16 days post revision and I've lost the weight I gained, but have not yet made it the final 2 pounds to get back to goal.  I did not view my revision as having another bariatric surgery.  Rather, I viewed this procedure as surgery to cure my reflux and reduce my risk of developing esophageal cancer.  I would urge you to keep an open mind with respect to conversion to RNY, particularly if your scope comes back showing damage to your esophagus.  Has your dr. recommended a 24 hour pH study to determine your acid level?

Unfortunately, this happens pretty often after VSG. Increasingly, people are faced with revision to RNY to stop reflux. These revisions are NOT about losing weight. They are about curing gerd.

You may not be "a fan of changing how your body digests food." But you've already done that. And new studies are showing the horrible side effects of long term PPI usage. And, the terrible results of long term acid reflux, such as Barrett's Esophagus and throat cancer.

Don't let your prejudices stop you from doing what is best for your health. I know several people who thought exactly as you do, and they all say that revising to RNY was the best thing they've ever done.

RNY seems like a better option than risking esophageal cancer.  

My GERD pain has landed me in the ER thinking it was a heart attack.  Boy howdy, trust me, I used to say that and now am reconsidering...

Hi Kappy,

I didn't have the VSG so I will let those that know first hand respond.  One thing I have noticed is there seems to be more and more posts about VSG and post surgery acid reflux.  We did a search and here are other posts/threads.  Reading these posts may help you see a pattern and more importantly what was done to help the issue.  We wish you luck and keep us posted on how you are doing.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/search/?q=vsg%2C+acid+reflex

yes, this is a possible side effect of the VSG. It could be life long. Your surgeon should have told you about the possibility of it happening.

My surgeon did review with me. It's not a matter of being unaware it's a matter of how others are dealing with the reflux and if they disbtvhave it before the surgery and had after were they able to get off the PPIs at some point.