Heartburn HELP! UGH

Hello all!

I was woken up last night from HORRIBLE heartburn. It was so bad I thought that I was going to throw up.

It happened about 2.5 hours after I went to bed. Now about an hour before I went to bed I did eat but it wasnt anything that has caused heartburn before and I also took a dose of liquid Tylenol with codeiene because I am getting over strep throat.

When I take the liquid tylenol with codeine I have noticed that when I swallow it my sleeve burns a little bit. Almost like I took a shot of liquor.

I have been getting heartburn more frequently like once a week, compared to what it was when I was preop which was daily. I do take omeprazole when I am bothered by it but I dont have to take it daily anymore.

I have been smoking again for a few months and my surgeon said that smoking can cause ulcers.

Is this something that I should worry about that I may have an ulcer or do you think it may just be a sensitivity to the liquid tylenol with codeiene?

Thanks for your opinion!

First, I'm sorry you are going through the pain of heart burn.

Yes, you should worry about smoking again until you put them down. You invested time in yourself to be healthier. Be careful.

Smoking can cause ulcers, heart burn, cancer, copd, emphazema, several upper respersatory infections and diseases, allergies, pre-mature aging. Not to mention, you try to take supplements for your body so you have pleny of vit's and minerals since your sleeve. Smoking depletes you of these nutrients.

Please, for yourself, put them down.

I'm not trying to harp or get up on a soap box. I'm sure you know the risks involved.

I just want you to be a healthier, happier you.

Have a blessed one,

Susan

I have not been able to get off prilosec yet. You are lucky you don't have to take it everyday. Try gaviscon it is what my dr said to take. It's like rolaids. It works good.

I'd put my money on the smoking! It is hard enough on a full sized stomach I would imagine it is horrendous on your baby tummy. Ditch the smokes and add a PPI and I would bet you improve greatly.

I had a major problem with GERD pre-surgery; what you dexcribe was an all too common experience for me back then, even with the prescribed PPI.  My surgeon tried to talk me out of the sleeve because reflux and heartburn are not "cured" with the sleeve unlike RNY, and in some cases, accordng to my surgeon, can get worse.  However, I was sold on the sleeve, so my surgeon's reocmmendations be damned! 

I'm happy to say that my symptoms have not gotten worse, and in fact are much improved post-surgery.  However, even at 1 year out, I am still on a PPI.  If I miss a dose, the heartburn and reflux return, so I figure I'll probably be on it for life.

My recommendation would be to quit smoking.  It definitely does irrate the stomach, which can certainly lead to the heartburn.  Get on a PPI.  I tried many pre-surgery,a nd the only one that has ever worked is Nexium, but everyone is different, so you may have ato try a few to find the one that works for you.  fortunately, there are several out there.  Also, pre-surgery, when I'd have break-through bouts of heartburn, I'd take  Mylanta or Gaviscon, which helped ease the pain.

Good luck!

I would get on a true PPI for a couple of weeks and then try to wean off or cut the dosage down to every other day.

You might consult a G-E and perhaps get an endoscopy, just to make sure nothing serious is going on in your sleeve.  That said, you say "I do take omeprazole when I am bothered by it but I dont have to take it daily anymore."  Omeprezole is a PPI; they don't work directly on stomach acid.  PPIs work systemically, they prevent acid from forming, rather than neutralizing it once it's already present.  Most people need to take a PPI regularly for a few days before it starts working.

Since you're smoking and taking a medication that "burns" your stomach a bit, my recommendation would be to get on a PPI and stay on it until your contributing factors are no longer an issue.  Take it at the same time every day, and if it isn't working, take it twice a day.  (Consult your PCP or your surgeon about dosage and frequency.)  Avoid eating for up to a couple hours before bedtime, and avoid foods that tend to create reflux.

Uncontrolled GERD (heartburn) can lead to much more serious complications - google Barrett's esophagus.  Time to get serious about it!