VSG Doesn't Cure Heartburn???

I am currently researching two different types of surgery for weight loss.  I spoke to a surgeon's nurse and told her that I have GERD and I was researching both the VSG and RNY surgeries as possibilities for myself.  She told me that 90% of her patients after having RNY feel their symptoms of GERD are gone right away, while patients that have the sleeve, almost always need to remain on medications for the rest of their lives for it.  Does anyone know if this is true? 

I never had GERD/heartburn problems pre-op but MAYBE 2 times. The heartburn kicked in about 5 days after my operation. It was a daily problem for 6 months and is still a problem...although much less of a problem. I take 20 mg omeprazole about 3-4 times a month now. There are people on here who also had GERD before VSG and were cured of it and also some who had GERD before VSG and it's gotten worse. It's a chance you take. I would rather take my 1 PPI a few times a month over taking high blood pressure pills, insulin injections or have to worry about having a heart attack before I turn 30.
The reason the GERD symtpons are cured so quickly with the RNY is that the acid producing part of the stomach is the "remnant" stomach, and is no longer attached to your esophagus (sp?). There is also no way to scope this remnant stomach after RNY if there ever is problems with that part.

Yes, that is my understanding.

Some people might stop having GERD if it was caused exclusively by weight. But generally VSG doesn't cure GERD. And some people who didn't have it before will get it as a result of VSG. And some who have it will have it worse after VSG.

When I was researching surgeries, GERD was listed as one of the possible "negatives" of the sleeve.  The smaller stomach is a higher pressure environment, and stomach acid can more easily come up where it shouldn't.  One possible thing to consider is the presence of a hiatal hernia (diaphragm doesn't close tightly around esophagus).  If this is the cause of your GERD, and it gets repaired, any existing GERD may be gone after surgery, even with the sleeve.

 i had GERD prior to surgery, along with a hiatal hernia ididn't know i had....   they fixed the hernia, but the GERD had caused some damage, so i have to take a PPI now...

but i would take the PPI 6 times a day before i'd sign up for the issues that go along with malabsorption with RNY...  


jeris

I could see where she is coming from...with RNY they bypass your entire stomach...so no stomach acid...with the sleeve you still have some of the stomach and the acid.

I had really bad reflux before surgery, the reflux is better but I still get horrible heartburn. I have to take my PPI like every 2-3 days.  I have to say I will take it this way than the way it was before.  

I've had pretty bad heartburn before surgery, But since surgery,I have not had any hearburn. They did repair a Hilatial Hernia during surgery and that might have helped.

Depending on the cause of your GERD, getting the sleeve could set you up for a lot of unpleasantness and potential revision surgery.  One surgeon I spoke with was reluctant to do a sleeve on me because of my history with GERD, even though it appeared I had a substantial hiatal hernia that was the likely cause, and would be repaired at the time of my sleeve surgery.  He indicated that he has several patients with very severe GERD, which can be difficult to treat effectively once you have a sleeve.  One is needing frequent botox injections into the pyloric valve and is likely facing revision surgery.
The other surgeon I consulted with agreed that the sleeve would be a risky choice for me if they hadn't found a hiatal hernia, but since they did and it could be repaired, he left the choice up to me.  I do still take a PPI, but have no further GERD symptoms and am glad the sleeve worked out for me.  Bypass patients have to put up with a lot of issues post-op (like dumping, and lactose intolerance for many), but I would rather have had RNY than no surgery at all, or the band.

  I think you'll find most posters on any of the forums are 199% convinced THEIR surgery is the best.  But there are a lot of things that can factor into which one is the best option for YOU.  Good luck!

 I had horrible heartburn (GERD).  They fixed the hiatal hernia during surgery and not a drop of heartburn since.  Heaven!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!