So upset! Not a candidate for the sleeve. :o(

I went in this morning for my biatric radiology.  I knew I had acid reflux and take medication everyday but don't have any symptoms to speak of (since I take the meds).  I got a call from my doctors office a little while ago that I have severe acid reflux up to my collar bones and he doesn't want to do the sleeve because it will get worse.  He said to start checking into the RnY since it will cure the reflux.  I really, really didn't want to do the Rny, the re-routing scares the heck out of me.  I am so sad.  I was looking forward to all the NSVs.  I am going to do more research into the Rny and continue on with the dietitian for now until I decide.    Bad day for me. 

Can you get a 2nd opinion?

I keep seeing threads about acid reflux with the sleeve, I didn't know it could be a problem.  I actually have less acid now with the sleeve then with my lapband.  I've heard of other people with the sleeve discussing their reflux improving after the surgery.  Maybe you should get a second opinion.  I don't know much about the RnY...best of luck to you...either way you'll get your NSVs one way or another:)

Please dry your tears, and try to get a second opinion a.s.a.p.  Sometimes we have to fight for what we want.  Please keep us posted.

 

That is a good idea, to get a second opinion.

I know nothing about acid reflux but i would imagine that you would not want it to worsen for any reason, even for the NSVs of a sleeve.  i have read that acid reflux medications increase the risk of osteoporosis, and your doctor that you saw does not want to put you in the position of needing increased doses of acid reflux medications or suffering from the discomfort of acid reflux.  Also doctors in the U.S. are more conservative in their approach because of potential malpractice liability, which is understandable.  And keep in mind that acid reflux tends to increase with age.

If you are willing to take the risk of increased acid reflux, the doctors in mexico have less stringent standards for accepting patients for WLS.  I personally would not want to take this risk but i am not in your shoes and you are very upset.   I only needed to lose about 40 pounds and i had no trouble being accepted for surgery in mexico.  So a VSG in mexico may be a possibility for you.  There are a number of excellent WLS surgeons in mexico.

I just looked up the causes of Acid Reflux and it sounds like the cause is mechanical, that the muscular valve (sphincter) malfunctions allowing acidic contents to back flow or reflux in the the esophagus .. i know you know all this ... but the point i want to make is that maybe there is a surgery to correct the valve. 

There is a ton of info on the internet on the subject of acid reflux including "cures."  I would try to find a remedy for your acid reflux, then revisit having the VSG.  My point is, don't give up.

Sorry you had a bad day and i hope you feel better.

Not all surgeons know as much about the sleeve as others do, get a second or even third opinion because many people get RID of excess acid after VSG. So it isn't a given that you will have more acid. I would fight to get the surgery YOU want and RNY will NOT guarantee curing the acid either. He sounds very poorly educated as far as surgery types I would consider it a blessing to get a different surgeon.

Don't give up on a sleeve Susan.  I had GERD so bad that they found lesions on my esophagus during an endoscopy several years ago.....these were pre-cancerous lesions.  The doctor put me on an acid reducer and I haven't had a problem since.  I was sleeved almost 6 months ago -- while I was under, my surgeons did another endoscopy, and found they had to do a hiatal hernia repair.  My primary surgeon kept me on my acid reducer post-op and that was the end of any issue with acid reflux.

Find another surgeon who will do a sleeve for a GERD patient.  My surgeons both said that GERD gets better for almost all sleeve patients.

Good luck............and please keep us posted on how things go for you.......

Ree

 

Yes by all means get another opinion. I also had GERD pre-op & a surprise Hiatal
Hernia during my sleeve surgery. My doc repaired the hernia I still take prevacid daily & have no problems at all. My surgeon had tons of experience!!

Sorry to hear about your situation. I say get a second opinion. It won't hurt and could maybe get you where you want to be. I never had GERD but I did have a previous attempted VSG. That surgeon told me I would be unable to have ANY bariatric surgery performed on me because i had an anomaly with my insides. My insides are backwards, so I gave up for 2 years. Then I researched again, got several other opinions and finally in sept got my VSG. I have had no problems or side affects other than the welcomed weight loss. I do however take a PPI for the acid once a day.

Where there is a will.....

 

Goodluck!

~Cheers

I have reflux pre-op, and your doc is correct that for severe reflex the cure is RNY.  My surgeon would not commit to VSG until my testing was complete and he could see exactly the state of esophagus.  Luckily, I did not have any damage from my reflux, but it sounds like you have a lot of damage. 

The current research cannot accurately predict whose reflux will get better or worse after VSG.  There are a lot of theories out there, but none have been consistently proven -- so it's a crapshoot.

However, as other posters have noted, continuing to take reflux meds has its own risks.  There is a precancerous condition of the esophagus called Barrett's syndrome, and if that's what your doc found, I think it's highly unlikely that any surgeon will perform VSG. 

A second opinion is always good, but also talk to your GI doc about exactly what the testing found.  That way you'll understand exactly what they found and why VSG could be more harmful for you in the long run than the potential malabsorption from the RNY.  

I know it's hard!  I really didn't know what I would do if the surgeon wouldn't do the VSG.  I know some areas don't have lots of experienced VSG surgeons, so I'd say to go to wherever the best surgeon in your area is -- that way you can be confident that you are getting the best info!

Good luck!