5 days in and miserable. HELP!

[DottieG]

Hi guys. On Tuesday this past week, I had gastric sleeve surgery. I have been so excited to get this done and have been so ready to start the rest of my life!

BUT

I am absolutely miserable. I have the worst acid reflux I have ever experienced in my life. It is constant and brutal. I’m in nearly constant severe pain. It started Thursday evening after surgery. Full force. I literally feel the acid sitting in my throat all the time. I’m struggling to get anything down because every swallow is so painful. I’m not hitting my fluid goals or protein goals. I’m around 1/2 of those and it’s because I am literally in tears trying to force myself. I have maybe slept 4 hours a night. Upright and sitting on the couch. Laying down or bending over starts a round of heartburn so severe it makes me regret getting it done.

I talked with my doctor Friday and he has me on Protonix twice a day plus an antacid throughout the day but it is not helping. I am exhausted and emotional. My husband is trying to help but what can he do?

Did anyone else experience this and what helped you? I am calling my doctor first thing in the morning, but I am turning to the internet too while crying into my keyboard at the start of another sleepless night. I want to get excited about the progress but right now all I can do is think “I would rather be fat than go through this”.

Please help!

[SanteeQueen]

this does not sound good at all!! I would go to the ER

[DottieG]

this does not sound good at all!! I would go to the ER

That was my first instinct on Friday, but when I went and got checked- everything is “fine”. Maybe I am just dramatic. Or am not giving the protonix time to kick in. My surgeon seemed unconcerned too. It’s “normal”. But this doesn’t feel normal to me. I am hoping that others had bad acid reflux at first and it subsided. I am trying to give myself hope that I didn’t set myself up for months of misery until I eventually have to get converted to a bypass, which I never wanted to do. If my only option was bypass- I would have definitely stayed fat.

[Sandra3]

Hi guys. On Tuesday this past week, I had gastric sleeve surgery. I have been so excited to get this done and have been so ready to start the rest of my life!

BUT

I am absolutely miserable. I have the worst acid reflux I have ever experienced in my life. It is constant and brutal. I’m in nearly constant severe pain. It started Thursday evening after surgery. Full force. I literally feel the acid sitting in my throat all the time. I’m struggling to get anything down because every swallow is so painful. I’m not hitting my fluid goals or protein goals. I’m around 1/2 of those and it’s because I am literally in tears trying to force myself. I have maybe slept 4 hours a night. Upright and sitting on the couch. Laying down or bending over starts a round of heartburn so severe it makes me regret getting it done.

I talked with my doctor Friday and he has me on Protonix twice a day plus an antacid throughout the day but it is not helping. I am exhausted and emotional. My husband is trying to help but what can he do?

Did anyone else experience this and what helped you? I am calling my doctor first thing in the morning, but I am turning to the internet too while crying into my keyboard at the start of another sleepless night. I want to get excited about the progress but right now all I can do is think “I would rather be fat than go through this”.

Please help!

Hi Dottie,

Please stay positive. Your surgery is really new and your body might need time to adjust, in the mean time you should see a doctor if the PPI is not working. Reflux can have many bad side effects on your health.

Many sleevers get a PPI after surgery for at least one month. It doesn't mean they will have reflux for sure on the long run, but the pressure on the stomach right after surgery will make it happen for many patients.It could go away at some point.

During my pre op test we discovered I had a smal reflux, it was actually never an issue unless I was having really spicy food. I would take a few tumms and the pain was gone.
Post op I was vomiting for 3 days non stop and the reflux was there full force. But I was lucky the PPI worked well on the reflux.

The PPI will work better if you take it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, with just water. Wait a little before drinking a shake or anything after.
Also, there is a special diet that can help, targeting low acid drinks/food (no coffee, tea,chocolate, fruits etc).
But do you know that a PPI could take up to 3 days to start working? it might quick in very soon, just try to take those at the same time during the day.

It's important to keep in mind that you just had surgery and things will get better.

My first month was not a walk in the park either, but it got better.

Try to drink little by little, water is the most important.
I couldn't drink enough water or have enough protein for a few weeks, but it did improve each day and at some point I was able to reach my goal

Good luck and take care

[DottieG]

Hi Dottie,

Please stay positive. Your surgery is really new and your body might need time to adjust, in the mean time you should see a doctor if the PPI is not working. Reflux can have many bad side effects on your health.

Many sleevers get a PPI after surgery for at least one month. It doesn't mean they will have reflux for sure on the long run, but the pressure on the stomach right after surgery will make it happen for many patients.It could go away at some point.

During my pre op test we discovered I had a smal reflux, it was actually never an issue unless I was having really spicy food. I would take a few tumms and the pain was gone.
Post op I was vomiting for 3 days non stop and the reflux was there full force. But I was lucky the PPI worked well on the reflux.

The PPI will work better if you take it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, with just water. Wait a little before drinking a shake or anything after.
Also, there is a special diet that can help, targeting low acid drinks/food (no coffee, tea,chocolate, fruits etc).
But do you know that a PPI could take up to 3 days to start working? it might quick in very soon, just try to take those at the same time during the day.

It's important to keep in mind that you just had surgery and things will get better.

My first month was not a walk in the park either, but it got better.

Try to drink little by little, water is the most important.
I couldn't drink enough water or have enough protein for a few weeks, but it did improve each day and at some point I was able to reach my goal

Good luck and take care

Thanks for this. A little light at the end of this acidic tunnel is what I was hoping for. The doc put me on PPI twice a day. And said it could take up to two weeks to kick in. Two weeks feels like an eternity, so I am hoping that it is faster than that. I am not one to sit quietly in pain, so I will be sure to beat down my docs door until we get it resolved!

I’m glad to hear you had reflux and it went away. At this point- That’s all I want for Christmas this year.

[Sandra3]

It's important to stay positive, get informations about what to drink -even water gave me reflux at some point.

For many sleevers, reflux is an issue only the first month. I did respond well to PPI but the kind I was taking made me nauseous for almost one year.
I wanted to stop it anyway, so I lowered the dosage after six months, then stopped it at one year.

I was fine, still watching my diet, but fine until this Summer.

Long story short, I had reconstructive surgery in July, a very bad anemia right after, and anemia did bring several infections, and with bronchitis, came asthma, really bad asthma that did damaged my stomach and now, almost 3 years out, I'm back on PPI since last week,waiting for my lungs to get better, because I will need surgery to repair my damaged stomach.

Of course my story is unusual. Because for most sleevers, reflux goes away for good when most of the extra weight is gone.
You have pressure on your stomach right now since you just had surgery, but you also have pressure from the weight. When the weight is gone it's already a big help here. I could see the difference at one year.

Let's just hope you will find relieve very soon with the PPI. But if one doesn't work, trying an other brand/kind could also be the solution. The one I'm taking right now is different from the kind I was prescribed three years ago, and so far I don't have the side effects (nausea, vertigo) I had with the first one.

[sraebaer]

I would see the surgeon first thing this morning. Unless you have a very low tolerance for pain, it doesn't sound right. And as far as sleeping I slept almost that whole fist week! When I wasn't sleeping I sipped to reach my liquid and protein goals. Are you sure you can't take teeny tiny sips all day long? It's so important for your healing. You could be dehydrated (and end up back in the hospital).

It gets better, and worth not being fat! Promise.

[Mmeghan]

I’m really sorry. That’s awful you’re dealing with this. I had no issues of that nature so I cannot really offer suggestions. I had surgery in Mexico and was given pills for 2 weeks and a liquid medication for 2 weeks all for that, but I hardly took them. I would suggest if what you are given isn’t working let them know ASAP. And if the next thing doesn’t work let them know again until they find something that works. There are sooooo many medication options and something has to work for you. If the pain is too much go to the hospital. I believe the acid can cause damage to your esophagus if not treated properly.

[sraebaer]

Feeling any better?

[DottieG]

Actually, yes, thanks for asking! I talked with my doctor yesterday, and he suggested that I stop all meds except the OTC gaviscon. He said we would review a different PPI today. But I didn't actually follow his instructions.

I went to the drug store for more gaviscon and I talked with the pharmacist there. She gave me some pointers on taking the Protonix and recommended instead of water with an empty stomach, I take it with something slightly milking and only like 2 ounces. I don't know if that changes the way the body absorbs the protonix, or if it just soothed things to the point that I gave the protonix time to fully work, but I am past the worst of it.

I kept taking protonix for the next two doses, in the manner suggested by the pharmacist and now I only have occasional heartburn (8-10 times a day for maybe 5 seconds each time) instead of constant. I can drink and while I am still not fully hitting my protein goals, I did get 55G today! That is a high for me and I will take it as a win considering its only been 7 days since surgery.

All in all, I am so relieved to be on the upwards path to normalcy.

thanks everyone for your help and advice!

Now my only bother is missing food. I am so over water and protein shakes. I mean I would LOVE a yogurt . Hopefully my doc clears me tomorrow to move into phase two - pureed!

[sraebaer]

Actually, yes, thanks for asking! I talked with my doctor yesterday, and he suggested that I stop all meds except the OTC gaviscon. He said we would review a different PPI today. But I didn't actually follow his instructions.

I went to the drug store for more gaviscon and I talked with the pharmacist there. She gave me some pointers on taking the Protonix and recommended instead of water with an empty stomach, I take it with something slightly milking and only like 2 ounces. I don't know if that changes the way the body absorbs the protonix, or if it just soothed things to the point that I gave the protonix time to fully work, but I am past the worst of it.

I kept taking protonix for the next two doses, in the manner suggested by the pharmacist and now I only have occasional heartburn (8-10 times a day for maybe 5 seconds each time) instead of constant. I can drink and while I am still not fully hitting my protein goals, I did get 55G today! That is a high for me and I will take it as a win considering its only been 7 days since surgery.

All in all, I am so relieved to be on the upwards path to normalcy.

thanks everyone for your help and advice!

Now my only bother is missing food. I am so over water and protein shakes. I mean I would LOVE a yogurt . Hopefully my doc clears me tomorrow to move into phase two - pureed!

So happy to hear. Just remember every day gets better! I could have soft food at 2 weeks, so I think you are close to that yogurt. At 6 weeks I was cleared for all food. You're in the home stretch! I think the only difficult part of this whole journey was the pre-op diet, and you're already done with that.

[Christie13]

Glad to hear you are starting to feel better. I had heartburn the first few months but rarely get it now. And the first week is the hardest. I had a hard time swallowing as well. I found I did better with warm or room temperature fluids rather than cold liquids in the beginning. Eventually I had no problem with colds. I did not meet my fluid and protein goals on a regular basis for a while in the beginning. Just keep doing your best and remember that your protein shakes count towards your fluid goals. Hope things continue to get better.

[jackalope81]

I was on daily prilosec for the first month and then doc wanted me off it. Now I take one once a week when I feel it start coming back and it knocks it down for a week. Like others have said it gets better.

[UIHCPNA]

I’m sorry you’re experiencing this I am 5 days post-op. I had HORRIBLE reflux day 1 & 2, but was better by day 3. Walking helped. Gas-x helped. Sitting upright and drinking sloooow, small gulps helped. But mine only happens a few times a day now. You know your body. If the pain continues stay on your dr about finding an answer.

[AnnieG]

So glad you are on the other side of this. It will only get better. Don't rush your food progression. Some of it is healing time, of course, but a lot of its mental adjustment. I find I eat when I'm bored (as always)....so I have to find some other things to occupy myself.

Hoping you are wonderfully pleased with this change by this time next year! It really goes quickly.