What is heartburn? Heartburn happens when the stomach contents back up into the esophagus (gastroesophageal reflux or GER) and irritate the lining of the esophagus. Obesity greatly increases the risk for heartburn—3 times the risk for men and 6 times the risk for women.
Gastric bypass often results in improved or resolved heartburn, whereas gastric sleeve surgery may not improve heartburn. In fact some people may develop heartburn after gastric sleeve surgery.
If heartburn persists, contact your bariatric surgeon for an evaluation—don’t let it go untreated.
