Hi, I’ve been on Lansoprazole now for almost a month. I have a colonoscopy and endoscopy on the 17th of March. I’ve been put on a non-critical care plan by my GP hence the near five week wait for the camera screening.
I have no definitive diagnosis, however my sleep is extremely disruptive I haven’t been getting any more than 3 or 4hrs a night. I’ve stopped all Alcohol, Chocolate, Caffiene, Fatty and Spicy food, I don’t generally eat before 7pm and get to bed about 23:00 but every night is the same I fall asleep on a wedge pillow pretty quickly then 3 and a 1/2hrs later almost like clock work I wake with reflux which is tinged with bright red blood when I spit and clear throat. This action and reaction leads to wheezy breath for a period. I find it hard to fall back to sleep.
I’ve been back to the doctors at least once a week for the past month. They’ve changed the timing of my dose of 30mg to a split 15mg in the morning and 15mg in the evening. However nothing is stopping the nighttime reflux. These are the only suggestions as I wait for the cameras.
I haven’t had 7/8hrs for about two weeks.
In two weeks time I have to stop the drugs for my camera screening and have no idea how things will develop without medication for a period.
I know I’ve not been suffering as long as everyone else has I just don’t know what else to try.
It stressing me to the maximum as I’m following the rules with no improvement.
Written by
Wazza1980
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Wazza1980, you are really going through a bad time, I too have been woken many times early morning due to reflux. Is there a comfortable chair you can sleep in? I found that better.
I would also see if you could call up the endoscopy u it explain your problems and see if you can get put onto a short list and use a cancellation appointment.
Your best bet is to get your appointment moved up and it sounds like wither your Dr has not explained the urgency or does not believe it is urgent. If you speak to the endoscopy department direct they may be able to help.
Look at what your eating during the day time and see if any triggers. Have you cut out dairy ? this can help massively if not. Carbs also seem to set mine off at night even if eaten hours ago.
I see, I’ve cut most things but not carbs or dairy. It’s getting to the point I am unable to eat anything with a bit of taste. Meat, fish and veg and that’s about it. Although yesterday I had boiled pots, Mackrell and greens and had the worse night I’ve had since Ive had this illness.
I have cereals most mornings to get some fibre in my diet. I’ll try losing the carbs and dairy for a few days to see if any improvement.
I am in the same boat and it’s so limiting isn’t it. I have eaten the same meal the past 3 nights as it seemed to limit my pain at night then last night ate the same and I’m now awake with terrible pain, it seems to be very unpredictable this illness ! I hope you get some answers soon. Best wishes : )
I am 4 years post Ivor Lewis op and take 20Mg Omeprazole twice daily 12pm and 6 pm and a 20 mg Famotidine tablet before going to sleep. Without this medication I wouls suffer badly from reflux throughout the day. Hope this helps.
Thank you for your reply, I’m not sure if I need an operation just yet, I’ll find out in three weeks what’s going on following the camera inspection of my stomach and Throat. My night time reflux is the issue, I don’t really suffer during the day at the moment.
I’ve got to drop all meds for two weeks from Monday so not looking forward to that it’s going to be a horrible two week period.
Such a intrusive disease and had not heard of it until I got it. Yet it seems it’s quite common.
I think you need to incline your head about 30 degrees. I use to use a protractor that is an app on my I Phone to check my sleeping height each night.
But I am 2 1/2 years post Esophagectomy
I have found drinking about 16 ounces of water at about 10:30 PM has helped stop the bile from coming up most nights allowing me to get a decent night sleep. I then go to sleep about midnight.
OP is only suffering from acid reflux and not had oesophagectomy, from posts.
Did you try gaviscon advance?
Stress amplifies the reflux significantly.
Try eating toasted bread or pop corn in the night.
The medications you use only try reduce acid levels, perhaps you have lax sphincter which let's whatever contents in your stomach to come up when you lie down. If this is the case when tried to inflate your stomach during the endoscopy it will be difficult to retain.
Are you having any other tests like 24hr pH or manometry?
No that’s correct I’ve not had an operation, just have the conditions above, sorry if I have posted on the wrong thread or section.
At the moment my GP had put me on Lansoprazole which didn’t work after a week, so he swapped them and I’m now on Esomeprazole. Which are working better. I’m sleeping a little longer before waking and have suppressed the blood in my throat a fair bit.
I’ve got the camera inspection in two and a bit weeks. They haven’t considered any other tests apart from this at present.
Hoping when I speak to Gastro Specialist at the hospital they will have a better idea of what’s going on. I guess the GP is just fallowing the standard rule book. PPI high fibre diet, eat less.
The doctors have said it could be an ulcer or super bug Pryloi or whatever it’s called. Or Gastro Reflux disease? Kind of waiting for these tests to find out what’s wrong?
Helicobacter Pylori infection if present can cause stomach ulcer. H. Pylori is diagnosed either by a breathe test kit or still test kit given by GP.
Gastroscopy (endoscopy from mouth and colonoscopy from rectum) can also take biopsy of the areas suspected of ulcers to sent to laboratory for diagnosis of H Pylori. But typically GP should be able to do the non intrusive diagnostics prior to the scopies.
I have just tried drinking liquorice tea. I have been doing this for 4 days now and I have not had an attack. Before I had it all through the night and day. I just boiled a couple of sticks in water from 15 minutes and sipped it through out the day. I hope this is the magic bullet.
I had an endoscopy last year and asked about if ok to take the ppi on the morning (cos not supposed to eat or drink) & they said it was ok so I don't know why I wasn't told by anyone not to take it 2 wks before. I even asked gp then on GI appointment after test as was concerned and both said it wouldn't matter! Annoyed at incorrect info if I was told wrong.
On this note of stopping meds, there is good advice on the Royal Liverpool University hospital, there's info you can download but basically don't just stop them cold, it needs to be reduced slowly. You could try Gaviscon Advance as this is anti reflux and creates a barrier to stop anything coming back up. This is the one recommended by a lot of hospitals. With some tests you can still use the Gaviscon Advance but check with the GI and endoscopy department first. Good luck!
I’ve been told I’m not supposed to suppress the reflux with PPI’s as this could make my test inconclusive. Basically they want me at my worst prior to the test.
I’ll get some Gaviscon Advance from the chemist tomorrow.
You can use the Gaviscon Advance to wean off. I've got another endo in a few weeks but not been told to come off so I'll have to phone and ask. If on say 2 X 20 mg omeprazole (for example) you supposed to reduce each dose to 10mg for about 1-2 months then take just 1 x 10mg daily for 1-2 months but Liverpool's advice is to use the Gaviscon Advance to do it, take after each meal then at bedtimes. If you can't get it from a chemist Amazon do it. I don't know how I'll go on as I'm already in agony so I sympathise. Good luck with yours. Sometimes it doesn't suit everyone on PPIs anyway
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Continuing reflux
Reflux 
Reflux AFTER oesophogectomy??
Gastric reflux long time after oesophagectomy
Silent reflux and choking? 
