Post oesophagectomy problems

[lynnbibb]

My husband had an Ivor Lewis procedure 51/2 years ago, and we are thankful he is still here.

Unfortunately he has suffered slow motility, but due to having a natural kink in his stomach also has a sump where food collects to add to this. He has to go in for regular Botox injections to try to help. He still, even with this suffers with air getting trapped where the food is fermenting in his stomach, resulting in problems with allowing food to go down and often making him sick. His weight was originally 11 stone and is now 8 stone 5, the lowest he has ever been.

He suffers chronic reflux despite being on medication which frequently goes down onto his lungs. Instead of dealing with this with positivity, we are both at the end of a junction with very little to try, and as this affects him all of the time, has a knock on effect with what and where we can do and go. He has tried a number of tablets like Metaclopromide to no effect ( other than severe reflux or the trots)

Any suggestions really would be appreciated.

Many thanks,

Lynn

[debsweldon]

Hello lynnbibb. First to say, sorry to hear about your husband and his chronic reflux. My husband is coming up for 5 years post Ivor Lewis also. He also suffers with chronic reflux, not as often as it sounds like your husband does, but he does have it when it gets into his lungs. His specialist nurse advised the following, in addition to the usual sleep at 30 degree incline… to take his prescribed medication during the day, as that’s when he eats. Then at night, take Gaviscon. The two work in different ways - the prescribed medication (helps) prevent the stomach (what’s left of it) from producing too much acid in the first place, and the Gaviscon (he chews the tablets) works to (help) neutralise the acid once it has been produced. Now, he does still get acid reflux, and sometimes bad, but it has certainly improved for him following this regime and especially at night. Of course you may have tried this already as it sounds like you’ve explored everything, but I just thought I’d mention it, just in case it could be a thing to try.

[lynnbibb in reply to debsweldon]

Thankyou for taking the time to reply. He has an electric bed, so does sleep at an angle, but will definitely try the Gaviscon before bed. What medication does your husband take during the daytime?

[debsweldon in reply to lynnbibb]

No, problem, anything to try to help. He takes Lansoprazole as his prescribed medication during the day, i.e. before eating.

[petercaron]

I am just five years post surgery. I was having repeated episodes of reflux aspiration leading to many instances of pneumonia about 1 year ago.

I went through the endoscopy stretch of my new esophagus and Botox shots and sleeping in my electric bed. I found that I would slide down in the bed and still get the reflux when I did.

One year ago I decided I was going to try sleeping in a recliner instead of my sleep number bed. It was the best thing I ever did. I purchased an electric recliner that allowed me to adjust the back separately from the legs/feet and set the recline settings as I did not want a chair that tried to put me at a zero gravity setting, which raises the feet up too high.

I had one case of reflux pneumonia in the past year and I probably contributed to that by eating too late/too much, the night before.

FYI I take 1- 40mg Protonix each evening and that is all. I am really heartburn/acid free.

I hope you find the things that help bring the reflux under control. I know how debilitating those reflux events are.

[lynnbibb in reply to petercaron]

Many thanks for the replies, I really am most grateful x