Reflux into airway!

[LarryLamb69]

Hi all.. firstly hope everyone in the forum is doing well in their own way, where ever in this not so great journey (trip are meant to be fun!. Anyway just lately I have had a few episodes of reflux that I presume have managed to get into my airway, and they leave my quite rough for the day , coughing but just won't clear the feeling, has anybody found a method or process that works for them for these episodes..willing to try most things.. normal reflux is fine, I just eat a bit (wafer biscuits) and some drinks and effects last 30-60 mins, and can sleep again, when airway impacted if I don't wake up quick enough knocks me a bit sideways..any suggestions welcome 🤗

[sallym]

Reflux burns medicine is not always the answer. Try freezing or cooling with easily melted ice cream. Sally

[hunsdon]

hi Larry the dreaded acid reflux I am13 years from Ivor Lewis op and now and at the age of 76 , it has eased up very slightly but there is no cure I take lockets (honey & lemon ) which helps soothe the sore throat and also helps cough up the last of the nasty stuff which at time gets stuck in the air ways , this is just my way of dealing with acid reflux , take care x

[phil in reply to hunsdon]

We all experience reflux at times even if we take a daily PPI which most of us do. But what you are describing is Bile reflux which is awful and it had happen to me occasionally over the last 18years since my oesophagectomy. Its usually while I'm asleep and turned or slipped down the pillow. I know immediately what's happening with a burning in my throat. After that I get out of bed and sip water and try to cough up bits of green bile which is unpleasant and painful . But its important to get that bile up from your lungs because that can cause infection. It usually takes me about 45 minutes before I feel I can go back to sleep.

In my experience there are three things to avoid it .

Stop eating 2 to 3 hours before sleep

Sleep on the side that suits you best and in the first 3hours of sleep try to not turn to the other side.

Sleep on the incline using a wedge pillow plus other pillows

And finally if you have eaten more food than you usually have take a capfull lof Pettac of Gaviscon liquid before going to sleep.

All the best

Phil

[phil in reply to phil]

Meant to to say 3 things to( help) not to "avoid"

[petercaron]

After many instances of aspirating bile while sleeping, and three cases of aspirational pneumonia, 2 1/2 years ago I bought a recliner and I sleep in it every night. I have not had an instance (knock wood) of bile reflux since then. Before that I always had a sleep number bed that I raised but I often would slip down during the night and get me in a position to aspirate.

I am now 7 1/2 years post esophagectomy and that was the best investment( the recliner) I made since surgery. I never found anything that cured a day of agony when I did aspirate the bile.

Also, since getting the recliner, I can now eat something lite, even an hour before bedtime

[hunsdon in reply to petercaron]

Hi Peter the recliner seems to have worked for you I just wished at the beginning of this I should have bought a adjustable bed but I settled for a wedge pillow which does help but its not a cure and the acid bile can still happened now about every 4-5 weeks I also use a neck support which does help , take care

[Deeedals]

Hi Larry, it’s awful isn’t it. I’ve had more chest infections than (small) hot dinners 🤣 through aspiration of bile.

It’s usually because I’ve been a little piggy or snacked too late. Self discipline was never one of my strengths! It knocks me for 6 every time and takes about an hour and a couple of hard sweets to suck and take away the bile taste as I’m invariably sick. Sitting up to sleep is the answer and never ever on my left side ! That’s just awful .

But in the grand scheme of things we’re doing ok aren’t we. I’ve dropped 4stone but feel better for it. Take care and sorry I can’t help any but just wanted to touch base with you .

[LarryLamb69 in reply to Deeedals]

Hi, thanks for reply, and yes it,s grim😡, we have decided to invest in adjustable bed..so can sleep sitting, with leg bit up to stop slipping, aware I may still get it, but hopefully will reduce the occurrence a bit, eating I fully agree with but very much in phase of trying to regain weight as at lightest I went to 52kg..started at 69kg.want to get to 60kg...I am short😂..so I still eat about ten and bed at one,ISH.all trail and error, but as ever good replies and honest answers on the forum..all the best👍

[Badger2024]

Hi Larry

Lots of good advice already here. Just wanted to add that you could try taking your PPI in the middle of the day instead of first thing in the morning. Just don’t eat lots of greasy food for breakfast. PPIs are designed to work for 24 hours so are on their last legs overnight. I’m a fast metabololiser (look it up) and find having a light breakfast then taking my PPI around midday works best (I don’t eat lunch until 1 or 2). That way when the PPI is wearing off for me I’m out and about rather than lying in bed. Like you I go to bed late. Give it a go

[Badger2024 in reply to Badger2024]

Haha typo Fast Metabolizer. Meaning that my body processes drugs very quickly

[LarryLamb69 in reply to Badger2024]

Hi Badger, I do understand,I'm a military paramedic of quite a few years by trade😁, but as everyone it is " new" to most of us, , don't have many in military who have the condition!!..and found the forum great for first hand experience of others!!..looking at my PPI with GP tomorrow, maybe a spaced dosage, and going to sunny Oxford next weekend to look at adjustable beds, can only help, which will likely invest in a now a life thing!...thanks for reply and all the very best.

[AussiePeterInLondon]

I'm 10 years past Ivor Lewis and this is still happening to me also. Suspect it's a universal thing.

Typically brought on by volume of food, oily/greasy food, or sweet food. Sleeping position is a massive factor - if I can't put my left arm over my other half I have a pillow which I cuddle instead !

I avoid rice and pasta at night as these invariably bring it on - I think the glutens are the culprit here.

We've got young kids and try to eat with them - 6pm or so. This helps.

I am still taking Creon 25000mg - if I've eaten something I think might cause problems I will take a few extra Creon tablets - I normally take 8 twice a day - will take an additional 2 or 4.

PPI's help (I am taking opemrazole 40mg morning and night).

I'm also taking Sufralcate 2mg morning and night - this also helps.

The bile reflux is horrible - as per others who have replied it invariably causes me to vomit - sometimes for hours.

I have NEVER found that antacids help - bile is actually alkaline (instead of acidic) means that an antacid isn't the answer - something like a Diet Coke (acid) will help.

A cup of tea with some gingernut biscuits or, a shortbread biscuit help a lot.

I also find it to be periodic - I have patches of time where nothing is going on and then a stretch of 3-5 days where it's EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.

[sportsman in reply to AussiePeterInLondon]

I'm 20 years since my op but get very occasional episodes which are horrible. Sometimes I get an early warning sensation during an evening so I drink a small amount of milk which seems on occasions to alleviate the problem. If it occurs in the night I have found that acidic lime and lemon kept cold in the fridge acts against the alkaline bile and initially calms things down. I then use milk (not sure if cold or warm is best) and Nice biscuits to absorb the bile. It is in the order of 1 hour before I'm ready for bed again. I sleep in a raised position and take Omeprazole despite which I get these occasional bouts although much reduced from earlier days. Good luck.

[BiliousBob]

As your oesophagus isn't connected to your trachea it won't be blocking your airway.

[LarryLamb69 in reply to BiliousBob]

Wrong issue .!!, They are directly next to each other and only the epiglottis stops entry into the airway, when asleep it is relaxed, so anything coming up from what we now have as an esophagus / stomach can make entry and it does in some cases go into airway.!!..never mentioned blocking..just going into!

[BiliousBob in reply to LarryLamb69]

Ah I get it!