Reflux

Hi Mary! I haven’t had the operation but had really bad reflux before I started chemo. I was taking omeprazole but it wasn’t working for me. They prescribed famotidine and that seems to work very well twice a day. Hope you find something. 

Hi Mary! I haven’t had the operation but had really bad reflux before and when I started chemo. I was taking omeprazole but it wasn’t working so they prescribed famotidine twice a day. That works for me. Hope you find something. 

Hi PJR,

Many thanks for that, I will speak to me McMillan nurse about the drug you use. Hope you are doing okay with the chemo and good luck for the future

Thanks, Mary and good luck to you, as well.

I really do not know if this applies in your situation, so forgive me if I am out of turn. Reflux is a mixture of a messed up throat /  sphinctre. It is common with oesophogeal cancer. Commonly it is better if we are vertical, and worse when flat. Part of the answer may be to learn to sleep / rest with a raised upper chest. With the physical problem in the gullet, there is nothing to stop acidic stomach contents coming back up - reflux - other than gravity. When gravity works - no reflux. You might still slip down leading to a recurrence of rexflux. It can be very very uncomfortable. At that point the drugs are very helpful. Does this seem right? 

Hi DSlippy, I do sleep upright in bed and this helps but the reflux is happening more often during the day now. I am more active and it could be due to bending or foodstuffs as I try to eat every couple of hours to keep weight on and I am a keen gardener. Thanks for your input and hope you are going on alright.

Reflux is a product of geometry and gravity. You can only rethink your gardening exercises, being a little more careful.

The drugs come in two forms. One is a standard type pill, and the other is a dispersible one - it dissolves on the tongue.

The latter seems to me to work best as an immediate reaction to a reflux incident. I am not sure how it can work in advance.

I get my stuff on prescription. I do not know if it is better or even different from Gaviscon, but it might be.

Talk to your doctors.

Hi DSlippy, thanks for that.I have done some research into foodstuffs which may cause reflux- am cutting out some things like caffeinated drinks and chocolate and I think it’s helping a bit. I’m on lansoprazole twice a day and take gaviscon which also helps. Am seeing consultant next Friday so will check things out with him. 
Thanks again for your input, keep well!

I really do not know, but suspect that the lansaprazole may be a more effective Gaviscon.

Is the lansaprazole in dispersible on the tongue format?

Talk to your doctors. One way may be to have the pill form as standard and a dispersible one as needed to react to an incident.

It may not be best to mix Lansaproazole with other anti-reflux agents within two hours either side. I do not know, but suggest that you check.

It was made clear to me, when I asked, that my prescription was for two a day and as required in addition.