Acid Reflex and GURD

wmc
wmc Member Posts: 1,804
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I had Both GURD, [ascid reflex] as well as a Hiatal Hernia before I had the Larnyx SSC. Even think it helped the SSC get worse. Now I have been told that when you have a Laryngectomy you often get Acid reflex. Well if you had it before it get's worse. Mine has been so bad at times,[everyday] that if I burp I tase acid. If I cough hard,which I do with emphysema, the cough will triger the acid and you will lose what ever was in your stomach, very fast. I have tried over the counter and Some very good RX and no help. I even took twice the dose, Doctors orders, and it helped but didn't solve it. We started talking on having surgery to correct the problem. Not looking forward to having that. It is not the surgery that scares me but being put out that does. Not many doctors have ever seen a heck breather so I will assume, neither has the anesthesiologist, so that is what scares me. Hell most don't know how to get O2 to me.

But there is good news. My doctor has solved my acid reflex with a new Rx. It is Dexilant 60mg. It is a time release and you take once a day. Well I have to take it twice a day but if it worked I don't care. My insurance did, and put up a fuss. Not sure if it was the way I had to take it or the fact I had just refilled my old one that did not really do the job but better than anything over the counter.

Anyway, if anyone has bad acid reflex I would try this. It is expencive and with insurance it was $50 for 30 days. My generc one that didn't work was $7.00 for 90 days. This is not avaiable in generic or the "prefered drug", but it is the only one that works. Better yet the manufacture will help pay if you have no insurance or private insurance. It won't help with medacare or Part D. but they might cover it better. They will bring my cost down to $20 for 30 days. Saw my Dr. today and he was glad it worked and now I wont need surgery.

Bill

Comments

  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    #2
    Acid Reflux

    My husband had it before his laryngectomy and has been on medication for years and now that he can't swallow at all, he continues with one Pepcid daily thru his feeding tube and doesn't complain about reflux now. I have it and even had the surgery to repair the hiatal hernia but guess what the hernia came back about 10 years later.  One thing we did was to put the head of the bed up on 3" of blocks and it has helped us a great deal.  Using two pillows to sleep is not the same as putting the head of the bed up on blocks.  I take Prisloce(?) (well the generic as that is all Medicare will pay for) 40 mg once a  day.

    Wishing you the best - Sharon

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #3
    Ladylacy said:

    Acid Reflux

    My husband had it before his laryngectomy and has been on medication for years and now that he can't swallow at all, he continues with one Pepcid daily thru his feeding tube and doesn't complain about reflux now. I have it and even had the surgery to repair the hiatal hernia but guess what the hernia came back about 10 years later.  One thing we did was to put the head of the bed up on 3" of blocks and it has helped us a great deal.  Using two pillows to sleep is not the same as putting the head of the bed up on blocks.  I take Prisloce(?) (well the generic as that is all Medicare will pay for) 40 mg once a  day.

    Wishing you the best - Sharon

    Thanks

    So far so good, Two weeks now.

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    Hi Bill

    Glad you got some help for this; I too have the Hiatal Hernia and the acid reflex it was not a big problem until I could no longer swallow. Then it became a life threading event as I could not swallow to remove it and it would go direct into the Lungs and burn like hell.  I had to make a change in life style again to try and help. I now sleep on a 30 degree angle, it was hard at first but now it is no problem. At night before I go to bed I make a cereal using fruit that are acid but turn alkaline afterward in the stomach, If I do feel a little acid I can take a little apple cider vinegar. So far I have been doing well with no reflex at night or during the day. I will also look into the Dexilant 60mg as you never know when things will change, that is a day by day problem with me

     

    Thanks

    Tim Hondo     

  • lornal
    lornal Member Posts: 428
    #5
    Me too

    After my surgery, they put me on Nexium - twice a day.  My primary doctor won't prescibe it twice a day, so my GI did. 

    It has been working well for me, but I am concerned about taking it long term.  It has already been six months.  I am going to try to cut back to once a day, so far only had one day w/ problems.

    Bill - I have the coughing issue too.  with the nexium, when I lose my lunch, it does not hurt at all.  Almost like eating lunch a second time Kiss. 

     

    Does anyone know about taking this stuff long term?

     

    Lorna

    2007 & 2014

     

  • Laralyn
    Laralyn Member Posts: 532
    #6
    I was also diagnosed with

    I was also diagnosed with acid reflux after treatment, although I probably had it before and my throat just can't take it now. I'm currently on Omeprezole once a day but I supplement with a couple Zantac. Thanks for the info on Dexilant--I'll ask my doctor!

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #7
    lornal said:

    Me too

    After my surgery, they put me on Nexium - twice a day.  My primary doctor won't prescibe it twice a day, so my GI did. 

    It has been working well for me, but I am concerned about taking it long term.  It has already been six months.  I am going to try to cut back to once a day, so far only had one day w/ problems.

    Bill - I have the coughing issue too.  with the nexium, when I lose my lunch, it does not hurt at all.  Almost like eating lunch a second time Kiss. 

     

    Does anyone know about taking this stuff long term?

     

    Lorna

    2007 & 2014

     

    Double edge sword

    I am also concerned with the long term effect but really don't have any good chooses. I need the acid to help digest, but it can burn a hole in my throat and even cause esophagus cancer. So this is an acid blocker, a pump prohibiter, and seems to work. I have done the nexium and prilosect, and many anti acids. The anti acids help for the flare up if it is something I ate. I also had to rase the bed and only sleep on the left side. I liked the right side but that dumps the acid right in my throat. 

    My cough is so bad at times it goes to my sinus cavity and noise. Then I spend the next 30 to 40 min. with a netti pot to clean out my sinus........... I know, welcome to the New Normal.

    Thanks Bill

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #8
    acid

    Bill,

    After years of acid stomach, I found a good friend in Omerprazole taken daily.  So far the long term side effects have been a happier Matt.

    Age brings complications.

    Matt

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #9
    Thank you all

    Thanks for all the posts. I knew many have acid reflux and if what you use works, don't change. If it is not working keep trying to get it under controll.

    Bill

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #10
    lornal said:

    Me too

    After my surgery, they put me on Nexium - twice a day.  My primary doctor won't prescibe it twice a day, so my GI did. 

    It has been working well for me, but I am concerned about taking it long term.  It has already been six months.  I am going to try to cut back to once a day, so far only had one day w/ problems.

    Bill - I have the coughing issue too.  with the nexium, when I lose my lunch, it does not hurt at all.  Almost like eating lunch a second time Kiss. 

     

    Does anyone know about taking this stuff long term?

     

    Lorna

    2007 & 2014

     

    lornal, i was on that for

    lornal, i was on that for years, until the ins co wouldn't pay for that brand any more.  since then i'm on generic of prilosec (Omeprezole).  i've been on it 2 x a day for at least 15 years and i haven't had any problems from it.  my acid reflux has gotten worse since my lary surgery but not bad enuf to increase the med.  hope this helps.

    God bless you,

    dj

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #11
    bill, i've been put under

    bill, i've been put under several times since lary surgery.  i make sure I tell every person who comes to my room from anesthesa that i breathe thru my neck and they must use the hole in my neck to give me medicine and oxgyn.  i also make sure i tell anyone else who comes into my room.  i want EVERYONE to know, just to be on the safe side.  anyway, my point is, if you ever do need surgery, tell everyone who enters your room that you breathe completely thru your neck.  i tell them, my nose and mouth no longer do anything so use it for anything.  the last time, i even told everyone in the or before they put me to sleep.  they all assured me, they knew my situation and planned to take great care of me.  they did, to.

    dj

  • josh r.
    josh r. Member Posts: 264 Member
    #12

    Hi Bill,

    I am glad things are working out albeit with difficulties. I am sure your info will help others and that is what we're about. josh r.

  • ahollie
    ahollie Member Posts: 84
    #13
    wmc said:

    Thank you all

    Thanks for all the posts. I knew many have acid reflux and if what you use works, don't change. If it is not working keep trying to get it under controll.

    Bill

    kefir

    have you tried kefir? it comes in all sorts of flavors and it works wonders! my hubby hasn't had any problems since he started it...no gut problems or digestive or reflux issues either...its very cheap...about 3.00 fora bottle and that is like 4 servings to a bottle..and it is so very good for you too and has quite a few calories...he isn't able to drink it so i put it in his tube but it wont be long..maybe next week i am going to try and water it down some and have him try to drink it as i know that would be even better!

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #14
    ahollie said:

    kefir

    have you tried kefir? it comes in all sorts of flavors and it works wonders! my hubby hasn't had any problems since he started it...no gut problems or digestive or reflux issues either...its very cheap...about 3.00 fora bottle and that is like 4 servings to a bottle..and it is so very good for you too and has quite a few calories...he isn't able to drink it so i put it in his tube but it wont be long..maybe next week i am going to try and water it down some and have him try to drink it as i know that would be even better!

    Thank's Ahollie

    Thank you for the information and I will check into it. I think is is more on the line of probiotics then an acid blocker but it might help in other ways. Thank you.

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #15
    josh r. said:

    Hi Bill,

    I am glad things are working out albeit with difficulties. I am sure your info will help others and that is what we're about. josh r.

    Thanks Josh

    Thanks as that was my entent to let people know don't give up on acid reflex, there is meds that do work. Try the over the counter first and with the help of a good doctor you keep trying untill you find one that works for you a stops the probled, not just helps with it.

    Bill

  • hrowe
    hrowe Member Posts: 57
    #16
    Protonix

    My rad onc ordered protonix back in early 2012 because it was small enough to make it down my throat past the tumor at the epiglottis. I've been taking PPIs ever since and my PCP wrote the scripts after rads were done.

    Cigna quit paying this year, except for 68 days/year. I'm guessing since there are many OTC PPI meds available. I've have ZERO heartburn and minimal gerd. I usually buy CVS brand pantoprazole.

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #17
    hrowe said:

    Protonix

    My rad onc ordered protonix back in early 2012 because it was small enough to make it down my throat past the tumor at the epiglottis. I've been taking PPIs ever since and my PCP wrote the scripts after rads were done.

    Cigna quit paying this year, except for 68 days/year. I'm guessing since there are many OTC PPI meds available. I've have ZERO heartburn and minimal gerd. I usually buy CVS brand pantoprazole.

    Protonix

    I took Protonix for many months and it seemed to help the best. My acid reflex had gotten so bad the were talking surgery to resolve it. If I burped it brought acid up and being a laryngectomee and have a prosthies in my neck to be able to talk, it was burning the TEP and having to replace it twice as often as it should, I had to have it changed every two months and shouuld last six.. Now with the Dexilant I am hopping it will last six months and not burn my esophagus. Thanks

    wmc

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