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acid relux disease following pneumectomy


Don M

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I remember seeing some posts maybe a year ago about people who have had acid relux disease onset after a pneumectomy. I think it has to do with the stomach getting moved and organs shifting and what not. I think that is what I have and would like to get pointed to the posts or talk to those who have had experience with it. I tried to do a search within LCSC and came up empty.

Don M

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Hi Don---I absolutely had this after my surgery for quite awhile. I did ask my surgeon and he said it wasn't due to the operation---but of course it has to be with so many people having the same complaint.

At the time I attributed it to quitting smoking and eating all day and gaining 40 pounds.

However, it does get better in time--, but I still sometimes get it if I eat too soon before going to bed--and I never had a problem before the operation---so it has to be related

regards

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Hi Don, I also have the Acid Reflux. Never had any problems before surgery. I am thinking I read somewhere that it is a common thing after chemo/radiation. I also can not eat before going to bed. Oh how I miss my Oreo and milk. :cry:

I can drink milk during the day but not around about 2-3 hours beford bedtime. Also got hiatel hernia after surgery. Doctor said this was from the shifting of organs.

Mine seems to be doing better now so it gets some better after time. I was taking 2 Acifex a day and am down to 1. Hope this helps some.

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I had it for a while after my surgery, but if I didn't eat for a while before I went to bed, I wouldn't have the reflux.

I also think in my case it was the constant eating after quitting smoking all the way up to going to bed on a daily basis.

In any event, it's pretty much gone now. I also don't eat much after dinner any more. So I don't know if it was time or change of habits that made it go away.

Cindy

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I had it for a while after my surgery, but if I didn't eat for a while before I went to bed, I wouldn't have the reflux.

I also think in my case it was the constant eating after quitting smoking all the way up to going to bed on a daily basis.

In any event, it's pretty much gone now. I also don't eat much after dinner any more. So I don't know if it was time or change of habits that made it go away.

Cindy

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Don -

My Mom developed Acid Reflux after her pnuemonectomy and her doc told her it was because of the surgery and everything moving to fill in the empty space. She takes Nexium daily and has the head of her bed a little higher and she has to watch what she eats (and how much) because it causes her some real problems. Hopefully, yours can be controlled with Medication!

Much Love,

Amy

PS. I have acid reflux as well, it developed after a severe case a pnuemonia and I have taken Prilosec, Protonix and Nexium - Protonix and Nexium have worked wonders for me!!!

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I had two lobes removed, not the complete right lung and I had acid reflux. I think I was prescribed Protonix (or SOMETHING like that)... The reflux went away months later.

I cannot attribute the reflux to smoking/quitting smoking/starting smoking - I've never smoked. My family doctor didn't blame it on anything, just gave me medication for it...

No fun, I do remember it was no fun...

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Hey, thanks everybody.

I am encouraged to see that it will eventually go away. It kind of came to me last night that my problem was acid reflux. One telling sypmtom was that when ever I bent over, I would go into a dry coughing spasm. My daughter has some prevacid. I tried some and it helped me almost immediately. I asked my surgeon about the possibility of getting acid reflux just after my surgery and he had never heard of any instances. I am going to see my oncologist this Tuesday and will pick his brains about it. My insurance won't cover rx for acid reflux unless I get my provider to write up a justification. I am just going to look for some suitable over the counter meds.

Don M

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I, too am hopeful that it will go away , but Im 10 mos. out from surg., and while Im not sure its 'reflux', it sure is an acid stomach. Tried to cut down on the daily Nexium, but it comes right back, acid and stomach nausea...yuk.

I also have been having migraine headaches, and headaches are one of the most common side effects of Nexium. Dunno if its causing headaches, cant get off it long enuff to find out...catch 22? heh. Hoping things clear up sometime. Rich B.

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  • 1 month later...

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Hi, Don:

I didn't have chemo or radiation, but a lobectomy. Starting about a month after my surgery,after almost every meal,I had heartburn and felt nauseaus but didn't upchuck until I ate a very large meal, and topped it off with a large and sumptous brownie Sundaeloaded with nuts, ice cream,chocolate syrup, whipped cream and cherries. Within 30 minutes, my meal was coming back up without my knowledge or consent. Another timeI ate a large hot dog loaded with chili, and a chocolate bar and coke. Same problem. I also continued to take Tums for heartburn, and continued to have a "feeling" of nausea but didn't upchuck. Also, felt like there was some sort of spasm in my throat. I went to an ENTand the doctor said I had Acid Reflux and gave me Aciphex! The doctor told me to avoid higly acid foods, not to overeat at one setting, and not to eat at least a couple hours before going to bed. I am better now.

Barb

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Barb and Jang and others: I tried antiacid stuff, protonix, for a week, but it did not have an effect. Over time the cough has subsided so that I hardly notice it, even when bending over.

I think Fay was right, that it had to do with my mediastinum shifting to the left and caused an irritiation which causes the cough. Anyway, ok now.

Don M

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I always thought it was caused by chemo, but maybe it was the surgery. Anyway, after my 1st surgery & chemo I took Nexium for a long, long time. This time (surgery & chemo) I'm taking protonix and I think it's working better/faster. Good luck. It's miserable.

Muriel

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I am married to a man who has had acid reflux for 40 years (nothing to do with any tx just good old stress and excess acid). Any way, he has been told by his gastroenterologist to sleep on his right side so that the acid isn't so likely to back up.

He takes double doses of Nexium and swears by it and found that the right side sleeping also helped.

Hope this problem doesn't last long

Geri

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Yea, Nexium works for me, taken daily...If I try to skip a day tho, comes back in the evening, so...ever day.

Hadnt heard that about the shift of things to the left causing cough when bending, but i notice I do that too, when bending over.

Thot my migraines were waning, but now beginning to happen again, about every 2 days or 3. dunno...

All in all, not too bad, considering...the SOB and unable to work with upper body are still the most debilitating.....good luck to all...Rich B.

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  • 3 months later...

I am so glad that I found this topic. Gary hadn't had any acid reflux after his surgery in July but he started chemo Friday and he is having that problem now.He is hungry but everytime he eats a small amount the reflux causes him much discomfort. Last night he almost threw up. We tried to call our ONC office this am for something to help him but yesterday we talked to our pharmacy and they told us to try pepcid ac. It worked ok but not enough to let him eat the way he had been before Chemo. Still waiting for the ONC office to call us back.

Lorrie

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Don - my Dad has a fantastic pulmonologist who I was lucky enough to talk to last week. He explained that it is due to surgery (my Dad had a pneumonectomy), and another poster was correct that the diaphram moves up into the chest cavity and pushes on the stomach as things are re-arranging, so it can commonly cause stomach acid to leak out to some degree. My Dad does not have heartburn, but the acid reflux manifests in the form of a shallow cough. He's taking Prilosec OTC now...glad to hear yours has cleared up.

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  • 1 month later...

Great topic. Informative. I have had digestive tract problems since surgery. Nausea and reflux. Chemo has added to that now.

My assumption was the problem was caused by my insides moving around and readjusting to the new space. But whenever I ask any of my doctors (Internist, Surgeon, Oncologist) if the surgery caused my digestive distress I just get a blank stare.

You guys ought to charge professional fees. :D

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Great topic. Informative. I have had digestive tract problems since surgery. Nausea and reflux. Chemo has added to that now.

My assumption was the problem was caused by my insides moving around and readjusting to the new space. But whenever I ask any of my doctors (Internist, Surgeon, Oncologist) if the surgery caused my digestive distress I just get a blank stare.

You guys ought to charge professional fees. :D[/quo\

I do know what you mean. Ever since Gary has started Chemo (taxol Caroplatim) He has had diarrhea for a few days after treatment. When we told the ONC this he said that combination of drugs should cause costpation. I looked the drugs up and one of the side effects is diarrhea.Needles to say I think we must own by now a part of imodium

Lorrie

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  • 6 months later...

Hi, Don:

I never had acid reflux before my lung cancer surgery, but afterwards, I had heartburn so bad it was unreal--I had it 24/7, and ate tums like they were going out of style. One night I ate a chili hot dog, and I had one of the worst experiences of my life! I literally threw up an enormous amount of strong acid that burned my throat and made me so sick. I went to an ENT DOCTOR and was diagnosed with acid reflux. The doctor put me on acifex, and I take one a day and have not had any more problems unless I forget to take one. I talked with my doctor, and he said that with lung cancer surgery, so many things are moved about that that very well could have and probably did bring it on.

Barb

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Cindy and anyone else taking Aciphex, check out the website or ask your pharmacist for a rebate. My hubby takes this religiously and his monthly co-pay is $31-32. We have been using rebates that we've gotten from the pharmacy and from being on a mailing list that is for $30. AND THEY DON'T HAVE A LIMIT TO HOW MANY YOU CAN USE. Can't beat that!

Karen

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