Seeking advice for post-op heartburn after emergency colectomy

Good evening - I am posting on behalf of someone close to me who is 1 week post-op emergency colectomy with colostomy. This is very new and very scary at the time being. As we process through these first weeks/months....

1 - Any advice that you have? Pearls of wisdom, so we can avoid learning things the hard way?

2 - Any advice (at all) for dealing with the "heartburn"? IV Pepcid and oral Maalox aren't helping - neither are any of the clear hot or cold liquids we've tried so far.

Thank you so much in advance!

I don't get heartburn much, but when I do, cold chocolate milk pretty much solves it. Also, it helps if you can elevate the upper half of their body so they're not lying flat. It takes a while to heal, go slow.

I drink a glass of water for heartburn.

Sodium bicarbonate pills, which I'm on right now per my doctor, work with helping heartburn (same with baking soda) or sounds crazy, pickle juice... just advice. I'm NOT a doctor. Best of luck.

I never had heartburn before my surgery, but directly after surgery while recovering in the hospital, I had heartburn so bad that it made me lose my voice as I had stomach acid up to my vocal cords. The hospital gave me over-the-counter Mylanta or something similar chalky medication, and it slowly went away. I do not know what or how the surgery may have caused it, but regular over-the-counter heartburn meds got the symptoms down until my body calmed down. Hopefully, you're in the same boat.

I rarely get it, but as mentioned not laying flat works for me.

Hello ForAFriend.

Heartburn should be taken seriously, as it can cause complex long-term problems in the oesophagus if the reflux burns the linings. 

As with many other people, I tried with some success, the many antacids on the market. Then I heard about not lying flat and elevating the upper body, so I bought a bed that elevates both the upper and lower body to a sort of hammock position. This has proved to be invaluable for the prevention of reflux and has meant that I have been able to dispense with all the other medication I was taking for this condition (most of the time). It also helps with sleep apnoea and wearing the CPAP mask, but that's a different story.

Best wishes

Bill  

Thank you all.

I take gripe water, good for babies and big babies too.

Hi there, I put a half spoon of baking soda (not baking powder) in my water bottle and sip when I get heartburn. Works every time!!

Best of luck