I was recently diagnosed with bile reflux and prescribed carafate. Has any one had a positive experience with carafate as a form of treatment with the same illness. If so how did it take?
Answers (1)
21 Sep 2010
I developed bad acid and/or bile reflux a few months after gall bladder surgery. I tried serveral H2 and PPI medications with some relief but I was still miserable. My GI doctor prescribed carafate 3 times a day and told me to desolve them in water for better coating. This worked very well even though I had to supplement with antacids once in a while. I took this for two months then switched to nexium which also helped. After a month I switched to protonix which helped even more. I supplement with antacids(pepcid,malox) as needed once in a while. My reason for leaving carafate was the problem of having to time them around meals and other medications.
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Burton 81, I was recently diagnosed with bile reflux after my GB surgery as well and am taking carafate three times a day. My doctor took me off my protonix. How are you doing not taking the carafate and just the nexium and how is your diet?
Hi lovemom, As I noted in my original statement I took Nexium for a month and switched back to Protonix because that is what my doctor prefered that I take. I felt good with Nexium but better with Protonix. I have been taking Protonix for over six months and doing very well. Once in a while I have a bad day but there are many days that I can forget about my reflux. I am on a normal diet but avoid very spicy food. If I eat something that causes problems I take antacids such as Pepcid, Malox or Titralac. Once in a while I can get away with eating a bit of chocolate or drinking a little wine without problems. I hope that your reflux improves.
Were you diagnosed by an EGD? I'm so glad you're feeling better!
Thanks for your input. If you don't mind, I might sporadically ask you some questions since you have been through this and are doing much better. I really want to get the point where you are. I am taking the carafate and after I take it, it is such a relief, but like you said it is difficult to take it if taking other meds or vitamins. I f/u with my GI specialist at the end of Jan. and will ask him (if I am feeling better) if I can get back on protonix and supplement with carafate or antacids as needed. Thanks again! Lovemom
lovemom, I am sorry i don't know what EGD means but I was diagnosed by a GI specialist with the help of an Endoscopy and an Upper GI Series done at the local hospital. The GI specialist was the one who told me to take the carafate by desoving it first in some water. I think this really helped me because it coats your esophagus as well as your stomach. By the way, I did'nt supplement with carafate once I stopped taking it and started with the Protonix. I only supplemented with antacids. I'll be glad to answer your questions if you think it will help.
Thanks so much and and EGD is an upper Endoscopy.
Hey Burton. ! just wanted to know if they told you you had bile reflux or acid reflux?
The doctor was'nt sure but he thought I had acid reflux since they found a small hiatal hernia and maybe some bile reflux as well which apparently is hard to diagnose.
Gerd and Bile Reflux are two completely different issues. Bile reflux is bile backwashing into your stomach. GERD or acid reflux is stomach acid refluxing into your esophagus. BR can exacerbate GERD, but it is different than GERD. My son, who beat Hodgkin Lymphoma this year, has both. He was on Nexium since January as that is a standard St Jude protocol when going through chemo. It worked well until a few months ago, but then it stopped working and he was switched to Dexilant. This stronger GERD drug is working well so far. He was just diagnosed with Bile Reflux Disorder two weeks ago after an endoscope. He has been having stomach pain for a while since he had his Gallbladder removed... yes gallbladder removal can lead to this problem in some people.
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I don't mean to come off preachy or like a know it all, but taking GERD medicine will not stop your Bile Reflux. There is a drug that you can try (ursodeoxycholic acid) that will help the bile to flow the proper direction (to intestine not into stomach), but our GI told us this drug can cause tremors and twitching. My son went through numerous issues because of the chemo and frankly has been through hell this year and had a drug that caused similar issues so the GI Doc did not want to subject him to this other drug.
I have also read there are possible surgical options, but they have mixed results
In any case, I know this is painful for my son but he is living with it and it is just one of the things he is now living with since the chemo treatment (chemo sucks ..kills the bad guys (thank you) but also kills a lot of good guys in your body).
Good luck to all of you.