← Return to Adjustable bed frames: Acid reflux after esophageal cancer treatment

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@agould105

My husband had his esophagus removed eight weeks ago and is having issues with a stricture and scar tissue up at his throat. We have one of those huge pillows it looks like you’re being hugged? It’s some thing that I had in college and I bought another one prior to my surgery. So what we do is we turn it upside down and it makes a big wedge and then we have pillows so that my husband can sleep sort of sitting up. I bought this pillow at Walmart for about $20 a couple of years ago. I’m sure you can find a wedge in a medical catalog if you look for physical therapy or alternate positioning.

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Replies to "My husband had his esophagus removed eight weeks ago and is having issues with a stricture..."

Your husband's life will be a series of adjustments for the rest of his life. Twenty-five years ago my GI Doc said "humans are not designed to be lying flat and we all should be sleeping with our sleeping surface on a continuous tilt, higher at the head and lower at the foot". I didn't pay enough attention and ended up with esophageal cancer and had my esophagectomy over ten years ago. I've been taking omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor PPI, 40mg, twice a day for years. Additionally, I chew two Tums (calcium carbonate) prior to reclining for my, hopefully, eight hours of night-time sleep. The PPI works via your bloodstream to reduce the production of acid and the Tums helps to quickly chemically neutralize the acid in the throat and the after-surgery feeding tube. I'm a side and stomach sleeper and the pillow wedges never worked for me. I've spent a lot of money on special devices and electric beds and the best option has been a specially-made incline base that is permanently installed on the bed under the mattress. In incline needs to be a straight surface that is about 6" to 8" higher at the head but pivoting at the foot.

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