Heartburn after liver transplant: How do I get relief?

@craigmorris, Congratulations on your liver transplant. I had kidney transplant four months ago. One of the issues I have until now is heartburn. I was advised to avoid caffeine, carbonated drinks and spicy foods and eat small amount of foods at a time. I also take a walk and avoid lying position after each meal, but didn’t seem to help. I have been taking Protonix prescribed by my nephrologist. It worked, but hopefully I can get off this pill to shorten my list if medications.

@leahdrose - I have recently noticed occasional heartburn. And you just reminder me about caffeine and carbonated drinks. Thank you for solving my puzzle!
I am 12 yrs post transplant and had forgotten about that. Over the summer I had been having more carbonated beverages than I usually do, probably because I’ve been shopping for someone and buying the multiple packages for the special pricing. Now I know why the occasional heartburn appeared. Easy to eliminate it from my menu and see if it is the cause for the occasional discomfort.

After my transplant I was prescribed meds to prevent heartburn due to my immune meds, too.

Has your doctor indicated whether you will need to taper off the med? Or has he said whether the heartburn could reappear?

Hello all! I am a few days post liver transplant and have been experiencing this problem of heart burn when eating. When my team transitioned me from NPO diet to a clear liquid diet, I didn’t have a problem. However, when I went from clear liquid to a regular diet, I started experiencing heart burn, whether it was a smoothie, soup, or more solid meals. At first, I thought it was a breathing issue, something with my lungs but I soon realized this has to be heart burn and/or some sort of acid reflux. I recently was switched from taking Pepcid to now taking another medication, which I can get the name of and edit this comment again. I’ll see how I respond to this because this is something I’m currently experiencing and it’s making eating uncomfortable. Thanks for the initial post and thanks to everyone who’s commented with their tips and personal experiences!

@kenadysanaa, how are you doing with managing heartburn? Did the new medication help?

Yes! The pain when I swallow has gone away, so I can eat, drink, and take my medication now much quicker and without feeling a pain in my chest/have this bodily reaction! Apttmh! The new medication is called omeprazole, trade name Prilosec.