Can Bile cause heartburn?

[JCLingo]

I posted earlier regarding my gallbladder being removed last month and how well I've been doing until this past Saturday.  My question is this...I'm still suffering with the burning in my chest despite taking 30 mg. Prevacid twice a day.  (Not to mention the Tums, Mylanta, and Alka Selzter I try) I'm barely eating ANYTHING.  Mostly crackers and water.  I'm tired of this chest burning.  I'm wondering if this is bile backing up.  I have diarhea (diarrhea) at least twice a day and it is a bright orange color.  Is this bright orange the bile in my stool?  My surgeon told me to wait a week (that was Tues.) to see if I still have symptoms before he refers me to a gastro.  I'm about to go crazy with this burning.  Thanks for your help.

[nanci]

your stool color may be the result of Prevacid as well as the diarrhea.  I'm taking Nexium and my stool color is sort of orangy.  I don't have diarrhea but I do have cramping.  I would wait a week as suggested.  I've been taking Nexium for almost two weeks now, twice a day, 40mg each and I still have burning in my chest, regardless of what I eat.

[Lynn28]

It's called, "Bile Reflux". There's much information about it online. Also, you may have GERD, Gastritis, or an ulcer. A lot of times, people will develop one or more of the above after surgery, especially on the gallbladder and gastritis ranks up there. It's "Best" to do nothing until you have a complete work-up with a GI. An endoscopy will confirm bile reflux as well as the others. See your GI for an endoscopy.

-Jennifer

[scarlet17]

It sounds like gastro esophagal reflux diseae. Watch it because the acid backing up can cause damage to the esophagus, ie, it eats away at it.  I take aciphex but zanatac which is nonprecription, could do it. If not, Nexium or aciphex. Good luck b/c its a real pain.