Anybody have GERD?

[dismom2]

Thanks, ya'll! Was your endoscopy difficult? I'm a major chicken with medical tests (I only recently quit fainting when they check my blood for my thyroid disease! ).

V, from what you said, it sounds like they do anesthesia for the endoscopies? Is it more of a you sleep through the test anesthesia or a you can't feel the scope anesthesia?

I was put completely to sleep during my endoscopy. I fell asleep extremely quickly, then I woke up and it was over. It was very easy.

I was having heartburn, but a lot of stomach pain and nausea. I also had a burning feeling in my chest quite often. I thought maybe I had a lung disease, or something! Turned out to be a hernia and GERD. I have tried all the PPI's and they all give me terrible side effects, but Prilosec seems to be the lesser of the evils for me. I am suppose to take it everyday, long term, but because of the side effects I only take it until I feel better, then stop for a while until I start feeling really bad again, then I start it again.

Good luck.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I need the meds.

I have never been overweight nor do I eat poorly.

Sometimes, just drinking a glass of water will set me off. Naturally, junk food is no good, but even when I am an angel with my diet, I still get the reflux and often very bad at times.

I should take them too but I am having horrible side effects from meds now.

Should have added that in as to why I do not want to take the meds. Now I take them as needed.

All I am saying is diet has to be a part of the change along with meds.

My uncle was someone who drank coffee ALL DAY and ate HOT peppers while taking his meds. Not too smart.

 

[Christine]

I should take them too but I am having horrible side effects from meds now.

Should have added that in as to why I do not want to take the meds. Now I take them as needed.

All I am saying is diet has to be a part of the change along with meds.

My uncle was someone who drank coffee ALL DAY and ate HOT peppers while taking his meds. Not too smart.

So true. There are things I certainly can no longer do, even with the meds. Coffee is one of them. I will get so sick to my stomach with coffee that it is unreal. The last time I had a cup of coffee was in 1999 and it took me 3 days to recover from it. It's a shame because I do enjoy it (or did). The other thing that is a huge no-no for me are donuts in any form. Oh God, what a killer. And I don't mean that I get indigestion for a few hours--it is much worse than that.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

So true. There are things I certainly can no longer do, even with the meds. Coffee is one of them. I will get so sick to my stomach with coffee that it is unreal. The last time I had a cup of coffee was in 1999 and it took me 3 days to recover from it. It's a shame because I do enjoy it (or did). The other thing that is a huge no-no for me are donuts in any form. Oh God, what a killer. And I don't mean that I get indigestion for a few hours--it is much worse than that.

Yep. I am finding my trigger foods now. Funny, Sprite or 7up gives me instant pain.

If my dh has basil he has to go to the ER for a lidocaine cocktail. He has to grill servors in restaurants to make sure there is no basil.

 

[johnsontrio]

To those PP who stated they are having side effects from the PPIs, can you tell me what side effects you are having?

I am new to all this and see the Gastroenterologist today. Mine started with gastritis and seems not to be resolving. I'm on my second PPI, Prilosec and Aciphex, and they have both seemed to work for the first 10 days to 2 weeks and then they don't seem to work so well.

I do know that caffeine and chocolate are triggers for the pain but the urping and burping are pretty regular, worse on an empty stomach.

Hoping this new Dr. has an answer for me.

 

[lovemygoofy]

I don't know that I really have GERDs. I'm taking medicine for acid reflux though, which I guess could be the same thing. It did not matter what I ate or drank and the doctor said it wasn't a weight thing(though he could be just be saying that). I had a barium swallow and it showed the reflux going down into my lungs instead of up and burning.

It was causing my asthma to go crazy and constantly making me sick. I take zantac 150(rantidine generic) twice a day but now having other stomach issues that for the life of me are not normal at least not to me. My regular doctor said I don't have time to go to a GI because I'm moving in a month and a half and I guess I just have to be miserable for a few more months.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My side effect is feeling like I have something stuck in my throat.

I am very dry right now, probably due to hormones.

I don't know why the meds are doing this however when I stopped the throat thing stopped.

I don't get it.

 

[Christine]

I don't know that I really have GERDs. I'm taking medicine for acid reflux though, which I guess could be the same thing. It did not matter what I ate or drank and the doctor said it wasn't a weight thing(though he could be just be saying that). I had a barium swallow and it showed the reflux going down into my lungs instead of up and burning.

It was causing my asthma to go crazy and constantly making me sick. I take zantac 150(rantidine generic) twice a day but now having other stomach issues that for the life of me are not normal at least not to me. My regular doctor said I don't have time to go to a GI because I'm moving in a month and a half and I guess I just have to be miserable for a few more months.

Tina,

Just an FYI. My DD's friend's father (whew!!) is a gastroenterologist at Ft. Belvior. Nice, friendly guy!! Maybe you can get him as your doctor!

 

[Christine]

My side effect is feeling like I have something stuck in my throat.

I am very dry right now, probably due to hormones.

I don't know why the meds are doing this however when I stopped the throat thing stopped.

I don't get it.

They can all do funny things.

I take prescription strength Prilosec and cannot do generic. I've tried. The first time I took a generic, I got dry mouth like you wouldn't believe. Took me awhile to figure out it was the medication switch.

They just came out with a new generic that's supposed to be better. I took it last month. No dry mouth, but no controlling the acid either.

 

[lovemygoofy]

Tina,

Just an FYI. My DD's friend's father (whew!!) is a gastroenterologist at Ft. Belvior. Nice, friendly guy!! Maybe you can get him as your doctor!

See, this is why I love the internet! My dis friend's daughter's friends father is a GI at the place I'm moving to. I love playing the six degrees of seperation

Thanks for the tip, Christine.

 

[Tazicket]

Just wanted to pop back in with an update.

I saw my doctor this morning and he thinks I have gastritis. I have a bunch of samples of Nexium to take and a prescription for when they run out. I'm supposed to call him if the symptoms don't go away in a few days with the meds or if the pain comes back when the samples run out.

He pushed around on my stomach and (based on my reactions) it seems to be inflamed at the top.

So, we shall see what happens. (Thanks again, everybody!)