Severe Heartburn 5 Years

[Joyce25]

I have had heartbuen for 5+ years and my DR has done test on me but have all come back normal. I get heartburn daily about 5-10 times a day. It gets hotter and hotter daily. The medication for heartburn that they perscribe to me don't work at all. What do you suggest that I do? My primary DR. has given up on me in the heartburn condition. But I am still having severe heartburn and not sure what to do. Please someone help me to know what to do. Thank you and God Bless you.

[Concerned lady]

Marygold,

You are right. I'm sorry to hear what happened to you. Thank you for caring about others, to warn them so that they won't have the same awful experiences you did. I hope you and everyone gets better, soon.

Concerned lady
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com

[marygold]

I am from Alberta, Canada, and just moved here from BC, Canada.

[marygold]

Hey, I went through almost exactly the same thing as you! I had heartburn and reflux for 4 years (undiagnosed) and my doc had given up on me. He just kept giving me antibiotics to keep my mom happy, cuz it looked like he was trying to do something. This lasted from when I was 12 to when I was 16 and saw my sister's ear, nose, and throat specialist who diagnosed me with GERD after just taking a 5sec look down my throat. I had mild H. pylori, but it wasn't too pronounced. After that, I went back to my doc and railed at him. I ripped a strip right offa him, I was so mad. He came back with telling me how he thought of GERD in the beginning (when I was 12) but dismissing it cuz I didn't fit any stats, although I had nearly every single textbook symptom. Then for another 2 years afterwards, he basically ignored me. Didn't give me any treatment or nothing. Just gave me a tiny little phamplet of eating and lifestyle changes (most of which I had already found on the internet by myself and was following) and told me good luck. My mom got fed up of me always being in pain from the heartburn and related problems, that she tricked me into going to the doc's. By this time, I hated the guy with a passion and wouldn't go near his office with a 10mile pole. She said we were going to a movie. And, stupid me, I believed her. We got there and Momma blasted the doc and ordered him to give us a referal to a specialist. This he did, and as soon as we got the referal, we was outta there. I haven't been back since. I dealt only with my GI since then, up until I moved a couple months ago. He was great, and listened to all my symptoms and problems and such. He got me right in to have an endoscopy test and a biopsy. By this time I was so self-educated on GERD that he could tell me straight out what he found and everything, and I'd know exactly what it meant. (My mom was usually left sitting there going 'what?')

The reason I'm telling you this is so you won't make the same mistakes. Life's too short to screw it up. I'm only 19 now, and have some pretty bad scarring and narrowing of my esophagus from the constant acid, as well as ulcers, now healed but leaving some nasty scarring, and I have permanently damaged vocal cords. I can't raise my voice above a soft murmur most of the time, and if I do, I usually lose it and can't talk at all cuz of the pain. This all comes from the acid from the reflux, because my doc gave up on me and it was left untreated for so long. I had to yell at my doc to try to get him to listen to me. Do ANYTHING necessary to get that referal. If need be, go to a walk-in clinic and see if they can't give you a referal. Go see a gastroenterologist! What I got now is no picnic, and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Find a gastroenterologist.

[sherry williams]

Hi Joyce, sorry to hear about your heartburn!  Last month I was finally tested for h pylori, which came back positive, after suffering with ulcers and heartburn since 1989.  I hadn't heard of h pylori before but the doctor had me taking 12 pills a day for fourteen days.  The meds included biaxen, amoxicillin, aciphex and zantac.  I am through with that regimen now and it made a huge difference after just a few days.  However, I am now starting to suffer with the heartburn again.  I am not sure if the aciphex made such a drastic improvement or not, but I am going to go back to the doctor to find out.  Interestingly enough, my Mother and most of her siblings as well as cousins of mine have all complained of heartburn, etc., for years.  None of them have been tested, but after reading up on h pylori I am willing to bet they will test positive also.  Please ask your doctor to test for h pylori.

[Concerned lady]

When your primary care doc "gave up", why didn't he refer you to an EXPERT doctor, like a GASTRO-ENTEROLOGIST? That's what a doctor should do, when he or she can't help you. I urge you to ask for a referral, and go see an expert doc!

While you wait for your appointment date, with an expert doc, please read the following "tips", and if you and your doctor agree, give these a 2 week try, to see if they help you, or not:

Some GASTRIC REFLUX TIPS (without acid blockers):

Please check with your doctor, first, before trying these tips to be sure they are safe, in your particular situation.

GER=Gastro-Esophageal Reflux. (Gastro=stomach. Esophagus=food tube.)

LPR= Laryngeal-Pharyngeal Reflux. (Larynx=voice box, containing the 2 vocal cords. Pharynx=throat, above the larynx. The larynx is above the trachea/windpipe.)

Reflux=acidic or alkaline stomach material that backs up into the esophagus (food tube), causing any of these problems (at least): VCD/Vocal Cord Dysfunction/Laryngospasm attacks, cough, voice problems, asthma, globus (feeling of lump in throat), constant need to clear throat, much extra throat mucus, worsening of sinus condition, sore throat, laryngitis, voice problems, pre-cancerous conditions of throat &/or esophagus, etc.

SOME GER/LPR CONTROL THINGS WE DO, that we learned from the excellent book: STOMACH AILMENTS AND DIGESTIVE DISTURBANCES, by Michael T. Murray, N.D. See page 9, References, in my website: http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com   and, also see GER/LPR info on page 5, and on LINKS page.

PLEASE READ THIS GREAT BOOK. It may possibly be bought on-line, from Michael T. Murray

[DI99]

Forgot to Say I am from NJ

[DI99]

Where does Everyone live?  I ask b/c it seems so many people I know are suffering stomach symptoms....including My hubby

[nanci]

What type of testing have you had done?  Did you have a scope to rule out h-pylori?