WELCOME TO GERD/ACID REFLUX COMMUNITY

[selmaS]

Welcome to our Gerd Community!

If you are here it's because you, a family member, or loved one suffers from GERd.  It could also be because you're trying to get information on what you believe to be your issue. We're not doctors here, but we do have an expert forum for questions you may have for a professional to answer.

I hope you become an active member of the Gerd Community and share your experiences and support. This is one place you can come to vent or just know you are not alone and someone does understand.

Our number one goal is to provide support to each other...it is in giving that we receive!
  
Please feel free to look around the forum to get familiar with the options on your personal profile.

There's an option to view the 'community archives' located next to the green 'post a question' button. In it you will find the forum’s past questions and posts regarding Gerd and some of the possible treatments you may have had or would like to learn more about. If you have suffered from Gerd issues, check out the 'health pages' option in the upper right corner of the forum. You will find some great, resourceful information on symptoms and the different options available to treat your pain as well as research, testimonials.

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/list?cid=236

You have many options on your personal profile. You can change your My MedHelp theme, add a 'Baby Page',  'add' friends, send 'private messages' and post 'notes' to the other members of MedHelp, as well as add Trackers .

We have a Gastro Tracker is available for you to use.  This tracker will be especially useful for those with Celiac Disease, GERD, IBS, and diverticulosis.  You will be able to track your bowel movements, related symptoms, any treatments you may be taking, and you will be able to write journal entries to record your GERD's progression.   Follow this link to start tracking today:

http://www.medhelp.org/user_trackers/new?type=Gastro


Other trackers available can help you manage your weight, medications, and flares of symptoms. These trackers can be sent to your doctor prior to a visit.  Follow this link to get started:  http://www.medhelp.org/land/health-trackers

You'll also find you have a 'Journal' on your profile. You can write anything you like in your journal and chose to make it public for any other MedHelp member to see, allow only your friends to view it or keep it private for only you.   You may also want to fill out a little bit of information about yourself on your personal profile so we can all get to know more about you as you post and comment in the community.

We're so glad you have found us here and really look forward to getting to know you better, as we learn how your condition has affected you and your lifestyle.

Please stop by our Health Pages for some suggestions and helpful information how to help control GERD / Acid Reflux Symptoms:

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Gastroenterology/Helpful-Ways-to-Help-GERD-Symptoms/show/668?cid=236

Welcome to the GERD Community!

selmaS
CL-GERD Community

[Gepe]

I'd love to connect with other people who are having the same problems as I am.I saw my Dr. and he has me on Prevacid now, my throat is still sore and when I swallow it hurts.I've had acid problems in my stomach in the past, but took ranindine, that quit working, then Priloc, it didn't work anymore, then the 2 meds.................. and still have problems .I go to  G.I. Dr next mo. I eat only soft foods,some soft veggies, no junk food or pop, no OJ or acidic foods.I wish I could just feel better again.Anything I know I'll share,if you have any suggestion plus write. Thanks :)

[triplejfarm]

Do you suffer with acid reflux at night?  If so, when do you take your Prevacid? I had to start taking my Prilosec at about 4 in the afternoon so that it will continue to work through the night.  If I take the meds in the morning it will not last.  Hope that helps.

[jkgerd]

thankyou for your kind welcome. My fourteen yr old son has finally had some diagnostic tests, revealling a snake skin stomach and a thickened esophigus, we are waiting on the biopsy results. The possability of ee or eo was mentioned? So we have a bit of a wait until he has more tests or he gets some medicine, so has anybody heard of anything that may be helpful? I am releived that something is being looked at seriuosly, but also angry that he has been left in so much pain and  in such difficulty for so long, since he was about four or five, he was seven before he was prescribed rinitidine, and twelve before he was given the usual things such as omeprazole etc but it turns out none of these were given in effectual doses, which is apparently common in the uk. But now we move forward and he now has a wonderful consultant at a kids teaching hospital who seems to be giving hiis full attention to the situation. Unfortunately childrens pain and symptoms just aren't listened to and they are also not believed or trusted to know their own bodies, and of course mothers are just as bad! The difference is night and day at this new hospital.  


  

[hipperticker]

Well in a nutshell, I've had problems with extended use of Nexium, it was giving me chronic and frequent UTIs, I'm allergic to Prilosec and Aciphex, I can't take Tagament because it makes me naseous and gives me headaches. What's left?! Trying to fight it naturally, so tired of all the drugs. I've had chronic GERD for years. Doesn't matter what I eat. When I got off the Nexium my Proton Pumps turned back on with a vegence and backed up into my chest! I'm glad I found this place. Please don't hesitate to contact me, I'd love to hear from ya!

[Sue10191]

I just had upper endoscopy where the Dr saw some irritation.  I have had burning in my stomach and nausea, usually first part of the day, for years and was becoming worried about the damage that could be caused by the acid.  I took Prevacid a few years back but it did not seem to do anything.  I just started aciphex.  I see that it is usually prescribed for 8 to 12 weeks.  I was a little concerned about the fact that acid blockers also keep valuable nutrients from being absorbed.  I figure if it is only for a short time period of three months til the irritation heals, then I should be okay.  You say nexium caused UTIs?  How does that happen?  Did your Dr explain?  I am wondering what causes our acid reflux.  I know one of my triggers is any amount of alcohol.  The next day I can't bend over without a burning acid coming up into my throat.  That is the most extreme I have had it and it isn't that often.  Usually just the mild burning and associated gas.

[takemystomachplease]

Sue some reasons or should I say which causes acid relux are eating spicy ,greasy, fried and dairy products.   Also smoking cigarettes , drinking alcohol and using caffiene. Being overweight is another problem because it can cause a hiatal hernia in the stomach which in turn also causes acid to come up.  I am telling you this from my own experience.   I have Gerd, IBS, Lactose Intolerance and Hiatal hernia. I wish you the best, I hope these tips will help you.

[ktf]

I am so so pleased to have found this forum i have been complaining to my doctor for several years about constant sore throat, dizziness, empty stomach feeling when i have eaten plenty, pains in my neck, earache, constipation- he thinks i have nothing better to do i think as he has not taken me seriously at all and have been googling looking for an answer until now! I was finally this week referred by my gyno (i have endometriosis) who said i needed to see a gastroenterologist as he thought i had an allergy even though i cut out just about everything myself trying to feel better, now after reading all you posts and info i know its almost certainly GERD.
The problem i think now is going to be avoiding smoking,alcohol,spicy foods etc !
I have read on several sites that hormones can be a contributing factor wondered if anyone would agree-i had a hysterectomy in 2005 and have had these symptoms since then-also does anyone have a feeling of aching all over on a bad day and at least once a week i cannot get my usually roomy work uniform on i feel so swollen from head to toe??
Thanks in advance!

[namratasnv]

To Sue10191-

The reasons that you posted here are very beneficial for us to know so that we can able to control our eating habits that might creates a biggest problem and makes the condition even worse to tolerate.

I have seen many people who are facing problems due to GERD and they just get so hurt by the effects.

Thanks

[ichthyus]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum.  I've had a problem with GERD and motility on and off over the past few years, but it seems to have flared up again and I am feeling bloated all the time, yet feeling hungry, and even though I haven't changed my regular eating habits, I have put on some five pounds.  No cramps, heartburn or diarrhea and my bowel movements seem normal.  I came back from a week long cruise about one month ago, and even though I tried to regulate my eating, there was always a little extra every meal!  I wonder if this caused my current condition to happen.  Anyone know some non-medicinal treatments?

[selmaS]

Hi...u may need to look at what u were eating on ur cruise...or drinking...if u had spicy foods and alcohol it is possible that is to blame for ur flare.

Try to eat foods that will not affect ur condition and avoid alcohol...plus try not eating dairy products late in the day...or lie down 3 to 4 hrs after eating...elevate the head of ur bed.....

We have a more complete list in the Health Pages.....
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/list?cid=236

[ichthyus]

Hi, thanks for your response and the link to the health pages.  Just to clarify, my main concern is bloating, as I'm not feeling any heartburn.  I don't eat spicy foods often and don't drink alcohol at all, so it's safe to rule those out on my cruise.  I also read that some antihistamines can be a factor.  I have bad hay fever, so I was advised to double my dosage (I'm taking a generic Claritin antihistamine) recently, and I wonder if that has had something to do with it.  I'm sure that late night dairy desserts are a culprit, too.  Will green tea be good for dealing with the bloating?

Thanks in advance

[selmaS]

Hi...there is a condition called silent reflux and u would not feel the heartburn....so, it can very well still be an issue for u.

Antihistamines can cause stomach pain...so u should call ur dr to see if what u r experiencing could be a side effect or allergy to the med.

"selma"

[paula181]

Hi i wonder whether you can shed any light on what i have as my doctor thinks im in another world. Not sympathic at all :(( Right here goes i have been feeling really nauseas and it comes and goes thru out the day but is worse when i need a bowel movementor after i have eaten. I am finding that i am pooing at least 4 times a day, the poos are thin almost like snails at bottom of toilet. I am constantly feeling hungry also and on and off dizziness. I am crying alot but i think cos the doctor not helping its getting to me alot being like this!! I hope someone can help me and i can get better......thankyou :)

[rotten1234]

I have just been diagnosed with high blood pressure from the stress of a job and it also made me start having acid reflux, im on metoprolol succ, er 50 mg once a day. Im trying to work on my reflux with diet and exercise does anyone know if im working on getting rid of my reflux will  the blood pressure stop me from healing PLEASE HELP ME

[kev543]

Hello, I have had acid reflux since i was 25 and 2 years ago i developed high blood preasure at 33 yrs of age and now i have a skipping heart and light headedness quite often. I'm starting to think in the process of trying to bandage one problem with meds, i have gained more problems. I am very active in martial arts and jogging but i am still slightly over weight, which is kind of strange to me and my energy level keeps dropping rapidly. I eat healthy, only drink beer occasionally and i'm still on prilosec and have been taking it religously for about 4 years. The only thing that gives me any relief is ice cold water and i crave that all the time. i probably consume about 2 gallons a day and no doctor can give me an answer to fix it. they say just take this pill and it will keep it under control well i'm starting to believe conspiracy theories about the food and pharmasutical companies have some kind of sick, greedy plot to keep us sick and make billions off of us. Don't the doctors get some kind of commision off the meds too...Hmmm... makes me wonder, how bout you?

[kev543]

Oh, my grandmother died at the age of 103  last year and she told me that i should grow my own garden and learn the old ways of life. I'm really considering that option even though it sounds like alot of work. It might be worth it sense she never had stomach problems and she lived longer than anyone else i know or knew. I let you know how that turns out.

[eunicechoo]

I am not sure if i have gerd. The doc said i might have gerd but never really diagnosed me with it. I have stomach inflammation few months back. This few weeks, i feel there is acid in my mouth when i wake up in the morning. I have also experienced left chest and upper back pain. After a meal, i normally feel slightly dizzy, nausea, instantly diarrhea. I went to see few docs so far, but it doesnt reduce the acid in my stomach I can feel it keep coming up to my mouth even as i am writing comment.

[TheBigpicture]

I will probably say something you've already heard but maybe i'll say something that helps i hope. First of all, if you are over weight, that is probably the biggest problem, no pun intended. Change your life style and this will help extremely. We all have a habbit of looking for the easiest ways instead of working hard to fix the problem. i can tell you that if you are over weight and dont change what you eat and execise more then you are just going to bandaid the problem and it will finally spring a leak. Even with exercise and food changes you may still have some problems. If that is the case, then you might want to look into ceratin types of food intolorences. you may find your cure if this is the case but it will take some investigating on your end. google can be a powerful tool in this aspect. Something is causing our bodies to be unbalanced and the key is finding the cause. good luck and God Bless.

[refluxguy]

I spent my life chasing a fix, took everything from Tums to PPI's until I found ManukaGuard Nutralize on a trip to New Zealand. got my life back and it is now available via a website here in the US

[dean72]

Just popped onto say hi and explain my symptoms and what they found.
I have been asthmatic since age of 7 i am 38 now it been fully under controll up about 3 years ago. when I found my self taking more medication and cannot sleep because of breathing my wife was also commented on my breath. Me being stoburn did not go to docs. then seven months ago I started having severe chest pain and this lump feeling under sternum.It was'nt until i had really busy day at work when my breathing went and I was crippled with pain at work when they told me to go home and not come back until I see gp. gp signed me of work and thought it was my heart so had heart test done and its fine then I had lungs done and they thought gerd straight away.this took 2 months still no work due to being signed of I also started being sick everyday does not matter what I eat  if i dont throw up food its just liquid.
I had ultra sound and eerything came back ok except polpys in gallbladder which docs say would not course problems 3 in total two 3mm near neck and 6mm in fundus.
and a  endoscopy and they have found an incompetent les.
my symptoms are varied worse when I am either laid flat on back or walking.
vomiting everyday for 3 months,stomach pain,discomfort in chest under sternum and pain going from bootom of sternum up to throat my voice keeps changing (as if my voice is breaking again) and my asthma is worse.I work in catering but my employer is not allowing me to go back until i stop vomiting my insurance is saying theres nothing medically wrong.
any advice would be helpful  I have read and try sleeping upright ( i have ended up in armchair in living room now) and i avoiding dairy as it makes it worse also I am mainly eating soup just because when i do vomit its easyer.

[selmaS]

  Hi..so sorry u have not gotten answers.....I have 2 things to ask if u were checked for...first- H.Pylori?...Second- food allergies?

  "selma"

[dean72]

hi yes I was checked for H.Pylori and thats clear and they have not checked me for food allergies  but at moment I am just alergic to eating they have discovered the incompetent lower oesophageal sphincter since my work instisted I went to doc's and have to have two more test's that they are booking me in for  24 hr p.h test and baruim swallow test.
I was niave at first with this thinking pills will work. they have just started me on.lansoprazole 30mg,ranitidine 150mg and metolopramide 10mg but they throwing everyday 1 or more a day but I dont have burning effect al I do have is vomit sore throat voice changing and breathing is still bad on slightest of walks went to park yesterday with kids and had to sit down for ten minute on every bench. due to breathing now my breathing does not feel like asthma with wheeze its more I have ran a marothon and cannot get my breath.
I am back at g.i clinic on thursday so hopfully they will have more answers.

[selmaS]

  Those 2 tests should help.....I would also ask they look for sludge....my dad had it around his GB and caused symptoms very similar to what u r dealing with.

  Good luck and do post an update : )

  
"selma"

[dean72]

They have said its a prsseure problem with les So going to have the ph test a baruim test then small operation still going to take 2 months then hopfully i will be back to normal