1. < Digestive Health
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GERD issues

Posted by janarose @janarose, Feb 29, 2012

I am 22 years old. I don't smoke or drink. Growing up I can remember having a slight hoarse voice in the morning if I ate to late at nights. But never anything too miserable. It would go away within a hour after drinking water.
March 2011 on a Wednesday. I woke up with a hoarse voice that never went away. After a few weeks I started to get slightly worried so I went to my family doctor. I went 3 times over a course of 5-6 weeks and they had no idea after giving me multiple steroids and antibiotics that did nothing. I also had no pain in the beginning my throat didn't hurt at all. My only symptom was the voice. So they sent me to a throat specialist. (Audiologist) He did a throat endoscopy and told me I have GERD. He prescribed me omeprazole 20mg once a day. I changed my diet. I stopped eating hours before I went to sleep. I have never been a soda drinker, I am not a fan of fatty foods. The fattiest thing I like to eat sometimes is chocolate.. So I gave that up. I don't eat big meals. I have always been a snacker. But I didn't seem to get that much better so back as planned in 6weeks. He told me to start taking it twice a day. my throat started to hurt and become really sore around this point. I would wake up in severe pain, and it would hurt through out the day. I would take 2- 20mg omeprazole and I would also drink baking soda mixed with water whenever I couldn't handle the constant burn anymore.. I wouldn't drink the baking soda/water at the same time as taking the omeprazole. I made sure I did that hours apart from one another.
So about 10-12 weeks later my symptoms got much worse. It wasn't working. Nothing seemed to work.
So I went back to the doctor. They did another endoscopy and my throat is more swollen than the first. It's starting to swell up even higher around where my thyroid is.
I started having chest pains and it has become hard to swallow anything.
My heart rate gets insanely high in random occasions.
I feel a knock/thump whenever I swallow.
My throat is always hurting.
I am nauseous when I eat.
It's painful to eat or drink anything; I have lost almost 30lbs because of it.

So I have had a endoscopy twice now,
I got a barium swallow done and he told me I have acid reflux. probe test done,.,Blood work....How many more test need to be done?
I haven’t heard my voice in a year now. It's to the point where I am becoming depressed and I ignore talking to people. I ignore hanging out with friends, because if I talk to much my throat becomes incredibly sore to the point where I won't be able to sleep. I can't yell or whisper. I have one tone. If I yell then I’m pretty much out for the rest of the day because my throat hurts so badly.
I am thinking about going to the Mayo Clinic. Has anyone else been through this? Do you think they will be able to help? Could it be something else?
Im desperate.

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Profile picture for manojuan619
manojuan619 | @manojuan619 | Aug 10, 2023
In reply to @rashida "@brittis where do you get this “reflux gourmet”? At a pharmacy on prescription? Or in any..." + (show)
Profile picture for rashida @rashida

@brittis where do you get this “reflux gourmet”? At a pharmacy on prescription? Or in any grocery store? Never heard of this.

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I saw this on Amazon.

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brittis | @brittis | Aug 10, 2023
In reply to @rashida "@brittis where do you get this “reflux gourmet”? At a pharmacy on prescription? Or in any..." + (show)
Profile picture for rashida @rashida

@brittis where do you get this “reflux gourmet”? At a pharmacy on prescription? Or in any grocery store? Never heard of this.

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I bought mine at Amazon!

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2 replies
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spudmato | @spudmato | Aug 10, 2023
In reply to @jimaddessi "I am a relatively healthy 69 year old male who has had bouts of gerd (acid..." + (show)
Profile picture for jimaddessi @jimaddessi

I am a relatively healthy 69 year old male who has had bouts of gerd (acid reflex) in my life. I've had several endoscopy"s done, most recently January of 2022 diagnosis of Gastritis. I don't smoke and drink in moderation socially (not a lot). Recently I developed my worst symptoms ever, not sleeping very good ( I have elevated bed),very bad pressure in chest which creates tremendous anxiety making it had to breathe and catch my breath, floor pacing...terrible stress on body. Oddly enough it's been worse every other morning when I wake up. I take Protonix and Pepcid, Mylanta and I just got some new stuff called Nutrasec, a tablet like Tums only better that you take after eating that helps a little. I was cruising right along until 10 days ago the it hit me like a tank. I gave up coffee and changed my diet drastically and am trying to schedule another endoscopy. I'm hoping maybe my esophagus needs stretched or I'm a candidate for esophagus sphincter surgery. I feel beat and it sucks trying to sleep on my left side all night. Anybody out there having similar problems?

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It available from Amazon, or check their web site for more information.
It has had a positive result for me.
Good luck,

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jackielb | @jackielb | Aug 11, 2023
In reply to @manojuan619 "I can relate. I have had GERD symptoms for about 4 months. Including food getting stuck..." + (show)
Profile picture for manojuan619 @manojuan619

I can relate. I have had GERD symptoms for about 4 months. Including food getting stuck half way down, hard time swallowing, hard time burping and when I do burp relieves pressure also have lost 80 pounds in 4 months. I have had a scope, barium swallow all that came back just fine so my GI dr had basically told me it’s not anything to do with heartburn and I’m suffering daily! I take a GI cocktail witch relieves pain for about 20 minutes then comes right back. My chest gets super tight and it feels like my chest is gurgling. All these symptoms are not heartburn/GERD according to the professionals? Also I get super dizzy and lightheaded all threw out the day. Any advice would be helpful.

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Have you had a esophageal manometry?

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1 reply
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manojuan619 | @manojuan619 | Aug 11, 2023
In reply to @jackielb "Have you had a esophageal manometry?" + (show)
Profile picture for jackielb @jackielb

Have you had a esophageal manometry?

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I have ya that’s also normal.

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jojo | @jord | Aug 11, 2023
In reply to @brittis "I bought mine at Amazon!" + (show)
Profile picture for brittis @brittis

I bought mine at Amazon!

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Did you lose weight, as well?

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jojo | @jord | Aug 11, 2023
In reply to @jimaddessi "I am a relatively healthy 69 year old male who has had bouts of gerd (acid..." + (show)
Profile picture for jimaddessi @jimaddessi

I am a relatively healthy 69 year old male who has had bouts of gerd (acid reflex) in my life. I've had several endoscopy"s done, most recently January of 2022 diagnosis of Gastritis. I don't smoke and drink in moderation socially (not a lot). Recently I developed my worst symptoms ever, not sleeping very good ( I have elevated bed),very bad pressure in chest which creates tremendous anxiety making it had to breathe and catch my breath, floor pacing...terrible stress on body. Oddly enough it's been worse every other morning when I wake up. I take Protonix and Pepcid, Mylanta and I just got some new stuff called Nutrasec, a tablet like Tums only better that you take after eating that helps a little. I was cruising right along until 10 days ago the it hit me like a tank. I gave up coffee and changed my diet drastically and am trying to schedule another endoscopy. I'm hoping maybe my esophagus needs stretched or I'm a candidate for esophagus sphincter surgery. I feel beat and it sucks trying to sleep on my left side all night. Anybody out there having similar problems?

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I do. Sleeping on a wedge and left side has been a nightmare for me. Just recently did an endoscopy called Endoflip. They ck esophagus with a small balloon and stretch if needed and also they can check hiatal hernia and LES and stomach. b I have been ill for four years and watched my diet several times and lost lots of weight and got better, but during Xmas, I ate lots of cookies and LPR came back with more vengeance. Another test that checks to see if you have acidic or non acidic reflux, is 24 hour probe which I did not want to do. 24 hour probe and monametry tests are very hard to do. I cried through Monametry, and did not want to do the 24 hour probe.

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Profile picture for cpd54
cpd54 | @cpd54 | Aug 12, 2023
In reply to @jimaddessi "I am a relatively healthy 69 year old male who has had bouts of gerd (acid..." + (show)
Profile picture for jimaddessi @jimaddessi

I am a relatively healthy 69 year old male who has had bouts of gerd (acid reflex) in my life. I've had several endoscopy"s done, most recently January of 2022 diagnosis of Gastritis. I don't smoke and drink in moderation socially (not a lot). Recently I developed my worst symptoms ever, not sleeping very good ( I have elevated bed),very bad pressure in chest which creates tremendous anxiety making it had to breathe and catch my breath, floor pacing...terrible stress on body. Oddly enough it's been worse every other morning when I wake up. I take Protonix and Pepcid, Mylanta and I just got some new stuff called Nutrasec, a tablet like Tums only better that you take after eating that helps a little. I was cruising right along until 10 days ago the it hit me like a tank. I gave up coffee and changed my diet drastically and am trying to schedule another endoscopy. I'm hoping maybe my esophagus needs stretched or I'm a candidate for esophagus sphincter surgery. I feel beat and it sucks trying to sleep on my left side all night. Anybody out there having similar problems?

Jump to this post

Have you tried intermittent fasting? There are a lot of different ways to do it. I personally do 16/8. I don’t eat after 6 pm or before 10 am. I also don’t drink alcohol or smoke. I don’t consume carbonated drinks. Also, how’s your diet? I’ve had a food sensitivity test done and when I eat the foods I’m sensitive to my GERD comes back.

REPLY
Profile picture for seniormiz
seniormiz | @seniormiz | Aug 13, 2023
In reply to @jimaddessi "I am a relatively healthy 69 year old male who has had bouts of gerd (acid..." + (show)
Profile picture for jimaddessi @jimaddessi

I am a relatively healthy 69 year old male who has had bouts of gerd (acid reflex) in my life. I've had several endoscopy"s done, most recently January of 2022 diagnosis of Gastritis. I don't smoke and drink in moderation socially (not a lot). Recently I developed my worst symptoms ever, not sleeping very good ( I have elevated bed),very bad pressure in chest which creates tremendous anxiety making it had to breathe and catch my breath, floor pacing...terrible stress on body. Oddly enough it's been worse every other morning when I wake up. I take Protonix and Pepcid, Mylanta and I just got some new stuff called Nutrasec, a tablet like Tums only better that you take after eating that helps a little. I was cruising right along until 10 days ago the it hit me like a tank. I gave up coffee and changed my diet drastically and am trying to schedule another endoscopy. I'm hoping maybe my esophagus needs stretched or I'm a candidate for esophagus sphincter surgery. I feel beat and it sucks trying to sleep on my left side all night. Anybody out there having similar problems?

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I find that eating lightly salted soda crackers is helpful. Also chewing gum helps a bit.

REPLY
Profile picture for tjoanne
tjoanne | @tjoanne | Aug 13, 2023
In reply to @jimaddessi "I am a relatively healthy 69 year old male who has had bouts of gerd (acid..." + (show)
Profile picture for jimaddessi @jimaddessi

I am a relatively healthy 69 year old male who has had bouts of gerd (acid reflex) in my life. I've had several endoscopy"s done, most recently January of 2022 diagnosis of Gastritis. I don't smoke and drink in moderation socially (not a lot). Recently I developed my worst symptoms ever, not sleeping very good ( I have elevated bed),very bad pressure in chest which creates tremendous anxiety making it had to breathe and catch my breath, floor pacing...terrible stress on body. Oddly enough it's been worse every other morning when I wake up. I take Protonix and Pepcid, Mylanta and I just got some new stuff called Nutrasec, a tablet like Tums only better that you take after eating that helps a little. I was cruising right along until 10 days ago the it hit me like a tank. I gave up coffee and changed my diet drastically and am trying to schedule another endoscopy. I'm hoping maybe my esophagus needs stretched or I'm a candidate for esophagus sphincter surgery. I feel beat and it sucks trying to sleep on my left side all night. Anybody out there having similar problems?

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My hubby has had good results using Gaviscon Advanced, available only on Amazon. It has been a godsend in addition to his meds. Be certain you purchase ADVANCED!

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