I'm having one agonizing hell of time right now and wondering what others do get relief!
Try Zegerid, 40...seems to do the trick although it is not cheap...
My wife has it. She takes a Nexium every morning for it, seems to help. Sorry you have it, I know how damned uncomfortable it can be :-[
Let me ask around. I've got a relative who has some expertise in this.
Prilosec won't give you immediate relief, but should help in the longer time.
If you have a consistent issue you need to be on a "PPI" or Proton Pump Inhibitor. This PPI takes about a week to kick in, and Prilosec will fill in for the interrim.
In the mean time you can try some over the counter stuff for immediate relief.
Of course, you're best off consulting a real physician instead of an internet post... ;)
I was diagnosed with GERD two years ago. I kept getting pressure in my chest and my left arm going numb and it scared the shit out of me. So, one night after work, I went to the emergency room. That started the ball rolling.
Once they determined that it was GERD and H.Pylori, they made me take two antibiotics to kill the H.Pylori and Nexium to handle the reflux. After a while, I continued having the pressure and the numbness, and as I thought it was the Nexium, I stopped taking it.
Now, I rarely have the symptoms anymore. Part of it is to do with my S.O. Having someone in my life to love me has changed my mental and emotional outlook, which, in turn, has changed my physical state. When I do have symptoms, I take a couple of Tums.
Thanks guys. I've been on omeprazole for over a year, but something has happened over the past 5 days and the horrible, burning agony is nearly driving me crazy. I went to emergency this morning. They ruled-out heart attack, told me to double the dosage of omeprazole, and gave me some tylenol 3 for the pain. The t3 is taking the edge off of it, but like the dawg said there is a good deal of panic on my end.
I'm going to look into these ppi's and zegerid. Thanks again for your responses.
Shit, omeprazole is a ppi.
Stay way from the caffeine man ! It totally exacerbates acid reflux and other related shit. That's what I'm going thru right now - I think I might have to go on methadone to get off the Pepsi :(
Brother, I am f-ed up right now, no guff.
Damn! Sorry to hear that Cent. I hope you feel better soon, whatever it takes.
One thing you can try at night is sleeping on your left side. Apparently the position of the esophageal sphincter is then raised slightly minimizing pressure on it from stomach secretions and contents.
The more you elevate the head and shoulders, the less acid creeps up. There were nights that I woke from a dead sleep thinking, "I'm coming, Elizabeth!" It's some scary stuff, 40. But, as long as the doctor has definitively ruled out heart problems, then the crap you feel is a result of the acid in the esophagus. Burp or fart and the pressure should release.
Brothers, I am sucking down gravol (for the nausea), tylenol 3 and gaviscon or maalox or whatever I can get my hands on!! It's unholy. I think that my esophagus has been BBQed!
Hey Cent40,
I feel your pain, having suffered from GERD off and on for years. If you can, get a prescription for rabeprazol, which is a proton pump inhibitor that is really effective. Over the counter pepcid (famotidine) or zantac (ranitidine) are histamine antagonists that help but are not as potent as rabeprazol in my experience. I also found that chewing gum (sugarless of course) after a meal helps. Apparently the saliva that is generated and swallowed neutralizes the acid in your esophagus. Losing a few pounds also helps since it reduces pressure on the sphincter between your stomach and esophagus. Certain foods also aggravate the condition. For me fatty foods (especially pizza) are the worst but caffeine, chocolate, peppermint, and alcolhol can also trigger reflux.
Chronic GERD is bad news. The discomfort is bad enough but GERD also greatly increases your risk of esophageal cancer. If you have had reflux for several years you should ask your family doc about an endoscopic examination to check for precancerous changes caused by the chronic inflammation.
Lots of good information at this site.
http://www.medicinenet.com/gastroesophageal_reflux_disease_gerd/page6.htm
Damn, that sounds like pure hell 40Cent. As someone who suffers from (a - thankfully! - moderate case of) acid reflux, I strongly sympathize.
I wish I had some sage/helpful advice to give, but the fellas have pretty much already covered any words of wisdom I might have. As it is, I wish you the very best of luck in dealing with your problem! I know only too well how miserable it can be.
My wife, given her special *condition*, is now suffering from acid reflux fairly regularly. I get it all the time myself. She has been using a natural remedy, Papaya Enzyme Extract and it has been working fairly well. They are nice, slightly fruit flavored, chewables that work similar to Tums.
Another more natural remedy for GERD is to take a Calcium supplement. If you think about it, stuff like Tums are actually just doses of Calcium in chewable form. Also, there has been research that suggests Zinc is as effective or more effective than antacids. You might check with your Doc to make sure that these won't counteract your medicines, but they can be a cheaper alternative with fewer side effects.
You could also try taking a Probiotic supplement. These are basically the little guys that are in yogurt and they are good for your GE tract. My wife has had good luck with those, although I'm a bit intolerant of pills and so they never really helped out for me.
Oh course the biggest thing is to change diet and lifestyle (something I grapple with). Fried foods are killer for GERD, as are soda pops. Cutting out soda is a HUGE help and it can really help you lose weight with very little effort (the amount of calories in soda is shocking). Replacing soda with tea can work, as the anti-oxidents in tea are beneficial.
As far as medicine, my Dad had good results from Nexium. He also uses Prilosec and Prevacid, but you have to remember these are preventative, so you need to take them before a meal or event that gives you heartburn. They are less useful after the fact, as they take a few hours to kick in (and by that time you are miserable).
Small changes can also help. Stay upright for at least 3 hours after eating (no lounging in the chair or recliner after the meal). Alcohol KILLS me, so I have to be careful about my beer intake (bubbles + alcohol = major reflux). Coffee can be harsh, but I'm too stubborn to give up that. Everything we love wants to kill us, you know?
Thanks for the tips and the sympathies. I'm now in day 3 of agony, fortunately the agony is a bit less today than yesterday. I had an ultrasound on my gall bladder and just got back from my doctor. There is a gall stone to complicated matters. An appointment is being set for me to consult with a surgeon.
Yesterday, I began doubling my doses of omeprazole. I've been told to avoid all fatty foods, dairy, and citrus fruit. I've been able to eat 3 bananas in the past 2 days. I'm going to try a grilled, skinless chicken breast and some steamed carrots today. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.
^Hmmm...any possibility that you are having a gallstone attack?
In any case, gall bladder removal is a snap when it can be done by laparoscopic surgery. I went in for elective surgery at 6am and was resting at home by 1pm. A couple days later and I was good as new - just had to be careful showering until the incisions healed. The only complication (and it was an unpleasant one) was that I had to visit the ER to be catheterized the evening of my surgery because my bladder decided that it didn't want to work but all was back to normal in 24 hours.
Yeah, they think I might be having a gall stone attack along with GERD. Whatever it is, it is awful, debilitating and I want it to stop!!
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 29, 2012, 11:34:47 AM
Yeah, they think I might be having a gall stone attack along with GERD. Whatever it is, it is awful, debilitating and I want it to stop!!
I am a bit surprised that the option of emergency gall bladder surgery wasn't suggested to you.
Yeah, this sounds more like a flare up than GERD. I have a friend who has Gall Bladder problems and when his flared up it basically made him have horrible reflux, nausea, and bowl "issues." He had to ride it out, because the docs were not convinced it was anything more than a temporary attack.
Quote from: Shelldrake on June 29, 2012, 11:39:22 AM
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 29, 2012, 11:34:47 AM
Yeah, they think I might be having a gall stone attack along with GERD. Whatever it is, it is awful, debilitating and I want it to stop!!
I am a bit surprised that the option of emergency gall bladder surgery wasn't suggested to you.
Things have calmed down a bit, I've only eaten banana for the past 2 days.. but I did have a bare, grilled boneless, skinless chicken breat tonight, a little hard to take, but better. Overall things still suck, but not as bad as this time yesterday, thank Christ! My GP is referring me to a surgeon, but he said it will take time. If it all happens again, like the past couple of days, I'll go right into emergency; if I do that every time, they'll speed up the surgery date just to keep me out of the emergency room!
So what's life like without a gall bladder? Are you on a restricted diet?
Quote from: son_of_montfort on June 29, 2012, 12:28:39 PM
Yeah, this sounds more like a flare up than GERD. I have a friend who has Gall Bladder problems and when his flared up it basically made him have horrible reflux, nausea, and bowl "issues." He had to ride it out, because the docs were not convinced it was anything more than a temporary attack.
Yeah man, riding shit out really sucks.
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 29, 2012, 06:07:38 PM
So what's life like without a gall bladder? Are you on a restricted diet?
I didn't have to change my diet at all. Just glad to be rid of it!
Quote from: Shelldrake on June 29, 2012, 08:05:16 PM
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 29, 2012, 06:07:38 PM
So what's life like without a gall bladder? Are you on a restricted diet?
I didn't have to change my diet at all. Just glad to be rid of it!
Friend of mine had his out and only change in diet was to reduce fat intake... So no more deep fried chicken etc....
I don't eat fried chicken now, it makes me sick to the stomach. Giving up pizza will be hard, if it comes to that.
what did your blood work come back with?
When SLCG had gall bladder attacks several stress enzymes that are released by the pancreas went sky high.
I have hyper-acidic production associated with those little bacterial bastards that cause ulcers so the pantoprazole works fucking awesome.
I am truly sorry for your suffering.... I can't believe they are just giving you T3s.
Centurion40 Get well soon !!!
sorry i cant contribute all to much to the health advices. I had some milder but growing symptoms of reflux in the past but i was sure i could traced them down to either heavy feasting or hard liquor digestif or serious anger. i didn't take any medicine, i just started sleeping with a few degrees elevated upper body... and its all gone, with exception of a few days in a year.
(still feasting still drinking, in a relish way ... but tried to reduced the anger-triggers ;-) )
Quote from: Windigo on June 30, 2012, 12:13:43 AM
what did your blood work come back with?
When SLCG had gall bladder attacks several stress enzymes that are released by the pancreas went sky high.
I have hyper-acidic production associated with those little bacterial bastards that cause ulcers so the pantoprazole works fucking awesome.
I am truly sorry for your suffering.... I can't believe they are just giving you T3s.
Everything, blood-wise was normal. Due to my symptoms, the emergency room doc sent me for the gallbladder ultrasound in order to rule it out... and there was the stone!
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 30, 2012, 05:28:55 AM
Quote from: Windigo on June 30, 2012, 12:13:43 AM
what did your blood work come back with?
When SLCG had gall bladder attacks several stress enzymes that are released by the pancreas went sky high.
I have hyper-acidic production associated with those little bacterial bastards that cause ulcers so the pantoprazole works fucking awesome.
I am truly sorry for your suffering.... I can't believe they are just giving you T3s.
Well at least you know what's going on now. Can you pass those or do they have to dig them out?? :P
Everything, blood-wise was normal. Due to my symptoms, the emergency room doc sent me for the gallbladder ultrasound in order to rule it out... and there was the stone!
So after another agonizing night, I go to emergency again this morning. I get poked and prodded, more blood and another ultrasound. There are now 2 stones! They start to prep me for surgery, then they stop. I wait on a gurney in another room for close to 6 hours waiting to see a surgeon. He shows up, asks me a bunch of questions, pokes and prods me some more and says that the gallbladder is not inflamed, so the problem is likely horrible acid reflux; no surgery today, but if it flares-up some more, come on back, and then he leaves. :o
A new emergency room doc appears (I was there for 12 hours today), he gives me a concoction of pills that included zantac and a version of omeprazole, and voila! I was able to eat a hospital chicken salad sandwich. I felt 70% better, so they released me into the wild with a prescription for some kind of ulcer drug (just in case). Thank Christ, I feel more than just a bit better!
Huzzah, 40! Glad to hear that!! There are few worse things in life than not being able to eat. Not sleeping. A toothache. And being belly sick.
Glad to hear that you are feeling better, even if you had to spend the day in the ER. Hope today is better!
Very glad to hear that you're feeling better, 40C, and hope that it all gets sorted for you soon.
Glad to hear you're home again, Cent!
Untreated, that kind of reflux can erode the esophageal lining. Remember Mike's suggestion about elevating the head of your bed a few degrees. Put a few spacers under the feet or get a sheet of heavy plywood and put it under the mattress with a spacer block under that at the pillow end.
Quote from: Staggerwing on July 01, 2012, 06:07:33 AM
Glad to hear you're home again, Cent!
Untreated, that kind of reflux can erode the esophageal lining. Remember Mike's suggestion about elevating the head of your bed a few degrees. Put a few spacers under the feet or get a sheet of heavy plywood and put it under the mattress with a spacer block under that at the pillow end.
Yeah, they told me that in the hospital too.
Thanks everyone. I feel like I've been through a wringer, but certainly better than I have since Wednesday night!!
Am very glad you're doing better 40Cent. Let's hope this holds!
I think we'd better hire you a private nurse - he he heh hehe ;)
Yeay, pick one from the 'pokies' thread an' we'll get her a nice uniform for ya!
Quote from: MIGMaster on July 01, 2012, 10:58:46 AM
I think we'd better hire you a private nurse - he he heh hehe ;)
I think that Mrs. Cent40 might have something to say about that! :P
Well, if we explain that its purely for medical reasons, do you think that would work?
I wonder if Blue Cross would cover that?? Naw. Shellie's right, Mrs. 40 would never go for it.
Well, its the thought that counts - especially the one with the mini skirt.....er, sorry....mind wondering there for a bit.....
Martok has informed me that I've been sorely out of the GERD loop...I am happy to see you are feeling better. Just in case...
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Famericanandproud.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F10%2FHotNurse.jpg&hash=bbf6c8ff325d65a1d7358b7163f89374896fe016)
^Don't know about '40, but I forgive you Gus.
I make it happen when it counts.
So, is she to be the official Grogheads healthcare person, if so, how long before I have to wait for a visit?
She's at my place now.
^Is she treating you for a stroke?
Good one mirthie!
I've been too busy dealing with my own shit lately to even look at threads like these and I feel selfish. :(
Are things still going well, Cent? I suffer from reflux myself and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy either. However what I get sounds mild compared to what you've been through. I tend to get it once every few months, and it will hang around for a few days before disappearing again. It usually hits when I bend over or something. It's absolutely bloody horrible.so I'm glad it's a relatively rare occurrence for me.
I'm doing ok Huw, thanks for asking and sorry to hear about your own pile of sh!t.
Things have calmed down, although I still feel as if I have been damaged by my horrible episode. I'll be going for a scope of my esophagus and stomach, sometime before the end of the summer.
I'm trying to sleep with a pile of pillows under my head, neck and shoulders. I've only veered-off a bland diet a couple of times and one time (a BBQ'ed pulled pork sandwich) I really suffered... but nothing as bad as 3 weeks ago. I am losing weight, which is a good thing.
Hopefully this will all turn out to be just "one of those things" and I will completely heal from it. But it was a horrible, horrible episode.
Quote from: Centurion40 on July 16, 2012, 07:07:53 AM
Hopefully this will all turn out to be just "one of those things" and I will completely heal from it.
Yeah I hope so too mate! Incidentally, it can't be a coincidence that when mine strikes, it's always after I've eaten a pizza.
Quote from: Huw the Poo on July 16, 2012, 04:23:17 PM
Quote from: Centurion40 on July 16, 2012, 07:07:53 AM
Hopefully this will all turn out to be just "one of those things" and I will completely heal from it.
Yeah I hope so too mate! Incidentally, it can't be a coincidence that when mine strikes, it's always after I've eaten a pizza.
I tried some pizza for the 1st time (in weeks) last night. I took 20mg of Omeprazole and 150mg of Zantac 45 minutes before eating. I made-out ok. :)
Pizza is a trigger for me too. One slice I make out ok but 2 slices and I know that I am going to pay for it later.
Quote from: Shelldrake on July 17, 2012, 08:18:27 AM
Pizza is a trigger for me too. One slice I make out ok but 2 slices and I know that I am going to pay for it later.
I managed 3 small slices. No pepperoni though... :'(
Quote from: Centurion40 on July 17, 2012, 07:36:39 AM
Quote from: Huw the Poo on July 16, 2012, 04:23:17 PM
Quote from: Centurion40 on July 16, 2012, 07:07:53 AM
Hopefully this will all turn out to be just "one of those things" and I will completely heal from it.
Yeah I hope so too mate! Incidentally, it can't be a coincidence that when mine strikes, it's always after I've eaten a pizza.
I tried some pizza for the 1st time (in weeks) last night. I took 20mg of Omeprazole and 150mg of Zantac 45 minutes before eating. I made-out ok. :)
Glad to hear it.
Me too! Thanks.
The real good news here is that I am losing weight!!
Pizza is a major trigger for my acid-reflux as well. However, it's generally only an issue if I eat it within a certain amount of time (about 4-6 hours) before going to bed. Therefore, if I have pizza, it's usually for lunch, not supper.
Quote from: Martok on July 17, 2012, 11:29:19 AM
Pizza is a major trigger for my acid-reflux as well. However, it's generally only an issue if I eat it within a certain amount of time (about 4-6 hours) before going to bed. Therefore, if I have pizza, it's usually for lunch, not supper.
Yeah, I'm starting to think that that I can get away with a lot, so long as it is for lunch.