New Members Check in Here First Part 1

Don't be shy, share a bit about yourself.  We love the new members and learning about you  as you get to know us is fun.

Share...tis the season.

Kitt

Hello All and just want to invite the new members to introduce themselves and share a bit with us.  We love to have the chance to meet our newbies.

Know you are safe here and we are all here to support you.

Peace begins with a smile,  

Kitt 

Hey Nikki,

Welcome to the GERD/Heartburn forum.

Everyone meet Nikki, she is looking for help from our wonderful and wise members.

Gentle Hugs Nikki,

Kitt

Hi my name is Gabby and I am 27 years old.  I have been SUFFERING with reflux disease for over 2 years now.  I was diagnosed with gastroparesis over 5 years ago.  I also have an esophageal motility disorder which is complete hell.  I can drink water and it will come right back up into my mouth.  The LES pressure in my esophagus is very weak and it stays open 5 to 10 seconds after I swallow anything, so I burp up at least 30 to 50 times a day, after anything I swallow.  Also, the reflux I have is mostly BILE - so I am guessing my other sphincter muscle which separates my stomach from my small intestine is malfunctioning also.  I have tried everything under the sun to cure this disease.  Right now I am currently on protein shakes and other very soft foods, as it is very difficult for me to swallow.  The pain most days is just unbearable.  I don't eat junk food anymore, except the ocansional peanut butter. 

This disease has litterally ruined my life.  I can't even remeber the last time I felt good.  My upper throat is so burned from the reflux, I have resorted to a liquid diet.  I really dont get any relief at all unless I just dont eat at all.  There is something really really wrong with my body and I have no idea how to fix it.  I am so depressed and wish I knew what to do.  I really cant eat most foods as they burn my throat.  I am so sick of suffering.  God bless u all who have this illness too. 

-Gabbs

Hello Kara,

Welcome  to HealingWell, we are so glad you found us and know you are family here so please feel comfortable posting.

Stick with us.

Kitt.

Come on in newbies.............this is where to meet your peers.

 

Hello all,

I am a 33 year old from the UK and I have been 'lurking' around here for a while snooping at posts as I am scheduled for Laparoscopic Fundoplication on 9th January. I am really frightened of the operation and its outcomes but have to try and trust my surgeon and his ability and advice. My story is that I was diagnosed about 2.5 years ao with a hiatus hernia and gerd. This was diagnosed after I complained of a lump in the throat (globus) and I was given a barium meal. I had a gastroscopy straight after and that showed some oesophagitis and a completely open LES. I was then given a 24 hour acid test and mannometry test. The 24 hour acid test came back really bad and it ewas show that for 91.2% of the 24 hours I had acid present in my oesophagus (normal people have 4%!) and that the acid was coming very high up into the oesophagus too. I then buried my head in the samd for two years and sporadically took Omeprazole and Nexium and then midway through this year I pulled my head out of the sand and realised I was getting through a hell of a lot of Gaviscon! My symptoms have changed over the years and the globus is completely gone. I now have a pressure in the centre of my chest, I throat clear a lot and have a little bark-like cough and I have a lot of shortness of breath which in turn seems to give me terrible headaches. I went back to my gastroenterologist and she ordered another gastroscopy which came back slightly less inflammed than my first one two years ago- thanks to the sporadic PPIs. Her view is that I will need surgery at some point to correct this broken valve as I am still young and (fingers crossed) could end up taking tablets for a very long time. Her and then my surgeon think I am a very good candidate for this surgery as am youngish and am within my normal weight parametres.

It is a very hard to find anythign postive about this surgery but I feel this forum is the most honest I have seen and people seem to come back and tell there story which is what I hope to be able to do and I am praying my story will have a good ending. Thanks for listenign and thanks to all you guys that keep this forum going. X

Bump for Trica and hp and Aesonr  ..........

Post Edited (stkitt) : 1/7/2009 6:02:16 PM (GMT-7)

Hi everyone, I'm Erin, 24, but I'm not here for myself, I'm here for my son, Tyler, 13 months. He has asthma and allergies, and had been gaggging on hib bottles since he was born. I always thought that he was just a quick eater and that's what was causing the gaging. But lately, about a month or so, it has gotten progressively worse. Harder time eating and drinking, sudden gagging for no apparent reason. for about 2 1/2 weeks in Dec. his voice was course asand raspy. He has been having trouble sleeping for the last month or so. I thought that it was his asthma but after his treatments he would be the same. Crying out like he was in pain, and he'd refuse his bottle, so I knew he wasn't hungry. Yesterday I took him to his ped. and he seems to think it is one of the following: GERD, acid relux, hernia, tracheal malaise (tiny airway), or esophageal malaise (tiny esophagus). He has to go see an ENT, get a G.I series, and x-rays of him before and after eating. I really hope we get some kind of answers soon. I feel terrible for him, neither of us has had a good night sleep in over a month, and it is starting to take a toll on both of us (I have Lupus) I'll let everyone know when we getr any answers. Thanx for letting me ramble. 

                                                                                                     Erin

Hi Mizzbeeutiful, Emmas mom, and Stargazer1 :)

I'm here helping Kitt, your GERD Forum Moderaton, today.

One of the members that knows more about this will be on here shortly to give you some great advice!

Have a good day :)

Hello...I am new to this website and am still in the process of trying to figure out how all of this works.  I hope I am doing this the right way.  Why I am here is to figure out what is wrong with me in several different areas.  I am in the beginning stages of seeing Drs. and diagnostic proceedures.  I have had an ultrasound that determind that I had gallstones, so I had my gallbladder removed in Oct.  I am still experiencing pains in my gut.  Dr. suspects IBS-C, but since my surgery it is more C and D.  I also have something going on in my bronchial/neck area.  When I inhale it hurts on the left side of my neck and down to the esophagus/bronchials.  Does this sound familiar to anyone.  As you may guess, I am very scared.  I am thinking the worst. I have to schedule a colonoscopy as soon as I get a referal.  I am afraid of what they will find, but will not rest until I know why I have this pain.

It is good to be among friends who can relate and help each other in time of need. I look forward to chatting with you.

Hi, I'm Pirate Dizzy Desi. Ok, Desi is the name, but you ask the monkeys...errr kids...I'm Pirate Dizzy. Why? I have auto immune disease, and necrotizing gramultous inflamation (oh brother say that ten times fast). THe Necrotizing gramultous inflamation is in my eye, along with some small tumors. So I wear a eye patch. You ask the doctors, I got so much crap wrong with me, I'm a walking diagnostic guinee pig. Ask a pharmacy, I'm a walking medical cabinet. I have had acid reflux before dirt was invented, ok ok ok Skitts, the year 00...ok ok 2000 (did I mention I am a smartalic and have a good sense of humour?)

My name is Scott - from the Catskill Mtns. of New York.

In the past week I've had an upper endoscopy and received a diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus.  I don't know too many details yet - I am scheduled for a follow up with my GE in about a month.  Does this seem like excessive time between my test and my follow-up ?  It seems to me to be a bit of a casual follow up schedule for a serious condition.  Does anyone know if this is typical ?

Thanks for welcoming me to the community - I look forward to any advice you can provide (and hopefully I will be able to do the same for others...).

Peace.

Hi there,

My name is Joanna and I am 40 and have been dealing with GERD for the last 8 years or so. I have been quite lucky that it hasn't bothered me that much for years, but it has recently reared it ugly head. I am dealing with an IBD, Fibro and Chronic Fatique and Gastritis as well. Last April I had a upper endoscopy and my GI said I had gastritis and put me on a PPI. It wasn't bothering me at all at the time. I have been currently taking a PPI, omeprazole, 2x day. But even with taking the PPI I had bigger symptoms happening just before Christmas. I found that I was very nauseas and didn't want to eat. after a week of this I started to regurge up into my mouth and was in alot of pain. I took some Pepcid AC and tried drinking some lidocain but no help. Demerol wouldn't completly help either. I went up to the ER and ended up receiving a series of pantoloc, maxolon and saline by IV on Jan 1st and 2nd. That was followed by 10 days of takinga prokinetic, Metoclopramide (maxolon). Now 6 days after finishing the pills the pain and regurgitating is coming back.

I have a colonoscopy Feb 7th and I am going to see if they can do another upper endoscopy at the same time to see what is going on in there. I see that I am not alone in any of my suffering and I think this will be a great spot for support and getting questions answered. Thanks, Joanna