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Posted 9/18/2009 6:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all, im matt im 31 from south wales

Just a quick hello...whilst im munch on my new diet of "normal" food !!..

Growing up ive always been very active, never drunk or smoked and before a very nasty ankle injury i weighed around 150lb (just under 6' tall), since the injury my weight has escalated to 230-240lb.

It all started for me in may, i was taking a drink of coke when i swallowed chewing gum...immediately i started to have a panic attack thinking that it was stuck.

The same thing happened the day after so the doctors arranged for me to go to the hospital for ent to check out my throat. During this time i had the "lump" sensation in my throat and the doctors thought it was globus hystrious. I have to be honest id been stressed a lot at the time and at the time had been very anxious when out and about.

At the ent clinic they found a tiny amount of acid in my throat and put me on lansoprazole, which to be honest made my stomach very bad. I feel however that my stomach was caused due to my anxiety and stress. At this time i had no acid taste in my mouth. In the past four month i have been on lansoprazole and omeprazole, up til last friday i had no taste of acid what so ever.

The docs put me back on lansoprazole and since then the acid taste has reduced somewhat....i've found that there are no more stomach pains so it must of been my anxiety causing this.

Naturally its not helped that ive been reading all the horror stories on the net of what it could be etc etc.To be honest I think that this has made things 100% worse.

Im also taking meadowsweet with my lansoprazole which the person in the health store was a godsend for people with acid reflux.

I realise that I need to lose weight, which i am in the process of doing - could this help with the reflux ??

I've stopped eating anything fatty mcdonalds/kfc/chineses/indians etc.....gone to basic turkey steaks/breast of chicken with lots of vegs pea carrots sweetcorn...no fizzy drinks - just water. banana's wholemeal bread.

Has to be said though am missing my cup of tea though !!

Look forward to the replies

Matt
Posted 9/18/2009 6:16 PM (GMT 0)
forgot to add that i do no suffer with heartburn one bit- just the occasional burning in my mouth.
Posted 9/18/2009 9:05 PM (GMT 0)
Matt

Hello and welcome to HealingWell and the GERD/Heartburn Forum. For a long time now there have been suspected links between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and anxiety, stress, and nervousness.

Sounds like you have found a link between your anxiety and your sx.  Also let me be one of the first to congratulate you on choosing to include a healthy nutrional plan into your life.

I do feel like if you work at lowering your anxiety you will feel better all around.

We also have a great anxiety and panic forum here so do feel comfortable posting in that forum too.

You will find many great members with anxiety that can offer you ways to decrease your anxiety and learn to leave in the present.

Again a warm welcome.

Kitt

Posted 9/19/2009 10:48 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Kitt,

Thanks for the message....having read so much on the net, losing weight lifestyle changes will get rid of the reflux, is it true or just all talk to get us to eat better. ?

Ive not been on the forum very long - have there been any success stories by making these lifestyle changes ?

Just prefer to lose the weight and not spend the rest of my life on medication and certainly do not want to have surgery.

Cheers

Matt

Posted 9/20/2009 3:54 AM (GMT 0)
Matt-
My surgeon says that losing weight will help with the reflux, but may not stop it entirely. I believe that there is some truth to the eating and lifestyle changes helping with reflux. Not sure how much help though. I also agree with Kitt, anxiety and stress sure seems to be a huge issue triggering GERD. I myself opted for the surgery and couldn't be happier. I also have lost 37 pounds since January and am sure that has some effect on the success of surgery. It makes sense to me that less stress on your stomach from excess weight will help to ease the reflux when laying down. Which ever route you decide to take good luck and we are here if you need us.

Take care,
Bill
Posted 9/20/2009 8:01 PM (GMT 0)
I also agree that losiung weight will help with the reflux. My surgeon would not do the surgery until I was down to 220 pounds he still wants me to to loose another 30-40 pounds. He said that if I gain the weight back it can also cause the surgery to fail. I know losing the weight is hard I struggle with it every day. I basically cut out all bread and and diet soda two of my weaknesses and it seemed to help. I also used a meal substitute for one of my meals. I am down to 210 now and will not be happy til I make it to 180. I know I can do it. Good luck to you and let us know how you are doing.
Take care Mary
Posted 9/20/2009 9:09 PM (GMT 0)
My doctor said losing weight would helps some but not cure me. I have a half open LES valve.

Joy
Posted 11/10/2009 1:44 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Guys,

Just thought id give an update as ive not been posting, - the anxiety issues have ironed themselves out....however ive slipped back into naughty habits with eating, lots of bread - full fat cheese.etc etc

Now am noticing that im getting pain above the bridge of my nose, sinus's i believe...so need to sort my diet out again.

The acid is not so much of a problem however and only really notice it in the mornings when I wake up.

Sill have yet to have an scope, and would prefer to have one of these to see whats going on.

Matt

Posted 11/10/2009 4:42 AM (GMT 0)
Matt,

I will challenge you to eating healthy and losing weight.........you call the shots as I need to lose 20 lbs..........want to set up a buddy system? You can always email me...........my email is in my profile or look to the left and you will see the lit up blue envelope which opens my eamil addie.

I am willing for anyone who wants to do a little bit of a challenge before the holidays.

Hugs

Kitt
Posted 11/12/2009 8:31 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Kitt,

Back from the docs again, mad - i need to calm down a lot, the thoughts running through my head are just making things 100 times worse...good news is that im going to be scoped soon so will find out whats going on.

The strange thing is that I was scoped at the ENT clinic in June and they said I had a tiny amount of acid in my throat, never had any taste in my mouth, no stomach problems, no sinus problems  etc....was then put on to prevacid and ever since then ive been fighting it...im wondering are the tablets actually causing all the problems !..

Anyway all will be revealed soon, i want to get my life back on track without having to take drugs all the time...im only 31 and have a whole life to live ahead of me yet....god ive not even started a family yet !!

I will certainly be interested in the weight challenge, with the nhs over the pond ive a nutritionist that is sorting out a diet for me thats "reflux" friendly.

Matt :-)

Posted 11/15/2009 5:13 PM (GMT 0)
HI Matt,
how you doing, I am really interested in your story for a number of reasons, one, that you are in the UK as am I and how this is treated over here is different to in the US and secondly your story seems very similar to mine, I had the throat smyptoms like you and saw and ENT for ongoing sinus problems they said it was reflux causing it, from there it went from bad to worse, the PPI's have now given me full on gerd symptoms, I had a scope done in May last year and they found a small patch of inflamation at the bottom of my Osophagus, the GI doc said this was ok and said I shoudl come off the PPI 's as I am only 32 and he did not think I should be taking them for a long time, since then I have been on and off them and my symptoms have gotten much worse, every time I speak to my GP they just say take the PPI's and thats all you can do, I worry my self about Barrets and cancer and that its just eating me away in side and the answers you get back are thats just the way it is with GERD, I am really not sure what to do next to be honest,

it was great to read your story as It did feel like I was not the only one in this situation

let us know how you are getting on

Tourmantiger
Posted 11/15/2009 8:52 PM (GMT 0)
Tourmantiger,
Have you discussed surgery options with your doctor?
If he won't let you stay on PPI and you're miserible you need another solution.

Joy
Posted 11/21/2009 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
Well the doc is refusing me a endoscopy, and said that there are strict rules he has to follow !!

My dietician has said that she has the ability to refer me so will be getting her to sort it out as the doc wont!!

One other question if people could help....do you get gum/teeth problems from this annoying disease ?

I find that I do not get any reflux burning during the day, just when i sleep...when i awake i find that there is a 70/30 mix white crap/siliva in my mouth :-(

Matt

Posted 11/21/2009 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
I had cavities in all of my back teeth.

Joy
Posted 11/22/2009 1:30 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Matt,

Acid reflux sufferers who have years of back up into the mouth may notice an almost chronic bad taste in the mouth. If they're familiar with acid reflux, they'll know the taste. The acid reflux sufferer may also note that they have required a lot of dental work in the past since developing acid reflux. That's because the acid has worn away the enameled protective coating that usually keeps teeth safe.


The important thing is that you do not let your acid reflux go untreated any longer. There's not enough mouth wash or toothpaste in the world to take that acidic taste out of your mouth, so to protect your teeth, you must control the stomach acid.



Do keep working with your dietician and if possible consider seeing a different GI physician, one that will be more proactive for you.



I wish you the very best............and as soon as this turkey day is over this coming week.............the challenge is on to lose some weight. :)



Take care,



Kitt
Posted 11/22/2009 6:20 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone my name is Frank I'm 33 years old my story is a long one whichi will shorten . It all started back in june were my girlfriend dad pasted away suddenly and then she was told she has SLE LUPUS and was in the hospital for a week and then one night i was eating around 2 lb's of muscles (seafood) then that night i thought i was having a heart attack i was scared . I was smoking at the time and weighted 350lb's i'm also 6'0 tall. so after the hospital the checked my blood and gave me a x-ray and found nothing . I said i felt better oh and yes i have no insurance so its really hard for me. so then my girlfriend goes back in the hospital due to the LUPUS and comes back out which i was with her every waking moment. so then i seen a cardiologist and told me i have a enlarged heart due to my weight and i have GERD and anxiety. And mind you i was also a happy go lucky guy with not a worry. WRONG he gave me .5 mg of a anxitity sorry horrible speller pill. So it was Omexlaoprine which is prilosic. so i started taking it i never experinced your typical heartburn . but now I have quit smoking for 5 months now i am down to 285 in 4 months so now i am worried i thought i had the big C cause i had blood in my stool which i never had and i was losing weight to me seemed rapidly. and currently when i was heavier and smoking i felt better. I did try to stop taking the pills to learn to deal with it naturally but i wake up every morning ith a sharp pain in my right chest and a constant cooling sensation in my throat and a lump feeling but again i have no insurance so i cant go to a doc. i did however have a CT Scan done cause of lower right pain in my abdomin and my right side back and groin which kidney stones were ruled out and my blood work from the hospital came back good . which all the storied and symptoms are related to alot of horror stories and i was a mess with everything i read online. the CT Scan showed i have 2 hernias a Hiatal Hernia and a Umbilical Hernia as well as a L5 unilateral spinal Fracture. But what i want to know is why the only feeling i had was the heart attack feeling and now not that but every morning chest pain toward the top right and center and a constant cooling sensation with a lump feeling but a dull feeling like smoking a menthol not pain and i eat like a champ. and i think i had blood in my stool 3 times I think last time it was skin from a apple sorry to be gross i ahve been on a high fiber diet also .
Posted 11/22/2009 6:22 AM (GMT 0)
and they also took a sonogram of my heart and gallbladder and found nothing .i also had a abdominal and pelvic non -contrast CT Scan its too exspensive with contrast
Posted 11/22/2009 3:08 PM (GMT 0)
Please, please have your doctor do a stool sample on you. You also need a scope done of your intestines. I know this is so expensive, but most hospitals have a special program for people who have no insurence. I couldn't pay for all of my tests and my hospital set me up with a special program to slowly pay them back at $40 a month. It will take years, but it's the best I could do.

Joy
Posted 11/22/2009 6:11 PM (GMT 0)

 

Im due for a dentist appointment this week so will bring up the subject with him then.

 

Im also thinking of looking at a naturopath to see what can be done.

 

I was a bit shocked when they refused, even more worrying is that I was on 80mg of propanonol for my anxiety and after nearly 6 months the doctor said stop taking them, no reducing the mg gently...i cant for the life of me think that this is normal.

 

Im still on for that, i need to lose weight i know that !! In all your time on the forums kitt have you known many people for there symptoms to go away due to excessive weight lose...to give you an idea im just under 6' and 248lb...would the weight loss really make a huge difference ?

 

Thanks

 

Matt :-)

 

 

 

stkitt said...
Hi Matt,

Acid reflux sufferers who have years of back up into the mouth may notice an almost chronic bad taste in the mouth. If they're familiar with acid reflux, they'll know the taste. The acid reflux sufferer may also note that they have required a lot of dental work in the past since developing acid reflux. That's because the acid has worn away the enameled protective coating that usually keeps teeth safe.

The important thing is that you do not let your acid reflux go untreated any longer. There's not enough mouth wash or toothpaste in the world to take that acidic taste out of your mouth, so to protect your teeth, you must control the stomach acid.

Do keep working with your dietician and if possible consider seeing a different GI physician, one that will be more proactive for you.

I wish you the very best............and as soon as this turkey day is over this coming week.............the challenge is on to lose some weight.  :)

Take care,

Kitt

Posted 11/22/2009 10:14 PM (GMT 0)
they said a CT Scan would find if there was any signs of cancer which they didnt find . I do though how ever take prilosic the priscription version Omezaprine. all i do is wake up with constant chest pain either right or center or left by the collar bone area and its annoying i once in a blue for a few min get a little relief and the left temple hurts like a dull pain but it comes and go.
Posted 11/22/2009 10:17 PM (GMT 0)
My father's 6.3 and 225. He's looking a healthy weight.

Joy
Posted 11/23/2009 4:37 AM (GMT 0)
yea right now my problems are chest tightness and a cooling sensation when i breathe in the back of my throat i was taking Omexapro sorry horrible speller but i decided to stop taking it cause since i can not take blood test to make sure nothing is wrong . And i get the med threw my mother who also has bad acid reflux so its actually her prescription i use it but not sure if its working. Oh i made a mistake its not a hiatal hernia it is a stomach hernia and a umbilical hernia. God Bless you all.

A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. [Luke 12:15].
Posted 11/26/2009 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
Hey all back again....

Just a couple of questions that someone maybe able to assist with...well more then the doc saying things are fine.

Reflux - How bad is bad ?...ie i mean when people have to have surgery...granted some choices are made through people not wanting to be on meds for the rest of there life.

What issues do people have when things are really bad ??...ive read the list on numerous forums but ive also read forums where people vomit, get pains all over, sleepless night etc.

Im personally still in questioning mode even after six months of suffering with this disease, i want the most information i can get so that I can sort things for life.

I bit of good news is that my dentist said that there nowt wrong with my teeth and that it takes years and years of this disease to damage my pearly whites :-)

Thanks

Matt

 

Posted 11/26/2009 9:37 PM (GMT 0)
I've coughed for three years.
I just found out from my surgeon that long term use of PPIs can cause polyps in your stomach.
He found several in my stomach. You can see the photos in my thread "I'm back".

Joy
Posted 12/9/2009 1:56 AM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

Just a little update - I have gone down to 15mg of lansoprazole (prevacid) - a little test which my doctor suggested, unfortunately they are not working are well as id liked.

Pains in sinus's again and general yuk feeling, so think i best go to the docs again...i will again try to push for an endoscopy,

Also would anyone like to add to my last post - I would be very interested in hear.

Keep safe all

Matt

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