Looking to see if this is common

I was wondering if anyone could give me some advise, and possibly calm me down…

 

Sorry if this is a long post…I have had GERD for close to 15-20yrs now, I have had 2 Endo’s , one in 99, and another in 2004, both showed Hiatial Hernia, some mild irritation. I have taken Prilosec or other brand names almost this whole time. I am 37yrs old, about 20lbs overweight.

 

It seems that since 2007, every 2-3 years I have an “Episode” of reflux that lasts for a few weeks, then slowly passes, and when it comes it is unbearable….so my question is, for all of you sufferers out there, does anyone go through this, aand do the following symptoms sound familiar?

 

1. Excess gas and pressure on the LES.

2. Lump in throat

3. Chest pain, sometimes an ache, sometimes a burn.

4. When swallowing food (like a bit of a sandwich, or meat) a feeling of  a painful “spasm” that takes about 15-20 seconds to pass and let the food down.

5. Feeling like your swallowing sandpaper or gravel.

6. Feeling like food is stuck or something is there even when dry swallowing.

7. Hearing a slight gurgle sound when drinking water, like the last part of the awater down the tub (not that loud), but feeling / hearing it in the throat.

 

This has been me for a solid week now…I had a colosocpoy on 4/27, I did not take my prilosec that day due to the cleans, when I woke up I had no voice and my throat felt burned, those 2 things have passed, but my espophagus and stomach feel wrecked.

 

To be honest I am deathly afraid I have esophageal cancer at this point. Does anyone else here go through this?

 

I switched from Omeprazole (sold generic by Kaiser Permanente) to Prevacid OTC, it seems to make things worse, also tried Rantinadine with it just got worse, am I read all over the net about natualr cures, low acid being the cause ect, I am very confused now, I have an appt with gastro, but its not until 6/14, will I die from this before that?

Do others worry they have cancer? If you have Barretts does it mean you WILL get cancer?

 

Thanks for your time all of you who read this…I am in agony, I cant eat or sleep, and I am having constant panic feelings….

Of course you won't die from it. You are overreacting. Not saying you are not having those symptoms, but you only exacerbate them if you interpret them as sure signs that you are dying. I also do not suggest throwing a lot of internet cures at your problem, they might make you feel worse. If you have a hiatal hernia and you are stressed then no matter what you put in your stomach, likely some of it will be traveling back up and irritating your esophagus and throat more. Do not try adding acid for this reason.

I know you may really have that fear, and it seems real to you, but it's not rational and it's not real. Not sure how else to put it. I would suggest involving yourself in a hobby, something that will distract you from all these feelings you're having. If you really feel you are going to croak, you can go to the emergency room but I think that will be a very unsatisfying experience. They might give you some kind of psych med to relax you though. Maybe call someone or find someone to talk to about it. Then quit focusing on it so much, accept the symptoms for the time being and do something other than researching acid reflux.

If you cannot wait another month, call them and try to get in there sooner. No harm in that.

Hi Acid Man,

Yes, I have several symptoms that you've described. I've been fighting with GERD for about a year now. I also get the episodes that you describe, but they come once every few months and are usually very short but intense.

There are very many unanswered questions about GERD, unfortunately. Your concerns about cancer, fortunately, have been answered by those here on the forum and also by the medical community as having an extremely low occurrence. Also remember that anxiety can make GERD worse, so when the panic hits, try some relaxation techniques, like chanting or deep breathing.

Have you made the suggested lifestyle changes, such as cutting out acidic foods and raising the head of your bed? For some of us, the lifestyle changes are what gives us greatest relief from our symptoms. There is a link on the main page if you'd like more information, and of course feel free to ask.

It sticks out to me that you mentioned that you're 20lbs overweight right away. I would highly suggest losing that weight because excess weight can contribute a lot to GERD symptoms. I know it's easier said than done, but start small and before you know it you'll be at your goal :)

Take care,
Ashley