HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

High demeester score

Support Forums
>
GERD & Acid Reflux
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 9/23/2013 6:20 AM (GMT 0)
Is it possible to have a high demeester score without having a weak sphincter?
Posted 9/23/2013 7:21 AM (GMT 0)
I honestly don't know the answer to that. I suspect if your sphincter is strong you might be having a lot of Tslers. They can try you on Baclofen for that, did your consultant offer an explanation apart from air swallowing? Surely if you swallowed a lot of air, you would burp all the time - which would have some reflux with it?
Posted 9/23/2013 7:33 AM (GMT 0)
I do burp but not a great deal. I did burp lots on the 24 hour impedance test.
The high demeester score was during the night while I was asleep and I wasn't burping then.
Posted 9/23/2013 8:11 AM (GMT 0)
What is classed as a high demeester score?
Posted 9/23/2013 11:03 AM (GMT 0)
Albez

My demeester score was 33.9
Posted 9/23/2013 12:58 PM (GMT 0)
I will need to find out mine when I visit my GI doctor.
I received a letter telling how many instances of refux but no demeester score. Is 33.9 classed as high?
Posted 9/23/2013 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
Apparently anything above 14 is high.

Did you have 24 hour impedance test? If so then you should get a demeester score.
Posted 9/23/2013 1:50 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I have had two 24hr pH tests. The first was negative which was done years ago and the most recent in January was positive for reflux. There was no demeester score on the results I received only how many instances of reflux.
Posted 9/23/2013 2:10 PM (GMT 0)
i"m with Albez. I had my 1st 24 hr pH test and I was only told the instances of reflux. No demeester score. I am located in Toronto, Canada and had my testing done at a reputable hospital.
Posted 9/23/2013 2:26 PM (GMT 0)
Mcedge,

I would reason that if your reflux was mainly while you were asleep, then you have acid reflux. Your muscles relax when you are sleeping, and your sphincter would relax more then as well, more so than during the day. Did they tell you what your pressure score was on your manometry, that will tell you how strong your sphincter is during the day.
Posted 9/23/2013 3:17 PM (GMT 0)
I would like to know this too Maria. How can you have reflux without anything mechanical being faulty?
I haven't had my 24hr PH test yet, but I know I have reflux. Night time is worse ... being awakened by the acidy fluid coming up into my chest and feeling really nauseous.
Yet in my endoscopy report it states "The duodenal cap and second part were normal". I presume that means my LES and UES are fine.
Posted 9/23/2013 3:23 PM (GMT 0)
Gc1pink

My pressure during the Manometry test was 37.5mmHg but I had no symptoms during the test - typical.

The test only took 20 mins so the sphincter may not have been weak during it.
Posted 9/23/2013 3:30 PM (GMT 0)
Noelle3

I don't know the answer to that. I can only assume that my sphincter goes weak as and when it wants to.

Maybe I have a sliding hernia that moves in and out of the hiatus causing the reflux. They didn't find a hernia on my endoscopy or ct scan but I don't think that they always show up. Maybe I need to get a barium swallow.

I do feel that something started all of this so my money is on a hernia.

Maria
Posted 9/23/2013 3:39 PM (GMT 0)
Albez and Stockster

I don't know if the 24 hour tests that you both had were the same as the one that I had. The one that I had was the 24 hour impedance test.
Posted 9/23/2013 3:41 PM (GMT 0)
Maria, I was wondering if you had started the domperidone yet and if so has it made any difference to your symptoms?
Posted 9/23/2013 4:00 PM (GMT 0)
Noelle3

I have started the domperidone and maybe it's early days but I haven't had the burning throat or mouth today. I can't say for sure that it's the domperidone or the other medication or a combination of them.

Like I said before I tried to control this with diet alone and it is just impossible so now I'm on this course of treatment but I really don't think it will cure it but control it. What I want is a cure which I think will be have to be surgery.

Maria
Posted 9/23/2013 9:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Maria and noelle3,

I have read your posts with interest as I live in the uk as well and I know how difficult our healthcare system can be at times and am familiar with the meds prescribed. I suffer with a sliding hiatal hernia which causes me a great deal of problems. I just wanted to clarify that domperidone is a nausea tablet which helps the digestive system to speed up so in theory to lessen acidic reflux by making your food go faster through the system. I have been on lansoprasole for a year plus and found I needed more relief so my gp prescribed 300 mg of Zantac together with the 15 mg of lansoprasole has improved or masked my symptoms tremendously. Noelle3, I know you have a hernia and it's early days yet but during the initial 6 months no medicines helped me at all. It took 9 months for my hernia to settle down , but sometimes eating the wrong food or doing some lifting can aggravate it to come up and then takes at least another month for it to settle down again. Just give yourself sometime in researching the right option for you.

Also manometry testing is included in the ph test as they use that to measure the right position in where to place the tube for the 24 hour testing. I had my done in Telford privately for 543.00.

The main person to rely on is your gastroenterologist consultant as gp's aren't knowledgeably enough. I have a great gastro who diagnosed my conditions in minutes of listening to my symptoms and a 2 minute examination so I have absolute faith in his recommendations. However the main test which is an absolute requisite is the ph testing as it shows your swallowing function. My gastro said even if the tests were normal, I could still have the operation but the tests showed I had a weak les.
Posted 9/24/2013 7:53 AM (GMT 0)
jamosca

Your right that domperidone is used as an anti nausea medication. It's a prokinetic drug which is also used for strengthening the sphincter.
Posted 9/24/2013 8:22 AM (GMT 0)
Hmm, really, I think the jury is out on that one. To be honest, I found it not very useful unless I felt nauseous but never helped in strengthening the sphincter. Has your gastro actually confirmed what your condition is Maria? I hope you get better soon.

Regards Jamosca
Posted 9/24/2013 8:39 AM (GMT 0)
I was on domperidone and found it helpful for the nausea too. My manometry came back as normal only the 24hr pH test was showing as positive for reflux.
I'm 8 days post op and still have the same symptoms I had pre op. I have a dry burning sour taste in mouth , dry sore throat, and I have woke up feeling nauseaus.
Posted 9/24/2013 9:14 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Albez, which hospital did you get your fundoplication done? How long have you been suffering with your symptoms for. Did you have a hernia or just reflux?
Posted 9/24/2013 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
I had my surgery done at St Peters hospital in Surrey. I have been suffering with reflux symptoms for 15 years. My sugar levels were high when I woke up so I'm thinking that is causing me reflux type symptoms. Its been very hard juggling my insulin intake with my new liquid diet so I'm seeing the diabetic nurse tomorrow for help with my my diabetes.
Posted 9/24/2013 1:18 PM (GMT 0)
Just to add I had no hernia on xray or one found during surgery.
Posted 9/24/2013 1:36 PM (GMT 0)
jamosca

I have acid reflux.
High demeester score (33.9) on 24 hour impedance test
Sphincter was not weak on the Manometry test.
No hernia was found on the endoscopy.
I've decided to go for a barium swallow as I believe I could have a sliding hernia and it is a better test to show up a hernia.

Maria
Posted 9/24/2013 2:06 PM (GMT 0)
jamosca

I have acid reflux.
High demeester score (33.9) on 24 hour impedance test
Sphincter was not weak on the Manometry test.
No hernia was found on the endoscopy.
I've decided to go for a barium swallow as I believe I could have a sliding hernia and it is a better test to show up a hernia.

Maria
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12