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Worsening GERD symptoms - any ideas?

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Posted 7/6/2014 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
My history summarized:
31 years old, have been on one PPI or another for ~9 years. Currently on Nexium 40mg. I have had manometry that showed weak peristalsis, ph study off PPI showed larger number of acid reflux events and bravo study on PPIs that showed normal acid exposure (i.e. PPI is working). My latest endoscopy last year, the doctor saw a small area suspicious for barretts but pathology found no cellular changes.

Latest symptoms started 5 months ago and I get pain in chest/back on swallowing food (barium swallow showed no strictures, masses or ulcers but some significant reflux when they had me move around, no surprise there). I also get pain when I burp which is often and I have a general acid feeling just below what feels like my throat. Doc said I could try carafate for before lunch and bed to try and help with the symptoms which he thinks are probably due to heightened sensitivity in my esophagus. I don't doubt as I had tons of pain with the bravo probe which I know most people don't even feel. I also have generalized anxiety so I think I'm just sensitive in general.

Of course I try and deal with it but in the back of my mind I'm thinking the worst (they missed the barretts OR my long term symptoms will soon cause barretts which in turn will cause cancer).

I also really just want to get back to my "normal" before this latest which was symptoms pretty much controlled by Nexium. I've tried natural stuff including avoiding trigger foods, chewing DGL before meals, taking slippery elm/ginger/etc.

Anyone have thoughts or ideas of what can help and if this new symptom is just something else I need to deal with or worsening GERD?
Posted 7/6/2014 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
While I can't help with everything, don't worry about the Barrett's too much. Often times, it never becomes cancerous. While it's a hot topic in the gastroenterology profession, I've heard of it disappearing all together. Some don't think it can reverse/disappear. I'm supposed to be scoped every two years for mine to make sure it's not changing. TWO YEARS. Just think about it that way. I would have thought twice a year or at the very least, once.
Posted 7/7/2014 5:18 PM (GMT 0)
A few questions here....

1. Do you smoke?
2. What is your alcohol intake like?
3. Do you eat a lot of fried foods?
4. Soda drinker? Coffee?

DGL is great, I use a product called GI-Encap and also GastroVen. I mix a few caps with hot water and drink it before meals.

* Have you tried Accupuncture?
Posted 7/7/2014 6:10 PM (GMT 0)
To answer your questions:

I don't smoke and never have
I have completely cut out all soda, carbonated beverages and coffee for probably 5 years or so.
I was drinking alcohol on occasion (maybe two drinks every other weekend) but have cut that out since this latest episode.

Do you have similar symptoms?
Posted 7/7/2014 7:06 PM (GMT 0)
I had the occasional GERD throughout my life. I'm 34 now. I just got done with IBS. (thank god)

I do not have GERD anymore, although I suspect (if I may be mistaken) that I have a slight case of LPR. I had some Port wine this weekend, so it may have aggreviated the situation.

Right now I have some slight throat irritation, and a very slight localized back pain (top right).

I do a lot of Accupuncture, have you tried that?

What kind of foods do you like to eat? (just curious)

Here are the 2 products I am on, I mix them with hot water and then drink it before meals:

http://www.amazon.com/THORNE-RESEARCH-GI-Encap-Health-Beauty/dp/B007854W4K/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1404754586&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=Gi+encap+dgl

http://www.amazon.com/GastroVen-Stomach-Complex-Premier-Research/dp/B004292VXY/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1404754559&sr=1-1&keywords=gastroven

The GastroVen is mainly for healing Gastritis and ulcers, but may help you.

I also started reading about Alkazone, a product that changes the pH of your water. Some reviewers said it helped or resolved their GERD, so I've ordered some of that to try.

Let me know if you try these and if they work for you. I know how frustrating and painful this stuff can be.

Post Edited (puzzik79) : 7/7/2014 1:09:35 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/7/2014 7:19 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the info on the supplements! Do you take any prescription medications?

My typical diet is pretty healthy, try not to eat sweets, fast food or junk food. When my Nexium was working I did go back to meals I probably shouldn't have like pasta with tomato sauce, mexican, etc. However, I'm trying now to go back to a relatively plain diet. The problem is really anything hurts when I swallow including bananas and yogurt! I wonder if foods that stick or go down slowly are actually giving me more symptoms. If I was hypersensitive I guess that would make sense since the esophagus would be contracting for a longer period of time for slow moving food I assume?

Since this swallowing pain is new (in past 5 months) I talked to to the doctor and he wants to do another endoscopy to see if anything new is going on. I guess based on that we will develop a plan of action.
Posted 7/8/2014 8:32 PM (GMT 0)
Bananas are heavy, I have trouble swallowing them too. I've had 3 manometries showing achalasia, but it is acid reflux (throatburn) that troubles me the most. For emergencies, the two things that work best for me short term are liquid ginger (about 10 drops in warm water to stop throat burn) or Gaviscon which you can get over the counter. Try eating high alkaline foods and eliminating high acid foods, and to know which are which you might benefit from Dr. Jonathan Aviv's book, "Killing me softly from Inside" (amazon). He lists foods according to their PH and even has recipes and a food shopping list.
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