User 98 - To give you an idea - I had esophagitis and gastritis and the Doctor told me it would take 3-6 months for it to heal. My inflammation was the highest grade, so it was very painful. I also had a stricture (narrowing) of my esophagus and I had trouble getting food down. During the procedure, my esophagus was stretched (a cure for the condition). While I healed, I tried not to eat food that would aggravate the inflammation of my stomach and esophagus == such as no popcorn, chewed my food very well, no coffee, alcohol or spicy food, and drank fluids with each mouthful (which seemed to help). I had a low grade burning gnawing pain (not heartburn) from the inflammation. I could feel it when I took a breath or swallowed. You could have the cough from GERD, or it could be from another condition. Once I went on medicine, I felt much better right away.
Your question on what heartburn feels like: It is painful burning feeling. When you drink or eat something spicy, alcohol or coffee, it is more painful. Burping is very painful. I haven’t had heartburn for a while, so others may post.
Don’t let your heartburn go untreated otherwise you will injure your esophagus. It sounds like you are on the right track, recognizing your symptoms, seeing a GI, and getting tested.
Good luck. Ask if you have any further questions, we all have been where you are. I had problems with heartburn and a hiatal hernia (HH) for 30 years. My hiatal hernia was caused by pregnancy. My reflux and heartburn was caused by the HH. The GI will discuss what he found after you wake up. He will discuss your condition in detail in a postop visit. He may take biopsies to help him diagnose your condition and will have the results by the time you go for your follow up appointment. Ask him lots of questions to ensure that you understand your condition.
Post Edited (Yellow1955) : 11/29/2017 5:48:17 PM (GMT-7)