New Members Check in Here First Part 1

jlsuffers

Hey ther and welcome to the stomach stomping grounds, the best grounds on the Web.  Yes we do understand this disorder.  I am so glad you have joined us and I am sure you will find lots of helpful and supportive information here in the GERD/Heartburn forum.

Also if you look to the right you will see Resources with many to choose from. We have a large resource forum for each disorder.

Stick with us and know we care.

Kitt

k9lov3r

Hey there, your way ahead of me today.........I am glad you posted over here.

Now the ovarian tumor, are you having the same sx you had before they found the tumor? Are you having any follow up chemo.............sorry, I picked up on that right away as I never want the possibility to go unseen.

I am glad your seeing a new GI.  good for you for being your own advocate.

My email is open if you need anything.

I look forward to getting to know you better.

Gentle Hugs

Kitt

k9lov3r

Hello, this is Kitt and I am so happy you have found us.  I surely can understand how hard it is for you to get up the willpower and eneergy to go to work, but you do it so be proud of you.

You have been through a lot as so many in this forum have.

Do get to know some of the members and share your stories and what helps you and what does not help you.

WE are here to support you.

Kitt

Hello, I'm from Louisiana.  I posted on 11/7/08 regarding having a nissen fundoplication, gall bladder removal and hernia repair about two years ago.  I wish I would have only had my gall bladder removed.  Please look at my post and contribute any help you can. 

Hope all is going well with everyone.

Thanks

Haloking

I hate Golf

Hello and welcome ot HealingWell.  This is Kitt.  I am so glad you found us.

One of the best natural cures for acid reflux is considered to be apple cider vinegar. In order to maximize its effects, it must be administered while eating. Mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and drink it with during your meal in order to achieve the best results. For the majority of people with the condition, apple cider vinegar is an effective natural cure that has a calming effect on the stomach and helps decrease the amount of digestive fluids it produces.

I know I have read this in the forum several  times. Please keep talking to us and know we care.
Hugs

Kitt

Hi I'm Allie,

 

I'm a 21 yr old girl. I've suffered from oesophageal probs since the age of 5 and am due to have the nissen soon. I also have Bechet's syndrome (an auto immune disorder) so get a lot of oesophageal ulcers along with mouth ulcers and skin probs. I'm hoping that my Nissen will clear up my day-to-day reflux though as it's pretty awful.

 

Anyway hope you're all well, xxx

Hi all!
I'm a 49 y/o female, 154lbs and 5'5" recently dx'd with GERD. Truthfully, I am relieved. I thought I was losing my mind with anxiety and heart problems.

My primary symptom was insomnia - - not that I wasn't suffering with chronic coughing, sore throat and general uncomfortability for a long time, just that the insomnia was the most debilitating. My mom passed away in Aug. after a valiant fight with lung cancer. She, too suffered with GERD but I did not understand it. Boy, do I understand it now! Our family has also moved 5 times in 6 years due to my DH's job so there is lots of stress, loss and just emotional upheaval. I've gained 20lbs in a year due to binge eating from stress and trying to stop this weird sensation of air in my chest and in my gut. Add perimenopause to that and I feel like I've been hit with a MAC truck. I have a sluggish thyroid but my doc won't treat it until my THS is over 3 despite Ft3 and FT4 off the low end of the range. sheeeesh.

I am taking 30mg of previcid, 6 gaviscon tablets per day and have been weaning from coffee for the past 3 days (reduced quantity and half decaf/caf) with a plan to be done by Sunday - - can't add the killer caffeine headache or I'll be finding a bridge to jump off!
I've totally cut out the chocolate, peppermint, tomatoes, and some of the other "offending" foods, as well as reduced the size and portions for the past 5 days since seeing my doctor. No eating after 7pm and I'm trying to remember to breath.

Other conditions: iron deficiency for which I take a slow-release tablet, Vitamin D deficiency for which I take 50,000iu 2 X per week, bio-identical progesterone cream, ambien CR in the evening and a 30 day one-time-only supply of xanex PRN. My Pdoc wants me to start on lexapro which I sense I need but am reluctant to start if my depression/anxiety is more about this GERD. At this point, I just want to feel better! I STILL don't sleep through the night even with a 12.5 ambien and .25 xanex...I'm up looking at the clock at 4:15. It doesn't FEEL like heartburn, just sore throat and then my mind races about not sleeping and all I have to do in that day...

Just kind of venting...I feel like I have permanently damaged my body and my stress is just out of control and making it all worse. I am reading as much as I can here but wanted to jump in.

Here are my questions: can someone tell me what LPR is? How long before the previcid really kicks in and when should I ask my doc for a change? Is there anything holistic to do (I saw the AVC thing kkit and will try it!) so I don't have to take this for life? When will I be able to breath deeply and not cough like I have a fur ball in my throat

Anyway, I really, really appreciate all of your posts and how open the sharing is. Thanks again!
Blessings to you,
Eesh

Thank you so much Kitt!

Hi, I'm in my late 40's and began having stomach pains about the 7th grade.  Doctors at the time told my parents it was all in my imagination... I didn't want to go to school.  When I was 24 I had an emergent subtotal gastrectomy & duodenectomy due to profuse bleeding ulcers.  When I was 25 I was back in surgery and had another subtotal gastrectomy (left the fundus) and a vagotomy.  Other than dumping syndrome and rebound hypoglycemia everything was fine for about 8 years.  Then I had a partial lap nissen (toupet) and hernia repair.  Also had to have an exploratory lap due to unidentifiable pain in the right upper quadrant of my abdomen.  That turned out to be necrotic bowel caused by a loop of bowel getting caught between scar tissue and the abdominal wall.  That portion of bowel was resected and an appendectomy was done just for good measure.

Unfortunately I have developed Barrett's and have had to have several EGD w/dilitations with and without biopsies.  I take Protonix 40mg BID and Prevacid Solutab 30mg BID.  Only been on this dosage for a month or so.  My GI wanted to see if they helped.  They didn't, I can't eat much of anything without it or acid coming back up.  I don't really vomit as in heaving from my stomach, more like a burp with extras!  I sleep with bed elevated and multiple pillows and still wake nightly choking. 

Good news for others though.  For me, I have learned that by watching the glycemic index of the foods I eat I can control most dumping and rebound hypoglycemia.  Those times that I want to eat something else, my doctor prescribed Precose.  It inhibits the uptake of certain carbs and keeps me from having the hypoglycemia issues.  It does cause some gas.  By doing this I have gone the last couple of years without many dumping or glycemic symptoms.

Up until the last 9 months I have been doing great for a long time.  I go back to the GI tomorrow AM and we'll see what is next.  I don't know what else is left to do, but we'll see.  If anyone has any questions feel free to ask, I'll give you my experiences.

Rick

oh, one more question please...
How complicated is hernia surgery...my hiatal hernia is bothering me more as of late....and though I cant have the lap surgery , I wondered if I might be eligible for this..

A warm welcome from each of you that shared yourself with us.

I am Kitt and I have GERD/Heartburn.  No surgery so far and I hope I don't need to  as I see the pain and struggle so many of you go through. I have great admiration for each and everyone of you.

I am the moderator for this forum and my email is post on the left.  Just click on the blue envelope to email me.

I will do whatever I can for you.

Again a huge welcome.

Gentle Hugs

Kitt

Hi my name is Kim, I was diagnosed last year with a hiatal hernia, acid reflux, and asthma. I am looking forward to getting to know all of you as well as learning from you. Have a nice evening.

Welcome RobinWyman75

We are glad you found us.  Regarding the GERD I would certainly persue it as your right some people do not show sx and later they may become very ill. 

Would you be able to consult with an allergist to make sure your problems are not due to allergies?

You can always see a different GI Doc too.

Again Welcome.

Kitt