Pain with reflux

Hi,

I have a bit of a story to tell, so I'll tell it as best as I can.

My husband is a chronic sufferer of acid reflux, to the point where he is in constant pain. He takes prevacid or whatever it is, he's in america right now and usually living in australia.

His medication stopped working a few months ago and now he has it in his head that he has lung cancer, and that it can't be his reflux because his medication stopped working, and now that he's been on it less than an week, its not working again.

I hate to see him in pain, he just wants it to go away, his doctors once suggested to get surgery done but he's afraid of surgery. I know he doesn't have lung cancer, as he doesn't have any other symptoms of it. He also suffers health anxiety, panic attacks and depression.  He used to smoke but has given that up. He eats whatever he feels like, and that's usually fried fatty foods. I told him that his medication stopped having its full affect becasue he's been on them for years. He's only 23 and is miserable.

I don't know what to say to convince him it's only his reflux, it's not as bad as it was, its just a constant nagging annoying pain. He also gets bloated alot and is a heavish man, but not too bad.

I just don't know what to do anymore, he thinks he's going to die, and just wants to find out when hes going to so he's going to the doctors tomorrow. I get so frustrated because im always repeating the same thing over and over again. My reasurance isn't good enough I guess. I know deep in my heart it's only his reflux, and it's getting worse, but he wont listen to me and its starting to hurt me

I guess what im looking for is some kind of support from someone whos been through this kind of thing, so i can show him its not the end of the world if he needs surgery to correct it.

Thanks for the reply. I just feel so useless when he's in pain and I can't do anything about it. I've told him about the forum, and he's said he's too scared to just incase his pain etc is completly different to everyone elses, But i've told him no same person have the same pain symptom. Thanks again.

Welcome Azzariah,
First you need to go through some testing:
Barium Swallow (checks for Hiatial Hernia and swallowing problems)
Endoscopy (doctor sees any problems personally)
BRAVO or PH test
Manometry test (reads the pressure of esophagus)
Sometimes stomach emptying test
Based on these tests the GI will determine if surgery is right for you.

Surgery was not that bad for me. I had blood work, chest Xray, and EKG the day before. The morning of the surgery I went to the outpatient clinic. They took me back. I put on the breezy gown and climbed into the bed. They put the IV in and asked a bunch of questions. Took me to the OR. I stretched out my arms on the table and woke up later asking for water and pain meds with five small cuts on my belly. :)

The doctor did what he called his personalized "Hill" procedure. He took the floppy top of my stomach and wrapped it 270 degrees around my esophagus like a pant's leg. Unlike the Nissen which wraps 360 degrees around your esophagus like a hotdog bun.

I only needed pain meds off and on for three days and am feeling great. One final thing, make sure that your doctor is a baratric surgeon one who specializes in stomach surgery. A Thoraic surgeon is fine, but baratric is better.

Joy