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Is this "normal"??? Questions for you "pros" ...

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 6/24/2011 4:41 AM (GMT 0)
I have near CONSTANT burning in either my stomach or stomach and esophagus. Dr. started me on "Tecta" yesterday (I've had 2 doses so far), and it may have helped a bit last night, but I also wondering how long do you have to take these kinds of meds before you notice any real difference? I'm hoping this isn't as good as it's going to get on the Tecta, because it's still pretty bad!!

I'm worried that the constant burning in my esophagus is going to cause cancer sad It's been bad for over a week now ... how long does it take before you have to worry about cancer??

How do you all get rid of the burning in the back of your throat and that metallic taste in your mouth??? I can't seem to eat anything that doesn't give me burning and terrible stomach/abdominal gas ... cream of wheat and water was tolerable today, but not much else. What can I eat??!

I'm getting a test for H.pylori tomorrow, and might have a hiatus hernia as well .... could either of these things cause the acid and bloatedness that I've been experiencing?? This is all very new and abrupt (did YOUR symptoms start so suddenly??) to me ... I'm feeling overwhelmed, and scared and a little hopeless ....

Jolisey
Posted 6/24/2011 6:24 AM (GMT 0)
Jolisley...it aint easy and yes it sure does get scary along the way

isnt tecta a ppi with a magnesium supplement?, if so, like other ppi s relief is not going o happen right away, takes sometimes several days for effectiveness to build up, unlike the h2 antihistamines which are relatively fast acting.

the fear that the constant burning will , or may, lead to cancer is a frequent fear many of us share. thats why endoscopy every couple years or so may be a good idea...but...lets keep the numbers in mind.

depending upon which research project one wants to point to, the risk of a person who has gerd then getting esophageal cancer is very small. for example, for gerd sufferers who have already been diagnosed with barretts esophagus, the risk is anywhere from less than 5% a year to as low as half of one percent a year.... and recent research suggests the lower end of this scale is the more likely correct number.

so while cancer is a risk with gerd keep in mind many without gerd get "throat" cancers... and overall other maladies and cancers pose higher risks. of course vigilance is in order, but we should all keep this in perspective an try not to over-react...i know its not easy, i freak out when the pain changes or gets really bad

there are several ways to minimize the burn. eating very small meals 4 or 5 times a day will likely help over time but you have to stick with it. and... ive had good luck with carafate, crush the pill and make a slurry with a small amount of water and then throw it back with a shot glass letting it coat the throat. keep a list of foods that you find from personal experience dont tend to reflux...and start with the traditional good list-bad list that many here have bantered about...you can let us know if you want our lists! brown rice well cooked, chicken white meat , tofu, mushrooms, green beans, broccoli, all steamed not fried works for me.

do you sleep on a wedge or with the head of the bed inclined 8 plus inches at the head?...pillows alone dont work and can even be problematic

glad to hear you are getting test for h pylori and as you know from reading here there are a raft of other tests you should have, barium swallow and more...is your pcp or gi doc recommending testing?

btw cruciferous vegetables are reputed to knock out h pylori if you eat enough of em ( a lot) although broccoli sprouts have a much higher potency (much higher! (sulforaphane)

let me suggest you dont eat raw sprouts while suppressing stomach acid for risk of infection... in fact i would steam all vegies

to answer your last question...my symptoms got way way worse quickly, but...i had minor, controllable, gerd before all heck broke loose and then after some life changing events, my gerd went crazy and i got lpr

best of good luck to you...hang in there, things will likely get better, but often it takes more time than we would like... and please share your experiences with us

best wishes
mock turtle
Posted 6/24/2011 4:12 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your reply, "mock turtle". The stats you listed about cancer are encouraging, so I'm going to try and focus on decreasing that acid, and not worry about it for now.

I've been eating very little the last few days, even Rice Krispies and water gave me horrible acid! Broccoli and green beans usually bother my IBS, but if I steam or boil the heck out of it, it might be ok (ugh). Cream of wheat seems tolerable so far, half an egg and piece of toast didn't go over so well last evening :/ It might try some rice and/or chicken today. It seems that I get a lot of acid from eating most everything, but if I let my stomach get too hungry, it gives me lots of acid and pain anyway (??).

Yes, I sleep on a wedge for several years now, since I was diagnosed with GERD. I never really had many symptoms before, except occasional heartburn that would wake me in the middle of the night, hence the wedge. With that, and my Pariet, I haven't had any trouble for several years. I have gained some weight in the last couple of years, which likely has something to do with it, plus I took some Naproxin for back pain, which I now understand is really bad for GERD.

My Dr. has ordered the H.pylori test for now, and I'm waiting for an appointment for a barium swallow. I'm almost hoping that the H.pylori test comes back positive .... something treatable, you know? Then hopefully I don't need the other testing (?)

One question: in your second last paragraph you say that, "...my gerd went crazy and i got lpr" ... what is "lpr"???

Thanks again for the info, and for your encouragement ... I appreciate you taking the time to respond to me :)

Jolisey
Posted 6/24/2011 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
Joliset said

"I'm almost hoping that the H.pylori test comes back positive .... something treatable, you know?"

---

you are welcome and btw

i know what you mean. symptoms without a diagnosis are perplexing

in answer to your question...LPR is also known as silent gerd

its a variation on reflux and represents some research in the last decade or so...it seems that other agents from the GI tract besides stomach acid may be involved (pepsin) and that the "refluxate" travels a little higher than gerd, getting into the larynx and lungs

UC Davis has a good web site with this quick synopsis

http://www.ucdvoice.org/lpr.html

Post Edited (mock turtle) : 6/24/2011 12:41:27 PM (GMT-6)

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