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how many just have heartburn?

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 11/4/2011 12:08 PM (GMT 0)
I have been better for about a month but have had a flare up since a few days ago. Hopefully it will be short lived.

My GERD is ONLY a very small feeling of heartburn (it doesn't radiate or have a wide radius in my left chest). I have gotten the feeling of wanting to breathe fire, or feeling contents come up into the esophagus, but only extremely rarely, probably no more than the average person. When I think of my symptom I feel like it isn't even GERD, although I have been diagnosed with it and, most importantly, PPI's have worked for me in the past.

So how many are similar to me in that a small but constant heartburn pain, almost muscular in feeling, is their only symptom? I get the feeling mine is the result of a very small amount of acid...although sometimes I think it is something about the esophageal muscle...

On and off for over four years now, hopefully one day I'll get it solved :) Good news is the past month has been significantly better than most (and I have been off medication, even eaten out @ meditteranean places, and in general not followed GERD rules that have never really helped me).
Posted 11/4/2011 2:28 PM (GMT 0)
My mom has pain all over her back because of gerd..she feels very little to none heartburn but doctor says she has the silent symptoms...
I have it very bad where now I feel chest pains and have lt a huge lump on my throat for about 7months non stop! Very frustrating!
Posted 11/4/2011 3:15 PM (GMT 0)
Good Morning,

I am a bit confused as you posted you only have heartburn but went on to post, " feeling contents come up into the esophagus " which translates to reflux in my life.

Each person's GERD is individual to them and I would be sure to keep in touch with your Dr.

Kindly,

Kitt 

Posted 11/4/2011 4:21 PM (GMT 0)
Been on Nexium for several years.  Have bad reflux if I don't medicate.
Posted 11/5/2011 12:18 AM (GMT 0)
hi acidrefluxman,

Your symptoms are very much similar to mine. Heartburn on my chest is the primary symptom, it varies in intensity, from mild irritation, to gnawing feeling, to intense burning sensation (which I would say, reflux).

My heartburn flare-ups came in "episodes". Each took about 1 to 5 days. I have had 4 episodes so far in the course of 2 months. In between the episodes, I was fine. During an episode, the symptoms usually came at night. I would say 90% of the time. In the most recent episode, it happened in the day also, which was quite alarming to me.

The rest of the my symptoms are by-products or side-effects of my medications - indigestion, slow digestion, gassy stomach, bloating, insomnia, nausea, vomiting. During the period where I tried to stop my PPI cold-turkey, I also experienced what I now clearly know as withdrawal rebound symptoms - excessive acid secretion in stomach.

Currently I have it under control - with 20mg Pariet at dinner time, 5mg of Metoclopramide HCL (Maxalon) as when needed, antacid as when needed, and several supplements, diet and lifestyle modifications. I consider myself lucky, because I do not need surgery. I look forward to a full recovery in future.

Have hope!

P/S: My diagnosis was GERD, Hiatal Hernia and Esophagitis.

Post Edited (WJF) : 11/4/2011 6:24:04 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 11/5/2011 11:28 AM (GMT 0)

WJF said...
hi acidrefluxman,

The rest of the my symptoms are by-products or side-effects of my medications - indigestion, slow digestion, gassy stomach, bloating, insomnia, nausea, vomiting. During the period where I tried to stop my PPI cold-turkey, I also experienced what I now clearly know as withdrawal rebound symptoms - excessive acid secretion in stomach.

Currently I have it under control - with 20mg Pariet at dinner time, 5mg of Metoclopramide HCL (Maxalon) as when needed, antacid as when needed, and several supplements, diet and lifestyle modifications. I consider myself lucky, because I do not need surgery. I look forward to a full recovery in future.

Have hope!

P/S: My diagnosis was GERD, Hiatal Hernia and Esophagitis.

Yes i noticed the rebound you get, i took one 40mg Losec and stopped because i got skin rashes, next 2 days after i stopped i got excessive acid prodution, it's now much better, still burn a little but much more relief.
Posted 11/6/2011 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
My issue is that I don't know what "heartburn" should feel like....

I wouldn't say mine is a burning. It is more of a "discomfort" or "sensitivity", and at most a "gnawing" feeling. I realized I am very disappointed in my lack of ability to describe this feeling after having it now for nearly 4 years. I wish I had a good adjective to describe it.

Is this what heartburn feels like to a lot of people?
Posted 11/6/2011 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
Also, I have very rare things going on. One is I ALWAYS do best for the first month after I stop PPI's. I don't get acid rebound at all, and find that my heartburn feeling comes back 3-4 weeks later the same as before. It also has nothing to do with my diet, stress levels, etc. I have followed all recommendations.

I was also diagnosed with GERD, hiatal hernia (small), and esophagitis. But my doctors now think it may be NERD. Just confusing. I wish I someone else could feel my pain and say "yes, that is exactly what my reflux feels like" and then I'll feel a lot more confident in it.
Posted 11/7/2011 12:10 AM (GMT 0)

theacidrefluxman said...
My issue is that I don't know what "heartburn" should feel like....

I wouldn't say mine is a burning. It is more of a "discomfort" or "sensitivity", and at most a "gnawing" feeling. I realized I am very disappointed in my lack of ability to describe this feeling after having it now for nearly 4 years. I wish I had a good adjective to describe it.

Is this what heartburn feels like to a lot of people?

This is how I describe my heartburn:

mild - a gnawing feeling on my chest (like constantly bitten by insects), usually subsides fast.
medium - irritation going on for hours.
severe - burning sensation going on for hours.
Posted 11/7/2011 12:15 AM (GMT 0)

theacidrefluxman said...
Also, I have very rare things going on. One is I ALWAYS do best for the first month after I stop PPI's. I don't get acid rebound at all, and find that my heartburn feeling comes back 3-4 weeks later the same as before. It also has nothing to do with my diet, stress levels, etc. I have followed all recommendations.

I was also diagnosed with GERD, hiatal hernia (small), and esophagitis. But my doctors now think it may be NERD. Just confusing. I wish I someone else could feel my pain and say "yes, that is exactly what my reflux feels like" and then I'll feel a lot more confident in it.

how often do you get your heartburn? is it connected with meals?
Posted 11/7/2011 12:37 AM (GMT 0)
It is not connected with meals...I was worse while on the reflux induction diet than this past month when I ate out a fair bit (mostly meditteranian). I get it most days throughout the day, but can have 2-4 week periods where it dissapears completely. It is completely random in terms of triggers (nothing to do with what I eat, size of meals, etc.)...after 4 years I still have no idea what causes it to come and go. When it is gone for 2-4 weeks I can even lie down flat and other things with no symptoms at all.
Posted 11/7/2011 1:39 PM (GMT 0)
A 24-hour PH test may sort it out, but that's too troublesome. It sounds like "transient LES relaxation" to me, i.e. your LES is in cycles of relaxations and tightening.
Posted 11/7/2011 8:21 PM (GMT 0)
I have had a few. I come out with reflux, but not bad enough to get surgery I guess. My most recent one was normal despite my symptoms (although I was on nexium at the time). Maybe bile reflux?
Posted 11/7/2011 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
bile reflux is rare and could cause severe esophagitis. The chance is you don't have it.
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