HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Pretty sure it's gerd

Support Forums
>
GERD & Acid Reflux
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 12/22/2012 6:21 AM (GMT 0)
Hey everyone, I'm a 26 year old male and I believe I have been struggling with Gerd since I was 18. For a long time I thought there might have been something wrong with my heart, but all tests say no! I was very confused as to what was causing my symptoms.

Outside of the major symptoms I have been experiencing

Pain in the chest area (It's felt pretty bad before)

A pins and needles feeling in my wrist and hands

Extreme heartburn that can cause reflux in the middle of the night

Of course I will be visiting a Dr soon, but I was just wanting to collect some opinions and ask some questions. If it is in fact Gerd, are there any good natural treatments for it? Also, is Gerd curable or just treatable? Thank you.


Posted 12/22/2012 7:54 AM (GMT 0)
Gerd can be cured. There is several different types of surgeries out there that will fix most of the causes: weak LES, hiatal hernia, defect in the diaphragam.
Most people who have mild gerd will just take medicines and pray it will help them. It's really just a bandaid if you have a defect.

You will need to undergo several tests to see if it's a defect that is treatable with the surgery:
Barium swallow * not a bad test, just drink barium in front of a xray machine
EGD (endoscopy) *Not bad if they knock you out for it
Manometry (motility study of esophagus) * This one is rough if you gag easy. No sedative is allowed. :/
pH test (to see how much acid is in your esophagus) They do two different types: BRAVO and 24 hr wire- doctor decides which one
Stomach emptying- *nothing to it, you eat radioactive food and stand in front of camera
Posted 12/23/2012 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
You may want to start with diet changes. Try a low acid, low fat (gluten free helps some) diet. Eat smaller meals, don't go to bed after eating for 3 hours, chew food well, chew non mint gum in between meals, sleep on a bed wedge and on your left side, and stay away from acidic food.
Posted 12/23/2012 1:41 AM (GMT 0)
GERD is typically a chronic condition unless you have surgery. There are lifestyle changes and medications to help but the symptoms can change and be intermittent
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply