How do I know if I have gord

Been ill since April. Never had indigestion or heartburn before this. I went out for a meal when I returned home I couldn't stop burping which for me is highly usual. I couldn't eat or drink anything for two weeks - just managed to sip water. I was in dreadful pain. Doctor took loads of bloods. When I started to feel better I tried to eat but when I did a short time later i started to burn. I could feel the acid vapours rising causing horrendous heartburn, throat and mouth would burn this would last for about 24 hours - absolute agony. This went on and on every time I ate anything the same thing would happen. I was retching everyday. I honestly thought I'd become intolerant to all food. Bloods came back vitamin d deficient (18) . Saw gastro doc had ct scan and endoscopy all negative. I eventually started to tolerate foods don't get me wrong the foods are very plain and bland- cereal, skimmed milk, steamed chicken and fish with vegetables. The heartburn as slowly gone but not the burning throat and mouth. I still retch and and I have mucus in my throat and occasionally wake up with a dry cough. I sometimes have a tight chest and a lump in my throat . Ive lost about 2 stone in weight . I always seem to feel a warm feeling in my throat when I breathe deeply. I have woken up a couple of times when I've fallen of my pillow with what I think is an acidy mouth even my nose and lips seem to burn. I haven't worked since April and I'm getting desperate. I think I have acid reflux but not sure. Don't get much help from GP or gastro doctor - they did send me to a dietician because they were concerned about my weight loss. Like I don't know what to eat I love food. I tried to tell them that whatever I ate burned me and they said there was nothing in my diet that should give heartburn. I've done much research and decided that I may have gord so I've made an appointment with a clinic in London to have some tests done. I'm hoping that these tests prove that it's gord although I'm not sure I don't seem to have the same symptoms as other people for instance I can bend down after eating and don't reflux food. I think I just seem to be getting acid vapours. What I really want to know is will these tests be able to show a weak sphincter and will it pick up acid vapours. I know I'm supposed to press a button on the 24 hour impedance test when I reflux but I don't know when I am. Any advice to what I think is a new gordie would be helpful.

Thanks Bill for your advice. I already try most of those suggestions. I really don't want to go down the road of medication. My way of thinking is if the sphincter is weak then it's always going to be weak and no medication is going to change that or make it stronger. So if tests say its gord then it's the Linx for me.

Maria

Maria-

you are experiencing another common complaint of GERd and LPR.

Take care,
Bill

phil-uk

Thanks for your reply. I've got tests in London on Monday so hopefully they will be able to confirm that it's gord - when they get the test results. I really don't want to go down the road of medication but what I do know is that this is impossible to control with diet alone. I follow all the rules with the diet and yet I still get problems.I find the whole medication thing very strange as all it does is stop the stomach acid and most people on medication still can't eat what they like. If I find that I have gord and I can have the linx then that's the way to go for me but I would be interested in knowing what research is going on.

Maria

phil-uk

Thanks for your comments on the medication. I still really don't like the idea of medication and it reducing stomach acid. My understanding is its not the stomach acid that is the problem but the weak sphincter and the medication does nothing to address the sphincter weakness.

I will google Endostim and look at the research into it.

Thanks for your good wishes.

Maria

Pat Fill

Thank you for your support. Your probably so right about medication as I know for a fact that this cannot be controlled by diet believe me I've tried. Yes I'm going to see a specialist in London for tests which will hopefully confirm that it is gord and caused by a weak sphincter. I did see a specialist a couple of weeks ago who said that my symptoms suggest gord so ill be going for tests to hopefully confirm this. I know that in my case this condition started oddly as I had servere pains in and around my abdomen which were extremely painful in my liver / gallbladder / kidney area . Those pains eventually went but it did leave me with what I believe is gord. My local GP is no expert in this field so sent me to see a gastro doctor she sent me for endoscopies and biopsies and ct scans all came back clear. To be fair she was more concerned about the pains in and around my abdomen. The gastro doctor as only seen me once and she sent me a letter for me to return to her on 4th December. Just because nothing was found on the tests she suggested it was all down to stress and anxiety which I know just wasn't true.Why oh why do doctors do that just because nothing was found then it can't be real. So I eventually made my own arrangements and will take it from there. Hopefully the tests will confirm what I suspect as I don't think it could be anything else. For someone who didn't have any health issues this as all come as a shock. I was perfectly fit and healthy before April not a care in the world- how things change !

Maria

Maria-

Basically, yes. My very 1st manometry showed my LES was good, but I still had symptoms and a rather low reflux rate. A couple weeks later my LES pressure was very low and extreme rate of reflux with same symptoms. Sometimes with this disease there just isn't any rhyme or reason.

Take care,
Bill