I relapsed

Hello everyone,

I've been suffering from GERD for a year and a half now. I've always been unsure about what caused it; but the months before it popped up I lifted something too heavy for me, I drank lots of pure whiskey on an empty stomach, my partner at a time cheated on me...so I guess they all could be potential triggers, along the fact I took Advils every day for years beforehand.

The first manifestation of GERD wasn't so much having acid going up my mouth as it was a lot of burning sensation through my upper body, sharp pain in my chest, trouble swallowing, difficulty breathing; which all seems to be caused by stress to me at the time. Then what seemed like geysers of acid manifested and I developed Erosive Esophagitis for awhile. I was scheduled for an endoscopy, but I freaked out and never went. I took Inexium for about two weeks, but it made me feel way worse. I did some research and I decided to stop taking PPIs or antacids all together since none of those things were resolving the underlying issues, and they presented a lot of side effects long-term.

From then until now, I stopped eating all the food that is said to trigger GERD, on top of me being lactose intolerant you can imagine meals are not really fun, I also always carefully waited 3 hours after eating if I had to go to bed or bend over to pick up something, I'd also walk after each meal as I discovered it helped quite a bit, etc.

I started substituting the meds I was taking by natural remedies that seemed to really alleviate reflux; licorice root decoction, marshmallow root decoction, chamomile infusion, carrot juice and aloe vera. Those were the best for me. That, combined with a diet consisting of pretty much only boiled vegetables and whole grains, my GERD was going away progressively. From having acid reflux all day every day, I went to only having reflux a few hours a month. I could even occasionally eat some things that are not advised with GERD such as chocolate, tomato-based meals and fried food.

I was pretty much free for a whole year, even when I had occasional reflux, there wasn't any pain or trouble breathing. Now I have no idea what triggered the current attack, but I am back at square one. My GERD has been uncontrollable for a few weeks now, I am feeling like absolute crap all the time and it's making me fall in a spiral where I think there is no hope for my future. I've been trying all the natural remedies I used to take (except for marshmallow root since I can't find it at the local store anymore) and they're not working. I'd say my GERD is even worse now, it's making me cough which it never has before, the trouble breathing + sharp pain in chest + trouble swallowing + Esophagitis are all back. Every time I eat I feel like I am suffocating, I wake up in the morning with a bloody taste in my mouth and now I'm at taking the maximal dose of Maalox every day. I still have some PPIs left but I don't really want to try going back on them.

I'm not really sure what to do.

Any advice?

peacefulwarrior said...
Did you ever have the EGD?

No, I haven't. I've had blood tests with normal results though, doctors said that if I had an ulcer it would most likely show a case of anemia.

You definitely need to have an EGD, how were you originally diagnosed with GERD?

Sharon