Acid Reflux acting up! Help!

[navydad]

Ihad endoscope two weeks ago,, no big deal,, your knocked out for about 15 minutes,, then your done,, mine showed up Barretts esophoghitis,, what ever the heck that is, to tired tolook up stuff anymore,, next dat went back to work,, nice think about bring knoecked out,, the rest of the day you forget about the pain your in constantly,, that seems to be the norm here,, call a doctor,, they want to call in a pain pill,, I could get these people tooder me heroin if I tried  hard enough,, SIGH

[allium]

Hi Liz:

I've had an endoscopy as well, which showed irritation.  No one had connected my terrible nausea to reflux before that.  I commenced with the burning feeling later.  Still have the nausea, too.

i take one or two of generic Prilosec a day, and Pepcid AC before my evening meal.  Taking some Gaviscon after your meal, and especially before going to bed, can help make a barrier to keep acid from backing up.  It's best not to eat anything several hours before bedtime if you can do it.

Chamomile tea is supposed to relieve heartburn to some degree.

Navydad, you will probably have to aggressively treat the reflux.   My friend has Barrett's, and must take 4 Prilosec a day to keep things under control. 

Sheila

[Katybarstool]

I've been reading this post with interest. At the moment - and for the past 3 weeks, I've been having pain in the back of my right shoulder. Sometimes in the past, the pain has gone right across my back. I know it's acid, and I had a breath test a few years ago, which was negative for the bacteria.

In the past I have taken Lanzaprazole, which has helped the acid symptoms, however, I find that it dries my mouth up terribly, to the extent that I have trouble keeping my dentures in Most days I now take Gaviscon, or those powedery chalky tablets., but they don't work like the lanzaprazole, so the pain comes back.

I'm considering a call to the GP tomorrow, but wondered, does anyone else have the same problem with Lanzaprazole?

Thanks
Kathyx

[ohiolady]

Kathyx,

Yes, I have a lot of problems with acid reflux since the Sjogrens diagnosis.  I, too, noticed a terrible drying out of my mouth with Prevacid.  Interestingly, I was put on Kapidex about 5 weeks ago, and it has the same chemical properties as Prevacid but it has not dried my mouth anymore than usual.  Ummm,  don't know why??  Do you have access to trying different meds?  Prilosec did not dry my mouth like Prevacid and it comes in a generic so you may want to try.

Anna

[Liz D.]

Hi Kathyx,

I am about at my wit's end.  I am the person who originally started this thread.  I was on Prilosec for two months and on June 10th I wrote how great I was feeling.  Well, that lasted for only 9 days.  On June 19th, the pain started up again.   I was away for the weekend thinking it was just because I was eating out, but it is now the 29th and my stomach is still on fire!  

I called my doctor on the 24th of June when I got home and found out she is on vaca until July 6.  The on-call doctor put me on Protonix now twice a day for two weeks.  Then if it has not calmed down, call my doctor who will be back by then and schedule an endoscopy.  I know it has only been 5 days on the Protonix, but I am not getting any better.  I am at the point of tears.  Totally frustrated and am just wondering if I should be more patient.  I am beginning to think I have the h.pylori bacteria and need antibiotics.  I don't know what else to do since my doctor will not be back until next Monday.

I have even stopped all my NSAIDs which is not helping my joint pain at all.  Any suggestions?

Liz D.

[ohiolady]

Liz,

When reflux get flared up, it can be very difficult to treat.  I know this personally.  I've tried Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonix and now Kapidex.  Protonix did nothing for me and gave me a terrible headache.  Don't give up and definitely get the endoscopy.

Anna

[Liz D.]

Thanks Anna.  I can't give up.  Woke up a tiny bit better this morning, but don't plan on eating much for fear of starting it up again.  I am having a cup of ginger tea right now.  Supposed to be good for stomach.  The endoscope is looking like it is going to be a must have!

Kathyx, did you have think you may have gallbladder problems?  I have read in all my reflux research that if the pain goes into the back, it could be your gallbladder.  Hope you can get help, too.  Also, Prevacid never dried me out.  It worked great for five years.  All of a sudden, it just stopped working!!

Liz D.

[Katybarstool]

Hi Liz

I'm sorry to hear you are still struggling. I really don't know what to suggest to help you, but the scope sounds like the way to go. Hang in there. I'm be sending you positive vibes.

Today I saw the GP, who examined me thoroughly and asked lots of quetions (he's new to the practice). I was surprised when he concluded that the pain behind my shoulder is muscular-skeletal - I shouldn't have been, as I have arthritis just about everywhere and a few years ago I actually cracked a rib, so it could well be arthritis. I'm going to stick with the Celebrex and up the paracetamol. If it's no better in a month, he will order an xray.

We also came to the conclusion that the pain where my right shoulder fastens to my arm is rotator cuff damage from my incident with the car and the skip so that should get better soon.

Anyway, I will see how things go, and getback tohim if I need to.

Kathyx

[irish]

I have had GERD off and on for many years and now know it was from the sjogrens and not my asthma like my doc told me.

Anyway, I was on just about all the meds at one time or another. I ended up on high dose of Prevacid for several years and always seemed to be fighting with a gut ache by the end of the day. Finally a new doc changed me to omeprazole(Prilosec) 20 mgm am and 20 at bedtime. It was some better but I decided to do the 40 at bedtime (which is still a therapeutic dose as per pharmacist and my nurses drug handbook plus I let my doc know a few weeks later) and I have much better relief.

Also, I have had 2 endoscopies of esophagus plus 2 dilatations of esophagus and it really is not a very big deal. They just put you to sleep with light IV anesthesia and it doesn't take long at al between admit and discharge. I had a very pink esophagus the last time. Doc had put me on Protonix and I got the worst gut ache from that plus felt like it was decreasing the peristalsis in my esophagus, stomach and colon. I quit the drug after a week and I improved rapidly.

It really is important to keep track of the GERD because of the possibility of getting the precancerous cells in the esophagus from the constant irritation from the gastric juice. When I have the break though GERD I just take a couple teaspoons of liguid antacid and it really helps. Good luck Irish

[ohiolady]

I take Kapidex and it has helped so much more than any of the other meds I tried.  If I do have break thru GERD, I take a 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 4ounces of water.  Have any of you tried using the baking soda?

Anna

[Liz D.]

Thanks, Irish, for your input!!  And Anna, I have tried the baking soda before.  It certainly makes you belch which makes you feel better for a few seconds, but then the pain just builds up again.  I have found that happening to me no matter what I take.

I have been on a very soft diet now for a couple of days, plus taking the meds, and I am praying it is starting to calm down.  I am trying to eat slow and chew a lot.   I have also been drinking some ginger herb tea.  That has been excellent.   My husband and I are going away for the weekend so here is hoping I can keep the acid to a minimum.

All your responses have been so helpful!!!  Thank you.

Liz D.