HELP! Do I have GERD?
#162683 - 03/21/05 01:33 PM
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Angie113
Reged: 12/31/04
Posts: 297
Loc: Alternate b/w Northern and Southern California
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I am afraid that I am developing GERD. Last night, I could not sleep for a long time because I couldn't lie down and was burping a LOT! I had eaten this rice pudding with strawberries that I made, and I think the strawberries triggered it since I haven't had those for a long time.
Other reasons I think I may have GERD:
-I was taking peppermint caps for awhile (like 2 mos) and thought they were helping, but then started to notice lots of pepperminty burping and so decided to stop. Now that I have stopped, I seem to feel better.
-Although ginger helps me sometimes, too much of it seems to cause discomfort.
-I can NEVER lie down after eating, I need at least like 2 hours before it's comfortable, and even then I often end up more gassy and bloated.
-Before I started the diet, I used to have this problem of not being able to sleep at night and sometimes I would have the feeling of burping acid into my throat (sorry that's gross)
-I do not tolerate tomatoes or citrus fruits well at all
On the other hand, I don't seem to have a problem with ginger or peppermint tea and I never actually have heartburn per se. I never feel the need to take OTC antacids or anything either. Am I just being paranoid because of this one incident or is it possible that I do have this problem? Do I need a GI to diagnose this or can my GP tell me? Thanks so much for any advice on this!!
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~Angela
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...but a mild case! Lucky you. Just go and talk to your GP at first...they're usually pretty used to treating this.
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Sounds like my symptoms and I have GERDS. Especially the acid burps and the inability to handle tomatoes and citrus. And I wouldn't get heartburn so much but I would get chest pains and stomache pains and nasty burp ups (burps that tasted like what I just ate and came all the way up my throat, I thought I might puke several times) before I started taking Nexium. You may want to check w/ your doc b/c left untreated it can get worse.
Christie
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Christie
~Hoping and Praying for Sleep!~
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~Angela
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Sure sounds like it - I've just been diagnosed with it and am on a Proton Pump Inhibitor, have been on it for about 4/5 days now and my appetite has finally returned! I don't feel half as bad as I have done in the past, although if I eat too much at one time I do get heartburn a bit still - deffo see your doc...worth it xx
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I have it. Have had it for 4 1/2 years. I think pregnancy may have brought it on. I didn't have a clue I had it though and had no symptoms (it was found during a gastroscopy to test for coeliac disease). Then I had another one a month and a half ago with the colonoscopy and I got this severe pain under the left rib that wouldn't go away and it hurt to breath. The hospital put me on nexium and I haven't had another problem since although I do stay away from peppermint and I stay up and moving for at least a couple of hours after I eat. I also get the acid burps if I go to bed too soon after eating. I hope you don't have it but it's not all that bad (well it can be but it is controllable). Good luck, see your doctor and let us know what he says.
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Amy
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Glad you're feeling so much better!! Question, what is the difference b/w the proton pump inhibitor and Zantac 75? Are there side effects/risk factors involved? Thanks!
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~Angela
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What is the gastroscopy test that diagnosed you? is it like the one where you have to drink barium (ew YUCK!!)? It's interesting that you got it when you were pregnant...my doctor said it's probly from birth control, which is just great  She told me to take Zantac 75 for awhile and see how it goes. Thanks again!
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~Angela
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I think (don't quote me on this) that the Zantac acts like an antacid tablet, neutrilising your acid once its there, but the PPI's actually block the production of the stomach acid, so catch it from source. There, I think that makes sense!!  Hope so x
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Last summer I suffered with gerd terribly. Firstly even though the peppermint tea is not reacting straight away, I bet that is a big problem. I used to drink it by the bucketful, had to stop! I find something that is o.k. for a while, starts to react if I have too much of it. That certainly was the case for the peppermint tea. Now I have stabilized I can have the odd cup and feel fine. I drink all the time ginger tea. I find it does not react and I love it. Also fennel tea, just had a cup. Are you following the ibs diet? I too can't have anything acidy. Shame I love fruit, just can't tolerate it. Used to this came with age! (45 now, guts more sensitive than ever!!) When I had gerd I simply had to go rice, chicken, fish, bananas, nothing much more. RIce milk, not soy, gentle gentle gentle. It did finally go away, so there is hope. Good luck, Neeta
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...is like a colonoscopy but the other end! I had both at once...what fun. They can have a good look for any acid damage and other stuff with one.
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Nearly there Nik! 
Quote:
Histamine is a natural chemical that stimulates the stomach cells to produce acid. Zantac (Ranitidine) belongs to a class of medications, called H2-blockers, that block the action of histamine on stomach cells, thus reducing stomach acid production.
Quote:
proton-pump inhibitors block the enzyme in the wall of the stomach that produces acid. By blocking the enzyme, the production of acid is decreased, and this allows the stomach and esophagus to heal.
So they're similar, but not quite the same. Antacids do just what Nik said, they try to neutralise acid that's already there. PPIs are usually prescribed for longer term use...I was on one for a few months and know use Zantac for the rare occasions I get heartburn.
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Thanks Neeta!
#163412 - 03/23/05 02:48 PM
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Angie113
Reged: 12/31/04
Posts: 297
Loc: Alternate b/w Northern and Southern California
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Hi Neeta! Yes, I have definitely cut back on the peppermint tea and stopped the peppermint caps. I think you're right, too much of something over time can lead to problems, I think I noticed that with the peppermint caps, at first they were ok and then it was too much...does anyone know if spearmint tea is better (I read that it is supposed to be gentler)? I can drink some ginger tea, and I drink fennel all the time. I definitely follow the ibs diet very carefully, so I feel like there is not much else to do...what made yours finally go away? Thanks again!
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~Angela
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Thanks nik!-nt-
#163414 - 03/23/05 02:49 PM
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Angie113
Reged: 12/31/04
Posts: 297
Loc: Alternate b/w Northern and Southern California
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~Angela
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Thank you so much for explaining the gastroscopy; I cannot believe you survived having those two at the same time!!!!! You deserve a medal or something. Also, the info about the drugs was helpful. I am really nervous about all drugs, so who knows? I will be seeing my doc again in May, so I will ask her about it then. Thanks so much again!!
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~Angela
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me too Linz, the Dr got a good view of me that day from both ends!
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S.
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.. and actually preferred it that way as I don't like IV needles! (or any needles to be exact)
For me, they did the colonoscopy first and then the endoscopy (gastroscopy) afterwards. The endoscopy was so much easier than the colonoscopy. 
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- Jennifer
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What made mine finally go away, let's think, isn't it amazing how we just seem to forget once the episode is over. Firstly let me say the episode lasted a damn long time! I recall my whole summer was miserable. Firstly I stopped the peppermint tea. That was a biggy for me, I ws drinkins so much of it. Secondly I found out that I was gluten sensitive. So I stopped gluten. GERD got way better at that point. Thirdly, I ate nothing but potatoes and corn on the cob as I remember. Rice, rice and more rice! Nothing acidy and then it went away. I had been really bad too. Are you gluten sensitive? Neeta
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I was completely knocked out for my "double banger" as my family called it! I found the gastroscopy much less stressful. I had to fast for 12 hours but no prep or induced D! And Angie you really only need one to check for something like coeliac disease which is what they were doing for me, it was just accidental that they found the reflux.
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Amy
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Re: Thanks Neeta!
#163505 - 03/23/05 07:38 PM
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Angie113
Reged: 12/31/04
Posts: 297
Loc: Alternate b/w Northern and Southern California
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Neeta, I'm not gluten sensitive, but I don't eat wheat. I am going to try to limit myself to mainly soluble fibers for awhile, so hopefully that will help. Glad it worked for you, and thank you for sharing.
Thanks Amy for answering my question!
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~Angela
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IBS-C folks still need some insolubles in order to go, don't we? When I went SF I was worse C.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Hehe!
#163572 - 03/24/05 02:42 AM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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It was easy! As always, the colonoscopy prep was the worst part, but then I was totally unconcious for the gastroscopy and out of it for the colonoscopy!
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...which is why my doc did one on me. Apparently I had a little scarring already.
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