Frustration about GERD, the pill, IBS, etc
#163149 - 03/22/05 08:48 PM
|
|
|
|
Angie113
Reged: 12/31/04
Posts: 297
Loc: Alternate b/w Northern and Southern California
|
|
|
This is driving me crazy!! I asked my doctor about reflux, and she told me to take Zantac 75 and that I was probably having the problem because of birth control pills!! I am so annoyed I have a mind to freeze my eggs and get my tubes tied!!! I am seriously considering going off the pill, this is ridiculous. I knew that the pill probly had something to do with this, and now I'm wondering if my most troubling symptoms are due to reflux, not IBS...but are bloating and cramping part of GERD? Probly not, huh? And I'm worried about the Zantac, is it habit forming or anything like that? Has anyone tried herbal remedies for this problem? I read about deglycyrrhizinated licorice and papaya tablets...
I cannot figure out what is going on with my body right now...my anxiety is really bad, which is probably the culprit, but I feel so confused about my symptoms. I always feel some sort of discomfort after I eat, and I am just frustrated  Does this mean I should go back to the restricted diet for awhile? That scares me, since I'm supposed to be gaining weight...  Sorry if I'm being melodramatic and for the long post. Any advice or comments would be much appreciated!!
--------------------
~Angela
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
If your anxiety is really bad, do yourself a massive favor and do whatever's within your comfort level to try to help it. Therapy, medication, the hypnotherapy program, whatever sounds best to you. I swear, I was in your shoes last summer - I was so anxious, and underweight - and going on anti-anxiety medication (I tried therapy first with little success) changed my life. Seriously. Of course, now I'm struggling to keep weight off, but that's a whole other story. 
As far as I know, Zantac isn't habit-forming. Honestly, I had a lot of problems with heartburn, and the best thing I found was nibbling on SF foods often, avoiding overly spicy stuff, and drinking lots of water. Papaya tablets did help too.
I would be cautious about anything licorice. I don't know what "deglycyrrhizinated" means, but licorice is typically a laxative.
I don't think you have to go all the way back to the restricted diet, but you might want to avoid overly spicy foods and large amounts of fruits/veggies until you get this sorted out. Speaking from personal experience, it's the plainer foods, like quick breads, that are calorie-dense and will really help the weight come back on, anyway. 
Good luck... hope you feel better really soon! I know how frustrating this is!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I'd also add avoid acidic foods. A med can help to stabilise it alot...Zantac is good, but it's a shame your doc didn't give you a script for a PPI (proton pump inhibitor) - they're better long term.
I agree with Casey...getting the anxiety under control should be a major priority for you right now...it triggers both IBS and GERDs so it'll be alot harder to get those under control until the anxiety is sorted.
Good luck.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
My IBS just got progressively worse when I was on the Pill. Then I started having GERD symptoms too. So, I decided to stop the Pill and see what happened. Well, it pretty much cured the cramping and bloating! I still had GERD symptoms, so I went to a gastroenterologist and he put me on Protonix. So far that's been helping a lot too.
If you can live without the Pill, you might be better off!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Casey, thank you...
#163421 - 03/23/05 02:59 PM
|
|
|
|
|
Angie113
Reged: 12/31/04
Posts: 297
Loc: Alternate b/w Northern and Southern California
|
|
|
It's nice to hear that someone else got through this, your advice is really helpful  I am really scared of taking anxiety drugs long term, but my doc said if I lost any more weight, she was going to prescribe them. May I ask what kind of therapy you had? My doc recommended something called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which sounds really weird to me, and I have also heard that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help. Thanks again, I feel a little better just from your response!
--------------------
~Angela
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
--------------------
~Angela
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
About the pill...
#163423 - 03/23/05 03:03 PM
|
|
|
|
|
Angie113
Reged: 12/31/04
Posts: 297
Loc: Alternate b/w Northern and Southern California
|
|
|
Thanks for your input, it's so weird because everyone seems to have a different reaction to it. I am definitely going to try and stop taking it for 3 months or so to see if there is any difference. The ironic thing is, my doc said that she was afraid if I stopped taking it my anxiety would just increase because I would get too worried about getting pregnant!! We'll see, but I'm glad to hear that it worked for you.
--------------------
~Angela
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Dear Angie;
Hi,been a long time!Angie,I've suffered from GERD from jump and I need to tell you it's nothing to fool around with.Constant acid refluxes can gradually erode the lining of the esophogus until it RUPTURES-it happened to a friend of mine.Zantac is basically harmless,but I know from personal experience that MANY "harmless" meds can aggravate IBS.There's virtually no research being done on this yet,so it's still basically a complete mystery why this occurs with most medications.I WILL warn you about something,though-most doctors who diagnose you with GERD will try very hard to convince you to start a regiment of proton pump suppressors-these are medications that actually block the proton pump biochemical pathways that are needed to synthesize HCL in the stomach.Some of the better known ones are Prevacid and Protonix.I SERIOUSLY would warn you to not consider these meds unless your GERD proves resistant to all other methods of treatment-thier long term side effects are not very well understood yet and from personal experience I can tell you they are NOT joyful meds to be on.Not only do they effectively halt digestion and leaves food to just sit in your gut undigested-I once had pieces of undigested chicken FROM 2 DAYS BEFORE in my stool when I was taking them-they can greatly increase the inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and this triggers not only spasms, but your entire gut feels like it's on fire.They DO greatly reduce acid,but the side effects aren't worth it.Another problem is peppermint oil,one of the VERY best gastrointestinal agents for controlling spasms and pain with IBS,is also sadly one of the WORST things for aggravating GERD. Take it in the enteric coated tablet form ONLY-AVOID peppermint tea(I know,it's yummy,it really sucks.......)For the GERD,I suggest Tums Ultra,BERRY FLAVOR ONLY. DO NOT USE THE TUMS ULTRA WITH PEPPERMINT OIL.Works GREAT for GERD-it's a VERY strong antiacid and a good source of calcium.Please avoid aluminium based antiacids like Mylanta and it's ilk-the long term metal toxicity effects are well documented.
Just a little common sense and know how-GERD isn't that hard to combat.Now if you have a haital hernia like I do,that's a different matter.I suggest you get checked for that-a lot of GERD cases are a direct result of a hiatal hernia ( look it up if you don't know what that is,that will explain it a lot better then me).Good luck and good talking to you again!
Andrew L.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Dear Angie;
I've been suffering with chronic anxiety for nearly 15 years and I can tell you that although the drugs do have a sedating effect-bad news for anyone who's a student-the anxiety is SO damaging to both your life and body that it's really a necessity.My nuerologist prescribes only mild sedatives formulated specifically for anxiety like Xanax.I would STRONGLY suggest you get diagnosed by a psychologist or nuerologist.To date,but-other then drugs,the only real treatment methods that have proven consistently effective is cognative behavioral methods-and most HMO's don't cover it at all.That's why I never got it.But I DO suggest you get yourself checked out-it can be just as debilitating to a life as cancer if unchecked.
Andrew L.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi Angie. I understand the frustration. I have GERD and initially took Zantac 12 hour relief pills. They stopped helping me though so I'm now on Nexium. I don't think they are a problem to take long term. I'll be on the nexium for the rest of my life.
I can't take birth control at all (we're looking forward to either of us being old enough to be snipped)as it really gives me terrible pains and D.
As far as the discomfort after eating goes I've recently discovered that I'm intolerant to some natural food chemicals (not sure which ones yet) and they're probably causing the majority of my problems.
Don't know if any of this is any help but big hugs. I understand how you are feeling (with the weight gain too! I'm a skinny ). Hope you get some of it sorted out soon. Def give the zantac a try (I don't think GERD makes you cramp or bloat). Good luck.
--------------------
Amy
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
Posts
