Wednesday, July 18, 2007
I have been living with acid reflux for at least 20 years now. It was finally diagnosed about 5 years ago, and I've been taking various acid reducer medications since then. Over the years I've ended up in the ER doubled over in pain on several occasions. Once I was diagnosed with Crohn's and given Prednisone, which my regular doctor immediately took me off of due to the negative side effects. So, at this point I'm not even sure if I have Crohn's, but still have the symptoms. I'm wondering if these lower abdominal symptoms I have are related to the reflux problem. I am currently undergoing testing to possibly have the Nissen Fundoplication surgery, and I just hope that having the surgery will also relieve the lower abdominal problems I have. Any information regarding this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Both Crohn's Disease and GERD are digestive disorders. The federal government's National Digestive Disorders Information Clearinghouse has information about Gas in the Digestive Tract which discusses the differences between Crohn's Disease and GERD. Although Crohn's disease may affect any area of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, it most commonly affects the small intestine whereas GERD is a condition affecting the esophagus. Our Surgery pages include information about your upcoming procedure. Thanks for writing and please stay in touch as your treatment plan progresses.
Patricia Theiler