Information and opinions on AcidRefluxConnection from Todd Eisner http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66 en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/ http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/27754/answers-esophagus Wed May 14 03:10:00 -0400 2008 Todd Eisner I was a long-time sufferer with heartburn and was diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus a few years ago. While my symptoms have been under control, I worry about esophageal cancer. Do any drugs prevent the development of esophageal cancer in patients with Barrett's esophagus?    It has long been felt that medications could not prevent the progression of Barrett's esophagus to cancer. Initial reports of a current study in progress... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/27754/answers-esophagus http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/26451/questions-smoking Tue Apr 29 17:02:00 -0400 2008 Todd Eisner I have been experiencing a lot of acid reflux of late. I think it might have something to do with the fact that I've been smoking more lately. Is this true?   There are many reasons to not smoke, and one of the reasons is that it can definitely cause or worsen symptoms of esophageal reflux disease. First off, tobacco inhibits saliva, which is a significant buffer that the body has against acid. Secondly,... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/26451/questions-smoking http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/25338/dr-eisner-gerd Wed Apr 16 10:03:00 -0400 2008 Todd Eisner Every month, Dr. Eisner answers your questions about acid reflux. Email Dr. Eisner at feedback@acidrefluxconnection with your question. I have been suffering from GERD for years. Should I be considering surgery?  Patients that usually do best with surgical management of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are those that are totally dependent on medications to prevent recurrence of symptoms. It is also considered in... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/25338/dr-eisner-gerd http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/23653/dr-gerd-brash Tue Apr 01 14:07:00 -0400 2008 Todd Eisner Read Dr. Eisner's answers to the latest community questions  What is water brash, what causes it and what treatments are available?   Water brash is a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) casued essentially by regurgitation of acid from the esophagus. It typically causes a sour taste in the mouth. The treatment of water brash is identical to that of the more classic symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease.... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/23653/dr-gerd-brash http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/21407/doctor-dr-eisner Thu Mar 13 11:03:00 -0400 2008 Todd Eisner I have diabetes and have been experiencing a lot of heartburn and regurgitation. I am taking Nexium but still have symptoms. What else can this be?While you may be suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease, some of your symptoms may be related to diabetes. In diabetes, the nerve endings of the gastrointestinal tract can be affected, thereby altering the function of the gastrointestinal tract. One of the things that can... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/21407/doctor-dr-eisner http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/21155/drug-direct-nay Wed Mar 05 11:41:00 -0500 2008 Todd Eisner Drug Company's Direct Marketing to Patients---Yeah or Nay? The Affect on Medication's Used to Treat GERD.  There has been a lot of talk about pharmaceutical company's practice of direct marketing to patients. Many drugs are now advertised on television as well as in newspapers and magazines. A recent article in USA Today discussed just how common this practice is and what affect it had on physician prescribing. 32% of... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/21155/drug-direct-nay http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/20886/dr-gerd-ph-test Mon Mar 03 09:30:00 -0500 2008 Todd Eisner Q: I have been having a lot of acid reflux that has not responded to medication. My doctor performed an upper endoscopy that was normal, but he still suspects GERD. He now is recommending a pH test. What is this?  A: An esophageal pH test measures how often stomach acid flows into the lower esophagus and the amount and degree of acidity during the test period. Information from the pH test can help your doctor diagnose your condition and... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/20886/dr-gerd-ph-test http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/20699/reflux-book Fri Feb 22 15:49:00 -0500 2008 Todd Eisner Beth Pulsifer-Anderson's The Reflux Book is a must for all parents of children suffering with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Section 1 of the book is a basic overview. The book starts out with an excellent introduction to acid reflux. In Chapter 1, normal digestion is discussed, and then reflux is defined. Reflux is compared to colic, and parents are reassured that reflux is very common. Chapters 2 and 3 give a great... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/20699/reflux-book http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/20369/nexium-acid Thu Feb 14 12:42:00 -0500 2008 Todd Eisner Is it acid reflux or bile reflux? Q: I had been experiencing a lot of heartburn but that seems to have decreased with Nexium. I still however, get a lot of regurgitation of liquid into my throat. Is this acid reflux?  A: As your heartburn has improved, while the regurgitation can still be related to acid, you may also be refluxing bile. While this is more common in patients that have had prior surgery of the upper... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/20369/nexium-acid http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/15048/pylori-gerd Wed Feb 06 17:17:00 -0500 2008 Todd Eisner Helicobacter pylori is a bacteria found in the lining of the stomach wall. It is a fairly common bacteria, present in about 30% of the United States population, and about 66% of the population worldwide. Most patients, probably about 70%, don't have any symptoms. In others, the bacterium can cause gastritis and peptic ulcers and sometimes can cause stomach cancer later in life.  The bacterium's presence is felt to be the result of... http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/66/15048/pylori-gerd