2 Weeks ago I could not have been happier in my life. Then my GERD symptoms came back.
I had been diagnosed by a GI specialist with GERD, via and endoscopy 3 years ago. At that time I took Prilosec and Mylanta. It didn't work very well for me, so I quit the Prilosec after 8 months, quit my very stressful job, and within 2 weeks all my GERD symptoms went away for 1 1/2 years. My Dr. and I assumed the GERD was coming on due to stress.
Now here I am, happier than I'd been in years, and out of nowhere it strikes. Its been 2 weeks and its is not calming down. I'm taking Zantac and Pepto Bismal everyday, but it only calms the symptoms down by half. My symptoms are horrible chest pain, feeling like food is stuck in my throat, tightness in my chest, and coughing.
So now, I'm just getting so depressed and discouraged that this won't calm down. My husband and I were even trying to have another baby, but now all our plans are on hold so I can deal with this horrible pain. Does GERD come and go like this?
By the way,
I do not ever use caffine, coffee, soda, spicy foods, I'm not overweight, and I don't smoke. I eat very healthy and I exercise. According to how I live my life, I should be the poster child for someone who does NOT get acid reflux. So where do I go from here? Please help, I'm so sad and upset.
Hello,
So sorry you have to join us in the AcidRefluxConnection community. Unfortunately, reflux can come and go but you are not alone.
In the three years since you were first diagnosed, there have been many changes with new medications and new treatments. Start with your primary care doctor or the doctor who did the endoscopy. Let him/her know you tried some medications and need to know what your options are.
It is important to see the doctor for another reason-if you have esophagitis (irritation of the esophagus), it is important to receive treatment rather than ignore your symptoms.
Let the doctor know of your future plans to start a family. Your reflux may flare during your pregnancy but that should not stop you from getting pregnant. It just means you and the doctors will need to figure out the best treatment plan. Some adults and especially moms-to-be find that sleeping on a wedge or elevating the bed is a wonderful, non medication approach.
Best wishes,
Jan
I feel the same way. I want to have another baby.....I started with GERD after my seconed baby. I've been on Prevacid for 2 1/2 years which only masks the problem. I still feel digestive upset every day and now I feel like I can't swallow properly. I am very discouraged. i still have to wait over a month to see a specialist and I am so down right now. I am almost underweight,have not touched coffee, pop, tea or chocolate for 2 years. I try to eat fairly healthy and yet I am still dealing with this. My doctor frustrates me even further saying I might have this the rest of mylife, yet refused to send me to a specialist. I had to see another doc for another opinion who finally set up an appointment.
Hello Angela, Thank you for adding your voice to this discussion. At HealthCentral we often hear from moms and moms to be with GERD. I think this is a great place to share experiences and learn from each other.
I wonder how your pregnancy was. Did your reflux get worse or was it the same? Did the OB help to manage your reflux or did the primary care doctor manage your reflux treatment plan?
I certainly encourage you to see a specialist at this point. It is worrisome when you have swallowing issues. That really needs to be investigated by the specialist, especially since you have been on medication.
Take care and keep in touch.
Jan
thankyou for your reply. My Gerd began during pregnancy yet I had no Idea that was what it was until a year later. I mentioned the pain to my ob on a few occasions and she said I was just having normal pains and they would go away after a while but if not then to see a doctor. My doctor also said the same thing....that my body was still healing from having the baby. After a year of living with constant burning tight pain under my breastbone It got very intense and someone mentioned to me the pain sounded like an ulcer.........I finally started researching and figured out myself I had Gerd so I went back to my doctor and finally was given Prevacid and had and upper GI and ultrasound which showed basically nothing but a little reflux. I have now after 3 years been to a specialist and on the list to have a scope. I really hope they find something that will give me some answers why I am having all this pain especially since I haven't been able to eat much more than oatmeal for the past month with reflux and pain. It is so discouraging. Especially when I've heard from 2 doctors that It is possible I will have to stay on a Protein Pump Medication the rest of my life. Why would I want to be on medication the rest of my life that isn't helping me>? And what about the susceptibility to pnemonia and lung infections and osteoperosis? Do I want to live the rest of my life on a chemical?
I didn’t know how many people suffer from Acid-reflux, I will try to help as many as I can, I’m 59 years old, 3 years ago I was suffering from Acid-reflux, I tried just about all the drugs in the market but, it didn’t help much, and the side effects were terrible, a friend of mine told me about this natural food supplement that he tried, I ordered and tried myself, it was amazing, no side effects, safe for all ages including babies, I didn’t have to go on a diet, I eat and drink anything any time as much as I want, and I mean anything including coffee, sodas. pizza, chocolate spicy foods (my wife is mexican),. I didn’t have to make any lifestyles changes, I don’t have to elevate my head when I sleep and it lasted for more than a year, I had to order it 2 times since for myself and 1 time for my daughter and my son, my daughter was 18 years old and 32 weeks pregnant, my son was 10, the baby is now 13 months old and my daughter and my son had forgotten about Acid-reflux, until two weeks ago my daughter ask me for the web site address because one of her friends at school have reflux, I have told many of my friend about it, try it and tell your friends too, let me know if it work for you, the web site is betasupplements.com.
Hi Dennis,
Are you still taking this supplement? It it possible that the website has changed it's name to Metasupplements? What is the name of the supplement?
Thanks,
Diane