Gerd

[Russel]

Anyone have any experience with GERD or acid reflux? I've have GERD for years now, and recently it's gotten bad, especially if I don't eat enough. I haven't eaten much for the past two days because my stomachs been feeling a little sour so now it's kicking in hard. I'm actually having to get an endoscopy in about a week to test for strictures in my esophagus, which I'm also extremely afraid of. They'll put me to sleep for it, but I'm reeling at the thought of anaesthesia-induced illness.

Though my main question is, how long do GERD symptoms persist for at one given time? I've had acid rising up my throat aggressively for the past 3 hours and it's ALMOST beginning to make me angry more than it's terrifying me.

Thanks

[Jess13]

Hi i have GERD. I used to have symptoms all day for days. It got to a point where when i swollowed food it would get stuck in my throat. I would have to sit and wait for it to go down. It was painful and scary. Thats when i finally went to the dr and got meds. Now i rarely have a flair up unless i eat something i know i shouldnt. When it does flair up it not half as bad. The endoscopy wasnt bad. I didnt get n* or v* after. Good luck. Def get the test done. The right meds make a huge difference!

[Missa_Mae]

I have GERD, and acid reflux but only in my stomach, I rarely get actual heartburn. When I get flare ups I get a nasty burning sensation at the base of my ribcage ... And I'm constantly feeling hungry (acid build up) and it can last days ... And my IBS always acts up with is so I get bloated and crampy. Its not fun but I've learned to manage. I had both the GI x-rays & the Endo, along with a CT Scan of my stomach, ultrasound, etc. The scope wasnt bad at all, its not actual anesthia (sp) its just 'twilight' sleep ... You close your eyes and then you open them hour or so later & it feels like 2 seconds ... No n or v for me when I had it. I was starving after!

[deeendnamtoe]

I was diagnosed with severe GERD when i was 14 (21 now). It was horrible. I would get extreme pains in my chest and stomach, I wouldn't eat, couldn't sleep. I've gotten all of the tests too, including the upper GI and endoscopy. The endoscopy was fine, I was put to sleep for it and felt fine afterwards (was kind of fun actually haha!). The good news is that my stomach does not give me as many issues now as it used to. At the beginning, I had tried 7 different prescriptions and had been to a bunch of doctors with no success. However, I looked up natural remedies, and decided to try them out. I forget all of them, but I remember taking orange peel extract (you only have to take it every other day for 20 days), cats claw, and something else...shortly after, I started feeling better and my doctor advised me to stop taking medication. I was fine afterwards! So I'm not sure if the herbal remedies helped, if I maybe just grew out of it or I wasn't as stressed anymore, but I did get better. I guess what I'm trying to say is: there's hope! You can get better. I haven't had bad symptoms for maybe 3 years now, and no medication. So try out those remedies, maybe they can help.

[jennjt]

What are the symptoms of GERD? I ask because I was looking up what could be causing my chest discomfort / hoarseness, thinking it's just post nasal drainage from sinuses / allergies, and GERD came up. I experience a lot of nausea after I eat, but just thought it was emet- related; also feel like I have to clear my throat ALL THE TIME, take Tums like they're candy; have to sleep propped up on pillows to help my stomach feel better; and sometimes feel like I have, like, something in my chest that needs to "pop" if that makes any sense at all... Assumed all this was combo of sinus/ allergy problems and emet but now I'm starting to wonder...

[andee]

Hi Russel,
So funny you should post this, because I am having an endoscopy next Thurs. because I have been having voice problems and I think it may be "silent" reflux...I have no symptoms of Gerd and have had my vocal cords checked and they seem fine. So I, too, am REALLLY nervous about the gagging or V* from the endoscopy...but everyone says you are out and don't know anything. Let me know how you are doing...I have been so stressed about this that I just want it DONE!!! Take care...

[fixxxer2012]

Gerd can go on indefinitly. Ive had it for 8 years now and have been on ppi's and reglan. The only soo called cure is surgury.

[donna1216]

I have it too. I was diagnosed with it 15 years ago, but I think I've had it my whole life. It is quite miserable.

[Russel]

Hello, I got back from -attempting- to get the procedure done. I don't want to scare anyone off, but I had a bad reaction to the IV sedation. I don't know how that stuff was supposed to sedate me. All it did was give me a severe feeling of vertigo. I felt so sick. It was like I was on a really long, unstable boat ride in the middle of a storm. When it hit, I immediately jolted and semi-yelled "STOP" and went into a bad anxiety attack. I laid there dealing with the feeling for about an hour before it started to wear off. I was lucky to stop them before they added more.

Again, I hope I don't discourage anyone from trying if they need to do this. Everyone will respond differently. You can tell them to stop at any moment. I am glad that I gave it a shot. It's just too bad that I couldn't handle whatever they used.

[andee]

Oh Gosh!!! I'm going THursday!!! My only consolation is that I had the lower done so was under the short acting anesthesia before....and at this point, I just want to know what's wrong and get it over with!!

[Russel]

Good luck, andee. My tolerance for medication is actually very low, which is most likely the cause of my reaction. The doctor giving me the sedation told me she didn't even use enough to sedate a 90 year old man. Very few people, even with our phobia will react the same way as I did, according to my doctors. Now that they know that I can't handle the sedation, they're going to use an actual general anaesthesia to put me to sleep for the procedure when I return. Hopefully that stuff will cooperate with my body better.

[andee]

Thanks Russel...I will keep you posted!

[andee]

HI All! Just got back from the endo...not bad. I was nervous but I was totally out and woke up fine, until the nurse raised the bed!!! They are in such a hurry to get you out so she put it up and I got a little nauseous. Then they want you to eat and drink right away! I was like NO WAY until I am ready. I finally had some watered down apple juice but then felt a little icky, so I waited. Finally was able to go home.

Anyway, they didn't find much reflux but found some gastritis, which was a surprise. So I am going back in a week. Doesn't solve the voice problems though, but relieves the anxiety of Barretts or cancer. Oh, sigh...

[Russel]

I'm so glad it went well for you! Must feel good to have it out of the way. Good luck finding the problem as well