CoonCat

Open GERD & Heartburn

lots of GI problems, such as IBS, GERD, Barrett's...started at the age of 11 and has progressively gotten worse

Treatments

Antacids Working / Worked

Maalox every morning and PRN, Gaviscon after supper and at bedtime and as needed -- I guzzle this stuff and it does work, but sometimes i have to take more than what bottle says...Tums and Rolaids works somewhat in a pinch when not at home with the liquid antacids

Avoid Certain Foods / Chemicals Working / Worked

pretty much eat almost nothing for any relief; eat yogurt, drink V8, drink SlimFast (Ensure makes me really nauseous and dizzy), stick to major low-fat diet, only diet frozen food seems to work with regard to solid foods; CANNOT eat out or have homecooked food

Carafate Not Working

worked well when i took it, but was constipating

Dietary Modification Working / Worked

pretty much eat almost nothing for any relief; eat yogurt, drink V8, drink SlimFast (Ensure makes me really nauseous and dizzy), stick to major low-fat diet, only diet frozen food seems to work with regard to solid foods

Domperidone Somewhat Helpful

taking it for a few years now since took Propulsid off the market and better than nothing; i do notice when i don't take it 3x a day (even when i don't eat)

Ginger Not Working

tried it and found out i'm highly allergic to it (break out in hives and throat closes up)

Nexium Not Working

wasn't strong enough for my symptoms

Prevacid Not Working

wasn't strong enough for me

Prilosec Not Working

worked for a long time, but my GERD got so bad that it stopped working

Protonix Working / Worked

this is the only thing that works and i have to take 80mg a day, so doctor has to get special dispensation; without it i'm always choking and cannot eat at all

Raising Bed Position Not Working

helped a little, but caused major arthritis flare ups and couldn't get a good night's sleep

Reglan Working / Worked

this did work for many years to help nausea subside somewhat, but i became intolerant to it; also made me sleepy

Tagamet Not Working

worked at the very beginning, but not strong enough now (almost two decades later)

Amitiza Not Working

this stuff was horrible gave me horrific stomach pains and made me sick

Librax Working / Worked

before this i used to be doubled over in sharp stomach pain after eating can make you sleepy though

Open MCTD

diagnosed with polyarthritis in 1990, but started with symptoms when I was 10; then docs added MCTD diagnosis; "lupus" classification seems to be on-again/off-again; MCTD has also attacked my GI system in a huge way, as well as heart and lungs

Open Raynaud's Disease

just suffering with this stupid Raynaud's -- i wear lots of layers and gloves to get through each day -- i've got it really bad and not a day goes by that i don't have blue/purple fingers

Treatments

Norvasc Somewhat Helpful

this actually helped very much but lowered my blood pressure so much that i had fainting spells

Open Dementia

I am the sole caregiver for my elderly mom, who had brain surgery about a decade ago and on top of that has vascular dementia. It comes and goes. When she has her "episodes," it's like being in an altered state. It's really rough on me, but so hard for her, too. Double breaks my heart and very tiring to be on this rollercoaster with no support from any family or friends who leave it all to me alone.

Treatments

Exelon Not Working

My mom woke up in screaming night terrors and shaking (like mini seizures), so stopped it.