GERD & Heartburn Support Group
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is defined as chronic symptoms or mucosal damage produced by the abnormal reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus. This is commonly due to transient or permanent changes in the barrier between the esophagus and the stomach. If you are afflicted with GERD or heartburn, join the group and find support.
I have acid reflux and it is especially bad at night.
I've had this off and on during hormonal times in my life (for example when I was pregnant it was really bad) and now that I am in perimenopause it's once again really bad.
I just finished the second round of Tecta (first was about a year ago) and took an over the counter 12 hr zantac last night so I could sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night with bile coming up, great fun! It took about an hour for me to feel good enough to go back to sleep.
When I mentioned to the doc last time that I have occasional bile problems during the night, he said that had nothing to do with acid reflux and the meds he had me on.
I don't know what to think anymore.
Do I ask for an endoscopy to make sure my esophagus is still ok? Do I get back on the Tecta? (as in ask him for another presctiption) I thought one could only take this type of drug for about a month and while I halved the dose he gave me, it's been about 3 months. I'm getting worried that I am doing more damage than good here.
The other thing is that I've been on Citalopram for my agoraphobia for the past 4 years and I'm weaning myself off it. Not only has it caused weight gain but it also aids with my acid reflux. So I hope that once I'm off that completely that the acid reflux will get better.
I am watching what I eat but it's gotten to the point that a cooked carrot will cause acid reflux. Everything does these days!
I am at a loss here, don't know what is best, am very worried that my esophagus is getting damaged...
Help!
I've had this off and on during hormonal times in my life (for example when I was pregnant it was really bad) and now that I am in perimenopause it's once again really bad.
I just finished the second round of Tecta (first was about a year ago) and took an over the counter 12 hr zantac last night so I could sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night with bile coming up, great fun! It took about an hour for me to feel good enough to go back to sleep.
When I mentioned to the doc last time that I have occasional bile problems during the night, he said that had nothing to do with acid reflux and the meds he had me on.
I don't know what to think anymore.
Do I ask for an endoscopy to make sure my esophagus is still ok? Do I get back on the Tecta? (as in ask him for another presctiption) I thought one could only take this type of drug for about a month and while I halved the dose he gave me, it's been about 3 months. I'm getting worried that I am doing more damage than good here.
The other thing is that I've been on Citalopram for my agoraphobia for the past 4 years and I'm weaning myself off it. Not only has it caused weight gain but it also aids with my acid reflux. So I hope that once I'm off that completely that the acid reflux will get better.
I am watching what I eat but it's gotten to the point that a cooked carrot will cause acid reflux. Everything does these days!
I am at a loss here, don't know what is best, am very worried that my esophagus is getting damaged...
Help!
Since your symptoms are worse at night, I highly recommend sleeping on a wedge pillow or propping up the head of your bed -- this helped me a lot with my nighttime symptoms! In extreme cases, you could try sleeping more upright in a recliner. Also avoid eating a few hours before bed.
I'm not familiar with Tecta -- is it a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) like Nexium and omeprazole (e.g. Prilosec)? If so, while the instructions say those kinds of drugs should only be taken for a month or two at a time, many people take them for years. There are some side effects of long-term use (PPI's inhibit your body's ability to absorb certain nutrients -- calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium are a few that the FDA has confirmed -- and may cause stomach polyps). However, if the acid reflux is damaging your esophagus, those risks may be worth it to allow your esophagus to heal. You'll need to discuss that with your doctor. I took Nexium for 1.5 years and quit recently to try to get pregnant (yeah, I know my GERD will probably get worse during pregnancy, but I'll cross that road when I come to it!), but my doctor said he wouldn't be concerned about long-term side effects until I'd taken Nexium for "years."
If this has been going on for a while, it also wouldn't hurt to ask your doctor for an endoscopy to check for esophagul damage. Also, have you had an H. pylori test recently? Sometimes GERD can be caused by an infection of H. pylori and can be cured by antibiotics. I think the most common way to test for H. pylori is to take a biopsy during an endoscopy.
It sounds like you've already done some research into diet modifications and other treatments so you may already know most of this, but here are some things that have helped me:
The diet I follow:
http://www.dailystrength.org/people/508274/journal/1912231
Some other tips:
http://www.dailystrength.org/people/508274/journal/1997732
Hope that helps!
I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow, I'm going to ask for an endoscopy. it does not sound like I have H.Pylori though.
This has been an ongoing problem for me, I've had it in my early 20's and had several stomach X-rays then and also some kind of scope down my throat at that time.
Then again when I got pregnant. And now again in perimenopause.
I've been really watching my food intake, and eating past supper time, quit the diet coke a year ago, but quitting coffee is not working for me. I have to have that cup of coffee in the morning! But the rest of the day I drink water.
Hubby brought home a black forest cake two days ago, I don't know why he did that, sigh. I didn't have a single piece though as I'm taking this diet thing very seriously :(
i wouldn't manage without the support this website offers. The creaters are amazing people for sure. I've been taking the slippery elm for my gastritis. Not sure if it helps with GERD (GORD in Australia) Sadly my gastritis friendly diet isn't all GERD friendly. I've lost nuts, oats, cheese and chocolate for now. Still I don't feel like them at all so my body is intune.
I drink ginger root tea with manuka honey daily, though am struggling with liquid at the moment. Sips only I know.
I'm going to the doctor today to organise tests to confirm what I actually have.
Will keep you posted
Cas