My GERD started suddenly in October two years ago! I was facing infertility and needed invasive treatments to get pregnant. It was a very stressful time. Stress will aggravate GERD. I saw a psychologist to talk about infertility and GERD, and my life in general, and that was helpful along with Nexium twice daily, Zithromax liquid suspension once daily to help move my stomach, and drastic dietary changes. I tried a few other PPI's that were less effective for me before Nexium.

Here is a list of things that I cut out of my diet which finally relieved my GERD pain: chocolate, caffeine, tomatoes, red meat, onions, garlic, vinegar/obvious souces of acid, citrus, fried foods, oligosaccharides from sources like beans, broccoli, etc. It doesn't make for very exciting eating and it took a lot of label reading, but after six months of avoiding them, now I can tolerate some of these things in small amounts. I also ate small meals or snacks every few hours.

I know it's really irritating and frustrating to have your digestion change on you all of a sudden. It took a long time before I accepted that I might not be able to go back to the way things used to be. Another thing I learned along the way is that you have to give each new thing you try time to work before you give up on it, at least a week, maybe two. I hope you find some relief.

thanks for your reply. I often end up crying by myself because I am just at my wits end. I have eaten chocolate tonight and it doesn't give me heartburn. Its not really heartburn that is my main problem (that is only every so often). Its more the nausea and the constant feeling like my insides are being twisted. plus its not just on the left, its also on the right. I'm not sure it is GERD!

have u tried avoiding fried foods, tomatoes and exchange it with salads and fruits like banana?
I find I get an episode from an accumulation of all the above--chocolate, anything red, burgers, pizza, onions..lol :)

I've also started taking digestive enzymes with my meals and they seem to help.

I know, it sucks not to be able to eat normal food--

Yep have tried avoiding everything like that. Nothing helps. I eat a pretty good diet now but just get flare ups for no reason. I am going back to the specialist next wednesday.

I also get pain across my shoulder blades in my back and on the right so think it might be my gallbladder

Hi Jennie,

I'm new to this site but decided to register after reading your comments. Like yourself, my GERD started quite badly around October last year.

Before this, I had been getting a burning throat sensation for probably two or three years. Also, my teeth were very sore and I had bits of skin in my mouth whenever I would wake up...so I've probably had GERD for a while.

I had two endoscopies, a barium swallow and all confirmed that my Lower Esophageal Sphincter was not functioning at all.

I suppose subconsciously I knew there was a problem but as my teeth were quite worn down at the back, I tricked my mind to think the problem was related to chewing my food and not swallowing it. I now know that I had been chewing my food for long periods of time into a liquid consistency was because of the GERD.

I was never overweight but I lost a lot of weight. I went from around 10 stone to 8 and a half. I was given all these special diets to follow and supplements such as procal. They just sat in my stomach for hours and gave me horrific stomach cramps.

I've tried avoiding certain foods and drinks but to be honest my diet was never that bad to begin with. I rarely ate chocolate, never touched fizzy drinks. My guilty pleasures I guess were Italian food (lots of tomatoes, onions and garlic) and alcohol.

Sometimes the centre of my back between my shoulder blades is so sore and numb I'm absolutely petrified to eat anything because it literally feels like the food is sticking to the back of your neck and the pain makes you feel like you're going to gag.

Before all of this happened I was given antibiotics roughly 5 times in 12 months and I'm beginning to wonder if this has contributed in causing these problems with my stomach and the muscle above it.

I must mention that I also suffer from anxiety, stress and OCD with washing my hands.

This past year has been a living nightmare for me so I can understand what yourself and others are going through. The only thing that looks like providing me with any hope at all is this new LINX procedure that is currently being trialled at the moment. I've heard good reviews although it is still in it's early stages but it looks promising.

Wow AJ, we are going thru the same thing. I also have OCD with washing hands etc and also have a phobia of being sick. I have had that since I was 15 (i'm 23).

I think I have had problems with my stomach for a long time. I look back at the amount of times I had a sore throat or had indigestion and it makes sense. Also makes sense why I constantly felt sick. People told me it was because of my phobia but I always knew it was something physical.

I am really interested to know what the LINX procedure is. I am off to the specialist on Wednesday so would like to know more about it if it can help.

Hey, thanks for the friend add Jennie.

It's funny you should mention the throat problems because I had major episodes of throat/chest infections and tonsilitus before all of this GERD business started.

I constantly had sore throats at work but because I had started a new job I put it down to the Air Conditioning. Also, my doctor said the burning throat was simply an additional hayfever symptom and not to worry about it? (considering I had suffered from hayfever my whole life, I found that bizarre!)

I'm not sure if any of you guys have this problem but I also have something called nose drip syndrome, where mucus forms in the back of my throat and feels like it's choking me. It's more noticable in the summer when my hayfever is at it's worst and I had an operation to straighten my nose (septum) and my adenoids removed to help breathing.

On one occasion I was out jogging and came back wheezing and out of breath. It was an asthma attack. I've heard of the links between asthma and GERD, and if they're linked due to one causing the other or if they come hand in hand. Anyway, I was told to use my inhaler before exercise. I did notice this would leave me with a 'burning sensation' in my throat and again, after doing some research, I've heard that aswell as relaxing and opening the airways, it can relax the LES if you don't inhale properly. I have to say, I drive myself crazy speculating on the reasons 'why' this condition has happened to me, and again this is another theory I have added to my list.

I'd be interested in hearing how many of you have used an inhaler and possibly not used it correctly......(like myself)

For me, I can't eat raw vegetables, or any spicy or acdic foods. I can't drink soda at all, using straws is'nt good (excess air from the straws),
Also I take smaller bites and I have to eat slowly. Sometimes it feels like food is still in the throat. Also I don't eat until I am really "stuffed".
I do however.........have my morning coffee..........it's my lifeline to get me going in the morning........LOL

I'm so sorry that nothing seems to be working. I don't have much else to offer, but when you talked about sweets I wanted to share this.

I used to just LOVE (gush) to have a lovely piece of dark chocolate, or two, after dinner. But now that I don't do that, I've found that Jelly Belly jelly beans are great, and they don't bother me. Other brands of jelly beans do bother me, but these seem to be much more pure. I buy them in bulk at at grocery story. And I don't have to eat too many before I feel like I've indulged.

I've also heard that red licorice is ok for us, but haven't tried it.

Hugs, Sue

Hang in there! I'm in a similar position. Nothing seems to be working. I have GERD and gastroparesis and lately both have seemed to have gotten worse. It's been so difficult to eat. The only thing that seems to help me at all is eating smaller meals and Nexium. I'm sorry that I don't have any advice for you. I just want to let you know that you have support and you're not alone.

I am new to this board and so frustrated that I don't know what to do. I don't have GERD, but I do have LPR and I've had it only for 6months and it's driving me absolutely crazy! I have and continue to do everything my ENT told me to do, but nothing is working. I am at my wit's end to stop these symptom. They are: ears constantly feeling full with a need to pop, constant throat clearing, cough, cough, cough, irriated throat, gagging, my neck and shoulders hurt all the time, pounding heart, hyperventilating, feel bloated all the time, tightness in my chest and I swear that I've cracked a rib or two from the constant hard coughing. I've raised the head of my bed 6in., no caffeine, not even decaf, no chocolate, no peppermint, no alcohol, don't smoke and nothing at all at least 3hrs before bed. I'm sure stress doesn't help.....have a son who's in jail for 2 months for a very poor choice, his g/friend is pregnant and just found out that she has trisomy 18 (poor prognosis), and I'm expected to babysit for significant other's 2 preschoolers at least 3 times a week and feel totally taken for granted. I know...I know, just say no, but they desperately need the money....I am going to work on it. Anyway....my ENT says that this month he wants to give me some shots in my throat and neck (from the outside) to numb the muscle trigger points that cause the coughing and constant tension in my neck and shoulders. I can't imagine getting shots in that area of my body. Anyone every had that done. Everyone has my sympathy. I know that LPR and GERD are not the worst thing we could have, but they can be almost debilitating just the same. Sometimes you just have to cry for the release. If anyone finds anything that can help any of the symptoms, PLEASE post it. Thanks for your time.

well i can relate and maybe can help.i suffered
a year before i found out my problem was gerd.
i would get a sore throat,than it would go hoarse.than i would loose it just about altogether.(like bad larengitis) only i had
trouble breathing.i went to ent dr.and he saw
vocal cord's were sticking together with whatever was coming up from my stomache.he
recomended me to a throat specialist.well
ended up i had pretty bad gerd and i never
new it.meantime i tried acipex,nexium and
now i'm taking aciphex.it help's alot.i had
the endoscopy and everything was fine there.
i haven't lost my voice anymore or lost my
breath.i still get a sore throat if i eat
the wrong thing.i found mylanta help's and
eat cracker's.for candy (i love all that
stuff too)eat red licorace.i go through 3 2lb
bag's a week.lol no,fatty or spicy food's.if
you look up gerd it will give you a list of
food's that are safe and not.
right now i'm still dealing with it,but i'm
almost sure it's the pain med lyrica that
agrvating the crap out of me.oh and i also get
that pain across the top of my back.
gee i wish you luck.i'm sure the other thing's are not helping either.try the licorace
i love it.how about low fat ice cream or low
fat tapioca,rice or vanilla pudding.just a
few sweet's that i eat regularly.
all the best.i know sometimes they have to
change the medication.
best of luck,diane

momf333, I'm definitely with you regarding the rice pudding and ice cream. I find if it's bland old vanilla ice cream (as long as it's not too cold) or warm rice pudding/mullerice, I can eat those all day long.

I also live on fruit smoothies that I make myself to help keep my digestion healthy and ticking over.

I've created a rule for myself now in terms of my diet and that's that I allow myself one 'bad' thing a day. No more than that. And if I feel like I'm getting any kind of back numbness or stabbing, then I try to completely stay away from everything bad. For 2 or 3 days until my osophagus feels 'ok' again.

thank you all for your replies. Just having the support on here is so good.

Today I have stopped taking my lansoprazole. my parents are convinced that I keep being given loads of meds and maybe my body might get on better without them. I am also taking colefac for ibs. The main cause of my pain is wind. I burp so much and have wind pain. I do get reflux, heartburn, occasional sore throat and lump in my throat but the wind is the main problem. I took a windeze and it helped.

The reason I have stopped taking the lanzoprazole is because my symptoms suddenly changed. I just has the reflux and feeling sick with heartburn. Then in June (after taking it for 6 months) i suddenly started feeling hungry all the time with so much wind. It would feel like my stomach was in knots. you know the feeling you get when you are nervous. But it was all the time and would hurt like I was starving. But would have trouble eating as my stomach would turn. I am still getting this. Is this the gerd or a side effect of the lansoprazole?

AJ: I would be interested in your recipes for smoothies. Vanilla ice cream seems to help me as well. What do you put in your smoothies. I know I need some nutritious smoothie recipes. Thanks.