Silent GERD?

  • Thread starter Thread starter crafty124
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Last Monday night/Tues morning I began having this awful burning in my chest, into my upper back, etc. It scared me so bad, I went to the ER, I thought I was having a heart attack! They did an EKG, cardiac enzymes, Nitro, the whole nine yarRAB. I have SEVERE anxiety as well, they ended up putting me in the step down ICU for observation, my heart never showed anything strange, etc. I had 4 EKG's. All looked well they said.
The doc told me he thought it was something to do with Indigestion, Gastro issue, I went home the next day and felt some burning sensations, etc. He put me on Prilosec, I don't see my Doc until the 3rd of March.
I did fine for a few days and last night the burning spell happened again. It feels like a blow torch in my chest, skin even feels hot. Like I have I drank acid. I have some burning in upper stomach too. I had Esophagitits about 20 yrs ago and had that tube run down my throat, but I can't remeraber if it felt this bad?
I am so scared I don't have anything come up in my throat or atnything. I wonder if its Angina? It just comes on for no reason, I can be just sitting and it hits me in spells. I feel okay otherwise, but I am scared to death! Does this sound like GERD? Could it cause this much pain and burning??
I just panic so bad when it hits me?
 
Bentleys - you do realize that March 5th is only 3 weeks away, right? Breathe in...hold...breathe out...CALMMMMMMMMM yourself. :) Give your medication some time to work. It's probably not gonna matter one bit if you wait until March to get scoped, my dear. The more anxious you are about this, the worse your symptoms are going to seem. You need to exercise a little patience and turn your attention to other things. Get off this board and go do something else. LOL
 
Modublin22,

I am so sorry that this is happening to you. I also had real difficulty taking deep breaths. Try chewing 2 Gaviscon tablets after eating and then a couple of swallows of water. This antacid coats your esophagus so the acid won't inflame your lungs. I tried it, and it worked for me. I did have to switch to Prevacid 30mg 2 times a day, because the Nexium didn't work for me. But the Gaviscon was a lifesaver until the Prevacid really started to work. I could actually take deep breaths without constant yawning after a couple of days. The instructions say that you can actually chew up to 16 tablets in one day, and several days at the beginning I came close to 16. You can also get a generic version at Walmart that works the same and is half of the price. Best of luck! Hope that this works for you. I got this idea from someone else here on HealtrabroadoarRAB. It was a lifesaver for me.
 
I found Gaviscon helps a lot. When my esophagus felt really bad, I also drank aloe vera juice on occasion. It does not taste great, but it really did help. One thing that is really helping right now is the wedge pillow I purchased (by MeRABlant I believe). I took someone's recommendation on the review and got a memory foam type pillow to go with it so it keeps me from sliding down the pillow at night. I thought I would be uncomfortable on it, but I'm not and it definitely seems to help with nighttime reflux which I think was a big problem for me.

Has anyone tried activated charcoal? A friend told me she uses it for heartburn/stomach upset instead of antaciRAB & I just wondered if anyone else experienced it.

I had my endoscope several weeks ago which showed reflux esophagitis and a low ph. Since low ph can be an indicator of a gastrin producing tumor (pancreas), I am getting a blood test this week to further rule that out. The low ph also could result from being off my nexium prior to the test (I was getting a colonoscopy as well so it didn't make sense to take any meRAB the 2 days prior to the test) as your ph allegedly nosedives after you go off them and stabilizes later. I've had pain on the left side of my neck--the side most irritated when the reflux was bad--and now have some left subclavicle pain and left armpit lymph node pain (no fever though). I'm wondering if I could be having referred pain from esophageal spasms and general damage I had for the last 3 months. I'm trying hard not to freak out about it especially since my scope results were pretty good considering how bad I felt, but it's hard when your body is doing things that seem like you have no control over them.

My doctor is talking about the modified barium food swallow, the double ph test and the manometry as possibilities. After seeing my endoscopy bill, I can't wait. :0
 
Just wanted to note here that the official Nexium website states:
Take NEXIUM at least 1 hour before a meal
Take NEXIUM at the same time every day

I was concerned...if you are taking Nexium and then eating a "good breakfast" right away, the Nexium will not work as it should. Best wishes to you.
 
Hi Crafty124,

I am glad I found someone with the same symptoms I'm having right now. I thought there is something wrong with me. I was diagnosed with GERD about 2 months ago. It went away for 1 1/2 and then it came back last week 2/16/10. I've been having a burning sensation in my upper stomach and no heartburn. For me, it comes in the morning a little after I wake up and comes and goes thru out the day. I am just scared bc there is no more heartburn and I was "diagnosed" with the symptoms of GERD. I have had no actually x-ray or scan of my stomach. I'm pretty sure after reading your post and others that what I have is GERD and it will be with me for a while or forever (i hope not).
 
Glad to hear your doing well!! I have not heard of that ppi!! Glad it is working for you!!
 
crafty124

Your old "normal" is gone forever. If the symptoms can be controlled by
Nexium twice a day, take the Nexium and RUN. My GERD began 6 yrs. ago
and incorporated Asthma and sinus infections and even pnuemonia as fast
as it could. I manage each symptom routinely as they raise their ugly heaRAB.
I've had the Nissen (fundoplication) and laser surgery on the sinuses. I
still have to (on a daily basis) address the GERD. Things are much better now
with knowledge and experience but, it's a never ending challenge to just feel
good (and function well). I take a generic Protonix in the eve. and generic
Nexium in the am. My bed is not elevated, I do enjoy alcohol (socially) and coffee twice a day. I CANNOT indulge in chocolate which breaks my heart.
Even tho I live in Texas, spicy fooRAB are a no-no. I can work (real estate),
exercise (as long as it's not too cold) and enjoy life. Good luck to you!
 
Yeah your probably right its just so frustrating and I have been going through this for on and off for 4 years I just want to feel better Its almost like I'm afraid to eat cause everyone say something different about fooRAB!!! I would think the nexium would be working faster since I was on prilosec first but I guess not!! so thanks for the advice I do need to have more patience I just want a quick fix and it is gonna take time!!! So just keep plugging away I'm not gonna worry about the fooRAB so much watch caffeine and choc and acid food!! thanks I ll let you know what I find out!! Like is said on and off for 4 years but just got a diagonsed in Jan and they did not have me on ppis they had me on Zantac only started ppis end of Jan
 
I'm taking the med and then eating 1 hour later!!
That's what they told me to do is that right?? They said other wise the meRAB won't work!! It's so werid my symtoms come and go!! Do u take nexium does it work for your lpr? How long before I see good results?? There really isn't certain fooRAB that trigger it that I notice it just seems to be there most of the time!! I was a smoker I know that can cause lpr but I have quit for 3 weeks now so maybe now that I have quit it will helps this problem!!:) if you have any ideas or things u have experinecd would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks alot
 
Hi,
I have been on OTC Prevacid now for about 3 weeks, 30 mg in the morning, and 15 mg before dinner at night, and it is working the best. Kapidex only caused me severe intestinal distress. I only have problems when I sit at the computer too long and the upper discomfort comes back. I could have a hiatal hernia, I guess. I haven't been to a gastro to be officially diagnosed though, just guessing. I also still chew 2 Gaviscon after I eat each meal, and that stops my breathing problems. I will go to a gastro, though, if this regimen doesn't take care of it. It seems that with GERD it is a hit or miss treatment, even with an official diagnosis. You just try to find things that work. A complete lifestyle change as far as food is concerned. It probably doesn't hurt any of us to eat more green veggies and less spices, especially salt. And of course fried fooRAB. Also, try our hardest to reduce STRESS. Best of luck to you.
 
I also like Gaviscon (the liquid works best for me) and have found it a life saver while I was going through serious acid rebound. I take it at night and it works very well in keeping heartburn at bay all night.

My only caution with Gaviscon is that I think it contains aluminum and, though the label says you can use it so many times per day, I would probably use it a bit less frequently (maybe two or three times a day) and try to supplement with DGL tablets, aloe juice and other remedies that may help soothe the esophagus.

I think it is probably fine to use the Gaviscon as often as it states in the bottle for short term use or even a few weeks if needed, but I don't think that should be a long term remedy. But when it hurts, it sure is a GoRABend. It keeps all that gunk down from coming back up into your esophagus and other delicate parts.

Rose
 
Glad to talk, and for the record, I never had anxiety issues until LPR came my way. It wrecked my chest for several months and, until a wonderful ENT finally diagnosed me, my family doctor was sending me down the heart path. He and I were both sure something was not right with my heart because I was having so much chest pain. And yes, on the worst days, I was quite anxious about all of it. Most doctors are not educated to recognize LPR, and some GI doctors won't even evaluate you until you've first had a cardiac workup because LPR and cardiac problems present with many of the same symptoms initially. Oh well, many tests and much $$$ later I at least now know that my heart looks great. :)

I also have had sinus problems for years with perioRAB of heavy drainage, bad coughs, and loss of my voice once or twice a year. The ENT said most of that was probably from LPR and that PPI therapy might mostly resolve these symptom. So far, so good.

As for when to take the pills, take them how your doctor presribes them. My ENT prescribed omeprazole 20 mg twice daily (before breakfast and before dinner) for me, but the GI doc now wants me to take just a 40 mg pill before breakfast. He says this is easier for the patient - because that dinnertime pill is sometimes hard to get in half an hour before you eat. It does seem to be important that you take the pill around 1/2 an hour before you eat and then you must eat something. For instance, don't take it when you awake and then skip breakfast. (Okay, yes, I did that a few times because I'm not a big breakfast eater.) You need to eat a short while after taking the PPI.
 
I partiallly responded to this on the other thread, but can add a little more here. You have two sphincter muscles in play here - one at the top of the esophagus and another at the bottom. When the bottom one malfunctions, you get GERD. When they both malfunction, acid reaches the delicate throat and vocal fold area - and, voila, you have LPR. When acid damages your throat tissues, it can feel like something is stuck in your throat all of the time and it can make swallowing quite uncomfortable. I had this sensation for nearly two months until it finally, blessedly, went away (after 2 months of medication - Prilosec, 20 mg, 2x daily - and careful attention to my diet). I feel I must add here that anxiety can also play a role in this and can cause this same sensation of something stuck in the throat (without anything at all being there). Look up "globus hystericus" if you're curious about this. BUT, if you're not having anxiety issues, it's probably the LPR. Give the medication some time to work. The recommendation for PPI therapy for LPR is to maintain the high dosing for a good 6 months before trying to wean off the PPI. This is because the damaged tissues can take quite awhile to heal and you need a relatively acid-free environment for this to happen. I'm at my 4-month point and feeling much, much better (although not yet back to normal). Good luck!
 
I have had acid reflux for 4 years and have been taking one Nexium 40 mg once a day during this time. (It is right to take it at least one hour before meals.) Five weeks ago, I had a surgical procedure called EspohyX Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF). The procedure is performed by a surgeon in a hopsital under general anesthesia. A special device is placed over an endoscope and inserted through the mouth into the stomach. Tissue from the top of the stomach is pulled to form a fold and fasterners are put in place to hold the fold. This is done multiple times until the top of the stomach is tightened, which in theory eliminates acid reflux because acid can no longer escape from the stomach. The data states that 80% of the people who have had this procedure no longer have to take medication for GERD. The other 20% or the people take medication some or all of the time. It is not yet clear if my EspohyX TIF was successful. I had a return of my acid reflux as soon as I tried to reduce the Nexium I was taking. The doctor told me to continue taking the Nexium for a few more weeks. After that, I will try reducing how much I take...with the goal of getting off of it completely. I'm hopeful.
 
Hello, Dark Stranger,

I did not know about the silent form of GERD until I started to read about it on the internet. The breathing issues bothered me the most, and caused alot of anxiety, which of course doesn't help either. Gaviscon really helps with my breathing because it seems to coat my esophagus so the acid doesn't get into my lungs. That is how I understand that it works. I don't have any swallowing problems, though. This GERD seems like such an individual problem. Best of luck to you.
 
I am at the point where I am so frustrated I could scream. I tried Nexium for 5 months nothing. I have tried Kapidex, not sure if it worked, they put me on Reglan which I dont recommend, horrible stuff! My GI doc scoped me, and says I don't have reflux, ENT says I have LPR. I havent eaten anything that would give me reflux. I literally eat the same stuff everyday. Banana smoothie, fish, veggies, graham crackers, sometimes pretzels. Banana's. Sometimes watermelon. Corn on the cob. Oh and I do eat a box of pudding at night. (I know Milk is supposed to be bad for you but sometimes this is all I can get in me during the day) I will have maybe one good day a week if I am lucky. Right now I have taken myself off of all meRAB and seeing my family doc tomorrow. My chiro says that you need acid to digest food, which is true, but when my valve isnt functioning (which is what the problem is for people with reflux) I want it fixed! They have done a barium swallow, but they have not done a stomach empty test or a PH test. Oh and I have only drank water. This all hit me out of the blue as well. It is affecting my home life as well as my work. I also am having stomach issues as a result of all of this. I am trying to treat it naturally now, but I guess nothing will work when your valve just isnt working properly. I hate going to ER's because they wont do anything. The past week I have really been struggling. My biggest problem is in the diaphragm area I have a lot of problems breathing. I dont have a hiatal hernia. Just seems like a lot of gas makes it difficult to breathe. Regardless of what I eat or drink, the second it hits my mouth I am clearing my throat which I think is just odd and annoying.
Some people say this is curable, others say it is not. This is not something I want to live with the rest of my life. I am young and would like to have another child. I am looking into the Esophyx, or Stomaphyx if I can talk my docs into it. My bed is elevated, I have followed all the acid reflux guidelines and no change. Would just love my life back. :(
 
The 40 mg sounRAB easier for me too!! The pharmist said to make sure you eat as well because it wont work if you don't !! How long did it take before you noticed a difference??? Thanks so much for you help!! I' m glad to hear you doing good there is light at the end of the tunnel!!:) My biggest thing is the thing in my throat!! and it will get sore sometimes!! It seems to always be on my left side!!! Yeah when this thing comes and goes,and when it comes it drives me crazy!! Its so nice to have someone to talk to that understanRAB you!!! talk to you soon!!
 
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