Acid Reflux?

[103734]

I have a doctors appointment this wed, but i wanted to see if you guys had any insight on this.

For a few years now I have had this problem, but I have had periods where I would not have a episode for months, but the last 2-3 months it has become more common, but this last week I have had only one episode.

Sometimes when Im eating after the first or second bite of food I can feel my stomach slightly tighten up, it doesn't hurt or feel uncomfortable but I can feel it, and shortly after I can feel a pressure at the top of my throat, like a burp that won't come up, and I will get these surges where acid and other stuff will bubble up into my mouth, not very much just enough for me to taste it. These episodes last about 5 mins, and my mouth waters A LOT during the episode, and after I have a acid taste in my mouth but I can go back to eating with no more problems for the rest of the meal.

I've noticed 90% of the time it happens during dinner, and when im eating meat (chicken, beef, and pork), and tomato products (ketchup, tomato sauce), sometimes other stuff sets it off but very rarely.

I was thinking it might be stress related because for the last 2-3 months I been stressing out about one of my classes and I finished that class last week and have only had one episode, normally I will have 2-3 a week. Does this sound like acid reflux to you guys?

 

[Legolamb]

Acid reflux is a disease that has many causes. While I understand you're looking for comrade sympathy, you need an MD, not MR.
On the other hand, my acid reflux was definitely stress related, when I have it. Antacid tablets didn't work. I was given a course of Panteloc (in Canada) for a week and it subsided. There are different treatments, but you really have to know the causes.
Milk makes it worse, not better, for me anyway. I avoid raw onions and garlic, large meals before going to sleep, etc. Had to give up my daily martini for a while. Coffee (I used to drink at least 8 cups daily) is now limited but screw giving up cholocate - I'd rather die.
Good luck!

 

[nobunaga209]

Have you tried any of the over the counter acid reducer's? You may wanna go that route. Unfortunately for me I had some really bad issues with acid during and after meals; saw my doctor and he put me on some over the counters. As long as I take my meds [especially before greasy stuff] I'm good to go....

 

[103734]

Acid reflux is a disease that has many causes. While I understand you're looking for comrade sympathy, you need an MD, not MR.
On the other hand, my acid reflux was definitely stress related, when I have it. Antacid tablets didn't work. I was given a course of Panteloc (in Canada) for a week and it subsided. There are different treatments, but you really have to know the causes.
Milk makes it worse, not better, for me anyway. I avoid raw onions and garlic, large meals before going to sleep, etc. Had to give up my daily martini for a while. Coffee (I used to drink at least 8 cups daily) is now limited but screw giving up cholocate - I'd rather die.
Good luck!

Im not looking for sympathy, its not like I have cancer or any other problem that would warrant sympathy. I just wanted to hear from others with acid reflux to compare syptoms, and I know that your not doctors thats why I have a appointment on wed. Your accusation baffles me .

 

[Legolamb]

^^
Oopsie. Didn't think you'd read this as an insult, just covering he usual caveats that come with every one who asks for medical "insights" on MR. That's why I contributed my personal experiences with the acid effect. And, ok, you don't seem in immediate death throes, but my TLC was well intended.

 

[Tomorrow]

The symptoms you describe do sound like acid reflux, or at least heartburn. I get it very infrequently - it usually comes up (pun not intended) when I have soda, juice, or tomato products - anything with a significant acid content.

Meat, in my case, doesn't seem to have an effect, unless I just flat-out eat too much.

 

[103734]

^^
Oopsie. Didn't think you'd read this as an insult, just covering he usual caveats that come with every one who asks for medical "insights" on MR. That's why I contributed my personal experiences with the acid effect. And, ok, you don't seem in immediate death throes, but my TLC was well intended.

sorry too, its hard to tell what people really mean when your not talking to them face to face .

 

[Padraic]

It definitely sounds like AR. I was diagnosed with acid reflux almost 6 years ago after a particularly stressful period at work. I was put on some medication that I was told I'd have to take every day for the rest of my life.

Shortly after being diagnosed, I took a two week vacation and forgot my pills. Needless to say I didn't need them once. I've since relaxed my attitude about work, changed my diet and haven't taken a pill in almost 5 1/2 years. I no longer drink soda or milk, only eat tomatoes midday and don't eat large meals close to bedtime anymore. I try to eat a small dinner around 5pm which gives things plenty of time to settle down.

My suggestion, evaluate how stressed you get at work and try to remove those stressors and keep a log what you eat and when your AR flares up. You should be able to figure out what foods are causing it.

Patrick

 

[103734]

well I found out today........

I was haivng a BBQ with the family and I took a bite of steak and BOOM I was having a full on episode, I was throwing up from 5pm till almost 12am, I went to the hospital because I was throwing up anything I swallowed, even my own saliva and water. So I get there and they can't figure it out, so they did a procedure where they stick a camera down my throat to check it out, when I was in there I was so nervous my pulse was at 145, and they tried to give me a single dosage of Diprivan (that stuff Micheal Jackson was taking), but that didn't have any effect on me so they gave me another, then another, and I ended up having four dosages of the stuff, and it only lowered my pulse to 125 and I had the whole procedure while I was fully awake . Well when they got down there they found a chunk of steak between my stomach and throat so they pulled it out and I am fine now.

I guess the problem is that my acid reflux has caused the hole between my stomach and throat to become inflamed and swell up, causing food to get stuck sometimes. They might have to use a balloon to stretch it out at a future time.

Sorry for any typos I just got home and I am still a bit off from the drugs. But here are some pictures for those that want to see (waring not for the faint at heart). The white thing is steak, I think it turned white after being in contact with my stomach acid for so long.

 

[mgguy]

I guess the problem is that my acid reflux has caused the hole between my stomach and throat to become inflamed and swell up, causing food to get stuck sometimes. They might have to use a balloon to stretch it out at a future time.

You might also want to have a esophageal motility study done to check for "nutcracker's esophagus," which is a condition where your esophagus has highly-spastic contractions when you swallow, which can cause food to get stuck along the way to the stomach. Also, the gold-standard for determining whether you have acid reflux is to have a 24-hour ph test in which acid-sensor tubes are thread through your nose to the bottom of your esophagus where it connects to your stomach and left there for 24 hours to check the level of acidity along the path from your stomach to your throat.

 

[mysterytramp]

I'm definitely not a doctor, but I wanted to offer a few things because I've had similar problems.

1) There's never a time I don't have stress, but I periodically have recurrent heartburn. So I have my doubts stress means much to my symptoms. Make sure the doctor talks to you about allergies. Could some seasonal change be exacerbating your problems? Pollen counts, etc? Maybe not likely, but make sure he/she rules it out.

2) Ask about esophageal cancer. Real good friend of mine who never smoked, never drank, never swore died of esophageal cancer. He did have acid reflux. I assume you're young and the studies seem to point to long-term acid reflux leading to cancer, not just a few months. My friend was in his 50s -- maybe not young, but too young to leave a family behind.

I don't mean to scare you, but forewarned is forearmed.

mt

 

[103734]

2) Ask about esophageal cancer. Real good friend of mine who never smoked, never drank, never swore died of esophageal cancer. He did have acid reflux. I assume you're young and the studies seem to point to long-term acid reflux leading to cancer, not just a few months. My friend was in his 50s -- maybe not young, but too young to leave a family behind.

I was worried about that too but shouldn't the doctor have noticed something during the EGD? They did the EGD to look for any problems and besides finding the steak stuck in my throat the only thing he found was that part of my esophagus was narrow, and that they might have to do a esophageal dilation.

 

[GoCubsGo]

Interestingly enough a change of diet without reduction of stress can help AR.
Not just the exclusion of meals at least 3 hours prior to bedtime but a complete change in the way you eat, how fast you eat, and how you rest will help. AR is known to also be caused by seeking medical advice online.

 

[mysterytramp]

I was worried about that too but shouldn't the doctor have noticed something during the EGD?

Maybe, maybe not. The doc might have been more interested in resolving the steak in your throat. But if you ask then it forces the doc to ponder it long enough to talk to you about it. Maybe the latest, latest research says the AR-cancer link is bunk, which would be good to know. Or maybe the latest research suggests you should take some precaution. Either way, if you ask, you're in charge.

Like I said, I'm not trying to scare you. But my friend's story has had enough of a mark on me that I'm a bit of a loudmouth about it.

AR is known to also be caused by seeking medical advice online.

Can't beat that advice!!

mt