Hello.
My thirteen yearold daughter has had health problems all her life. It took untill she was 3 years old for doctors to figure out that only half of her spincter had grown ( sphincter is what connects stomach to esophogus). Because of this she had severe acid reflux. When she was 4 she had a fundoplication. That operation worked like a miracle. She finally started to eat and began to thrive.
Last year she had ongoing intestinal problems, and then finally being diagnosed with viral disease which later caused appendicitis. She is all better now thankfully.
About 4 months ago she had a checkup endoscopy with her surgeon and he said that her esophogus was inflamed, covered with mucus and was very scarred. She has been on omeoprole ever since. The only problem is that the omeoprol isnt helping. Everytime she eats something acidy ( salsa for example) she is doubled up with severe nausea. She shakes uncontrolablly and looks so sick. She tells me that when she wakes up in the morning her chest really hurts to breath. And whenever she eats she can feel food getting stuck in her esophogus. She honestly goes through about 8 glasses of water every dinner. She has a white tongue. After dinner she always feels presure in her upper abdomen and bloating. She has recently told me that she often gets pain in her upper right abdomen after eating sometimes.
I've booked her into her gstroenterologist but it is such a long wait as he is in alaska at the moment. Does anyone know what could be causing her symptoms? Her doctor has said it is possible she will need another fundoplication. Im really worried. Could this be more then reflux. Please give me some ideas!
Im sorry this was so long, but I just thought I should give the whole story and symptoms. I am not a doctor, so either way you will want to talk to them, but this is what I have to say as a long time sufferer of Acid Reflux (G.E.R.D.)!
Three part answer: information, what not to do, and what to do!
INFORMATION!!!!!!
I have a very severe case of Acid Reflux (G.E.R.D.). I have had to go to the hospital for some of the heartburn that I have had because the pain can become overwhelming or your breathing can be effected. It can be caused by Smoking, Drinking Beverages with caffeine (My case with hereditary), Drinking Beverages with Alcohol, Stress, Anxiety or can be Hereditary
The good thing about G.E.R.D. is that it can be a temporary thing and can be cured. It is never a permit thing even if you end up with it for the rest of your life it has the ability to be cured.
G.E.R.D. is caused by too much acid being created in your stomach. This can lead to or cause ulcers, esophagus damage, heartburn and/or damage in the mouth. . Other symptoms that can be found in a few cases are dizziness, tingling in limbs, numbness of Limbs, Chest/Back pain focused on the left side (in most cases), and shortness/difficulty breathing.
WHAT NOT TO DO!!!!!!!!
In most cases, stress is a factor to the reflux if you watch what you eat and reduce some of the stress it will help. If you watch what you eat for about a week you should find relief, if you do not then that is when you definitely what to listen to the doctor. Things to watch for are as follows:
Fatty Foods
Citrus Foods
Oranges (Juice and fruit)
Lemon (Juice and fruit)
Foods That Contain Grease
Fried Foods
Potatoes (Starch)
Buffalo wings
Chocolate (including any Coco)
Caffeine
Smoking
Alcohol
Doughnuts
Brownies
Cake
Tomato Based Products
Lactose
Sour Cream
Cottage Cheese
High amounts of Carbohydrates
Roughage (Berries and Nuts)
Onions
WHAT TO DO!!!!
The two foods that I recommend is Black strap Molasses and Raw honey. The apple is better for night time reflux while these will work for just about all of it. What you will do is take about a tsp. of whatever one you chose. Molasses being the better because of strength and nutrition, but must be use to the taste. What the substance will do is stick to the sides of the esophagus and do two things, one is heal and the other is protect.
On the healing end, both substances have a healing property in them, and as they sit on the walls of the esophagus they will heal it. This is also helpful if you have a sore throat in the morning from refluxing.
On the protection end, both substances are high in sugar and when acid that is refluxed comes up to that the sugar will neutralize it and it will not longer be a problem at that point.
I would also look to putting Cinnamon and Ginger in you diet, they have been know to help with digestion and will help you reduce the amount of acid needed to brake down food, therefore causing you to reflux less. Upper right quadrant pain after meals could be cholecystitis (gallbladder infection) or gall stones. Check for Candida infection... eat milky foods avoid spicy ones...
eat food regularly.....and in small amounts.....dont eat 3 big meals...eat 6 -8 small meals...
yeah prilosec taken on empty stomach...1 hour before food in morning.....helps
take it for at least 1 month.......and no dont take it every other day...everyday take it....
also antacids.... when u have pain can relieve it....take 3 tsp when u have pain...ask ur pharmacist....
sleep with either blocks under ur beds head portion...or keep extra pillows under upper half of body...this maybe cumbersome....said to help acids from entering ur chest....(food pipe to be exact)
but if u have only daytime pain not necessary at all
Certain foods
should be avoided and include:
* chocolate,
* peppermint,
* alcohol, and
* caffeinated drinks.
Fatty foods (which should be decreased) and smoking (which should be stopped)
spicy or acid鈥揷ontaining foods, like citrus juices, carbonated beverages, and tomato juice.(avoid)
chewing gum after meals is certainly worth a try....what it does is send more saliva which is alkaline to ur stomach which decreases acidity...
stay upright (sitting is fine) for at least an hour after eating, limit talking while eating (talking allows excess air to be swallowed), avoid eating within an hour of bedtime
well bloating is to be expected....u cant really gulp food down..eat less eat more frequently.....that way nutrition is mainatained...
avoid salsa...why take food that is known to increase disease?/??
and dont drink too much water....
what may have been caused by such long standing disease is some scarring of her foodpipe by acids.....
which may need biopsy(which may have been done during endoscopy) or surgery... Oh I feel for you. You daughter is too young to be having these sorts of problems. But there is a remedy that is 100% safe and there are no side effects. It's ginger juice. Go to mynews2u.com and learn how easy it is to make it from a ginger root. http://www.mynews2u.com/video.php?vid=66
I was having major gastritis, heartburn and acid reflux. I had an endoscopy and the doctor told me I had Barrett's. This worried me and the worry and fear made the pain and burning in my chest worse. I was desperate for relief and the medication,diet change and exercise did not help. I searched the internet and discovered ginger juice. I thought we'll it can't hurt. After three days my symptoms were gone. I continued taking it for the recommended three weeks and I am back to normal. I am amazed. Ginger is a miracle and there are no side effects like with the medication. Please try it. Dr. Walt Stoll says that ginger juice has a 100% success rate. |
