I have recently been told by my doctor I am probably suffering with GERD. Everyone tells me to eat a low fat diet, eat little and often, sleep propped up, don't drink or smoke etc but I have done all these things to help it for about 4 months now and I am still suffering. I am having a lot of difficulty swallowing and constant chest pain. Can someone please tell me how they cope with this as it's really bringing me down now.
I am only 23 and have had 2 children and am generally healthy. I am currently taking omeprazole for it and I don't feel these are doing anything.
It would be nice to hear what I can eat and drink for a change aswell as all I hear is what I can't!! Gastroesophageal reflux is a normal physiologic phenomenon experienced intermittently by most people, particularly after a meal. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when the amount of gastric juice that refluxes into the esophagus exceeds the normal limit, causing symptoms with or without associated esophageal mucosal injury (esophagitis). A study by Richter and a Gallup Organization National Survey estimated that 25-40% of healthy adult Americans experience symptomatic GERD, most commonly manifested clinically by pyrosis (heartburn), at least once a month. Furthermore, approximately 7-10% of the adult population in the United States experiences such symptoms on a daily basis.
Exacerbating Factors
Reflux symptoms most often occur after meals, while a small proportion of patients experience nocturnal reflux symptoms. Although dietary and lifestyle factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of GERD, evidence of their role has been poorly documented. In some individuals, however, ingestion of certain foods and specific lifestyle factors may precipitate or worsen symptoms of GERD. (Also see Annotation H). Factors that may exacerbate or contribute to symptoms include the following:
* Gastric distension (e.g., voluminous meals)
* Supine position, particularly the right lateral decubitus position
* Bending over
* Certain foods or beverages (e.g., alcohol, caffeinated beverages, carbonated beverages, peppermint/spearmint, chocolate, citrus, high-fat foods, milk, onions, garlic, spicy foods, tomato juices)
* Excessive physical activity (e.g., running)
Risk factors associated with GERD include the following:
* Psychological stress
* Psychiatric disease
* Alcohol
* Smoking
* Obesity (body mass index >30 kg/m2)
* An immediate family history of heartburn or gastroesophageal disease
* Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
MODIFICATION RECOMMENDABLE NOT GENERALLY RECOMMENDABLE1 NOT ASSESSED
Dietary
Avoid carbonated beverages
Avoid voluminous meals
Avoid fatty meals
Avoid sweets (including chocolate)
Avoid spicy food and raw onions
Avoid caffeinated beverages
Avoid citrus products and juices
Avoid peppermint/spearmint, milk, garlic, and tomato juice
Lifestyle
Lose weight2
Quit smoking2
Avoid excessive physical activity (running)3
Sleep lying on the left side of the body
Avoid alcoholic beverages
Sleep with head elevated
Avoid the recumbent position for 3 hours after a meal
What is the treatment for GERD?
The goals of treating gastroesophageal reflux disease are reducing reflux, relieving symptoms, and preventing damage to the esophagus. Your health care provider may recommend treating GERD in a stepwise fashion. For mild symptoms, simple lifestyle modifications may be enough. The next step is nonprescription antacids such as Maalox, Mylanta, Tums, or Rolaids. Other treatments include acid blockers and even surgery. In most cases, one or more of these treatments provide relief from GERD and prevent it from turning into a more serious disease.
Nonprescription antacids are only part of the treatment for GERD. They can work very well, but these antacids alone usually can't stop the symptoms. Your health care provider will probably recommend that you make changes in your lifestyle as well.
Any of the following may reduce your symptoms significantly:
* Don鈥檛 eat within 3 hours of bedtime. This allows your stomach to empty and acid production to decrease. If you don't eat, your body isn't making acid to digest the food.
* Similarly, don't lie down right after eating at any time of day.
* Elevate the head of your bed 6 inches with blocks, bricks, or books. Gravity helps prevent reflux. Just using more pillows won't help, because that actually increases the pressure on your stomach.
* Don鈥檛 eat large meals, especially before bed. Eating a lot of food at one time increases the amount of acid needed to digest it. Eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day.
* Avoid fatty or greasy foods, chocolate, caffeine, mints or mint-flavored foods, spicy foods, citrus, and tomatoes. These foods can irritate the already damaged lining of the esophagus.
* Avoid drinking alcohol without eating food, and definitely avoid drinking alcohol before bed. Alcohol increases the likelihood that acid from your stomach will back up.
* Stop smoking. Smoking weakens the lower esophageal sphincter and increases reflux.
* Lose excess weight. Overweight and obese people are much more likely to have bothersome reflux than people of healthy weight.
* Stand upright or sit up straight, maintain good posture. This helps food and acid pass through the stomach instead of backing up into the esophagus.
* Talk to your health care provider if you take over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). These can aggravate reflux in some people.
Some of these changes are difficult for many people to make. Talk to your health care provider if you need some tips on losing weight or quitting smoking. Knowing that your symptoms will get better may keep you motivated. the chest pain would be of more concern to me than anything else
has your blood pressure been checked? also has your cholestoerol levels been checked?
I know you are quite young but doctors tend to overlook these things in young people even though it is quite feasible that one or both could be high.
if they have not been checked ask your doctor to do so and consider putting you on nefidipine (for the bp) and simvastatin (for the cholesterol) if they are high. I think you will notice a diiference. |
