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GERD for many years

Posted , 11 users are following.

carina62
carina62

I have had GERD for many years (about 12 years) and wondered if anyone else has had this condition for many years and how they have coped with it?  has your condition got worse over the years?  what tests have you had etc?  I am now scared that after many years of having GERD that i may have damaged my oesophagus as just lately my symptoms have worsened

2 likes, 33 replies

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  • mattheas
    mattheas carina62

    Posted

    Yes I have suffered with GERD for about 4 years now. It has been terrorising my throat though not my oesophagus. Some days are worse then others but it is terribly painful. I have seen may doctors about and I have been diagnosed with GERD and LPR. I am thinking about getting surgery to see if that helps. The medication I take for it seems not be helping at all. It is a terrible thing to deal with. It is by far the most painful obsitlce I have ever faced in my life.
  • wknight
    wknight carina62

    Posted

    I suffered for 20 yrs before it was diagnosed. I had terrible pain, numerousn throat problems and it wasn'tuntil a new dr arrived at the practise that she recognised my symptoms which were not the typical heartburn. 

    I had an endscopy to confirm my condition (make sure you have sedation then you know NOTHING about it) and also 24hr ph monitoring to see how bad the reflux was. Then theyput a tube down my nose, not pleasant, last year they placed a capsule inside me during an endscopy and I wore a wireless receiver much better.

    Been taking high dose PPI for 10 yrs and recent endscopy showed no problems. PPIs are known to heal so they are definitely doing the job. Do I have any worries, yes but none are to do with my acid reflux and I can eat most of the foods I like.

    You say the medication isn;t working depends on the dose, 15mg doesn't work for me but 30mg does. Sometimes I take 45mg a day and my GP has told me to go up to 60mg if required. There are also different types of PPI so one may not work but another will. One study showed that omezaprole didn't work as well for patients as lanzoprozle.

    Hope you get it sorted

    • mattheas
      mattheas

      Posted

      I take Nexium 40mg 2x a day and it doesn't help much 
    • carina62
      carina62 mattheas

      Posted

      I am taking omeprazole but thinking of going to GP to see if I can change
    • sheila41382
      sheila41382 mattheas

      Posted

      I take the same dosage and it does not help me either.....I suffer terribly with acid reflux and heatburn....don't know what to eat or drink cause everything bothers me
    • sheila41382
      sheila41382 wknight

      Posted

      I have been suffering for about 30 years on and off and the past 10 or so has become increasing worse....nexium does not help and neither does any of the other s meds I have tried....it is just awful, only fee good if I don't eat or drink anything....wow....can't believe how many ppl suffer with this
    • mattheas
      mattheas sheila41382

      Posted

      I am 30 years old now. I first started dealing with this at the age of 26. I saw Dr. Jamie Koufman in NYC and she said that I had one of the worst cases globaly that she had ever seen. I really do not know what else to do other then surgery.
  • wknight
    wknight carina62

    Posted

    There is an interesting US study comparing the 2 drugs. I can't give the link as the post will be denied but if you google    omeprazole vs lansoprazole        the paper is the second item in the list
  • ABBY90
    ABBY90 carina62

    Posted

    Hi! I have also suffered with GERD for many years. I have just turned 25 and completely fed up. I should be out enjoying myself with my friends and having drunken nights but I literally cannot have half a glass of shandy without feeling absolutely awful so I just have become miserable. 

    I decided in about October last year I had enough of going back to my GP monthly about it. I had been taking Lanzoprasole 30mg twice a day for about 2 years, and on top of this I was taking Zantac 1-2 times a day (depending on how i felt) and just drinking from the bottle of Gaviscon throughout the day. I asked him to refer me to the specialist and I was. I had a Manometry study, a 24 hour ph study and a gastroscopy. All things were horrible and uncomfortable but it was necessary. The results showed I had severe reflux and I was told I was eligible for the surgery of Nissen Fundoplication. I had the surgery three weeks ago, and initially felt no signs of reflux what so ever. The past few days I have felt a bit more like they symptoms are coming back, but having spoken to a few people on this forum I was told it was quite normal for this to happen initially so I feel a bit more positive and hopeful. 

    What tests have you had and have you ever thought about surgery?

    • carina62
      carina62 ABBY90

      Posted

      hello gbaz,  i am 52, female and overweight.  i am seeing a GP this morning.  In all the 12 years that i have had GERD, i have never had any tests for it ie endoscopy etc as my GP at the time did not think i needed any tests but i will now be having an ultrasound scan soon this month as i am suspecting gallstones but of course don't know yet.  All i know is that over the past couple of weeks, i have felt worse with it, enough to prompt me to go back to the GP and ask for a scan.  I feel i have a lump in my throat when i swallow naturally (ie when i am not eating and drinking), i have a pain behind my right shoulder blade and i keep wanting to burp/belch everytime i eat or drink anything.  I am getting quite concerned about it all as i just wonder if i have damaged anything inside like oesophagus etc and now the Omeprazole which i have been taking on and off for years now don't seem to be working anymore.  I will keep you posted when i see my GP this morning.
    • ABBY90
      ABBY90 carina62

      Posted

      I think the problem with GERD  is when you tell people you have it, they dont understand just how painful it is, or how it just means that you cant do things you'd like to do. Your GP obviously is the same. I was constantly in tears when I went in to see mine as its just so frustrating being sent away constantly and being off work with it etc. I cant believe you havent been given any tests when you have had it for so long. I had to push mine to refer me and you should do the same. He might try and change your medication first or up it though.

      I also get the lump in my throat symptom, and I especially had it just before my surgery. Its really scary and when I spoke to my surgeon about this before my op he said it was more likely to be a anxiety symptom as you are worried about your symptoms, then you worry about having the symptoms! I have been drinking a lot of Camomile tea when I feel like I have the lump in my throat and it tends to calm me down which could be pshycological but thats ok!! Good luck this morning, let us know how you get on! 

    • carina62
      carina62 ABBY90

      Posted

      I will mention this morning why i have never been referred for any tests over the years.  I remember once a GP told me that he didn't think an endoscopy was necessary as they are not very pleasant tests and they only send patients for them if symptoms are really bad ie vomiting, losing weight rapidly etc i guess enough symptoms to alert the GP that a test is needed, but i have never had the vomiting etc.  I can eat and drink normally and don't get any worrying symptoms like bringing my food/drink back up etc but at the moment it is just the discomfort under my right shoulder blade and the feeling i have a 'lump' in my throat when i just swallow normally that concerns me although i do remember going to see GP years ago about same symptoms to which he said it was GERD and to keep taking the Omeprazole but reason i am going back this morning is because i now feel that this particular medication doesn't seem to be working anymore and while i wait for the ultrasound scan i hope he will try me on some different tablets.
    • mattheas
      mattheas ABBY90

      Posted

      I had every test done possible. The one where I had the tude down my throat for 24 hours, the endoscopy, the camera down my nose to view my throat. My vocal cords are effected as well. I can not raise my voice anymore. This came out of nowhere for me too. I was living a very nice life in Porland, Oregon. I had a house and a good job, a beautiful girlfriend and everything I needed. Then my throat started to hurt and I thought I was just sick. I saw so many doctors and was misdiagnosed so many times. Some days are worse then others. I can't understand how somedays it doesn't bother me that much and others it feels like my throat has been sliced with a razor blade. 
    • ABBY90
      ABBY90 mattheas

      Posted

      You poor thing, so I'm guessing nothing came from your tests?? 
    • carina62
      carina62 ABBY90

      Posted

      I will be having scan on 17 April and waiting for date for endoscopy
    • Big_lass_j
      Big_lass_j carina62

      Posted

      Hi carina I have been having problems for 6months now and sound very much like your self. I am 61 year old had no test, suffer with HA. I am so scared my GP has said the same to me as your did to you... just wish this would go away, how have you coped all thee years... any advice to help a desperate worried woman... just want to be normal... 
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