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Acid Reflux and Inflammed Esophagus?

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Raellen
Raellen

Hello, I started experiencing esophagus problems all of a sudden about two months ago. It started one evening right after I finished supper, I felt like I had a lump of food stuck in my esophagus, rignt between my breast. It did not hurt, just felt like a lump of food just sitting there. I drank a lot of water and walked around the yard trying to get the food (?) to go down. After about an hour, it seemed to be ok. This continued to happen to me every evening after eating, but the symptom started lasting longer. At that time it was just my evening meals, then as the weeks moved forward it started happening with all meals, just worse in the evening. I made an appointment with my Gastroenterologist, who I use to see ten years ago for acid reflux. He scheduled an endoscopy, and the results showed no stricture, and no cancer. He said my esophagus was a little red and inflamed and prescribed me rabeprazole sodium at 40 mg daily. This seemed to make the stuck food feeling go away but caused me really horrible insomnia and constipation, so I had to stop taking it. I now take Nexium at 20 mg twice a day, but it is not helping at all. I am having a hard time believing this symptom has anything to do with acid reflux, as I have not had any acid reflux symptoms, or issues in years. There are no symptoms at all, no heart burn, nothing. Does anyone else have symptoms like this? Could it be anything else? Thanks.

10 likes, 191 replies

191 Replies

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  • Bo0tsy
    Bo0tsy Raellen

    Posted

    Hi  tata40402, the omeprazole definitely does reduce the acid production, but it sadly doesn't stop the reflux of liquid and gas escaping upwards into your oesophagus which can cause the discomfort. Also the lining of your oesophagus is extremely sensitive and can several months to heal if it has become inflamed. I have had silent reflux and nocturnal reflux for the past 7 years and am on omeprazole 20mg 2x per day, domperidone (a motility drug) 3x per day, and I still have to top this up with either zantac or gavisconn before bedtime. I still get the dysphagia/lump in my throat sometimes, sometimes combined with a night-time cough, but the meds keep the heartburn, chest pain and back pain at bay. If you are still really struggling I'd definitely go back to your GP/Gastroent to see if he can review your dosage or combine PPI's with H2 receptors or motility drugs to help your stomach empty quicker. Be patient though and don't expect overnight results. Wishing you all the best.
    • tata40402
      tata40402 Bo0tsy

      Posted

      Thank you Bootsy, ill try and give it some time but ill tell my gastro to try PPl's. I do feel the pain in my back, it's going away slowly.
    • frederick_22022
      frederick_22022 Bo0tsy

      Posted

      Hi BoOtsy,

      The longer you are on PPIs or H2 Blockers, the weaker is your esophagus sphincter. That is why acid reflux is still happening. Many people do not realise that PPIs are only prescribed if the patient has stomach ulcers. Once they are on this medicine, it is not easy for them to revert back unless they try hard (like me) to taper off. Many patients made the mistake of taking PPIs when their problem was only minor. Now, they have to live with it. 

       

    • Bo0tsy
      Bo0tsy frederick_22022

      Posted

      Frederick, you make a lot of dangerous assumptions that are simply not backed up medically. How exactly do PPI' s and H2 blockers weaken the LES?? They reduce the acid in your stomach but neither has any impact whatsoever to LES functionality. The core reason for Gerd symptoms is a non fully functional LES but medication is not the cause of this. Gerd is a Chronic illness, the LES sadly does not restore elasticity over time, once it starts behaving erratically this is why people experience Gerd symptoms long term. For me my reflux is severe and being prescribed Omeprazole by both my GP and Gastroenterologist has been a lifesaver I still get breakthrough reflux as even a small amount of acidity irritates the chest, throat, and sinuses . I would also never recommend on an online forum that people stop taking PPI or H2 Blocker without fully consulting their GP or Specialist first.
    • frederick_22022
      frederick_22022 Bo0tsy

      Posted

      Dear BoOtsy,

      May be you think that I've made a wild statement, but I'm speaking from personal experience point of view. In other forums, I explained what I had gone through. Well, you can choose not to believe. Anyway, I'm cured of my acid reflux. I sleep on my bed now using double pillows.

      By the way, I did not advise people on what medicine to take. I advised them to ask their doctors if their medicine could be substituted.

      Take care.

       

  • Guest
    Guest Raellen

    Posted

    I had exactly the same symptoms of food getting stuck in my oesophagus which wouldn't go down or up.  On a couple of occasions I had to regurgitate the food which wasn't very nice.   I had an endoscopy a couple of weeks ago which showed an inflamed oesophagus due to acid reflux.  I was put on 30mg Lansoprazole once per day and this seems to be working fine, I've had no further swallowing problems and no big side effects either, so happy with the outcome.  
    • tata40402
      tata40402 Guest

      Posted

      Lansoprazole, never had that, glad your symptoms are subsiding. I've been taking dgl licorice, chewing gum, apple cider vinegar, alkaline water. I am trying everything.
    • hevski77
      hevski77 Guest

      Posted

      Oh god, in really hope this is the result for me, I can't stand this..
    • allie65404
      allie65404 tata40402

      Posted

      Me too...lol...so sick of this annoying, frustating irritation.
  • coriashena
    coriashena Raellen

    Posted

    Hi.

    So I'm having some of the same issues but it just started today. I had come home after finding out water didn't help me too much and I had taken a Nexium with no luck. I asked my mom, who is a nurse. She told me to do exactly this:

    Get on your hands and knees. Lower your head so that is below your butt, but if possible, below your chest. Then have someone else pat your back to break up any gas. She told me it was a high chance that the uncomfortableness that I was feeling was possibly a gas bubble in my chest which cannot be seen by an X-ray. You have to take a certain type of test in order for them to see what's wrong. & it gets kind of pricey going through each of the tests to figure out the right one over a gas bubble.

    Anyways, have someone pat your back so help break up the bubble and having your head lower than your abdomen will help slide the gas out.

    For me, patting didn't work, so I had my boyfriend wraps his arms around my chest/bussum area and lightly squeeze and it came out amazingly! I didn't this for about 10 minutes and then quit. (I was getting a little lightheaded basically upside down lol). After doing one round, it's mainly acid reflux for me now, which can be treated temporarily with Tums. See if that helps. It could you save you money on doctors & meds. Good luck!

  • marc13259
    marc13259 Raellen

    Posted

    Hey thank you so much for this thread. I have been worried sick for the past 2 months or so with similar symptoms to you. I'm 27 years of age and have suffered with on/off heartburn since my early 20's. I believe I also suffer from occasional acid reflux (undiagnosed) but recently I've had some worrying symptoms (every day) for the last month and a half or so regarding the food getting stuck in the chest feeling. I take a gulp of food and it seems to really scrape down my esophagus slowly, so much so that I often have to take a drink to help push it down into my stomach. The food also gets stuck from time to time. I experience a pressure feeling in the chest sort of like I've swallowed too much too soon, when really I haven't. I chew throughly and try all the tricks in the book but the symptom remains. I'm booked for an endoscopey next week and I'm worried sick about the possibility of esophagus cancer. I've had blood tests took which came back all normal, I have other symptoms such as occasional reguritation, burping and belching. Don't think I've ever been more frightened in my life about anything, but reading your thread has give me a glimmer of hope, although I'm still convinced it's going to be something major. Yep.. (anxiety) is probably playing a major role in my symptoms because I'm constantly thinking negative every time I go to put food in my mouth, but only time will tell.
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