Bad night but also good
Posted , 3 users are following.
Have had GERD for 15 years and taking PPI for that long although trying to wean myself off and honestly thought I had cracked it. Have also for past 2 years had a pain in my chest which according to tests isn't heart related so thought it was costocondritis, I do have pain all over chest and neck area due to years of typing. Every few days and I suppose mainly after eating I get a horrendous pain in left side of sternum in middle of chest and up oesophagus and sometimes get a sore throat still didn't connect it with Gerd. 2am this morning I woke with sick in my throat, had eaten lasagne for the first time in ages so knew it was that. I took some gaviscon advance and my god the pain in the area I thought was heart or costo was there exactly as I feel it, nothing would stop the burning, I was in agony. I waited up for 2 hours and took a 40 esomeprazole and went back to sleep. It was good in one way to finally know what the pain it as it is hard to explain to GP. I am now feeling really sore across chest and when I take a deep breath and am now convinced it is related to an inflamed oesophagus. How do I heal it apart from PPI and ranitidine. I have googled foods etc but only shows what not to take and not what is good. I take kefir a lot and it says that milk is bad, so should I stop kefir. Now I know what is causing pain I desperately want to get better by myself and if necessary will ask for a camera if not clearing a few weeks. Any advice appreciated
0 likes, 7 replies
nancyphn youngatheart1
Posted
sorry to here you had such a rough night! been thru it all! This is something that never goes away. As someone who loves Italian food I still eat it. When I know I am gonna have Italian food I take a Pepcid abt. 30 min. before. I also ask for the pasta with the sauce on the side. I use very little sauce. I also find out if you eat a piece of bread after your done with the pasta it absorbes the acid. This is a slow process. Taking a probiotic is impt. so I bought the stonyfield yogurt the drink which I take daily. vitamins are impt. I take a B12 as PPI's deplete B12. I also take a tsp. of honey 2x a day like a cough med. No carbonated drinks, No alcohol, No caffeine. very bland diet when a flare up happens. I suffered for a year, short of breath, chest pain, sore throat, earache, burning, mucus in my throat and chest. had an endoscopy and found inflammation of my lower esophagus and Sliding hiatal hernia! One very impt. thing is eat smaller meals several times a day! Never wait till you are starving. that produces acid. Stress makes this so bad. It makes the condition worse! try not to stress. elevate your pillow at night and I drink water before bed, during the nite if I wake up and water in the morning. Make sure you go off PPI's slowly. If you do this too quickly it can cause a relapse. I took them 4x a week for one week, 3x a week for two weeks, 2x a week for 2 weeks then 1x aweek for 2 weeks then 1 when needed. Now off them and just take pepcid before my main meal. usually star breakfast with a banana (which is excellant for this) bland cereal. lunch Is good to have your main meal and maybe 1/2 Turkey sandwich at night. I have added ice tea (caffeine) but I dilute it. 1/2 glass of tea and the rest water. if you want coffee same thing very light mostly water and 2% milk. It sounds over whelming but you will find what works. I still have flare ups but it is 100% better.
youngatheart1 nancyphn
Posted
Thank you for your great reply. I have put up with the intense chest pain for a year or more not connecting it to Gerd, was convinced it was skeletal or heart but now know different. I have been drinking a lot of coke recently due to being driver for the evening recently to give hubbie a chance to have a beer and wondering if that is what has made it worse as it has gotten worse over last couple of weeks. I usually drink water or occasional wine. Coffee I love but will give it a miss and eat bland foods until settled. I also noticed that bread has started to get stuck so really need to get on top of this. I wish this had happened ages ago as I have put up with the pain and just used a wheat bag thinking it would give relief 😂 I am being checked for B12 and magnesium deficiency after going yet again to see GP about pain. When I said it was worse after food he raised his eyebrows surely that should have set alarm bells ringing knowing I have Gerd. Thanks again will eat little and often and up the PPI and take regularly and hope it starts to heal quickly. Am pleased in a way it happened but a bit tired as I darent go to sleep 😳 Take care
youngatheart1 nancyphn
Posted
Hi Nancy have been doing well since making some changes, can I ask do you sometimes get the feeling that your heart is beating hard and you get a bit whoozy. The reason for asking is that today the pain has reappeared in the same place although less painful and I can feel my heart pounding as it is left side and feel a bit dizzy wondered if due to the proximity of oesophagus and vagus nerve it was connected.
nancyphn youngatheart1
Posted
It kinda feels like you have missed beat or thumping on occasion! It's part of this crap we are all going thru. That will get less and less.I find if I am thinking about it or anxious it's more frequent. I was checked for B12 levels came back fine but I still take them. I get the vitamins at the health food shop. Sometimes I take them everyother day. I know the diet is tough but after a few months I cheat and been good. love my pasta so I order the sauce on the side, have a glass of ice tea 1/2 tea, 1/2 water. dilute it. take a pepsid then get Mexican food but ALWAYS as for all everything on the side. A good fillet ask for NO SEASONING! I did recently have a glass of zinfandel and did fine with it. No heavy wines, no cabs, no merlot 😥 !
youngatheart1 nancyphn
Posted
Thanks, I hate the missed beat feeling. I had blood test for B12 on Tuesday waiting for result. I find chocolate gives me bad acid so try not to have that too much. Take care
lisa99861 youngatheart1
Posted
look up fast tract diet facebook group and app on phone. low fermentable carb diet has helped me. GAVISCON advance as needed.
Good luck!
youngatheart1 lisa99861
Posted
Thanks have had a look and will be changing my diet as I was in so much pain it frightened me. Have followed Nancy's advise above and eating bland soft food, little and often also taking PPI and ranitidine regularly and can already feel a difference the pain in my chest has reduced significantly. Still sore to breath in and still sore throat but will follow advice given and hopefully lose some weight as well.