Can hormonal changes affect or can relax the lower esophageal sphincter leading to acid reflux

I'm so glad I found this! I'm in my early 30's, with only one ovary that is under active. I have one child, then miscarried my second pregnancy. Since that miscarriage I have had the same symptoms as you ladies. The heartburn (yet not burning) lump in my throat, that I get from everything! My family doc didn't believe me when I said I thought my hormones were off, so I did private testing which showed low progesterone, and a normal to low estrogen.

I've tried pantoloc twice a day, which barely touches it. Now I am pregnant again, and I have to take progesterone and my heartburn is dreadful. I keep being told to take zantac, and tums, but i find nothing works.

Anyone has any ideas that I could use to help?

I have a lot of really bad digestive problems including very painful nutcracker esphageal spasm and severe nausea before a hot flash.  If left untreated, I have about 20 hot flashes per day.  Unfortunately, I have been advised by many physicians not to take estrogen since there is estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer on BOTH sides of my family.  So I get acupunturre, which relieves my hot flashes and I think also helps with the gastrointestinal problems and spasms.  I also use magnesium spray on my body, which also helps.  Magneisum is difficult to absorb through the stomach so I use the spray.  For those of you who cannot take estrogen, I highly recommend acupuncture..  Acupncturists vary from practitioner to practitoner, and you might not get relief with the first treatment.  Find someone with a good reputation and many years of experience in treating hormonal disorders.  There are also acupuncturists who use direct vs indirect methods.  I have noticed that I get more relief from acupuncture that uses direct methods.  For the indirect methods, it takes at least 3 treatments for me to get good relief.  For the direct method, I get relief with the first treatment.  Hope this helps someone!!! 

I had a hysterectomy without incidence in 2011. In June, I had both ovaries out. I have been through hell since. I'm allergic to soy and peanuts. I had no idea that most HRT comes from soy and that they coat progesterone pills in peanut oil. After three visits to the ER with allergice reactions, two visits back to my gyno and two to my GI doc, I guess all that they can conclude is that the stomach problems I am having are aggravated by me being allergic to the meds but even with NO medication, my stomach is "angry" because I don't have the proper hormone levels. My gyn is clueless and just thinks the anesthia during surgery caused a little gastritis. The GI doc thinks once my hormones balanced and that my stomach problems will go away. In the meantime, they are giving me Bentyl to stop the stomach cramps and 40mg of Prilosec. I'm now trying estradoil vaginal cream and progesterone sublingual to try to avoid a pill on my tummy. I still have a lump in my throat feeling, but so far my stomach is settling down. Supposedly, I have to "get used to" the lump in my throat. 

Hi Ladies, am new on here. I read it and feel like crying. I have been battling with reflux for 9 years, have been and still am in peri menopause. I now have Barratts oesophagus and my doctor thinks it is progressing so I am at risk from cancer. I have been trying to get some hormone tests done for the last two years but my GP reluctntly did it once, doesn't really understand the results and told me I need to go on HRT. My results (in case any of you do know how to interpret were oestrogen 699 and progesterone 1.1 on day 4 of my cycle). I have been bleeding more or less all the time for the last 2 months, am trying bioidentical progesterone cream, now in the second cycle with that. Stomach and reflux symptoms are terrible and alarming. Have tried PPIs and they make it worse. Feels like I have low stomach acid and fermentation but I have felt for years it is down to my hormones as it all started when my periods went wonky and the hot sweats began (now over those).

So reassuring to hear I am not going mad and might look for a private doctor who knows about hormones! If I can find the money!

Thanks for listening to my rant! Glad to know I am not alone!

 

So glad I found this discussion. I've been in perimenopause for a couple of years. First symptoms were horrendous anxiety/panic attacks, which I never suffered before. After about 18 months of that, about three months ago I started having difficulty swallowing, feeling of food stuck in my throat. Then I started having burning in my stomach and esophagus, and finally, I've been dealing with a lot of acid for the last month or so. It doesn't really seem to matter what I eat (though chocolate does seem to make it worse). I'm completely off alchohol and cut way back on caffeine (only do about 1 cup of green tea/day). My doc has me on a PPI but that doesn't really seem to help. Two things make me suspect it's hormonal: 1) it seems cyclical -- worse in the afternoon/early evening, then better after dinner and early morning. 2) Once these symptoms started, my anxiety COMPLETELY disappeared. So I feel as if some hormonal change has taken place and is giving me new symptoms. My doc wants me on the meds until I am 3 months symptom-free, but at this rate, I don't see how I am going to achieve that because the meds are basically doing nothing. I think it's time to investigate some alternative treatments.

Hello. I'm Praying and Hoping someone still checks this! 

I'm 36 and had a Full Hysterectomy at the age of 32. I didn't know about "ALL" the issues I would be having after the Hysterectomy. I started with the traditional Hormone Replacement, it didn't go well so I went to a cream, still not a good match. So then I found a lady that does Bioidentical Hormones. I did a saliva test and blood work every 4 months. The first cream worked good, then it stopped. We have been trying to figure a good match for awhile now. However, I started getting bad GI issues and other issues for over 11 months. I went to the Dr and have had test after test done and everything is coming back normal. The last Dr i saw said, that this is ALL in my head and that I needed a anti-depressant. NOPE! I don't need one! I'm SOOOO Glad I found this! So please If I'm reading this right....... My hormones that I'm using could be causing my stomach, throat, GI issues? Please ! Please someone respone back! I need to know if i'm understanding this in the right way. The way I'm living is NOT living. I just need to know if it could be the hormones....... Thank you! Many Blessing