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Constant acid reflux for 3 weeks

Posted , 8 users are following.

yasmin_03231
yasmin_03231

I have suffered with bad reflux (at least that's what I think it is) for 3 weeks now after a night of drinking. I have never suffered with it before in my life (I'm 18), but however about an hour or so after drinking quite a few vodkas I developed a feeling of a lump in my throat when I swallowed which wouldn't go away no matter how much water I drank or food I ate. This persisted along with other symptoms including a bitter taste in my mouth, belching (gross I know), nausea, and pretty much anything I eat or drink (including water) lingers in my throat soon after consuming it. A week after this all started I went to my GP and he prescribed me 40mg omeprazole to take for 1 week. after about 2 days of taking it the lump sensation in my throat went and my other symptoms were improving a bit, but didn't completely go. I stopped taking them after one week and then 3 days later the acid reflux was really bad, and the lump sensation came back. I then rang my GP and expained the situation and he has prescribed me 20mg omeprazole to take for a month. 3 days later and the acid reflux is the same, it isn't getting better whatsoever and the lump sensation is still there. I just don't know what to do anymore, I'm so worried because like I said I have never experienced reflux before and this isn't the first time I have had a lot of vodka. I can't sleep at night and no matter how much I have my head elavated I still feel that things are trying to come back up... I haven't drank any alcohol since, I don't smoke, I eat a healthy diet, drink no carbonated beverages (literally only water) .... I'm doing everything they say to prevent reflux and it's just not going, I'm so fed up. Any advice please I would really appreciate it.

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • mike67005
    mike67005 yasmin_03231

    Posted

    Alcohol is one of the worst things to consume when you suffer with reflux. Your best option is to avoid the triggers, you can find a lot of information online about this
  • Ray_W
    Ray_W yasmin_03231

    Posted

    Hi Yasmin,

    Im no expert but I am expecting that your symptoms are there for a while but it took a bit of stress on your stomach to make it show. (or you did some throwing up which made some issues).

    However you sound to me (who knows roughly nothing) like your reflux valve is just not working. 

    If left untreated, the acid enters your esophagus and this is very unpleasant (and also gives higher risk of some serious issues longer term).

    Has doctor suggested endoscopy? otherwise he/she is working blind.

    Ray.

  • gemi5
    gemi5 yasmin_03231

    Posted

    I feel your pain! Mine started in a similar way, a big night out involving cava and rum then the lump in the throat, acid feeling, weird mouth, sore throat, belching etc etc. For months. I had a very healthy diet, no fizzy drinks, mostly veggie. I took a few different ppis and saw a gastroenterologist but in the end a low fat and low acid diet for a few months and no alcohol or coffee seemed to work. After about 6 months it's feeling a bit better. Boring I know especially if you're only 18 and want to go out with your pals.

    I wish I could tell you there's a miracle cure but I don't think there is. For me, being really strict with what I ate and drank for 6 months has really helped. I still get reflux now and again but it usually if I have had a coffee or some chocolate. I can eat much more normally and I'm not on any ppis now. I haven't had any cava or any rum since!

    Try the ppis for a while as they take a while to work. I hope you start to feel a bit better soon! :-)

  • kevin87783
    kevin87783 yasmin_03231

    Posted

    Hi Yasmin

    Sorry to hear about your recent sysmptoms. The return of the reflux after your your first could be from whats called rebound Acid. Its your stomachs response to being acid supressed after the medication you were prescribed. As mentioned there is a lot of information online for you to follow some good some not so. There are some evidenced based things you can do to minimise things i.e AVOID: Alcohol/tea/coffee/chocolate/tomatoes and their products/citris/fatty foods/fried foods/processed foods. Also look out for your own triggers too. Raisng the head of the bed around 6-8inchs will help with reflux during sleep and not eating three hours before bedtime. Gaviscon Advance after every meal and before bed may help too.

    You need an accurate diagnosis to get to the bottom of your problem and to ensure you are on the correct meds for it. Four tests to ask for: Endoscopy/Manometry/PH test with impedance/barium swallow. Each one of these rules in and out possible causes of the reflux.

    Im not an expert Ive just become a 'Refluxer' in the last few months and Im working on getting my full testing done and until then I am keeping of PPI's (your med type). All Ive written here as been the best of advice I have been given so far however, we are all individuals so also look for what suits you. All the best.

    Kev

  • karen86868
    karen86868 yasmin_03231

    Posted

    For one, never ever quit taking the meds cold turkey. Google acid rebound. It's probably what happened after you stopped taking the 40mg. When I started feeling better I slowly seemed myself off of them. I mean slowly. Dumping a little bit of powder out each time. Acid reflux sucks. I've found even with a healthy lifestyle I still experience to some degree not as bad but still there. I hope in time your symptoms improve.

  • jennifer81386
    jennifer81386 yasmin_03231

    Posted

    When you say you eat a healthy diet, do you eat fried food, spicy foods, tomato based foods.  These all trigger the acid.  I have extreme acid because I have a hitial hernia, which is where my stomach has moved past my diaphragm into my lower oesophagus.  I throw up if I eat the wrong stuff and diffently had to quite drinking my vodka.  I can feel the food stuck in my oesophagus when I ate the wrong stuff  I burp and spit up acid for a few hours, until I finallhy throw up. .  Changing my diet has helped but because my hernia is large I have to have surgery to fix mine.  It seems like people have different reasons why it is happening and it is a miserable way to live that is for sure.
  • wknight
    wknight yasmin_03231

    Posted

    First PPi take a while to work and you have to keep taking them. They work by reducing the acid in your stomach. But they only work for about a day, which is why you have to keep taking them. That is why they started to work and you felt better and then the symptoms came back.

    Next question, why do you need to drink so much alcohol? Mising alcohol with medication is not wise. As others have said you need to find the triggers for your reflux and alcohol could be one of them. 

    You can still go out and have a great time without consuming alcohol if that is your trigger. 

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