[Miracle1986]

For the past week or so I have had constant heartburn and nausea.
Everything I eat, (no matter what it is or how bland) gives me heartburn.
It has gotten to the point where I can almost count down to the minute
how long after I eat I will get heartburn and it will cause my to be nauseous as hell
(due to acid taste in back of my throat)

I NEED RELIEF!!!

[sundog]

That sounds horrible! Have you tried any of the standard OTC heartburn remedies? Zantac etc?

Hope you find some relief!

[ECHOES]

Pepcid complete helps me a lot to cut the cycle. It is amazing what one dose can do sometimes. Pepcid complete is Pepcid + Tums so it works NOW and later.

Water helps sometimes too.

I hope you find some relief soon

[Laurie1041]

Miracle1986,

Heartburn or acid reflux if left untreated can cause damage to the esophagus from the corrosive action of stomach acid. If you experience acid reflux 2 or more times a week, you need to see your doctor. You can try over-the-counter medications such as Pepcid AC, Zantac, and Prilosec OTC - follow the instructions on the label - for short term use only. Any acid reflux condition that persists needs to be addressed by your doctor.

Not eating 3 hours before bedtime is recommended along with rising the head of your bed by 6 inches. Amazon.com sells bed risers for a reasonable price. Avoid citrus, chocolate, tobacco. All of these relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) which then allows stomach contents (acid) to reflux up into your esophagus giving you that painful heartburn and sometimes nausea.

GERD or gastroesophageal reflux, can be very serious if left under-treated or untreated. Read more:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gerd/DS00967

I have acid reflux or GERD and I am treated with prescription medication called Dexilant. It is in the classification called proton pump inhibitors (like Prilosec OTC, but stronger). It acts to shut down the proton pumps in the stomach which supply acid. With lifestyle changes (not eating 3 hours before bedtime, avoiding citrus and chocolate), the medication has completely stopped the acid reflux.

Best wishes to you and remember, continual heartburn not only causes pain and discomfort, but may potentially damage your esophagus. Please see your doctor!
Hugs, Laurie

[shezbut]

((miracle1986))

Laurie1041 has it right. I have GERD too, and immediately recognized your symptoms.

My GERD wasn't recognized until I developed esophagitis ~ a wound in the esophagus from frequent reflux. Over the counter meds do not help relieve my symptoms at all. My relief has only come through Protonix. Like Prevacid, but stronger and better working.

Please do see a gastroenterologist (aka - GI doctor) for diagnosis. I had to go to the ER, my regular doc, and finally the GI got to the root of the problem. Took the protonix twice/day for 3 months, the GI checked the esophagus for heeling. Switched to protonix once/day. Doctors have switched me onto prevacid a couple of times, causing me to lose my voice due to the reflux recurrently. I now stick with protonix every day.

Best wishes to you!

[NoBread]

If you do go to a GI doc it might be a good idea to ask him to run the celiac anti-bodies panel on you. Another possibility is h.pylori infection. Which is very common.

[Miracle1986]

I saw my primary care dr last Wednesday (the 3rd) and she started me on Cimetidine (800mg once a day with dinner)...
so far no relief, but it is still early, medications take a while to start working, right?

[NoBread]

Some meds take a while to pile up in your body and create a noticeable (or more noticeable) affect. For some people, ordinary foods can have the same kind of build-up to affects/symptoms. For instance, if I eat soy or dairy, the affects start out slow and then get progressively stronger and stronger (and worse). Drugs/meds are no different. If your body cannot process it fast enough, (your liver detoxify/clear it), then you feel the affects more strongly. If it is a good affect and helpful no problem. But remember your liver has to get rid of everything in the bloodstream that may harm you (in it's opinion) and drugs cause it to work that much harder. But some drugs I like (like a little wine) or some aspirin for pain. :-)

[shezbut]

Some people have relatively mild GERD, and it is less difficult to treat. About 33% of patients are easier than the other 67%. It takes time to treat any lesions (sores) that may have occurred before treatment began. If you've been taking the medication as prescribed, and following other tips given to you by medical staff, you can expect some improvement within a couple of days.

If you don't gain any relief within a few days, a call back to the doctor is in order. Very best wishes to you ~ hope that you start feeling better very soon!

hey miracle,

sorry to hear about the heartburn / nausea problems. i've been there myself and they are no fun. you mentioned that you've changed your diet and have not found relief. but, these medical problems can also be caused by what you're drinking. and, if you don't also examine what you're drinking the problems can persist. you need to avoid all acidic beverages including coffee, tea, soda, orange juice, tomato juice, milk, wine (all alcoholic beverages, in fact) and the like. water is best (don't put lemon wedges in it though). also, other things that can contribute to GERD are chewing gum and smoking. chewing gum activates acids in your stomach. good luck!

[lynn P.]

Great advice from everyone. Make sure you stay away from anti- inflamatory meds like Motrin and aspirin - these are hard on the stomach. I've have GERD for years and was on Nexium for a few years and it helped. I became concerned about the longterm affects of this med because it lowers the acid in the stomach but we need that acid to process certain vitamins, so I stopped taking it.

I got a natural health book and it recommended drinking 2 tblsps. of fresh lemon juice and drink a 1/2 cup of water after. I always thought - "well lemon is sour and it going to make the heartburn worse". One night I was suffering so bad, I couldn't sleep - so I got up and took the lemon juice and water - within a few minites, the heartburn was gone. The lemon juice balances the PH level in your stomach.

Another thing that balances PH is a vitamin C product called 'Ester C' - it's not like your typical vitamin C - it's 'buffered' so it's not acidic and it balances the PH level in the stomach. Don't eat close to bedtime and have your larger meal in the afternoon.

[Miracle1986]

I had a reaction to the cimetidine... it caused it to be hard and uncomfortable to breathe.
My doc took me off that and put me on Prolosec... same thing happened
*sigh* I am starting to think I am destined to be in constant pain.

[shezbut]

Unfortunately, treating digestive disorders can be similar to treating mental illness. Different meds and dosages work for different people. Prilosec doesn't work for my GERD. It isn't strong enough to prevent my symptoms.

This isn't uncommon, which is why Protonix and Nexium remain behind the counter. They are the same type of medication, but chemically produce stronger results. Protonix is the only one that worked for me...I have tried many! Each year, my doctor has to write an extensive explanation describing the medicines I've tried, their effect (and/or lack thereof), and say that I NEED protonix. It's the only med that works for me. Unfortunately, it's very expensive, because of "the others". The MA ends up picking up the cost though, as my doctor's words thankfully stand up for me!

When I think of it, many many medications are exactly like that. It can take time to find what works. Try to be patient. As said before, keep following doctor's orders & let them know how things do or don't progress. If your symptoms significantly increase, to absolute physical misery (trust me, you will know it!), go to the ER and see a gastroenterologist.

Very best wishes to you!

[Miracle1986]

I am in so much pain right now

[lynn P.]

Do you have any lemom juice in a bottle or fresh lemon in your house Miracle?

[Miracle1986]

Originally Posted by lynn P.

Do you have any lemom juice in a bottle or fresh lemon in your house Miracle?

yes... but won't lemon juice make it worse because of the acid?

[shezbut]

Originally Posted by Miracle1986

I am in so much pain right now

Does the pain last, regardless of whether or not you eat?

Are you able to handle eating a small meal, or only a few bites?

In general, how would you rate the pain (on a 1-10 scale)? 1 is very light, 10 is incredibly intense. Does that number fluctuate throughout the day, or does it stay about the same?

Have you tried small sips of ginger ale (or 7-up, sprite)? Plain foods ~ temporarily staying away from foods that require more digestion ~ like white bread, pastas (no sauce, herbs, or spices), plain cooked meat (chicken, pork, beef), potatoes, peanut butter, yogurt, processed cheese.

It is a pain in the arse to do a diet like this ( I agree 100%, I HATE it!). However, it is necessary when you're having digestive troubles. The less work, the less painful.

The questions listed above are very important. Think about it, and answer each Q honestly.

If you are losing weight, are in extreme pain daily, can only handle eating a few bites (and feel as though you're a 9 or 10 on that pain scale all day/night), see a Gastroenterologist. That pain cannot wait!

If you're somewhere in the middle, stick to the diet. Elevate the head of your bed 30 degrees. No eating less than 2 hours before bedtime (and no snacks late in the night). Eat smaller meals, give your body time to digest the food. Stay away from spices, greasy foods, chocolate, caffeine, and alcohol. Take your med at least 30 minutes before you eat. If none of these contributions alleviate your pain at all, call your doctor and ask to be sent to a Gastroenterologist for an endoscopy.

Very best wishes to you !