# temporary Gerd??? sigh...



## StayingAboveIt (Jun 4, 2001)

Ok heres my story...I hope someone can help.Let me first say that I rarely drink alcohol, and never more than one or two drinks.About 5 days ago I had several mixed drinks....not very strong but much more than normal.Later that night I regurgitated some stuff for a second...and swallowed it (not pleasant).the few days after this I had a weezing cough too.Every since that day I have had chest pains, and a feeling of a lump in my throat.I also have the feeling that the acid is very close to my throat.The chest pains were realy bad at first, and have subsided into a warm slightly burning sensation several times throughout the day.The coughing is gone completely.Also, Whenever I burp (which seems ot be more than usual), the burning sensation starts...I have tried Axid (kinda like pepcid ac), and well as tums.Neither have worked.The worst part about it is the lump in my throat, its driving me absolutely insane.Is there a chance this is just a temporary inflamation that will subside?Mark


----------



## sabriel (May 27, 2002)

Hi Mark,Sorry to hear that you have been having such a rough time lately, but I can relate to what you are going through.I am no expert, but I would say the greater than usual amount of alcohol you had has caused a reflux incident. It might subside after a few days, but if not you should probably see a doctor. The cough you described is a symptom of reflux, as is the belching. The belching is partly responsible for the acid flowing back into the eosophagus.The lump in the throat sensation can be due to a Hiatus Hernia, which commonly goes hand in hand with reflux. (believe me I know, I have both!)Simpler types of antacids are not always effective in the case of reflux, (ie the Tums & axid you mentioned). You might like to try a double or extra strength version which should be a little better. If the symptoms don't subside within the next couple of days it is likely the reflux is something you are going to be stuck with. I take medication for mine (Somac aka Protonix/Pantaloc) and it is about 95 percent effective. There aren't many times it does not work.You should also be careful with your diet. Avoid acidy, spicy and fatty foods at least for a few days (if you don't already for other reasons). Acidy foods, particularly citrus is bad for reflux. (If the reflux persists you should probably avoid acidy, spicy and fatty food permanently).If you want to get some further info, try the links I have provided below. There is some good info there about symptoms, treatments, etc. Hope that helps. http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?Article=3351 http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?Article=3353 http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?Article=3352 http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?Article=3426


----------



## StayingAboveIt (Jun 4, 2001)

I have good news...It has been gradually subsiding.I still have a tiny bit of the regurgitating feeling, but it hasn't been as bad.I also still have the throat lump to some degree.I have switched to Zantac which is working much better, and have layed off the tums as they seem to make the reflux worse.I am wondering if Zantac is merely masking the symptoms and if I should stop taking it to find out?And there is the possability that If I take it for too long, I may get a lot of rebound acid when I do eventually stop.On the other hand..I have heard it is good to take Zantac for a few days in to help any possible ulcers heal.Any ideas?Thanks for the replyMark


----------



## sabriel (May 27, 2002)

Hi again Mark,Glad to hear that you feel the reflux symptoms are subsiding. With the Zantac, I would probably keep taking it for a few more days then take a few days off to see what happens. If the symptoms return, resume the Zantac.I took Zantac tablets about 12 years ago for a gastric ulcer and a full course was I think eiher 3 or 6 months, (bit long ago to remember!) So if you do suspect that you have a gastric ulcer I would definately see a doctor.Did a doctor give you the Zantac? I know it used to be prescription only (at least here in Australia anyway,) but I am not sure if it is over the counter now there are newer medications available.The Tums may have been making things worse as you mentioned too, especially if they are peppermint flavoured. Peppermint is actually bad for reflux. Which puzzles me as 99% of antacids etc are peppermint flavoured!I think Zantac is safe to take long term too if the reflux symptoms persist. I have been taking Somac now for about 3 - 4 years and probably will stay on it indefinately.Cheers, let me know how you go and I will keep my fingers crossed for you that the reflux does go away for you.


----------



## SaraCC (Apr 24, 2001)

It sounds like you had an "attack", as I like to call it. I have both GERD and IBS. Both are under control through diet and Protonix for the GERD (prescription). If I take a risk and have a few drinks or if I eat something that is a trigger for me (like the mexican dinner I ate this past weekend), it can cause an "attack" like the one you described. It can bring acid-reflux, stomach cramping or pain, pelvic pain, diarreah, etc. Normally these symptoms are under control, but a simple one-time splurge can wreak havoc on your body for days afterwards. Trust me, I had that mexican dinner two days ago and am still suffering from it!Chances are that you have acid-reflux or ulcers all the time but it isn't serious enough to notice, and the drinks you had caused an attack. It would probably be best to get evaluated by a doctor in order to determine how serious your case is. It would be better to catch problems now than let them get worse over time. Your doctor can also recommend a medication for you, whether it be over-the-counter or prescription.


----------

