Acid reflux disease or GERD, as you may have heard in the media is, at least for me, a catch all phrase for mild to chronic indigestion. I do not have an ulcer. I do not have H-pylori and I do not have heartburn, per se, but I am and have been since I was 19-years old, treated for acid reflux disease.
My symptoms are unusual. I feel hungry all the time even when I am not. With my constant battle against the bulge this ?feeling hungry? does not help my waistline at all. The reason I know I am not hungry is because I just ate. Thirty minutes later I am starved. My stomach just produces too much acid hence heartburn and acid reflux. I also wake up in the morning with a giant appetite. I could eat a horse.
Acid reflux is more than just a nuisance. People who have untreated chronic indigestion or heartburn do not realize that the lining of their esophagus is at risk of being eaten away or worse getting cancer. In simple terms the esophagus is a tube that is approximately 9 inches long that connects your pharynx (throat) to your stomach. The reflux part of this disease is acid, bile, and pepsin that is up-chucked into your throat and burns away at the lining of your throat. My reflux just makes me feel very hungry even when I know I am not.
Visit your local drug store and speak to the pharmacist. They will have suggestions and recommendations for heartburn. It could be that simple. Drugs such as Zantac and Prilosec used to be only available through a doctors prescription but not anymore. You can get a 30-day supply just by walking into your drug store and asking for it. The drug stores do keep these more expensive drugs under lock and key and it will require a drug store attendant to get them for you.
If this does not work after a few weeks then you should see a doctor. No way around it. An internist or a gastrologist, stomach doctor, is what you need to seek. Insurance plans can make suggestion of who is on your plan and in network. Word to the wise - make sure the doctor and the testing facility are both in network or you can get hosed. These tests involving stomach acids like a lower GI's, CAT scans etc are expensive so make sure you protect yourself.
Wouldn't you be elated if relief was just taking one pill once a day? It could be that simple. Don't procrastinate and get yourself some help right away!
People who have acid reflux usually have it the rest of their lives unless is it just pregnancy heartburn. Reflux is not something that generally gets cured. I am now a proud member of AARP and, as I said before, have had it since I was 19. I take my medication everyday whether I think I need it or not.
Generally after meal time is when most people feel the effects of acid reflux. The contents of their stomach trigger the digestive acids that are required to digest food normally. What goes wrong for sufferers is that the biles and acids are not confine to the stomach but regurgitate into the throat. It affects some people a lot more severely than what I experience. For some it is so bad it is likened to a heart attack. Why not get treated? Why would you wait around and not take care of yourself? What is stopping you?
I have a brother who consumed Tums at an alarming rate. He hadn't noticed his habit until I asked him about it. He said he had heartburn constantly so I suggested Prilosec. He now takes this little pill each day and he feels much better. From time to time he says taking two in a day, like Thanksgiving does the trick. He is now symptom free.
About the Author:
She has spent decades investigating natural remedies for heartburn. If you are afflicted by acid reflux disease, be sure to follow this link for remedies for acid reflux.
No comments:
Post a Comment