Sudden Horrid Reflux - Took Zantac and Scared of Side effects

[sydneymom]

So I have mild LPR for two years or so now. Totally managed by diet. My ENT prescribed me dexilant but I had horrible side effects and the gastro I saw told me to quit. Been relatively under control for the most part with occasional flareups. I take tums when I need it and ginger tea.

However, today I am having HORRENDOUS acid reflux. I went to the gym as usual and was in the grocery store when I suddenly burped and tasted vomit. I got so nauseous and then had to leave the store to rush home and had loose stools. (Sorry TMI) I do have a history of IBS but that has been under control for a few years. First I thought maybe I was getting sick but I realized it was reflux. Tums did not help,

I ate plalin rice for lunch and got all worked up that I need to go back to the gastro. They didnt think I needed an endoscopy a year ago and I didnt want one. My gastro said just take zantac when your throat burns. I did that once and got a bad stomach ache. My ENT wants me to get a scope but I have put it off.

I did realize that last night I was watching my kids eat sausage while eating my bland fish and white rice and I decided to eat one. And I also ate a spoonful of icecream (havent had dairy for two and a half years). Could that be causing this so bad a day later? It is also almost time for my period and maybe hormones are flaring/

I finally broke down and took a zantac fifteen minutes ago. I am afraid because a few months ago I tried Pepcid AC and felt instantly awesome, until I got hives on my face and my lip tingled. I know if I had zantac once before so I am most likely not allergic but I am afraid of stomach pain or dizziness
and just want it to work.

I am in therapy now and it is helping my anxiety. I took tamiflu a week ago because my son had the flu. It gave both he and I bad reflux so maybe this is from that. Im just depressed. I conquered IBS, and I eat a strict diet to control LPR. I would actually like to be able to take a PPI to calm my reflux for eight weeks but cant. Im just depressed and we are going away for a few days and I dont want to ruin it for my husband and kids talking about this.

[Slangevar]

Funny... it's almost time for my period, too, and my reflux is flaring up after about a week of remission. I think we talked about hormones playing a big part in reflux.

I was also just reading about B-12 deficiencies causing reflux, as well (along with other symptoms ranging from numbness of hands/feet to anxiety and abdominal fullness).  Worth a try.

I have a terrible time with Zantac... it makes my stomach feel worse. Bad news about Prilosec, though... that definitely sounds like an allergy.

I'm finally buckling down and going to the GI doc to get this sorted. It's pretty clear that, although I do have some kind of sinus issue, my GI issues are getting worse and need some attention. Let me know if you figure anything out!

[LindaRK]

Something that always fries me is that docs only prescribe pharmaceuticals.

Have you looked into an alternative solution to your reflux?  I don't have GERD or anything like that, but I've had reflux (worse since menopause).    Something that works for me is a combination of D-Limeone and Sea Buckthorn.  Start with both initially (600-1200 mg daily of D-Limeone) and once under control, cut back as directed on bottle.

Both of these accelerate the healing of damaged tissues found in chronic acid reflux - make sure you get the ones that have the pulp AND seed.

Another alternative - if you have a NutriBullet (I have one of those, too), you can put in a whole lime and lemon - I think there is a recipe in the booklet for GERD symptoms.  It's the pulp that really helps and the NutriBullet turns it into juice.

You can also take Betaine HCI with meals ......

There is so much more out there than pharmaceuticals .... stuff that DOESN'T tear our bodies apart and cause nasty side effects.

[sydneymom]

Thank you both. Its been 45 minutes and so far so good with zantac. It did stop my symptoms. Not sure how it will treat my stomach.

I am very averse to taking any medication for this. My son has been on PPIs for almost four years. While it does help him, he cannot get off them. Every time we wean down to a low dose he goes up.

I do take probiotics but those largely help my IBS. My therapist has been telling me to try papaya enzymes. Someone else an endoscopy andtold me to try aloe vera juice. She said she turns the juice into ice cubes and puts them in water. I havent tried either yet.

I think in addition to changing hormones (I am 43) I was getting a little lax with the diet. I ate the sausage, had a little dairy for a day or too, and also was eating a lot at one time. Plus, my husband bought be a box of Italian bakery cookies and I had several a day for a few days.

I just cant understand this reflux. They say it is from stress. But three months ago I was under tremendous stress when my father fell at a train crossing and was killed by the train. No issues with reflux or IBS. Of course I hardly ate for a few weeks. I am afraid I will get barretts or throat cancer. I just want to feel normal. And Im scared of an endoscopy and questions if its necessary.

[Slangevar]

Why are you scared of an endoscopy?  Because of what you might find out?  I WANT an endoscopy... some answers would be great. (Of course I'm also terrified of something like Barrett's, but better to find out early than late.)

I'm sure you're fine, by the way... even people with Barrett's esophagus rarely progress to actual cancer (especially not women). 

LindaRK - Thanks for the recommendations - I'll check them out, too! 

Sydneymom - I tried aloe vera juice with some success. I bought the stuff at Whole Foods and put a couple of tablespoons in some warm water with honey. (It cuts the lemon in the juice... very hard to find plain, lemon-free aloe vera juice.)

I've also noticed that it really helps if I stay hydrated and take extra B-12.

[sydneymom]

Slangevar -

Im scared to have endoscopy for a million reasons. Im scared of anesthesia. Im scared they will perforate me. Im not scared of the results. I would like to have reassurance that I have no damage. I saw my son have an endoscopy when he was around 7 and again 9. The first time when they injected him with anesthesia he had a weird reaction and looked terrified and tried to get off the table before knocking out. He had a tube placed in his nose for a 24 hour probe (that I would love to do but dont think I could handle it). He woke up trying to rip out the tube and had to keep it in 24 hours. I had a swallowing test with a tube for five minutes and was about to cry.

The second endoscopy he knocked out fine but woke up saying over and over he was never having another endoscopy. Made me think he had some awareness.

My mother in law just had one two weeks ago and she is almost 80. No issues and it did show h pylori.

My ENT has been trying to convince me to do a transnasal one in his office while awake but theres no way. I wish I could. It would be better. Mostly Im afraid of anesthesia. And also my ENT told me traditional endoscopies miss alot of eshophageal stuff bc they go very fast. I dont know.

My friends husband died of esophageal cancer about 18 months ago. He was 40. But he was a 20 year heavy smoker. My grandmothe also died from it, but she was an alcoholic and obese.

I am going to give it a week. Have a three month followup at ENT next week. And if by April I am still suffering I will see a gastro. I have seen two. One several years ago when I did have some GERD symptoms. He offered an endoscopy which I declined, drew tons of blood and talked to me about maybe being upset about a recent miscarriage. Saw him again two years ago and he suggested probiotics and said maybe its from all my sons health issues. Recent gastro a year ago that ENT suggested didnt think it was anything. Said who cares if your throat burns. Take a zantac. Eat what you want. Stop PPIs. In a nice way. Said ENTs see throat inflammation and call everything LPR. But I think I will go to the first gastro. Or the new one my motheinlaw just used. Because she wasnt perforated and did ok.

[LindaRK]

Something that alot of people don't realize is that antacids (Tums, etc.) and reflux meds can actually perpetuate more acid ...... that's why when you go off there are problems and why when you start, alot of times you can't get off successfully.  Your system has become addicted to it.  It's not treating the problem, it's putting a bandaid on it.

[Slangevar]

You can probably get an anxiety pill for the trans-nasal scope, can't you?  (My orthodontist gave me triazolam before a truly gruesome tooth extraction once and it was wonderful. As he climbed up to jack-hammer the tooth out of my infected mouth, I calmly thought, "Wow... I'm so glad I took that pill. Otherwise this would really be freaking me out.") 

That said, I would totally go to your MIL's scope person... sounds like they did a great job. 

Incidentally, my uncle just died of esophageal cancer, too (also a life-long smoker and drinker)... I think we have a special fear of anything that's taken someone we knew.