Alright, here's my story:

Feb: Visited the doctor for chest pain. Ran a few tests. Asked if I had heartburn. I said "yes". However, I wasn't really experiencing it at the time. I'd get it occasionally. I've had chest pain off and on for years. A couple years ago I had an echo , ekg, chest x-ray. Everything was fine. Dr. gives me a 4 week supply of nexium. I took it off and on for 10 days or so. Even though I didn't really have much chest pain and zero heartburn.

Mar. Return to the Dr. Aks if nexium is helping. My response "I don't know". Orders an upper gi. Paranoid about the barium causing constipation. I'm always trying to "go". Some sessions are strenuous.

April: Diagnosis: "slight reflux".

Present: A few weeks ago, I was straining on the toilet, felt a sensation below my breastbone. And I had a severe burning in my throat and upper chest for a few weeks. I couldn't sleep. I'd wake every couple of hours. Visited the dr. He said continue taking the nexium. Had another upper gi a week and a half ago. The results left on my machine were "everything's fine".

I'd never had a burning pain like that before. I still have the discomfort. It's just not nearly as bad as it was. Did I do damage to myself by straining? My addomen is sore off and on. The soreness is brought on w/ activity. It's been there since my first upper gi.

You probably need to take a water soluble fiber supplement like Metamucil. It will make you regular and w/o straining. Just drink enough water. A person needs 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily for their inestines to work properly--- most people don't get enough or the right kind.

Constipation and straining when having BMs can cause all sorts of problems and you don't need that in your life but I don't think it causes reflux.

Harry

Constipation and straining when having BMs can cause all sorts of problems and you don't need that in your life but I don't think it causes reflux.

Harry

Thanks for the reply. I've scoured the net for this information. And, have yet to fiind a strong corelation between straining and acid reflux. A couple sites suggested it can weaken the les. But, I imagine this is over the long term.

All I know is I haven't felt the best since the first upper gi. And the only thing I can attribute it to is the straining. For the most part, my complaint has been abdominal pain. I think I may have really strained my abdominal muscles. The recent bout of reflux is about a month old.

Weight 39, I believe you are right. If i understood my doc right, he said that all my gerd, acid reflux, and heartburn came from strain. Let me explain - I joined a health club in Feb. THey had one of those ab machines where you prop yourself up by your elbows and bring your legs up to your chest. I noticed it was really working to help straiten my abs, so i think maybe i took it a little to far, or did more than i should, i really strained. Anyway, i noticed all those symptoms, and they were really painful and annoying, but i just decided to take tums and ignore it. While looking for something else in an edoscopy, he happened upon a hietal hernia(where the part of your esophogus gets sucked up and away from where it should be.) THe heital hernia, which he said was caused by straining, does not allow the "door" to shut that keeps stomach acid from going up into your throat. Anyway, you should just keep that in mind, maybe it is a new development since your last endoscopy.

Savanna,
Thanks for the reply. So, your symptoms came on after an abdominal workout? Did notice any strange sensation, doing your workout, that preceded your symptoms. There's a user, "tricia"(who's been a tremendous help) over at www.forums.heartburn-help.com who developed severe symptoms after a weightlifting accident.
My second upper gi was after my straining episodes. It didn't show a hiatal hernia, which was my main concern. I've never had an endoscopy.
Currently, I'm trying to relax (it's tough). I've started lifting weights again(which may be a bad idea). Just trying to keep my mind from wandering. That's when my symptoms seem to be worse. Also, I've spent way too much time on my pc researching a correlation between straining and reflux (there's been no real strong support for this).
Anyway, I think things are improving.