I would like the opinion of the board as to whether you think I have GERD, IBS or both.

My Doctor has said that I have Gerd although no test were done. However after reading some of the symptoms that you all have been talking about I wonder.

Lately I have had terrible stomach pains whenever I eat anything, the pain stays around spreads into my intestines, it's a half burning half dull pain. I also get chest pains (heart as been ruled out as possible culprit to the best of everyones ability). I also get bloated, in the sense that I eat very little but feel like I have eatin alot. I do not have a problem with gas, or burping although I do have a little burping. As a matter of fact I wish I could have more to relieve the pressure.

My BM are normal in the sense that I do not have diahrea or constipation. However I do find that I will have these pains for sometime and then, out of nowhere I have to have a BM. It feels as though my intestines "let go" or relax and I had better be around a Restroom (sorry about the description)

I also get terrible back pains that seem to appear with the stomach/intestine pain.

I guess I'm kind of lost sometimes my symptoms sound like GERD and other times sounds like IBS.

The stomach symptoms sound like gastitis but lower abdo symptoms sound IBS.

Thanks Harry, I am fairly well versed in GERD but know little about IBS. I have read the boards and done some research but nothing is as good as talking to people that suffer from it.

One thing that I wonder about is the frequency of attacks. Thinking back over the last year there have been 4-5 occasions when I have had an attack of D with stomach cramps but no other signs of illness. At the time I would think that it was weird to have these attacks without having the flu also, now I'm wondering if maybe they were IBS attacks. In the past I have always assumed that IBS was constant and rarely went away.

I'm trying to figure this out to decide how to proceed with treatment. For instance when I have a stomach attack I take some peppermint, however peppermint is not good for GERD. Anyway thanks for your reply I'll keep researching

Several things you can do is take a probiotic supplement that helps digestion and kills any bad bacteria that you may get. Especially E-coli, samonnilla, lysteria, and clyptosporidium and others(excuse the spelling).

The best things I have found is Lactobacillus reuteri-- in the States the only places you can buy it is Nature's Way, Natures Sushine and Stonyfield Farm products-- yogurt mostly.

Your intestines contain over 400 different bactria that are in contant warfare to keep in balance-- every now and then they get out of balance and we get diarrhea -- So, sometimes we need to give the friendly bacteria an edge.

I eat yogurt 3X daily and take supplements.
Some goods supplements that I use is Culturelle, PB-8, Pearls -- there are others but I know these work and you can buy them online at a good discount.

Also, a good fermented drink loaded with friendly bacteria is Kefir.

I suggest you start taking a water soluble fiber supplement like psyllium-- twice daily.
It will bulk up your stool -- keeping your intestines cleaner and regular w/o straining. So, you don't get hemorrhoids or diverticular problems.

I now use the Equate brand(psyllium) from Wal Mart-- it seem courser, mixes well with water and cost about half as much as Metamucil-- I need 7 to 8 grams daily with my diet for normal regular BMs.

I wish you well~~~Harry

PS-- tm ---If you have any questions-- I have been here a long time!