Reflux???GERD???Hernia??? - Hernia Message Board

sue213 · 02-26-2004, 12:16 PM

Been having problems for 3 years now. Had a feeling of something swelling in my throat and I really thought I was going to sufficate. Also had dryness in my throat. First Dr. did upper GI - said I had part a stomach lining on my esophagus which was getting irritated from the acid coming up and had hiatal hernia. Prescribed nexium - took for 1 1/2 years. Didn't have feeling of sufficating but had feeling of something in my throat off and on throughout the day. Dryness went away. Decided to try accupuncture for 6 months. Never really improved. Quit accupuncture. After about 3 months no meds then stated getting that bad sensation of something swelling. Second Dr. did another upper GI - didn't see any stomach lining on my esphagus. He said it looked fine. He did find scars on my stomach lining that looked like I took a lot of aspirin, motrin, etc. I never take the stuff. Put me on aciphex. Said in a month I would be find. Well I was not. I still had dryness which was getting worse and the feeling of something being caight in my throat. After 3 months he decided to ween me of of aciphex to see if I still had acid problems. Weened using aciphex and alternating zantac. Will it didn't work. I had intergestion and heartburn so bad. I really could have puked a few times because my food was not going down.Told the nurse, she said well if it keeps up maybe he will want to go look in you agian. Over may dead body! I am sick of this. I asked to be put back on nexium just to see if the dryness will go away. I am not going to stay on it because it didn't relieve all my problems the first time. I have had some very mild intergestion and heartburn off and throughout. Sometimes when I would take pills i felt like they were just swimming around in my throat. I really don't know what to do. Has anyone else have these similair symptoms? Any advice? I losing faith in my doctors.

jerrie97 · 02-26-2004, 03:29 PM

You do have a hiatal hernia, right? Until that is corrected, you will have a lot of reflux. I'm not sure how exactly it works, but it's been proven. Have you had esophageal manometry done? That may be a good idea, to see how the pressure in your esophagus is. Did you get an endoscopy done? How about a pH probe? The doctor may decide to do the pH probe when you're on the meds to see how well they're working, or he may decide to have you off of the meds first, to assess the severity of the GERD.

jerrie97 · 03-03-2004, 02:42 PM

sue,
Yup, it's endoscopy. An upper GI is where they have you drink barium (a white, liquid gross tasting substance) and they take xrays of your GI system with it.
The others things I mentioned were pH probe and esophageal manometry. The esophageal manometry is a test where they put a tube down your throat and have you take sips of water while checking the pressures in your esophagus. This test is usually done to rule out achalasia. The pH probe is where they stick a probe down your throat into your esophagus and leave it there for 24 hours. During this time, the acid flow is recorded on a little machine that's attached to the probe. The lower the pH, the more acid there is in the esophagus.
Have you been seeing a gastroenterologist? If not, that would be a good idea.

sue213 · 03-03-2004, 05:05 PM

I had 1 upper GI and 2 endoscpoies. Yes, I have been seeing a Gastro for the past 3 years. Well I'm on my second Gastro and might be going to a third. I am off my nexium since Sunday 2/29. Alot of my dryness in my throat is gone. I have a little burning in my stomach and a little belching. I still feel like something is stuck in my throat. I am waiting for my DGL, magnesium , calcium and vitamin D to come in. I am going to give it a try and praying this is all I need.

Kelly47 · 03-04-2004, 06:02 AM

Sue,
My husband had an endoscopy done in October........he was having the same problems you have, food not going down, acid reflux. The dr. stretched his esophagus, and put him on Prevacid, now he doesn't have a bit of trouble. Just thought I would jump in here and tell you that.

I hope this helps......I know what you're going through by what he went through.

Kelly