Not Sure I Have GERD???

sleepyportugee

Its hard to tell what is going on. I'm sorry you don't have insurance but I think your going to have to have an upper GI endoscopy to know what this is. I have trouble swallowing and my esophagus feels enflamed occasionally. My symptoms are different than yours but my condition is probably in part due to acid reflux. My condition keeps getting worst despite my prescription. I'm going to have an endoscopy next week so I will know for more then. All I can say is good luck figuring out what you have but at least ask a doctor. Maybe this will be helpful:

Two websites where you can ask a physician questions. One you have to pay and the other is free.
[url]http://www.thedoctorslounge.net/forums/backup/topic-244.html[/url]
[url]http://www.myphysicians.com[/url]

aswaer

The biggest mistake people can make in treating GERD is thinking they need all the "fancy tests". Response to the medication is diagnosis in itself, and the only test you might want to consider sometime in the future, after you have already responded to medication, is an endoscopy, to check for continued esophageal erosion - but if you are young, and just started getting GERD, you might not need to worry about this for a while. While the heartburn and fullness in throat are symptoms of GERD, the endoscopy really just looks for signs of prolonged damage - looking for precancerous areas that might indicate an intermediate stage called Barrett's, which is what can sometimes lead to esophageal cancer.

If you are not reponding to Protonix, it's because I haven't heard of anyone responding to Protonix. I don't know why, and I ask others to respond to this - but has anyone here at all been successfully treated with Protonix?

There are 4 other prescription Proton-Pump Inhibitors (same classification as Protonix) that you can try and they are all well-represented on this board. They are:
Nexium
Aciphex
Prevacid
Prilosec (by prescription) - not the OTC version

There is another prescription called Zegrid, but it's basically a combination of prescription Prilosec and Tums. A few of us are taking it at night as a supplement to our Nexium, Aciphex, etc.

In addition, you can buy Prilosec OTC (over the counter) but it is not as effective as the prescription version, even if you double the dose.


Secondly, bad GERD often needs to be treated with 2 doses of a Proton Pump Inhibitor a day - not just 1 dose. All the laryngeal reflux patients here on on 2 doses a day, and many of the GERD patients. Even my best friend, who does not have regular GERD, but who had GERD in pregnancy, was treated with 2 doses a day. 2 doses will usually wipe it out.

In addition, you can drink Malox or Mylanta as well.

nikib5

Hi, I just wanted to step forward as one of the ones who was actually helped by Protonix I noticed after about a week that I felt a lot better. It was after being on them for 2 years that I started having other problems as I don't think prolonged use is what it's meant for, but initially to heal the damage done, Protonix worked.

Ol'Line Rebel

Another note for Protonix - my mother loves it! She has a combination of GI issues, including GERD (she was choking/regurgitating at least a year before she would see a doc about it). The 1st PPI she was administered was Protonix, and she's done well with it.

I can't speak for it myself, because all I've had is Nexium. And I'm not positive it's working or not (I had symptoms probably all of a week or 2 before I saw a GP who gave me Nexium, and so it's continued); I know that I still have gastritis feelings and hot throat a whole lot.