Heartburn in pbc

[Kadie71]

Hello everyone I'm new here sorry if this has been asked previously. I get a lot of heartburn and acid stomach pain particularly in the evening. I'm waiting to have an endoscopy to confirm pcb. Any tips on alleviating the pain? I have cut lots of things from my diet chocolate coffee most alcoholic drinks but I have indulged in chocolate over Christmas. My doctor has given me omeperzole and I have gaviscon which I loathe taking as it's revolting. I'm just so fed up. It's not that I'm a chocoholic or a massive drinker I am just fed up with the nice treats making me feel rubbish. Currently 4.30am and up in pain. Sorry for moaning!

[AyrshireK]

My hubby used to have the most horrendous heartburn prior to commencing his omeprazole which stopped it completely. He was also having issues with varices in his oesophagus due to cirrhosis. He stopped eating anything citrus, acidic and some sauces on pasta also caused him issues.

Although you don't like the gaviscon surely it is worth taking it short term to alleviate your symptoms until the endoscopy sees what is what. A lot of medicine is ghastly (I know hubby hates his lactulose and couldn't stand his ensure supplements but they were a necessary evil). No point lying awake due to pain when a dose of gaviscon could calm it down.

Katie

[Kadie71 in reply to AyrshireK]

Hi that's good to know re the omeperzole. If your hubby takes it is he able to eat even trigger foods? Yes I do think the gaviscon helps to a degree. I went to bed early hours with burning pain in my chest and it's still present on waking but not the worst pain I've had. I've decided to start keeping a food diary as of today. I think what I am struggling with the most is accepting that I am going to have to change my diet and attitude towards food and drink. Over the last few years I've stopped drinking lots of types of alcohol as they cause too much pain but I do still like a drink and I don't want to stop completely. I'm not a big drinker or have a problem with alcohol the same as I like to eat chocolate occasionally, it's a treat. Now I have the smallest amount and I feel crap for hours on end. Christmas was miserable food and drink wise. I'm just going to have to find new things to enjoy and indulge in but I feel so deprived and fed up.

[AyrshireK in reply to Kadie71]

Even though he takes his omeprazole, he still avoids the trigger foods. He did once have a carton of orange juice (this was after a couple of years) and symptoms came back so he just avoids what he knows caused him bother.

Just be cautious with the booze, although PBC obviously isn't booze related, if indeed you do have a liver condition of any sort then adding booze to the mix isn't going to help your liver health - your liver is stressed enough without giving it a toxin to try and deal with. Just saying.

Katie

[Kadie71 in reply to AyrshireK]

Yes I appreciate that I'm not a big drinker I just enjoy a drink especially over Christmas. I've not been able to drink this year like I would have done previously. I had a glass of wine on Christmas day rather than the bottle that I'd have had done on other occasions.

[Beautysmum in reply to Kadie71]

I'm more than happy to follow the advice re: alcohol given by my Hepatologist which is NO ALCOHOL - EVER. Admittedly I've NEVER been a drinker - a glass ot two on Christmas Day all my adult life - so I guess what you've never had you never miss but I just don't understand why so many people persist in drinking when it's the biggest cause of Liver problems anyway? What's more important? Your Liver health or your alcohol?

[1960finas]

Hi what is PCB

[AyrshireK in reply to 1960finas]

PBC - Primary biliary cholangitis, previously known as primary biliary cirrhosis , is an autoimmune disease of the liver . It results from a slow, progressive destruction of the small bile ducts of the liver, causing bile and other toxins to build up in the liver, a condition called cholestasis .

[Pinky72 in reply to AyrshireK]

hello. I have pbc, can I take gaviscon for my acid reflux?

[AyrshireK in reply to Pinky72]

Check with your own doctor? It may be that you need an endoscopy to check what's going on in your upper GI tract. My hubby used to get horrific heartburn/indigestion/reflux and it turned out he had varices and portal hypertensive gastropathy and was then prescribed Omeprazole.A chemist would advise you on the gaviscon issue but your liver doctor also needs to know.

Katie

[Pinky72 in reply to AyrshireK]

Thank you for your advice. I will check with my liver specialist.

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Kadie71 if avoiding some foods and all alcohol can lessen your symptoms and slow down your disease (it does for me) it’s not such a hard choice. Treat yourself in other ways, pamper, have fun, treats that don’t make it harder for your liver to function. Your liver has 500 functions in your body and all of them are vital to you. You could lose many of these if you don’t do everything possible to preserve what you have. Some people can’t avoid taking drugs to offset acidity and other malfunctions, but if diet-change can mean you don’t have to take meds that all have side effects, you’d be better off to avoid the harmful foods. It’s not easy, but it’s not that difficult either once you’ve made your mind up to treat yourself more carefully! Be well! 🙂

[Phil64]

Hey there, sorry for my tardiness. I must admit it's totally unconfortable, yet fast. If ever I would need an other I will make sure they super freeze me or put me under.