Is it reflux? Or what is it? Please!

[Basel-m]

Hi there,

In March 2016 i started feeling the back of my mouth and throat are some sort of dry and annoying. At that time we had a friend who was diagnosed with Oesophageal Cancer and sadly his case was terminal.

Anyway, I had absolutely no idea why my throat continued to be dry and annoying. Eventually I went to the doctor and he had no idea too, so he sent me to a specialist. They inserted a camera through my nose which I absolutely hated. The specialist then told me, it was reflux that was burning my throat.

All what came to my mind, was our friend who was dying from this horrible Oesophageal cancer.

I didn’t know what to do and I wasn’t advised to take anything for it. I had to go back to my doctor again and I asked him what can I do about it. It is driving me mad.

I was prescribed ranitidine. It helped a little, but not a great deal.

I was on ranitidine for a few months. Then around November 2017 I started feeling like a little burn in my chest and at the top of my stomach. Back to the doctor, I told him ranitidine is not doing great deal, and now I’m on lansoprazole since a few months.

I’m taking 30mg per day in the morning. But sadly this awful reflux thing still there.

I can eat very well, I sleep well, in fact when I sleep I feel better. I try to be good with drinks and food, I’m not really over weight.

If it’s reflux, it is so annoying, I don’t think people who don’t suffer from reflux they understand how uncomfortable it is.

I’m now waiting for endoscopy which I feel I want to cry if I think about it.

Is it actually reflux? And if it’s, why lansoprazol and ranitidine did the help?

Is it going to be forever? What’s going on? Any other tablets can someone suggest?

It’s so depressing, no idea what to do.

I just don’t understand it, I eat well, I sleep well, I don’t feel sick or anything like that. It’s just that constant burning sensation. I’m also taking Gaviscon when needed.

How long you people had acid reflux for? What could happen? Anything can be done about it?

Please!!!!!!!!

[JanA]

Im 10 years after my op for oesphagus cancer & i still take 30g of lanzoprazile every morning, but i dont get any reflux.

Have bed head higher as well.

Cheers

Jan

[jeffw663]

Never had reflux, burning in the chest or dry throat yet diagnosed with a tumor in my esophagus last year, removed 100% with the Ivor Lewis op.

The sooner you have the endoscopy the better, get put out for it and it is not a difficult procedure, nothing to fear, I also had a second with an Ultra Sound endoscopy as well.

I'm almost 1 year post op and enjoying life.

Nothing to fear you can only benefit from the endoscopy.

Jeff

[Basel-m in reply to jeffw663]

Thank you so much Jeff. I’m really pleased for you that you’re enjoying a normal life. I got a bit emotional when I read that.

Can I just ask, you never had reflux nor dry throat, what symptoms did you have then?

My friend who was diagnosed 3 years ago, couldn’t swallow and had pain.

Hope you enjoy life for many many more years.

Basel

[jeffw663 in reply to Basel-m]

Thank you for your kind good wishes.

I had problems swallowing some foods, no pain at all, just difficulty with certain foods, the tumor was growing and starting to block my esophagus so I could only eat things like shepherds pie, cauliflower cheese etc.

Don't be frightened of the endoscopy, when I had my first I was the only one of the mornings intake who had something nasty found, and by having it, they found the tumor soon enough to be able to do something about it.

Jeff

[Vinter]

Dont worry about the endoscopy - I had mine in April and was nervous before bit it was over in a jiffy (5 minutes or so). I had mine without sedation and although it was uncomfortable, I recovered really quickly after.

I have GORD and a Hiatus Hernia, they put me on 40mg Omeprazole. I find the medication alone doesnt help, I have to have a strict ”acid friendly” diet (no coffee, tea, alcohol, chocolate, citrus fruit, cows milk, wheat, tomatoes, uncooked onions or garlic). There is a brilliant book on Amazon ”Acid Watchers Diet” which gives a plan for a month long ”healing phase” (took me about 2 weeks before feeling a difference) followed by a maintenance phase.

Also, I was advised to take my meds in the evening (as reflux gets worse when lying down at night) and to raise the top of my bed approx 15-20 cm.

I hope you get better soon. It is a tricky condition to deal with.

(aplogies for any typos - posted via phone)

[Basel-m in reply to Vinter]

Hi Vinter,

Thank you so much for this.

I’m on Omeprazole at the moment, waiting for my endoscopy.

It’s strange, I feel better when I’m lying down and I sleep well. But when I wake up and have any drink I start feeling the reflux. I stopped coffee and tea months ago. I feel some burn in my stomach sometimes. I eat well, I don’t feel sick or anything like that. But I can feel constant reflux sometimes even with tablets.

I’m so confused, perhaps the endoscopy will explain.

I know I shouldn’t drink alcohol, and I don’t everyday, but when I do, I don’t feel as much reflux.

Thank you so much for your support.

I really hope your diet and tablets help you. I know it’s a tricky condition. It makes me feel depressed thinking it could be there for as long as I’m alive.

Fingers crossed for you.

Basel