The old Acid Reflux worries

[tag]

Hello,

It's been a while since I last posted on here but after a period of relative calm brought on by reassuring medical tests and pyschotherapy I'm afraid I find myself back in the doldrums.

I'm currently experiencing what I perceive to be acid reflux/gastritis symptoms - random pains in the chest, often in the middle (both front and back) - a tickly cough, occasional sore throat, etc.
It has been going on for a couple of weeks now and just in the last 24 hours I have noticed a pain in my chest/back very soon after eating food or drinking hot drinks.

In October of last year I underwent the lovely OGD/camera down the throat procedure (without sedation..:doh:) and all was clear, minus a bit of inflammation, and my mind was put as rest seeing as my over-riding fear is Oesophegeal (SP?) cancer having been a smoker until a couple of years ago - giving up at the age of 39 - and enjoying a drink..

I saw my GP yesterday who has put me back on a lowish dose of Omeprazole (the proton-pump inhibitor medication) to settle things down & he told me that if there were anything nasty going on in my gullet it would have been picked up by the test back last Autumn.

He listened to my chest, poked & prodded & said he wasn't concerned. I'm desperate to believe what he says but I just have this morbid fear that in the intervening 5 months since the camera test something's appeared.

I know he's the one with the years of medical experience and training but I'm just back in the middle of awful doubt which I thought I'd managed to overcome with my Health Anxiety therapy. :sad:

Sorry to ramble but I think I just needed to vent..

Thanks.

[xtremx]

Hi,

I have had acid reflux for more years than I care to remember and for about 4 years my doctors wanted to ram a camera down my throat and I keep putting it off.

What a twit I was end the end it was not as bad as I thought it would be (I had mine done via the nose).

But after years of really bad pain and reflux (and nearly 15 years of being a heavy drinker) I thought I was going to get some really bad news but in the end on a scale of grade of 1-5 I was only a grade 1.

So after hearing that my reflux seems to have calmed down and I have been on omeprazole for around 5 years.. was told to take 20mg twice a day but I have cut down to just one a day and so far so good still have the odd bad day but that's is because sometimes I will eat the wrong food.

Try to figure out what foods trigger your reflux... Mine are Cornish Pasties (and I live in cornwall) also Crisps are a major no no for me (I still have the odd bag but) and also eating before bedtime is something I rule out.

Your Doctor is right if when they examined they found nothing of worry it would really be the same now.

I still live with reflux but it is all about management and trying to just take what the doctors have told you.

And a vent is always good

[tag]

Thanks ever so much for the wise words - I'm sorry to hear that you suffer with the same thing but it's very reassuring to know that I'm not the only one.

Getting to grips with my diet is definitely on my list of things to sort out - unfortunately being on the go the whole time means it's only too easy to eat & drink badly but with a bit of effort (and common sense) I am sure I can help isolate the problem foods. I've a fair idea what sort of stuff doesn't help & it's good to have the reminder too, cheers..

As for putting off the camera appointment, I can truly sympathise - it wasn't the most fun I've ever had, but the reassurance at the end of what was (for me at least) a quick procedure made it worthwhile & I'm glad that you seem to have found the same.

Thanks again for the message - it's much appreciated.

All the best. :)