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View Full Version : Ranatidine not helping reflux - advice needed please.



jenza20
28-02-10, 18:30
It's been days of pain and misery now and I will be going to my Doctors tomorrow.

I have suffered reflux in the past and ranatidine usually worked. This time however, it is doing nothing. I would've thought 3 or 4 days of taking it would make some difference (as well as using gaviscon) but it isn't which is making me wonder if it is reflux?

My symptoms include:

Constant stomach ache. It's a pain in the very centre of my stomach, pretty much where the navel is.
A very weird feeling in the back of my throat. It is not acid coming back or at least doesn't feel like that as I've had acid coming back up before. It is a cold-like feeling when I breathe and has been painful today.
I feel like I need to regurgitate something? I don't feel nauseas, or even completely blocked. It just feels like there is something in the osophagus or pit of my stomach that needs to come up. No sickness as yet.
Chest pain. Or more chest 'fullness'. Just generally uncomfortable.
Bloating - particularly upper abdomen. Very painful bloating too at that.
Belching - I know this is a symptom but is not relieving the pain.


Sometimes it is very slightly relieved when eating something small but it sure comes back with vengeance a short time later.

It is making my life hell. Not only am I not enjoying going out, eating, drinking, socialising etc., but it is making my health anxiety rocket. I keep thinking a large tumour in my stomach is growing and consuming me. It's absolutely horrific and I can't concentrate on anything else. I am feeling a rubbish mother. I am trying hard but these symptoms are making me so miserable.

I appreciate any help please. I have read lots of the reflux threads but I don't really get the heartburn. I also was told ranatidine would work brilliantly and it used to but now it isn't, I'm wondering why it isn't? Has anyone else had ranatidine that didn't work and if so, what do you use now?

Thanks in advance.

ste1200
28-02-10, 18:56
Hi,

3 years ago I had Gastritis which took me ages to get rid of. Since then, I've had all sorts of symptoms similar to yours. My stomach felt bloated and I couldn't relax it as it was too painful and had to tense it all the time. I felt like I had something in my throat and had to swallow 2 or 3 times to try and get rid of the sensation. I think alot of it was brought on by stress, although I did do alot of self help.

I stopped taking ranitidine and lanzaprazole and stuck to Gaviscon. I take acidophilus after meals and drink Aloe Vera 3 times a day. I also take ginger capsules and have a healthy diet and now exercise regularly. I thought it would never get any better, but fingers crossed I'm OK at the moment.

Try some of what I've suggested and see how you get on.

Ste

hannybun
28-02-10, 19:11
Hello

Snap! I had this last year and had an endoscopy nothing showed up tho took antibiotics for a chest infection and it just went away. I feel for you it is awful I struggled to drink. xx

melvin
28-02-10, 19:27
hi i have chest pain with mine my doc says its acid i don't know though as sometimes i feel i cant breath i get chest pain around center of chest not long back i had sore throat for 8 wks i had biopsies and cams a very stressful time thought i had cancer turns out i had acid reflux i did not even taste it

jenza20
28-02-10, 19:41
Thank you for your replies. I spend so much time obsessing over my symptoms and fears that it is just wasting my life away. Ironically I have avoided going to the Dr because I am terrified he will insist I have an endoscopy or further tests that may reveal it is something serious which is bizarre as I technically self-diagnose myself with a serious illness anyway?! This health anxiety is probably the worst condition of the lot. It's the HA that probably stops me from living, not all the other conditions.

Will see Doctor tomorrow and see what he suggests before I end up on medicine to calm my nerves!!

ste1200
01-03-10, 20:31
I had an endoscopy with no injection, and also a sigmoidoscopy. Both are not as bad as you think. The thing with Ranitidine and stuff like that, that inhibit the acid so you only get a small cupful of acid a day. If you miss one, you get a large cupful which can be awful and make you really anxious and set you back weeks. Try and get yourself off it and stick to gaviscon and try the other stuff I mentioned previous. Positive thinking ! Let me know how you get on.

Typer
01-03-10, 20:52
You could try the cider vinegar method as shown in the sticky at the top re PVC's and palps