Anxiety, acid reflx and shoulder and bad ache

[cheesy pete]

Hi all,

Still struggling a bit with the acid reflux but seems to be on the mend - endoscopy soon hopefully! Can the acid reflux cause shoulder and back ache or maybe the anxiety? The acidic burn element seems to be gone but still feel a bit of discomfort in the mid chest but i'm assuming that shoulder and back from reflux also?

As the gp said to me on Wednesday, well we know your ticker's ok and for the first time in ages i actually believed him!

[sammi]

I get a lot of shoulder back pain I also have diagnosed with acid reflux but don't really get the burning sensation. It confuses me x

[uk23]

I get the burning, pain in shoulder and ribs/chest - had an endoscopy a few years a go and they said mild gastritis - put on some pills then and they seemed to help for a bit.

if you have any antacids you could try one, see if it helps.

[cheesy pete]

Hi Sammi,

thanks for the message. have to confess that i haven't had too bad burning sensation at all of late but had back and shoulder pain today - seems weird to me as well!

[cheesy pete]

hi uk23

i've got some antacids so let's hope they do the trick!

[sammi]

I take lanzoprazole not really working tho x

[cheesy pete]

i've started back on lanzaprazole as the omeprazole didn't agree with me

[uk23]

Some other things that can help with reflux:

1) Motilium/Domperidone - this moves the stomach contents through quicker and can help a lot to relieve that bloated and full feeling with reflux. It is also marketed as an anti emetic.
Available: Prescription and OTC

2) Zantac/Ranitidine - this reduces acid production, its not like drugs such as Omeprazole which actually stop production.
Available: Prescription and OTC (75mg only)

3) Gaviscon - this is designed mostly for reflux. It creates a barrier which is supposed to lock the acid etc in the stomach.
Available: Prescription and OTC

4) Wind-Eze/Simethicone - this makes any trapped air in the stomach form into larger bubbles, either forces them upwards or down. They can be very helpful but get the chewable ones, the gell caps don't seem to be as good.
Available: OTC

5) There is a huge amount of research on the internet to suggest that many cases of reflux are actually caused by too little acid in the stomach. I found this hard to believe but basically it seems then where there is too little acid the stomach moves about more and forces acid the wrong way. I have read so many reports on people curing their reflux by drinking apple cider vinegar! I myself found that sometimes having something really acidic like a can of Coke or Oasis actually helps.

I'm sure you knew all of that already but someone on here might find one of the points helpful.

Piers

[cheesy pete]

Cheers Piers,

Learning more information all the time so everything is welcome. Tend to use gaviscon as my crutch to double up with the lanzaprazole

[sammi]

I get a lot of pain under the breast bone x

[cheesy pete]

ooohhh sounds nasty. I tend to get under ribs at the side - well at least i think it's the reflux maybe anxiety

[sammi]

I do too but its not burning just pain it hurts to breath in n out sometimes. Do you ever get it right in the top of your chest just below ther coller bone x

[cheesy pete]

i don't get it there but at times i feel it is more than an effort it should be from a breathing point of view. Starting to find it very tiring - but i'm sure i'm not alone.

[sammi]

Yeah. Well I hope you feel better soon hun x

[cheesy pete]

Thanks and i hope you do too

[sammi]

Thankyou x

[ginny]

Try slippery elm tea or capsules (tea is best) for acid reflux. It's very soothing and healing. Get it from a good supplier though such as http://www.yourhealthfoodstore.co.uk/