Heartburn and Acid Reflux is More Than Just Annoying

Traffichelp4U - Providing Website Traffic Info 24/7

Today Is:

Heartburn and Acid Reflux is More Than Just Annoying

Heartburn, GERD, Acid reflux disease or whatever you want to call it are terms that are used to describe anything from mild indigestion to severe digestive distress that feels like a heart attack. I do not have, nor have I ever had an ulcer, H-pylori or any other stomach ailment but I have been treated for acid reflux for 30-years.

I am unusual in that I just feel constantly hungry if I do not treat my acid reflux daily. I know I am not hungry because I will have just had a meal. Thirty minutes can go by and I will feel famished. This just can't be. Since we all look after our weight it is not so good for me that I should want to eat all the time. I take one little pill each morning for heartburn before I brush my teeth to prevent this unrequited hunger.

Acid reflux is more than just a nuisance. People who have untreated chronic indigestion or heartburn do not realize that the lining of their esophagus is at risk of being eaten away or worse getting cancer. In simple terms the esophagus is a tube that is approximately 9 inches long that connects your pharynx (throat) to your stomach. The reflux part of this disease is acid, bile, and pepsin that is up-chucked into your throat and burns away at the lining of your throat. My reflux just makes me feel very hungry even when I know I am not.

Treatment could be as easy as taking an over the counter medication like Zantac or Prilosec. Both of these drugs used to be obtained by prescription only but the patent ran out so it is now offered at your drug store over the counter. You may have to ask someone to help you since they keep these and other costly medications locked in special cabinets that require an attendant?s assistance.

If this does not work after a few weeks then you should see a doctor. No way around it. An internist or a gastrologist, stomach doctor, is what you need to seek. Insurance plans can make suggestion of who is on your plan and in network. Word to the wise - make sure the doctor and the testing facility are both in network or you can get hosed. These tests involving stomach acids like a lower GI's, CAT scans etc are expensive so make sure you protect yourself.

Treatment could be as simple as a more powerful prescription drug like Prevacid or something else. No matter. You should get looked at immediately!

Unless pregnant, once you begin experiencing acid reflux it is usually a lifelong ailment. I can attest to that fact since I have at it since I was 19 and am now over 50 years old. I M U S T take my medication everyday rain of shine or I will experience symptoms. It has never gotten any better.

Generally after meal time is when most people feel the effects of acid reflux. The contents of their stomach trigger the digestive acids that are required to digest food normally. What goes wrong for sufferers is that the biles and acids are not confine to the stomach but regurgitate into the throat. It affects some people a lot more severely than what I experience. For some it is so bad it is likened to a heart attack. Why not get treated? Why would you wait around and not take care of yourself? What is stopping you?

My brother used to constantly eat Tums. He didn?t think there was a problem until I said, ?Hey! Why do you eat those things all the time?? He told me about always having acid and he takes them for heartburn. He now takes Prilosec everyday, whether he feels like it or not for acid reflux. He has not felt bad in a long time. He says occasionally he has to take two in a day when he has been gastro excessive (overeaten) or eating like a P.I.G.

Content Provider http://www.traffichelp4u.com

More About Ellen Mathers:
If you need more timely data on reflux disease, be sure to check out my blog where you can find more vital resources about stomach acid.

If you enjoy this article please take the time to rate it, or share it at your favorite bookmarking network.

Print This Article