Help, I think I'm dying of heartburn

[GotWake88]

I have GERD. Bad. I have had it under control lately(as in bearable pain). I am on 2 40 mg protonix(PPI) per day. But tonight, It is completely out of control. I took my medicine. I took a zantac150 about an hour ago. I am out of milk(which usually helps). I do not know what to do. Right now, I am in complete and utter unbearable pain. Unimagineable pain. I can imagine only chemo being more painful than this. I am burping every 3 seconds; very painful burps. Does anybody know anything household that may help this pain? I wish I had some milk, but I have no car to go get some.

I'm afraid that if this doesn't stop soon, it may lead to esophageal cancer...

GotWake88 Reviewed by GotWake88 on 06-14-2007. Help, I think I'm dying of heartburn I have GERD. Bad. I have had it under control lately(as in bearable pain). I am on 2 40 mg protonix(PPI) per day. But tonight, It is completely out of control. I took my medicine. I took a zantac150 about an hour ago. I am out of milk(which usually helps). I do not know what to do. Right now, I am in complete and utter unbearable pain. Unimagineable pain. I can imagine only chemo being more painful than this. I am burping every 3 seconds; very painful burps. Does anybody know Rating: 5

[birdgirl73]

Of course you're worried. That's miserable. Are you standing or sitting upright? And has your doctor told you milk is beneficial? Because mine said it's not at all helpful. You could try some chewable Maalox or something calcium-carbonate-like to help absorb some of the acid till your Zantac kicks in.

When I was younger and had terrible GERD, one of the things that helped before the proton pump inhibitor medicine kicked in, besides sitting upright or standing, was to suck on pieces of ice. Also, I trust you're taking your Protonix daily as a preventative and not just when the symptoms have already begun. And are you watching what you eat (meats, fried foods, greasy stuff, late-at-night eating)? And did you know smoking--yes, cannabis, too--can be an esophageal irritant?

Hope you feel better soon, babe. I know that's agonizing.

[FakeBoobsRule]

Of course you're worried. That's miserable. Are you standing or sitting upright? And has your doctor told you milk is beneficial? Because mine said it's not at all helpful. You could try some chewable Maalox or something calcium-carbonate-like to help absorb some of the acid till your Zantac kicks in.

Birdgirl, did you know that antacids that contain calcium are the least effective antacids? Calcium stimulates acid production by the stomach so calcium carbonate will neutralize stomach acid initially but will cause your stomach to produce more acid 30-60 minutes later? Preparations containing aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide are much more effective! Now everyone is going to say "stay away from aluminum!" This is why milk will provide initial relief too because it is slightly basic but then the calcium starts things back up so overall it isn't very effective.

Sugar is the exact antithesis of acid, and should neutralize it rather efectively. I haven't tried it for heartburn myself, but it does chemically neutralize acids extremely well. So try stirring some into a glass of water and drinking that

Actually, the antithesis of acid is something basic. Sugar water might provide some relief ( I've never tried it) but not because it is neutralizing acid. Sugar water should be close to neutral on the pH scale. Did you ever mix vinegar and baking soda to make those foam volcanos in school? That is because they are neutralizing each other and forming salts while giving off gas. Vinegar is the acid, baking soda is the base.

Gotwake does your doctor have you on reglan(metoclopromide)?

[GotWake88]

I haven't heard of reglan.
My doctor didn't tell me that milk was good or bad, but it helps neutralize it and coat the esophaegus. I havent smoked in about two weeks, but it was actually much better when I was toking regularly. I don't know what it was, it may just have been the stress releif; because my doctor said stress will make it much much worse.

Since I posted, I found ice cream, and had a little bit(anything creamy helps me). And the zantac started to kick in, so i feel better for the most part. that did suck ass for a while though.

thanks for the advice guys. ill have to try the sugar or ice sometime.

[FakeBoobsRule]

If you are burping every 3 minutes you might want to take something with simethicone in it to relieve the gas/pressure which might help with the GERD.

There is a ring of muscles around the base of the esophagus and the top of the stomach. Reglan will help increase muscle tone there and help keep things from coming back up. If you are having to take 2 Protonix and Zantac, it might be something your doctor should prescribe you since yoiu are still having trouble.

[rastaman79]

u tried dry white bread? works for me,ease up on the milk,i know it tastes nice n cold and all that,but the acid in your gut turns the milk sour.

[chantoke]

milk is fine. it's close to neutral than the pH of your stomach so it can calm things down. i didn't know it upregulated acid production of your stomach for later. either way it's not a good way to treat reflux long term because your esophagus is still exposed to acid chronically--this can turn into something ugly like cancer or barrett's later.

smoking cigarettes, coffee, and a lot of over the counter medications can make reflux worse.

reglan can definitely help. only problem is that its main side effect is lowered mentation--you get a little slower/sleepier on it.

if your reflux is really that bad and doesn't go away for a long time, you can have a surgery called a nissen fundoplication. it's very invasive and doesn't always work. it's usually a last resort for people who are going to develop esophageal cancer if they don't control their reflux.

there is little to no research on the effects of marijuana on reflux. some have suggested that it be used as a treatment for reflux because of cannabinoid receptors in the gi tract. this is still theoretical though.

[fatsackville]

pickles
DILL pickles

and lots of then like 3 - 6 average size pickles
or 1 or 2 of the huge ones thats some stores sell single if you can get them is even better.

i have tried all kinds of things the nexium pills work pretty good but nothing works like dill pickles, i dont know why it works i think its its the dill, or the vinegar idk i only know it works

[chantoke]

haha! i just imagined you at a booth in a carnival trying to sell dill pickles. not sure why it fit, but it completely did.

[slipknotpsycho]

I have GERD. Bad. I have had it under control lately(as in bearable pain). I am on 2 40 mg protonix(PPI) per day. But tonight, It is completely out of control. I took my medicine. I took a zantac150 about an hour ago. I am out of milk(which usually helps). I do not know what to do. Right now, I am in complete and utter unbearable pain. Unimagineable pain. I can imagine only chemo being more painful than this. I am burping every 3 seconds; very painful burps. Does anybody know anything household that may help this pain? I wish I had some milk, but I have no car to go get some.

I'm afraid that if this doesn't stop soon, it may lead to esophageal cancer...

i wake in the middle of th enight EVERYNIGHT with such bad 'heart burn' i want to puke.... only rabid swallowing seems to keep it under control.. if i stop swallowing.. i start getting worse...

milk don't help anymore
shit like malox don't help
water dont' help

no matter what i drink matter of fact maeks it start up worse... or hit worse..



it really sucks to be kept up all night cuz you constantly feel like you swallowed freshely cooked, flaming hot food... and nothing helps.... i don't know what to do anymore


but i did try some Pepcid AC pills (not the tums wannabes or chewables) from my grandma's cabinet in desperation... takes about an hour or two to kick in... but it deos help.... not so helpful in getting rid of symptoms.... but ti's supposed to be one of those double medicines..... where you can either take it when you get the symptoms and it's supposed to disappear (which doesn't happen) or you can take it before to prvent (which does work)..

you just gotta nail all the foods/drinks that causes it, then you're home free unless you wanna/can afford keep seeing a dcotor... i can't afford ot keep goign to a doctor so pepcid ac for me.... only thing that works.