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Sundae · 08-13-2008, 03:52 PM

Just come through approx 2 hours of the worst acid reflux I have had in my life. I mean, holding onto the table and wondering if I should be going to A&E type pain.

I knew I would get through it, I was 95% sure it was just heartburn/ reflux whatever. But although it's been a problem for me in the past, I've never had anything like this.

I'll get a doctors appointment tomorrow. After doing some research, the cut off point for discussing it with a GP is two weeks, or if you get it more than twice a week. Both of which apply to me. I haven't detailed it here because heartburn sounds like such a wimpy complaint. It's been making me miserable for a while now though. It's almost definitely aggravated by my weight, not helped by the broken futon I sleep on that tilts my body doownwards and quite possibly affected by being stressed at present.

The doc might just send me away and tell me to buy some Gaviscon (something I intend to do tomorrow anyway) but I want to push him about whether I should be on PPIs for a while. My Uncle has Barrett's Oesophagus which potentially runs in families. I'm not saying I have it, just that if it is something my family are prone to, I want my GP to know so he can help me come to the right decision.

For those who haven't heard of it, it's a condition where the lining of the oesophagus is damaged by the acid leaking from the stomach. The damaged cells become pre-cancerous, and although the additional risk is only 0.5-1.5% the cancer is very hard to treat (25% cure rate IF caught early and WITH pretty drastic surgery). Uncle Jim will have to have regular endoscopies from now on. It is more prevalent in males however and more common in the over 40s. It's advice I'll be asking for mostly.

08-13-2008, 03:52 PM	#2372
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Just come through approx 2 hours of the worst acid reflux I have had in my life. I mean, holding onto the table and wondering if I should be going to A&E type pain. I knew I would get through it, I was 95% sure it was just heartburn/ reflux whatever. But although it's been a problem for me in the past, I've never had anything like this. I'll get a doctors appointment tomorrow. After doing some research, the cut off point for discussing it with a GP is two weeks, or if you get it more than twice a week. Both of which apply to me. I haven't detailed it here because heartburn sounds like such a wimpy complaint. It's been making me miserable for a while now though. It's almost definitely aggravated by my weight, not helped by the broken futon I sleep on that tilts my body doownwards and quite possibly affected by being stressed at present. The doc might just send me away and tell me to buy some Gaviscon (something I intend to do tomorrow anyway) but I want to push him about whether I should be on PPIs for a while. My Uncle has Barrett's Oesophagus which potentially runs in families. I'm not saying I have it, just that if it is something my family are prone to, I want my GP to know so he can help me come to the right decision. For those who haven't heard of it, it's a condition where the lining of the oesophagus is damaged by the acid leaking from the stomach. The damaged cells become pre-cancerous, and although the additional risk is only 0.5-1.5% the cancer is very hard to treat (25% cure rate IF caught early and WITH pretty drastic surgery). Uncle Jim will have to have regular endoscopies from now on. It is more prevalent in males however and more common in the over 40s. It's advice I'll be asking for mostly.