Ray

Did you give up smoking recently as well ????????????

Rockgurl

It's true...as a nurse in England I never heard this expression (GERD), and you might hear in passing that someone complained of heartburn, but here in the US I actually receive that as part of the diagnosis of the patient....I think it must be the crappy diet over here.

anotherlimey

My brother ( a UK doctor ) and my mum ( a UK nurse) both tell me it's caused by over-eating.

I've found this to be correct, you can try it yourself by going to McDonalds and ordering the Supersize/large double quarter pounder meal with a coke and 10 psuedo-chicken nuggets. Save 3/4 the coke until after the meal, then quickly drink it.

ladylisa

Im no Doctor (unfortunately would love to earn that kind of money) however I've heard that the drugs for Acid Reflux make the condition worse. They take all the acids away and therefore your body produces more and overcompensates.

Franklin

Acid Reflux disease can have serious consequences (e.g., damage to the linings of the esophagus, cancer of the esophagus). I seem to recall a famous retired Chicago football player who had this condition and because the potential seriousness of the condition did not seek appropriate medical attention so it went largely untreated (he thought it was just heart burn). He acquired cancer of the esophagus and later died. I still remember his press conference, he was tearful as were his family and friends. It was a very sad press conference because his cancer had become untreatable and he said did not have long to live and he strongly encouraged folks to learn from his mistake and see their medical doctor.

Lesley1020

Well that sucks!!!! I have no clue what Impetigo is but it sounds scarey! :scared:

Hoe you feel better soon! Definitely be careful with those insurance limits! I got informed last week I have exceeded mine and got hit with a $350 bill for a doc's visit

doctor scrumpy

You can find sympathy in a dictionary, bewteen Shit & Syphalis ( Old saying )

snowbunny

Any chance you're under stress, CitySimon? which would lower your immune system, making it harder to fight impetigo, worsening indigestion, etc?

I've learned to celebrate the times when I am NOT sick since I tend to catch everything the kids bring home (and some stuff they manage to avoid!). Really. On days when I feel really well I try to luxuriate in it

USBound

What was the medicine they gave you?

... I was diagnosed with GERD about 7months ago... and while I do sometimes overeat (those sunday lunches are too nice) I don't do it on a daily basis. My doctor gave me a list of foods that cause it and basically said..

Stop eating these foods and it will go away... or... take this pill once per day

I tired both... and she was correct... stopping the food for 1.5 weeks made the problem go away.... however I like pizza and other spicy/rich foods far too much so I opted for the pills.. they work and give me ZERO problems.

Pills : Aciphex (20mg) - $160/month ($7 on my insurance)

foods :
any tomato puree based food
curry
many cheap (sharp) cheeses
MSG based food (and its derivatives) - 95% of chinese food.


hope this helps.... my doctor has written many articles on this subject and I read them all (those waiting rooms are full of it). The reason its NOT noted/common in the UK is that we DON'T use many of the chemicals used here in the US. None MSG chinese is FAR more common, curry is natural (unless you go tikka) and cheese is REAL (ie made from milk), Pizza/Italian is FAR more natural than here too; its not considered FAST FOOD in the UK, more of a treat.

The upshot is... its caused by food manufacturers taking shortcuts by using chemicals aproved by the drug companies who then sell us the medicine to fix the problem too. No wonder they are aLL rich

Franklin

Yes ... if you are accurately reporting what your doctor said/wrote, then your doctor has not explained why certain chemicals in certain foods cause acid stomach (in some cases the GERD form of acid stomach) ... what is the exact chemical explanation? Just saying certain foods or certain chemical ingredients cause it ... is not explaining why it happens.

NC Penguin

I'm probably not alone when I say I don't like your bedside manner...




NC Penguin

sel

Gastroesophageal reflux is a normal phenomenon. It typically occurs transiently after eating. Gastro esophageal reflux disease(GERD) is the condition where degree of exposure of esophageal mucosa to gastric contents is greater than normal. The most common symptom is heartburn but patients may have other symptoms.

http://www.diagnosishealth.com/gerd.htm

Franklin

No doubt there are probably several factors that play a role, e.g., the amount of acid in the stomach (related to pH of the stomach), a person's particular disposition (re: flow of gastric juices into the esophagus, e.g., patient specific lack of restrictive control at the junction between the stomach and the esophagus), chemicals that cause more acid to be released inside the stomach, etc. The devil is nearly always in the detail, but what is it about certain foods that stimulate the proton pumps that line the stomach? What is the chemical explanation - which molecules, which part of what molecules cause this? There has to be a physical/chemical reason why the proton pumps become more active. What exactly causes this phenomenon?

NC Penguin

MSG (monosodium glutumate) has derivatives and these can be harmful to one's health. Here's a list of hidden sources of MSG: (look for these ingredients on labels):

Glutamate
Calcium caseinaate
Sodium caseinate
Gelatin
Modified food starch
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Hydrolyzed protein
Hydrolyzed oat flour
Textured protein
Natural flavoring
Yeast extract
Yeast food
Autolyzed yeast
Yeast nutrient
Anything fermented
Anything Ultra pasteurized
Barley Malt
Carrageenan
Plant protein extract
Potassium glutamate
Soy protein
Whey protein

Drinks, candy, and chewing guy are also potential sources of hidden MSG. MSG sensitive people have reported reactions to soaps, shampoos, hair conditioners and cosmetics that contain hidden MSG.



NC Penguin

alien species

looks like beer is off the menu then....!!...just when things were looking really bleak..

a short dose of zantec helped me a treat. all the best for a speedy recovery.

ps, i know a good nurse