Gastroscopy/heartburn...how to cope with it

[Tiger1962]

I can sympathize with you because I suffer from this as well. I have not had an endoscopy yet & I really need to.

I take Nexium twice a day but sometimes I don't always stay away from the foods I should and when that happens, I feel awful. Something else I use besides Nexium and it seems to help in conjunction with the meds is pure aloe vera juice. Specifically, I use a product called "Aloe Cure". There is a ton of information on GERD REFLUX on the Internet and I read aloe juice helps coat and soothe the throat. If you go to a health food store or a vitamin store, they sell it there. I use organic pure aloe vera juice and I mix it with a non-citrus type of juice because natural aloe juice tastes very bitter. I also buy aloe vera juice (the sweet kind) and you can find that in any Asian grocery store. I mix the pure aloe with the sweet kind and it goes down easy. I drink it either in the morning after breakfast or before I go to bed and it seems to neutralize the stomach acids.

Foods to stay away from: coffee, chocolate, pizza, any fried foods, tomato in any form, any citrus-type juices, soda's.....I drink water, herb tea and occasionally I can get away with drinking iced tea.

Check online though - there is a wealth of information on this problem and you can find recipes, home remedies, and other things to deal with it. I also put a couple pillows under my mattress to raise the head of my bed a bit because lying down flat only makes this condition worse. Don't eat 4 hours before you go to bed either. Good luck.

Hey guys. I just had a dreadful experience at the hospital yesterday. I had to undergo a gastroscopy (camera down the throat). This was because for about a year i have been suffering with very severe heartburn. I have been taking prescribed tablets for it but my Gp decided enough was enough and it was needing investigating. Oh the procedure itself was awful, i thought i was choking and gagging, so they had to sedate me.

Anyways my worst fears was cancer, ulcers or a hernia. Luckily for me the test came back clear, i was so relieved but now i'm frustrated because i'm back on the meds. How do you control heartburn? (if you have it). It's always worse when i train too which is awful because it rises up from my stomach, in to my chest and up my throat. I can't particulary tell what foods cause it either because i suffer after every meal.

I have been discharged from the hospital no because all my tests came back clear, they said it's all self help from now on...so any idea's guys?

[Fish]

I had that same test last year after collapsing when my oesophagus went into spasm while eating steak. Not a nice experience.

I have taken lansoprazole intermittently for gastric reflux but I think what works best is to try and eat slowly and drink plenty of water throughout the day. Also, to try to avoid too much stress, or at least not to internalise stress through worrying too much.

[bushido_man96]

I wish I could get my wife to stop worrying so much. Can't seem to work that trait out of people, though.

[Shotokan-kez]

no i think stress is a natural emotion thats very hard to surpress. All those things i listed i love, im a real coffee head, drink around 10-15 cups per day...i know that sounds bad but i do buy decaffinated lol

[bushido_man96]

no i think stress is a natural emotion thats very hard to surpress. All those things i listed i love, im a real coffee head, drink around 10-15 cups per day...i know that sounds bad but i do buy decaffinated lol

I drink my fair share of coffee as well, Kez. Only I drink leaded...

[Shotokan-kez]

Madness! Why can't we humans just resist temptation and keep away from those things bad lol

[Tiger1962]

I love coffee & tea and anything coffee flavored !

I think the acid in those drinks are what aggravates reflux rather than the caffeine. There is low acid coffee on the market though - - I bought some a while back and then I just cut back to one cup a day.

[Shotokan-kez]

That sounds cool tiger but me to have one cup a day would be abnormal lol If its not coffee it's cherry coke or pepsi and if it's not that it's fosters hehe. Maybe i should drink more water and fruit juice i can be quite naughty sometimes

[bushido_man96]

Definitely more water, Kez. I try not to drink too much pop, but I have been consuming more of it lately. That carbonation is just asking for reflux.

Blander foods may help with the heartburn as well.