Gerd and gaviscon

[Dodie66]

I've got really bad reflux and pain/spasms at top of stomach when eating
only managing to eat things like porridge and weetabix a bit at a time and had been regurgitating food a little bit because I got trapped burps
saw the GP on Monday given gaviscon and PPI and referred for endoscopy. I’ve started the gaviscon and it’s slightly better but I’m losing weight and can only eat small amounts. Trying to keep my fluids up. I’m wondering how long it takes to improve

As you can see by my user name I have gut issues.
I’ve had acid reflux since having covid last year (as far as I know) along with other symptoms.
ppi and gaviscon can help, but they only relieve symptoms and don’t get to the core issue. Gaviscon advance (make sure it’s advance) forms a raft over your stomach contents to stop acid coming up), ppi will stop it being overproduced, but it doesn’t work for everyone. Can take 4 weeks to kick in.
Diet is really important to heal damage from reflux - make sure you’re not eating acidic foods or drinks. Look at the Acid Watcher Diet book / it’s full-on but you can at least get an idea of what to do to help. The worst things to eat/drink are fizzy drinks, fruit juice, citrus fruit, alcohol, tomato sauce, garlic, onions, caffiene. Basically anything nice!!

it’s good you’ve got an endoscopy booked / I’ve just had my 2nd as my first was incomplete- they’ve found some inflammation in my duodenum and am awaiting biopsy results. Good luck!

I have been down this route OP. I have a slight hiatus hernia which is what is causing stomach acid to come back up my esophagus and causing that awful burning feeling plus not being able to eat and being sick.
For context they prescribed Lansoprazole to be taken every day which stops the stomach acid from burning the food pipe.
Lansoprazole is a calcium blocker and caused me to have immense pain in my joints.
I am now taking another tablet every day - Famotidine which works for me.
This GERD thing is no joke. It is distressing and debilitating and exhausting when you have been sick for hours and the only relief is when you finally sleep.
I hope you get sorted soon and wish you luck
My advice for the endoscopies is to be mildly sedated so you relax. I have had them without any help and found it hard. Each to their own.

Thank you so much for replying. I really appreciate it. I’ve just had a call from the hospital endoscopy next Tuesday. I’m so scared. They said to get some sedatives from the GP to calm me down. Also they said not to take the PPI for a few days before the procedure hardly eaten today. A bit of weetabix and a bowl of porridge

Dodie66 so sorry you're going through this. You can take Gaviscon while you're not allowed to take the PPI. I have an inflamed oesophagus and have had two endos recently. Definitely ask for sedation. Try custard or yogurt with honey, scrambled eggs, anything soft that goes down easily.

Thanks for the advice. I’ll try that 🙂🙂@sunshinesupermum how bad did yours get. I get bad pain with just a little bit of food

I had a burning sensation and when I ate too late in the evening I started coughing and bringing up food that lodged itself in the oesophagus. Now I finish eating latest by 8.30. I have a hiatus hernia which is the original cause of the problems. I take large dosage of a PPI. Good luck with your endo and getting some answers x

I have similar. Started 2 months ago. GP referred me for urgent gastroscopy which I had 2 weeks ago. It showed gastritis, duodenitis, oesophagitis and a haitus hernia. They took biopsies and did a ct scan, not got results yet.
I wasn't given any dietary advice though. After feeling much better on ppis I got worse again this week. I ate pretty much everything on @Boredofmyguts list on Monday, maybe that's why!
Eating small and often is so alien to me I don't think I could ever get used to it, I have always eaten at 8, 12 and 6pm and nothing in between.

I'm concerned at the prospect of taking PPIs long term, aren't they bad for bones?

@Lavenderu - oh dear re all those diagnoses. Sorry but you’ll def need to be v careful around food. It’s so crap that gastroenterologists don’t give dietary advice. Def check out the Acid Watcher Diet - I mainly stick to it apart from when I go out as it’s impossible to eat out on it really, but I still avoid obvious stuff.
I’ve just found out my endoscopy picked up h-pylori but my stool test was negative, I have an appointment on Sunday to discuss treatment.
long/term ppi use isn’t great but you can probably take supplements to help. I’ll have to go back on them now but not touching lanzaprozole - it gave me such bad wind I was practically sharting!!