| Ask A Doctor |
|
The Ask A Doctor message board provided a medium for sufferers of Heartburn and Gerd to ask questions about medical and surgical options for heartburn and receive answers directly from experienced Gastroesophageal surgeons.
Please Note!!! The Ask A Doctor message board is now a read only message board. Since May 1, 2000 the Doctors have answered over 1500 questions that have been posted to the board. We join you in thanking the doctors for performing this excellent service.
Additional Ask A Doctor message boards can be viewed at Message Board
[ Contents | Search | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: jc
Date: 06/06/00
Time: 15:12:48
I have suffered for ten years from the following symptoms: severe upper abdominal pain after eating and often when not eating; burning sensation/heartburn from upper stomach to throat every day, often for hours at a time; nausea which comes in waves during the day but especially when I wake up in the morning; acidic taste in back of throat; difficulty in swallowing food at times. During the past eight months I have also had a persistant cough which lingered after I contracted pneumonia. I was surprised to get pneumonia as I am only 36. Could this be linked to acid reflux? Anyway, after the symptoms grew intolerable I was referred to a specialist and undertook a 24 esohageal Ph test and a manometry test with the hope (and I know this might sound masochistic) that I would be a suitable candidate for fundplication surgery - so that I could recover my life. However, the tests having been done, I am told there is no major disfunction of the esophageal tract. During the tests my symptoms weren't as bad as they often are. Could this have an effect on the results? I cannot face having to go back onto my PPIs and motilium (for nausea) for the rest of my life - especially since they seem not to work properly. I am in despair and the quality of my life is deteriorating rapidly. Any advice?