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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / October 2006Health purrs please
I've had this really weird and embarassing health problem for six years (no, it's not BO :P ) - I hiccup and burp all the time and feel like I can't breathe right and there's crud in my throat, and when I go to bed at night I have a strong tendancy to wake myself up either with the above or with outright choking... I'll go from a sound sleep to sitting bolt upright in bed gasping for breath with my heart pounding. I always thought it was just part of my general neurosis and anxiety and I was 'just' having panic attacks in my sleep, so I refused to go to the doctors about it (I DID the doctor thing years ago and they said nothing was wrong), but John thought it must be something physical... he thought sleep apnea but I've always said that that doesn't 'feel right' to me because it doesn't happen ALL the time - it comes and goes mysteriously and in between times I sleep soundly, and my breathing is kind of screwy while I'm awake too. Last night I was browsing and I came across something that might explain it perfectly, and it's NOT 'all in my head'. John's going to buy me some prilosec to try today, because if the article was right, I've had GERD all along. It's hard to believe it could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be side-effect free... That sure sounds like GERD to me. Purrs that the prilosec works! My mom and sister have it. Smaller meals seem to help. Not eating a while before bed seems to also. > I've had this really weird and embarassing health problem for six > years (no, it's not BO :P ) - I hiccup and burp all the time and feel [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be > side-effect free... > That sure sounds like GERD to me. Purrs that the prilosec works! My mom and > sister have it. Smaller meals seem to help. Not eating a while before bed > seems to also. Is GERD the same thing as acid reflux? I've been wondering if I might have the same thing, although my symptoms are very different. I don't have anything Karen described, but I have had some intense, stabbing pains in my esophagus about half an hour after eating, especially if I recline shortly after eating (which I often do, because I watch TV while eating, and I often stay and finish watching the episode after I'm done eating. The pains would go away as soon as I ate something bland, like yogurt. I've cut down on drinking tea this week and it hasn't been bothering me as much. I've occasionally woken up gasping for breath and from dreaming that I was choking, but I think that's post-nasal drip, not stomach acid. But who knows? Does anyone with GERD/acid reflux have stabbing pains in the upper esophagus after eating? Purrs for the prilosec to help you feel better, Karen! Joyce > > That sure sounds like GERD to me. Purrs that the prilosec works! My mom > > and [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Is GERD the same thing as acid reflux? Repeated reflux can lead to GERD. Repeated episodes of GERD can cause changes in the esophagus that are considered precursors of esophageal cancer, so GERD is worth treating. If it happens to me in the night, I wake up instantly when stomach juices hit the back of my throat. I have often found myself choking when that happens--it's not a pretty sound! I've become sensitive enough when it happens that I can usually avoid full-blown choking. I've learned that, if I have a meal that has "trigger" foods, I need to take an acid reducer either before or with dinner--the generic purple pills from Costco work fine for me. I can often tell when I lie down that I'm more likely to experience reflux; often a full dose of Tums at bedtime will prevent an attack. Triggers for me: cooked tomatoes (e.g., marinara sauce or chili con carne), chocolate (well-known as a trigger), red wine, eating a substantial dinner too late at night. (Red wine too late at night will mess up my sleep anyway!) For a variety of reasons I've been making weight loss a priority for myself; I think that has helped--might be something to do with reducing pressure on the stomach. Good luck! David > If it happens to me in the night, I wake up instantly when stomach juices > hit the back of my throat. When that happens, can you *taste* the stomach acid? I'm asking because this sometimes happens to me - I wake up not being able to breathe, and gasping/wheezing for breath. I always thought it was post-nasal drip, though. It doesn't have much of a taste. Certainly it doesn't taste like stomach acid, which has a sharp, sour taste. Plus it burns. Joyce > > If it happens to me in the night, I wake up instantly when stomach juices > > hit the back of my throat. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Joyce Stomache acid per say does not always have a taste unless it is contaminated by bile. And then you dealing with something more than reflux. The burning is also not a consistent finding, neither the pain... both really depend upon significant enough irritation of the esophagus lining to cause inflammation, then it hurts just like heartburn. Well, it *is* heartburn. But you can have significant reflux disease without pain. Especially if you don't tend to reflux on an empty stomach. Refluxing acids without any food to lessen the acidity can be a real aggravating factor, where the development of inflammation and pain are concerned.. --tension >> > If it happens to me in the night, I wake up instantly when stomach >> juices [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > --tension I used to wake up choking frequently, from the acid that came up in my throat. Now I sleep on two pillows and I try not to eat later than several hours before I go to bed. It still happens occasionally, but not nearly as often as it used to. Joy > Stomache acid per say does not always have a taste unless it is > contaminated by bile. And then you dealing with something more > than reflux. > The burning is also not a consistent finding, neither the pain... > both really depend upon significant enough irritation of the [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > to lessen the acidity can be a real aggravating factor, where > the development of inflammation and pain are concerned.. How is GERD/reflux diagnosed, then? I've complained about waking up choking (which happens occasionally, not all the time), and the doctor thought it was post-nasal drip. That makes sense to me because I do have some allergies. (Nothing major, but enough to give me phlegm in the back of my throat.) Should I get rechecked on this? Joyce > > Stomache acid per say does not always have a taste unless it is > > contaminated by bile. And then you dealing with something more [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Should I get rechecked on this? It takes an endoscopies to diagnose it, along with a biopsy of the lining of the esophagus if there appears to be inflammation. Changes in the cells can indicate a higher risk of cancer of the esophagus. An endoscopy involves putting a tube with a tiny camera down the esophagus while you are under a mild anesthetic. I had no symptoms to speak of until I had scarring in my esophagus to the point of blockage. Unless you count my asthma which I've had all my life and still have. But it improved dramatically when the GERD was treated. I had occasional heartburn but nothing to speak of. Often all someone needs is something like prilosec to cut down on the acidity. But that does nothing to prevent reflux. I've had surgery twice now to repair the valve at the top of my stomach to prevent reflux. First surgery failed after a couple of years. The second one seems to be holding. Jo jXwXeXrXmXoX...@sonic.net wrote: > How is GERD/reflux diagnosed, then? I've complained about waking up > choking (which happens occasionally, not all the time), and the doctor [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Joyce Many physicians will make a presumptive diagnosis based on the symptoms of choking or regurgitation, and will then treat with antacids and prilosec. It can also be considered a therapeutic trial because if those meds remove the symptoms, then that suggests the diagnosis was correct. However, a technically accurate diagnosis usually requires imaging of some sort, to catch the reflux red-handed, so to speak. Endoscopy can show clear evidence of scarring or irritation of the mucous membranes in the esophagus, which is good circumstantial evidence, and can sometimes actually see reflux as it happens. Barium swallow under fluoroscopy can also see reflux as it happens. There are a few other suggestive things that can try to prove reflux...and they are dependent on a number of other factors. Significant post-nasal drip can cause choking at night, when lying down. You can treat that in one of several ways, and if you can eliminate it, and you are still having choking symptoms, then it would be time to recheck what is going on. The very day that you can get "dried-up" from the mucous and phlegm development that happens with allergic rhinitis, you should stop choking. If you want to sort it out, you might want to get aggressive about treating the allergies, using anti-histamine (like Claritin or Allegra) along with an inhaled nasal steroid (which does not have the usual side-effects of steroid use because it is only going to the nasal membranes and not enough gets absorbed to cause the typical steroid issues). I am on both these things and they have turned my life around, I had no idea how exhausted untreated allergic rhinitis feels, until I finally took control of it. And, I had totally forgotten what it felt like to be able to breathe clearly through my nose. Talk about fresh air! Do you find yourself clearing your throat alot during the day? That goes along with allergies, especially if symptoms are *not* related to the amount of food in your stomach. Do you burp alot, or have pain in the upper throat when swallowing ? That is more suggestive of some type of esophagus dysfunction (and reflux is only one type) --tension --tension > Do you find yourself clearing your throat alot during > the day? That goes along with allergies, especially > if symptoms are *not* related to the amount of food > in your stomach. > Do you burp alot, or have pain in the upper throat when > swallowing ? That is more suggestive of some type > of esophagus dysfunction (and reflux is only one type) None of the above. Just the pains in my lower throat, not when swallowing, butabout half and hour after I ate. These were intense, stabbing pains, which were alleviated when I ate some yogurt. I do have a small bout of sneezing in the morning, and I have to blow my nose frequently during the day. I'm pretty sure I get a bit stuffed up during the night. One thing I have had for many years is the feeling of having a "lump in my throat" - very low down in the throat. It feels like there's something there, but since I usually haven't swallowed anything solid recently, what could be there? I just assumed this was a symptom of anxiety. (I have those, too.) It usually goes away in 15-20 minutes. Joyce > None of the above. Just the pains in my lower throat, not when swallowing, > butabout half and hour after I ate. These were intense, stabbing pains, [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Joyce Well, in answer to your original question, I think there is enough doubt about what's happening that it would be worth checking out. You might want to go in for a tune-up, so to speak, and re-evaluate what is going on with your physician. If he tries to just blow it off as post-nasal drip, without at least trying to treat it, then you may have to be a bit more assertive about wanting a definitive answer. The upshot of it all, is that if you are having symptoms that severe, you should take steps to sort it out and treat the highest likely suspect, according to what your physical exam shows. And, even if it is due to post-nasal drip, the symptoms sound significant enough that you might want to take steps to treat it. If post-nasal drip can be rule out as the cause, then you would be looking at the various possible ways to diagnose reflux disease, that were mentioned previously.. --tension P.S. do you smoke? > P.S. do you smoke? Nope!! Thanks for all the suggestions. It's definitely time to go in to see my primary doc. (Not until I change docs, though - I haven't been very happy with the one I have now. This is at Kaiser, btw.) Joyce > > That sure sounds like GERD to me. Purrs that the prilosec works! My mom > > and [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Joyce OK, GERD pro here and I've got the surgery scars to prove it. GERD = Gastro Esophagal Reflux Disease. Or to put it more simply, what goes into your stomach or is produced in your stomach (acid) doesn't stay there. If the valve at the top of your stomach that is only supposed to work one way (in) doesn't work properly, food and digestive acids can come back up into your esophagus (that big ole tube between your mouth and your stomach). Its lining isn't designed to protect it from stomach acid so it gets irritated. Worst case, if it gets irritated enough for long enough it can cause cancer. Other possible fun stuff, it can form scar tissue that keeps food from going to your stomach in the first place. Added fun and games can cause a small amount of the acid to aspirate into your lungs and really screw up your breathing. Then there is good ole fashioned heart burn. Plus sore throats, chronic sinus problems, etc, etc. Now Prilosec and other anti acids help by either neutralizing or cutting the production of stomach acid. And that can be all the help a lot of people need. Weight loss can be a big help but is often easier said then done. Gravity helps too. Put your bed on a bit of an incline or sleep in a foam wedge that keeps your head higher than your stomach. Sleep on your left side. (It helps to keep the top of the stomach closed) But "heart burn" can be different for different people. I almost never had or have heart burn. Didn't know I had a problem until I started hacking like a cat with a furball if I didn't cut my food small enough or chew it small enough. Got so bad I would gag if I drank a glass of water too fast. So may all your problems be small ones and I hope the prilosec does the trick. It usually will. But it is still important not to eat too close to bed time etc. Jo > Is GERD the same thing as acid reflux? GERD=gastro-esophageal reflux disease, same as acid reflux, same as the condition they advertise Nexium for. Nexium used to be five bucks a pill. I haven't priced it lately. You can get similar symptoms from ulcers and other conditions. Bud >I've had this really weird and embarassing health problem for six >years (no, it's not BO :P ) - I hiccup and burp all the time and feel [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be >side-effect free... Acid reflux? Purrs. Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh Make Levees, Not War >>John's going to buy me some prilosec to try today, because if the >>article was right, I've had GERD all along. It's hard to believe it >>could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be >>side-effect free... > >Acid reflux? Purrs. 'Xactly... tums help kill the acid, but only for a few hours at a time - then it often comes back worse than before. Hopefully prilosec will be 'the answer'... >I've had this really weird and embarassing health problem for six >years (no, it's not BO :P ) - I hiccup and burp all the time and feel [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be >side-effect free... My mom had similar simptoms and it was diagnosed as GERD. The doctor put her on prilosec and she has not had any problems since then. Purrs on the way for your complete recovery. Randy http://www.crmartin.zoomshare.com > I've had this really weird and embarassing health problem for six > years (no, it's not BO :P ) - I hiccup and burp all the time and feel [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be > side-effect free... I hope that's all it is, Karen. That's got to be kind of scary to wake up at night like that. Purrs that this stuff works for you! kili > I've had this really weird and embarassing health problem for six > years (no, it's not BO :P ) - I hiccup and burp all the time and feel [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be > side-effect free... Purrs on the way! I have a feeling that John may be right.  SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk Purrs are on the way. It certainly sounds like GERD to me. Those are exactly the same symptoms I have. Sometimes an antacid like Gaviscon will relieve the symptoms if you have them even after taking the Prilosec. If it's really bad at night, I go out in the living room and sit with my feet up. It would be a good idea to see a gastroenterologist, though. S/he will probably want to do an upper endoscopy. [Suggestion: Ask them to put you out. I've had it done both ways. When I'm not out, I gag during the test and it takes me hours to recover from the sedative. When I'm out, I don't know what they're doing, and I wake up completely with a clear head a few minutes after the test is finished.] GERD can sometimes cause problems in the esophagus, and the endoscopy can spot them so they can be treated. If the Prilosec does it, great. If not, there are stronger things the doctor can prescribe. GERD never goes away, but it is possible to treat the symptoms, and it definitely isn't a mental problem. Joy > I've had this really weird and embarassing health problem for six > years (no, it's not BO :P ) - I hiccup and burp all the time and feel [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be > side-effect free... >Purrs are on the way. It certainly sounds like GERD to me. Those are >exactly the same symptoms I have. Sometimes an antacid like Gaviscon will [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >can prescribe. GERD never goes away, but it is possible to treat the >symptoms, and it definitely isn't a mental problem. I'm going to try the prilosec first... if I'm lucky it will take care of it, at least for now. I've been seriously wondering if I was going nuts because it's gotten so much worse over the last few months... John was even asking if I was 'happy' being married to him, because I didn't have these problems for quite a while last year and they've suddenly come back! He wants to know if I'm particularly anxious or depressed or stressed, but I'm no more anxious than usual except for the sleeping thing! (It's more likely that last year we were eating a healthier diet and eating earlier in the evenings, so my system wasn't getting so upset...) Last night I didn't eat till really late (ironically just before I did the reading - if I'd read the article first I wouldn't have HAD dinner, I'd have just stayed hungry for the sake of sleeping!) so I didn't get to sleep properly till 3am. <snip> when I > go to bed at night I have a strong tendancy to wake myself up either > with the above or with outright choking... I'll go from a sound sleep > to sitting bolt upright in bed gasping for breath with my heart > pounding. <snip> I can relate! I did the same thing for years. For me, it was GERD. Since I've been on medication I have not had one time that I've woken up unable to breathe! If Prilosec doesn't work, try other meds or see a doctor for prescription drugs. I'm on Zantac (ranitidine), but I need to try another med since it's not working as well as it did six years ago. I know the drug choices have improved greatly since I was diagnosed. Your problem is not all in your head. Hopefully, it's GERD, because it is very treatable. Good luck, and keep us posted. Kalynnda, mom to the seven furry freeloaders > I've had this really weird and embarassing health problem for six > years (no, it's not BO :P ) - I hiccup and burp all the time and feel [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be > side-effect free... No idea what it is, but purrs that the Prilosec helps. SignatureSam, closely supervised by Mistletoe > John's going to buy me some prilosec to try today, because if the > article was right, I've had GERD all along. It's hard to believe it > could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be > side-effect free... Purrs that the medicine works, Karen. SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > I've had this really weird and embarassing health problem for six > years (no, it's not BO :P ) - I hiccup and burp all the time and feel [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be > side-effect free... My mother has acid reflux. She doesn't have exactly the same symptoms, but it does sound similar. She used to awaken with massive amounts of phlegm in her throat. Her doctor told her to take an antacid before going to bed, but the change that brought her real relief is that he said we should raise the head of her bed a minimum of 4 inches. I was her caregiver for 5 years, and I had a friend build supports that we placed the front of the bed on. There are some wedges available that can be placed between the mattress and bedsprings, but the supports worked best for us. She is now in a nursing home, and we have a sign posted above her bed to remind everyone that the head must be raised a minimum of 4" at all times. That has been a lifesaver for her (at least, it improved the *quality* of her life). MaryL >> John's going to buy me some prilosec to try today, because if the >> article was right, I've had GERD all along. It's hard to believe it [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > MaryL One thing I forgot to mention about my mother's acid reflux is that her doctor also told her to be sure not to lie down for at least 30 minutes after eating. MaryL >>> John's going to buy me some prilosec to try today, because if the >>> article was right, I've had GERD all along. It's hard to believe it [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > MaryL Or drinking for that matter. I have to watch that I don't get the bright idea to drink a glass of water or milk right before bedtime. Jo > I've had this really weird and embarassing health problem for six > years (no, it's not BO :P ) - I hiccup and burp all the time and feel [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be > side-effect free... Lots of purrs and best wishes, Polonca and Soncek > I've had this really weird and embarassing health problem for six > years (no, it's not BO :P ) - I hiccup and burp all the time and feel [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be > side-effect free... Hi Karen--I'm sorry I somehow missed this post yesterday. But I wanted to tell you that you sound exactly like my DH. This went on for years. AFter he started having chest/throat pain associated with it he finally got worried enough to see a doctor. And, yes, it was acid reflux disease. He got a presciption for Nexium and hasn't had a problem since, as long as he stays on the med he is fine. Prilosec might work as well for you though. If it does, that would be great. Nexium is very expensive and the insurance co. really kicks up about paying for it. I think the reason they gave him nexium is that it has healing properties for the damage that had been done to his esophogus/throat for letting the acid reflux go so long untreated. Sherry > John's going to buy me some prilosec to try today, because if the > article was right, I've had GERD all along. It's hard to believe it > could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be > side-effect free... I hope the Prilosec helps. You ought to consult an MD just to make sure nothing worse is going on. My mother had GERD for years and eventually got to the point she couldn't swallow at all, which is a real emergency. She had to be admitted to the hospital where they threaded a ballon down her esophagus and stretched the narrowed section. She had to have follow up endoscopic examinations for a while after that. She also was on NSAIDs for arthritis, which tended to agravate the problem. She used Prilosec until she died at age 96. I've inherited the tendency for GERD and take Prilosec myself. I've noticed no side effects. Raising the head of the bed is supposed to help. You can get molded plastic risers from Wal Mart that look better than concrete blocks. Losing weight is supposed to help, but that is easier said than done. :) Bud >I've had this really weird and embarassing health problem for six >years (no, it's not BO :P ) - I hiccup and burp all the time and feel [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be >side-effect free... You got it, Karen. Purrs on the way from another GERD sufferer. Ginger-lyn Home Pages: http://www.moonsummer.com http://www.angelfire.com/folk/glsummer (homepage & cats) http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~summer/index.htm (genealogy) http://www.movieanimals.bravehost.com/ (The Violence Against Animals in Movies Website) >>John's going to buy me some prilosec to try today, because if the >>article was right, I've had GERD all along. It's hard to believe it >>could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be >>side-effect free... > >You got it, Karen. Purrs on the way from another GERD sufferer. What do you use for yours? The prilosec didn't work out for me at all - it had undesirable side effects that made me wonder if I was having a nervous breakdown this week! I couldn't sleep at all until the stupid thing wore off... and it seemed to shut my digestive system down entirely, which made me feel awful. I'm just going to use Pepcid AC from now on... > What do you use for yours? The prilosec didn't work out for me at all > - it had undesirable side effects that made me wonder if I was having > a nervous breakdown this week! I couldn't sleep at all until the > stupid thing wore off... and it seemed to shut my digestive system > down entirely, which made me feel awful. I'm just going to use Pepcid > AC from now on... Hi Karen: I'm curious to know what side-effects you had on prilosec? It is not known for alot of side-effects, but if you had some, I would like to be able to ask around my colleagues and find out if other patients complain of the same thing. (This is often how subtle side-effects are caught in medicine....innocuous patient reports, and then word of mouth between physicians....and then someone thinks to do a study on it) --tension >> What do you use for yours? The prilosec didn't work out for me at all >> - it had undesirable side effects that made me wonder if I was having [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >mouth between physicians....and then someone thinks to do a >study on it) Sure... it wasn't 'supposed' to cause these effects, but I have a super-sensitive nervous system, and if something can cause a nasty side-effect it probably will for me. :( The pills seemed to work too well - my stomach felt like a lead balloon. It didn't hurt, but my appetite disappeared into oblivion and I had to force myself to eat anything. I had horrible gas and couldn't stop burping all day long, and whenever I lay down to try to sleep I'd hiccup continuously. I hiccupped so much that John said I had to sleep some place else because I was shaking the bed and hurting his back! I usually have trouble sleeping at night, but I can nap just fine in the daytime - this week I couldn't even nap without waking myself up inside thirty minutes. Some of this was it enhancing my natural tendencies... I suffer from anxiety and it generally manifests itself in my throat and breathing. I hiccup and burp a lot, but taking the med made me do it ten times as badly... And lastly, and most alarmingly to me, I had an increase in my already-high levels of nervous tension and anxiety. Five minutes after I took the first pill I had a panic attack, and things went downhill from there. Part of it was being nervous about taking a new drug, because I'm paranoid about things like that, but I didn't expect to have any problems with it - according to the box all I had to worry about was going to the bathroom a lot! I woke up the next morning with a leaden feeling of depression in the pit of my stomach, and John said that it was because I was disappointed that I hadn't slept better, but there was a lot more to it than that - it brought out feelings and impulses that were very familiar to me from the past, but that I hadn't felt in a long time and had no reason to feel now. After I'd had the second dose I realised my heart was racing, and I went online to try to find out if it was related to the prilosec, but what I found was this website - http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=19810&name=PRILOSEC and a lot of people had the same sort of effects that I did. I couldn't untake the pill, but I decided not to take it any more, and I'm glad I did. On Thursday I really thought I was having a nervous breakdown... but on thursday night I managed to get some sleep in, and I felt fine again this morning. BTW I take it all back... I was every bit as bad last night. I hiccupped all night long and couldn't sleep a wink even though I was exhausted - I'd fall asleep sitting upright in my computer chair, then wake up and go to bed, only to lie there and hiccup for long enough to wake myself up entirely! I went to sleep for the 'night' at 1am, 2am, 3am, 4am, 5am, and 6.30am... It's not the stupid pills, it's the stupid me. :( There's something else going on besides reflux but don't ask me what! > BTW I take it all back... I was every bit as bad last night. I > hiccupped all night long and couldn't sleep a wink even though I was [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > stupid me. :( There's something else going on besides reflux but don't > ask me what! That was an interesting site, Karen, thanks for the link. Meanwhile, if you are having significant insomnia problems, consider that they might be unrelated to everything else, even anxiety. Talk to your doc about getting sleep studies done to make sure you do not have an underlying sleep disorder. Could make all the difference to your other conditions as well, as managing them might become significantly easier if you can solve any pre-existing sleep issues. --tension >>>John's going to buy me some prilosec to try today, because if the >>>article was right, I've had GERD all along. It's hard to believe it [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > down entirely, which made me feel awful. I'm just going to use Pepcid > AC from now on... Have you tried sleeping with the head of your bed raised? That helped my mother more than anything else. The doctor said to start with the head raised exactly 4". We first put the front post of the bed on concrete blocks that were 4", and that worked so well that I later found someone to build nicer-looking wooden supports. Some people use wedgest that are sold for the purpose and placed between the mattress and box springs. I tried the bed a couple of times myself to see if it was uncomfortable to have it raised that way, and it did not bother me at all. MaryL >>>John's going to buy me some prilosec to try today, because if the >>>article was right, I've had GERD all along. It's hard to believe it [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >down entirely, which made me feel awful. I'm just going to use Pepcid >AC from now on... Karen, I'm on Nexium. Maybe that would work better for you? Ginger-lyn Home Pages: http://www.moonsummer.com http://www.angelfire.com/folk/glsummer (homepage & cats) http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~summer/index.htm (genealogy) http://www.movieanimals.bravehost.com/ (The Violence Against Animals in Movies Website) Karen, Hi, I had sleep apnea a few years ago,and my symptoms weren't there all the time, and I would wake up unable to breath properly, so maybe you have a little bit of apnea as wellas 'gerd' I dont know what that is I've never heard of it. Anyway I hope it clears up ok. Are you liking it over there, you seem to have settled down well. Hugs Jean and Wilson. > I've had this really weird and embarassing health problem for six > years (no, it's not BO :P ) - I hiccup and burp all the time and feel [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be > side-effect free... Belated purrs and prayers for you Karen When I was having that problem due to eating late at night due to work schedule and volunteer work. I took a over the counter drug called gaviscon it work till I learned how to eat what and not > I've had this really weird and embarassing health problem for six > years (no, it's not BO :P ) - I hiccup and burp all the time and feel [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > could be so SIMPLE! Please purr hard for the medicine to work and be > side-effect free... |
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