Heartburn

Author
Discussion

carreauchompeur

Original Poster:

18,014 posts

211 months

Monday 18th July 2022
quotequote all
Folks,

Really annoying but for a while now I’ve had an issue with heartburn/indigestion.

Basically, it’s more prevalent when I’m a bit hungry or haven’t eaten for a while, and is especially bad with meat. When I start to eat I immediately have a sharp pain in my gut to the extent that I need to get up, maybe sip water and generally act like I’m having a heart attack until it suddenly passes at which point I’m fine.

It’s embarrassing when with people, particularly since it’s often to the point of drooling! :haha:

I’ve had an endoscopy done including a biopsy which showed nothing untoward, but once the hospital told me this there was no real follow-up!

Does this resonate with anyone, and how do you manage it?

mcelliott

8,982 posts

188 months

Monday 18th July 2022
quotequote all
Have a hard look at your diet, then your stress levels, could also be a family trait, Omeprazole is normally the go to drug, will almost certainly help the symptoms but long term you have to find what's causing it.

Boosted LS1

21,198 posts

267 months

Monday 18th July 2022
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Does it occur at all when you're sleping, reflux?

Onelastattempt

442 posts

54 months

Monday 18th July 2022
quotequote all
I had the exactly same symptoms as you. Had an endoscopy and they found a small Hiatus hernia and severe reflux oesophagusitis.
I was put on 30mg of Lansoprazole, one tablet a day, and since than have had no indigestion or heartburn. I am having another endoscopy at end of August to see if the oesophagusitis has got better, it should be considering I have no symptoms at all now.
The Hiatus hernia I think I just have to live with, got told to lose weight as per usual and so far have lost 10lb, wouldn't mind but the nurse telling me all this looked liked she was heavier than me.
She also told that taking the Lansoprazole was going to be a long term medication, I assume that means until I die.

PHZero

1,334 posts

100 months

Monday 18th July 2022
quotequote all
carreauchompeur said:
Folks,

Really annoying but for a while now I’ve had an issue with heartburn/indigestion.

Basically, it’s more prevalent when I’m a bit hungry or haven’t eaten for a while, and is especially bad with meat. When I start to eat I immediately have a sharp pain in my gut to the extent that I need to get up, maybe sip water and generally act like I’m having a heart attack until it suddenly passes at which point I’m fine.

It’s embarrassing when with people, particularly since it’s often to the point of drooling! :haha:

I’ve had an endoscopy done including a biopsy which showed nothing untoward, but once the hospital told me this there was no real follow-up!

Does this resonate with anyone, and how do you manage it?
Try chewing your food a lot more than you normally do before swallowing it. Especially when eating chunks of meat or bread. A couple of Rennies every now and again when needed can also help.

towser

1,018 posts

218 months

Monday 18th July 2022
quotequote all
I suffer from this also - although I have a bad reaction to Omeprazole / Lansoprazole so manage this by avoiding trigger foods where possible, don't eat anything past 7:30 in the evening, I've also cut back on alcohol as much as possible and also take a dose of over the counter antacid last thing at night and first thing in the morning. So far that's kept a lid on things for me (if I stick to it)

Without fail I'd get a spectacular reaction to red meat / steak and apparently this is known as "Steakhouse Syndrome" which can be alleviated by taking small sips of non-diet Coke - only discovered this since adopting the regime above so haven't had a chance to try it yet.



Edited by towser on Monday 18th July 15:30

DrJNA

62 posts

77 months

Monday 18th July 2022
quotequote all
Might not be relevant to you, but I used to need a Rennie most days, until I lost loads of weight (35 kg) and now I never need them at all. No symptoms of heartburn at all any more.

Sheepshanks

35,069 posts

126 months

Monday 18th July 2022
quotequote all
Onelastattempt said:
She also told that taking the Lansoprazole was going to be a long term medication, I assume that means until I die.
I took for a couple of years in my early 60's and then stopped. Am generally OK with most food as long as I eat moderately. Gin and lager seem to set off heartburn though.

Han Solo

212 posts

32 months

Monday 18th July 2022
quotequote all
Had it since I was 17/18, 33 now.

The thing at the top of my stomach / bottom of my throat doesn’t close properly and I get reflux.

Sweets, fizzy drinks, wine, beer, spicy food, fruit juice, excess water all trigger it.

I eat a lot of rennies, as my diet consists mainly of spicy food and beer.

Pedro25

276 posts

37 months

Monday 18th July 2022
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My symptom's are nothing compared to you OP, however I have suffered from indigestion most of my adult life, regularly take two rennies/other stuff nightly. I did dry January in 21 and 22, guess what? didn't have to take a tablet for the 2 months I didn't drink alcohol, however that still is not enough to stop me having wine and beer, I've just decided to bulk buy rennie's instead!

number2

4,574 posts

194 months

Monday 18th July 2022
quotequote all
Han Solo said:
Had it since I was 17/18, 33 now.

The thing at the top of my stomach / bottom of my throat doesn’t close properly and I get reflux.

Sweets, fizzy drinks, wine, beer, spicy food, fruit juice, excess water all trigger it.

I eat a lot of rennies, as my diet consists mainly of spicy food and beer.
Do go and see your GP.

Acid reflux can do a lot of damage to the oesophagus. You'll probably get send for a gastroscopy to check for cause and damage, and may well get put on a proton-pump-inhibitor which reduces the amount of acid produced.

I suffered for 15 + years until it got to the stage that I had trouble swallowing food occasionally (it would stick and move down slowly...), and even then waited over a year to go to my GP.

Had multiple gastroscopies which found quite a raw oesophagus (and hiatus hernia), and I've been on daily PPI's ever since. No lasting damage apparently so not on cancer watch.

I still suffer occasionally as my diet isn't always ideal for the conditions...

Cutting out spice, alcohol and other irritants will hugely help of course.

carreauchompeur

Original Poster:

18,014 posts

211 months

Monday 18th July 2022
quotequote all
Thanks all, some really helpful suggestions.

I was on Omeprazole for a little time whilst waiting for investigations which did seem to improve it greatly. But it’s not the kind of thing I’d want to be on permanently for what is quite a sporadic issue.

I’m technically overweight although you’d never know it, but that is gradually coming back into line so I’ll just have to keep a good eye on nutrition from now, there are definite triggers which I’ll try to avoid!

Turn7

24,165 posts

228 months

Monday 18th July 2022
quotequote all
I went through a period of severe Reflux for about 15 months.

Starting drinking ACV in the morning, stopped eating white bread, and tried to eat something fermented at least 3 times a week, ie Kombucha, Kefir, Kimchi.

Now just have ACV daily and very very few issues.

A bloody good hot Chilli might just cause some issues, but day to day is way better.