GERD - Indigestion, Reflux, Lumps in Throat/Chest. Exposition of Symptoms and Treatment.

[Sleeved in Seattle 280]

I am loving that idea.. I shall try that tonight, for sure! Thank you! x

And let us know if it works for you too? The thought of swallowing vinegar is a bit of a downer ...

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

So, this morning, at 05:00hrs, I awoke, choking on my own bile. I actually inhaled it. Cue 1.5 hours of rolling around on the bathroom floor, crying/panicking, desperately trying to cough up battery acid out of my lungs - gagging, burning, dry heaving. As it went into my lungs, I now have burning all up my esophagus, throat, vocal chords, sore gums/teeth and the pain radiates from the middle of my back. Not to mention the wrench of my stomach and incision sites. I contacted my bariatric providers and they are having me back in to see the surgeon on.. Tuesday. I was also reliably informed that if it went into my lungs, I would likely have to take a course of antibiotics... Now, after answering questions, i could understand it if I had eaten something which hadn't agreed with me. However, my attacks are not during the day/evening. They're in the middle of the night, where my PPI has obviously worn off and the valve just opens itself and lets all the bile escape into my throat and lungs. This, to me, indicates an over-production of bile and the valve malfunctioning. Anyone have any experience of this? What did you do? What did your med team do?

Any advice or assistance would be very much appreciated x

(One fairly miserable girl)

[sharika 62]

On my. The EXACT same thing happened to me at about the same time since surgery. It was awful. I woke up to my mouth and esophagus FULL of acid. I coughed and puked for hours!! Just a few weeks later it is gone, though. I stopped eating anything after 7 pm and stopped drinking an hour before bed. Also, weirdly enough, I stopped taking my Prilosec because I felt more acid whenever I took it. I doubt that would work for everyone, but it has worked for me!!

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

I think I'm going to have to do the same thing - no drinks. As for food, I don't eat late anyhow. It is a thoroughly miserable experience, isn't it. Could you tie it down to any food / drink type in particular, or did it just happen to you? Did your attacks happen regularly? Right now, I have to say I'm quite scared of going to bed tonight...

[sharika 62]

It was right after I began puréed foods. I was on liquids for three weeks. The worst night was refried bean night but there were varied intensity nights for about a week and 1/2. I was so paranoid that I would wake up around 1 am every night and sleep upright in a chair. That might have helped, I guess. Hopefully yours is temporary as mine was!

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

I certainly hope so.. Definitely don't want that to happen again...

[ReDbEaN 654]

So' date=' this morning, at 05:00hrs, I awoke, choking on my own bile. I actually inhaled it. Cue 1.5 hours of rolling around on the bathroom floor, crying/panicking, desperately trying to cough up battery acid out of my lungs - gagging, burning, dry heaving. As it went into my lungs, I now have burning all up my esophagus, throat, vocal chords, sore gums/teeth and the pain radiates from the middle of my back. Not to mention the wrench of my stomach and incision sites. I contacted my bariatric providers and they are having me back in to see the surgeon on.. Tuesday. I was also reliably informed that if it went into my lungs, I would likely have to take a course of antibiotics... Now, after answering questions, i could understand it if I had eaten something which hadn't agreed with me. However, my attacks are not during the day/evening. They're in the middle of the night, where my PPI has obviously worn off and the valve just opens itself and lets all the bile escape into my throat and lungs. This, to me, indicates an over-production of bile and the valve malfunctioning. Anyone have any experience of this? What did you do? What did your med team do? Any advice or assistance would be very much appreciated x (One fairly miserable girl)[/quote']

Oh no! That sounds awful!! I haven't had anything like that. I'm so sorry you are dealing with that. I sure hope they can get it all fixed up for you.

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

So do I, treacle, so do I... What scares me the most, is that this might end up being permanent.... <shudders>

[Sleeved in Seattle 280]

Oh sweetie, that sucks! You poor thing.

I've never had anything that bad, but I do recommend either jacking up head of your bed or sleeping on two pillows for a while. That has helped me get rid of the sore throat that I suspect was caused by GERD.

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

I shall be sleeping on as many pillows as I can get my hands on. And as for the sore throat, I think it sounds most definitely like reflux... Just very very unpleasant all round..

[No game 14,437]

I don't have much to add.. I've seen a lot of people go through this and a fair amount of them get better with time...

I'm sorry you are going through this and I hope that you have a good outcome also.

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

Cheers, my dear. I guess all I can do is hope that it's not what I'm reading in academic journals - which is the pancreas going into overdrive. In that way, grave danger lies...

[BlueClementine 70]

Hi Madam, just saw this thread and yes, I had the same symptoms... The only thing that helped was first, sleeping almost sitting up. Sometimes though,, I would still wake up with my lungs and throat on fire and feeling like I was burning up from the inside. I tried tums, Roland's, gas-x, etc. and the only thing that would quench the fire was a liquid extra strength mylanta. Tastes horrible but it works.

I stopped eating anything after 8pm and only drink Water during the night. It's gotten better but it still happens on occasion... I just push the pillows under my back and swallow two mouthfuls of the chalky stuff...

One the bright side it's no where as bad as it was at first. sorry your going through this, I hope it gets better soon!

[BlueClementine 70]

On a side note, I think the reason the liquid helped so much for me was because it washed the acid lining my espophogus, etc. back down into my stomach. It's also a thick liquid so it coats everything nicely. chewables or gas-x strips won't offer that.

[Peggy 53 69]

Silly question...are you taking the antacid twice a day? It may need to be doubled like...omaprazole 40 mg twice a day. Or pantoprazole 40 mg twice a day. I started with taking mine before bed cuz between my thyroid meds and multi vits (antacids need to be taken 30 min before other meds or supplements) , there was just no time left..... So I've taken the PPI at night. And yes, reflux can get worse after VSG which is why they will do, or supposed to do, an RNY on those with reflux pre-op. Sorry you feel so miserable, love. I know that wasn't a good experience. If you start with a fever before you see your doc on Tuesday, please go to the emergency room..you may have aspirational pneumonia.