If you have/had GERD or acid reflux?

[Deleted]

I have acid reflux issues.

Had an endoscopy and a colonoscopy done to rule out other stuff.

I stay away from spicy food or fried food unless I just can't get enough lol. I do torture myself. If I have a flare up, I pop Zantac 150 and I'm golden.

[Captain Serious]

I have GERD. My understanding is that it's just the diagnostic term for acid reflux (which is what they first told me I had).

I also had an endoscopy to rule out cancer or an ulcer. My reflux was so bad by the time I went to the doctor about it that even drinking water gave me heartburn. I take one Nexium each morning, and am pretty much symptom free. If I eat really poorly (lots of acidic or tomato-based foods, peanut butter, alcohol) and start to think I might get heartburn, I take a pepcid and am usually okay. If I ear really well, I can sometimes skip a day of the Nexium, but by day two, the hearburn returns. You don't want to know me if for some reason I don't have it for three days; I become a beast.

[stephlove]

I have GERD. I think its just a technical term. My doc said i had acid reflux, then after a bunch of tests, they started calling it GERD.

I get heartburn on an empty stomach if i don't take meds. I take one pill everyday, and I'm fine. If i skip a day, i will end up throwing up because the acid is unbearable.

[Deleted]

GERD and acid reflux are the same thing. Before I was diagnosed and got on meds I would be sick to my stomach and have horrible pain. I would wake up at night with it and then would be up all night long throwing up. I used to have to sleep in an elevated position so I could at least sleep some. Once I got my colonoscopy and endoscopy they diagnosed me with GERD and put me on meds. I also started eating a low acid diet. I had to go thru 5-6 meds before we found one that didn't give me horrible side effects. I ended up on Nexium and now I feel great. On days when I eat acidic foods I tend to need some tums but other than that I can sleep normally now and feel pretty good.

[nursewife]

Apr 2, 2013 12:05:46 GMT -5 @bluesky said:

First, is GERD and acid reflux the same thing?

Secondly, if you had either, what were your symptoms, how long did it last, and are you medicating or doing anything to help it?

I had it when I was pregnant. I took a prescription proton pump inhibitor (nexium) and tums. Getting a prescription to deal with it is best since it can lead to other complications. I know my DH is miserable without pantaloc or tecta

[Deleted]

I have acid reflux as a symptom of a hiatal hernia.  I get bad heartburn when I lay down for longer than about 10 minutes.  I have to sleep using at least two pillows and I take Tums at night.  The only permanent fix for me is surgery to fix the hernia, and I'm not planning on doing that unless it becomes unbearable.  Tums controls the discomfort for me right now.

[open24hours]

I have GERD. It's a bitch. I've had it since I was 14. I had an endoscopy and they found that the sphincter between my stomach and esophagus is loose. Surgery can tighten it my my reflux is pretty controlled with meds. I take Prilosec - two weeks on, two weeks off. I was taking it every day but it interferes with absorption of nutrients and I was anemic. The on/off routine seems to have evened that out.

[azurely]

I started getting it when I was pg and had a m/c last year, and it has stuck around. Lucky me.

I take the Costco version of Zantac everyday. It works well.

[Jermys]

I have reflux but not acid. I just barf all the time.

[awick14]

I have GERD.

-I try not to eat 2-3 hours before I go to bed.

-No laying down after eating.

-take tums as needed

-when it was really bad we elevated the head of our bed. (Same concept as raising the head of the crib for a baby)

[blueshirt2003]

I first began taking Tums, then Zantac 150 with my 1st pregnancy.

By my second pregnancy I was taking Nexium.

I switched insurances and Nexium was no longer an option but a cheaper PPI medication I use and LOVE now is Pantoprazole. It's *so* much better for me compared to Nexium.