"RAAAMONNNNEEE! Get me a proton pump inhibitor!" (Gastroesophageal Reflux)

[RAAMONE]

Steve,

So for about the past maybe year or so i've been getting really sick like about every 2 weeks. i have no idea what it is. i will be fine when i go to sleep and i will wake up and be puking uncontrollably the whole day and my body hurts so bad. i went to the doctor but he didnt really tell me anything. i'm just worried it might be some stomach thing...or maybe liver (i did drink quite a bit in college). but this seems to happen more often now...maybe 4 times a month, also every now and then my appetite will be really fucked up...for example i will be starving and order a large cheese steak and then 10 seconds later i will vomit if i even think about food...then i will be hungry again...its all getting really anoying and i hate puking. The doc gave me compazine to help (which it did a little) but i'm going back in abiout 2 hours...is there anything else i can ask for to help stop the puking

overall it basically feels like a really bad hangover without the fun of drinking before it

Thanks in advance for any help

[Dr Steve]

Steve,

So for about the past maybe year or so i've been getting really sick like about every 2 weeks. i have no idea what it is. i will be fine when i go to sleep and i will wake up and be puking uncontrollably the whole day and my body hurts so bad. i went to the doctor but he didnt really tell me anything. i'm just worried it might be some stomach thing...or maybe liver (i did drink quite a bit in college). but this seems to happen more often now...maybe 4 times a month, also every now and then my appetite will be really fucked up...for example i will be starving and order a large cheese steak and then 10 seconds later i will vomit if i even think about food...then i will be hungry again...its all getting really anoying and i hate puking. The doc gave me compazine to help (which it did a little) but i'm going back in abiout 2 hours...is there anything else i can ask for to help stop the puking

overall it basically feels like a really bad hangover without the fun of drinking before it

Thanks in advance for any help

Sorry you're having such a hard time! No one should have to go through this kind of symptom complex for as long as you have.

People who go to sleep and wake up puking are almost always suffering from "Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease". This is a mechanical problem that causes gastric acid to leak from the stomach into the esophagus when you lay down flat (and other times, too, but that's when it's really bad). Think of a balloon with a pipe stuck in the opening. Fill this whole thing up with water and then turn it sideways so the pipe is parallel to the ground...what happens? the water flows out of the balloon into the pipe (and onto the floor). In this analogy, the balloon is your stomach, the pipe is your esophagus, and the stuff pouring out onto the floor is you puking.

when you have one of these episodes, it'll make you feel bad all day.

You need to see your doctor asap and get this taken care of. You could also have an ulcer or a host of other things that could be easily doped out with a quick endoscopy. I talked quite a bit about endoscopy *HERE* (http://www.ronfez.net/forums/showthread.php?t=71525). (well, it was about colonoscopy, but the essence is the same except for upper endoscopy you can skip the prep).

Your doctor will likely put you on a "Proton Pump Inhibitor", like Prilosec OTC, Prevacid, or Nexium. In addition, he/she may start a "prokinetic" drug like Reglan to help your stomach toss the juices into the intestines instead of up your gullet. Mylanta at bedtime will probably help as well.

In the meantime, put a brick under the legs of your bed at the head of the bed. This will lift up your head slightly, allowing gravity to be your friend and keep the puke in your stomach and out of your esophagus. Avoiding carbohydrates and alcohol for 4 hours before bedtime will help, and if you smoke, quit! You can do this stuff, but you still need to see your health care provider, ok?

This is an ok short article on reflux: http://health.yahoo.com/gerd-treatment/gastroesophageal-reflux-disease-gerd-home-treatment/healthwise--hw99313.html

you can find others that are better. :-)


good luck and write back after you've seen someone and let us know how it's going.

your pal,



steve

[RAAMONE]

thanks for the help...he did give me some nexium and reccomended me to a specialist...i got much more info from you than i did with him...so i guess i will go get a camera down my throat next week

thanks again

[Dr Steve]

thanks for the help...he did give me some nexium and reccomended me to a specialist...i got much more info from you than i did with him...so i guess i will go get a camera down my throat next week

thanks again


Maybe so; he/she may treat you medically first, but at least you're on the right road now.

Keep us informed as to your progress and hang in there. :-)


your pal,


steve

[RAAMONE]

Sorry you're having such a hard time! No one should have to go through this kind of symptom complex for as long as you have.

People who go to sleep and wake up puking are almost always suffering from "Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease". This is a mechanical problem that causes gastric acid to leak from the stomach into the esophagus when you lay down flat (and other times, too, but that's when it's really bad). Think of a balloon with a pipe stuck in the opening. Fill this whole thing up with water and then turn it sideways so the pipe is parallel to the ground...what happens? the water flows out of the balloon into the pipe (and onto the floor). In this analogy, the balloon is your stomach, the pipe is your esophagus, and the stuff pouring out onto the floor is you puking.

when you have one of these episodes, it'll make you feel bad all day.

You need to see your doctor asap and get this taken care of. You could also have an ulcer or a host of other things that could be easily doped out with a quick endoscopy. I talked quite a bit about endoscopy *HERE* (http://www.ronfez.net/forums/showthread.php?t=71525). (well, it was about colonoscopy, but the essence is the same except for upper endoscopy you can skip the prep).

Your doctor will likely put you on a "Proton Pump Inhibitor", like Prilosec OTC, Prevacid, or Nexium. In addition, he/she may start a "prokinetic" drug like Reglan to help your stomach toss the juices into the intestines instead of up your gullet. Mylanta at bedtime will probably help as well.

In the meantime, put a brick under the legs of your bed at the head of the bed. This will lift up your head slightly, allowing gravity to be your friend and keep the puke in your stomach and out of your esophagus. Avoiding carbohydrates and alcohol for 4 hours before bedtime will help, and if you smoke, quit! You can do this stuff, but you still need to see your health care provider, ok?

This is an ok short article on reflux: http://health.yahoo.com/gerd-treatment/gastroesophageal-reflux-disease-gerd-home-treatment/healthwise--hw99313.html

you can find others that are better. :-)


good luck and write back after you've seen someone and let us know how it's going.

your pal,



steve

just an update...thanks for the help, just spent a week in the hospital...i was puking everyday every 5 minutes until i couldnt take it anymore, turns out i have a tear in my throat so shit was leaking into my body and poisoning me, also water in the the lungs, a fatty liver (lost like 40 pounds and i guess that is why) and a messed up gall bladder...just wondering your thoughts on getting the gall bladder out? he said its not worth taking out right away since there is no pain therefore no reason to take it out. Even though i dont need it

[Dr Steve]

just an update...thanks for the help, just spent a week in the hospital...i was puking everyday every 5 minutes until i couldnt take it anymore, turns out i have a tear in my throat so shit was leaking into my body and poisoning me, also water in the the lungs, a fatty liver (lost like 40 pounds and i guess that is why) and a messed up gall bladder...just wondering your thoughts on getting the gall bladder out? he said its not worth taking out right away since there is no pain therefore no reason to take it out. Even though i dont need it

Holy crap! so you had an "esophageal fistula"? This would be a hole in your esophagus that leaked into the adjacent tissues. A tough thing to have to deal with, bro, sorry! Did they do a 'scope initially, as you thought they might? The scope could POSSIBLY show this, though if it was small when they scoped you it could be missed.

http://www.cottagehealthsystem.org/Portals/1/Skins/CottageHealth/images/Cottage/esophagus.jpg


Tell me more about the gall bladder...what kind of "messed up" is it? If it just has stones in it, it's no big deal if you're not having pain. If it's infected, that's another story altogether.

So what did they do to fix the fistula? or what word did they use to describe it to you (in case i'm misinterpreting the whole thing, which is certainly possible).


steve

[RAAMONE]

Holy crap! so you had an "esophageal fistula"? This would be a hole in your esophagus that leaked into the adjacent tissues. A tough thing to have to deal with, bro, sorry! Did they do a 'scope initially, as you thought they might? The scope could POSSIBLY show this, though if it was small when they scoped you it could be missed.

http://www.cottagehealthsystem.org/Portals/1/Skins/CottageHealth/images/Cottage/esophagus.jpg


Tell me more about the gall bladder...what kind of "messed up" is it? If it just has stones in it, it's no big deal if you're not having pain. If it's infected, that's another story altogether.

So what did they do to fix the fistula? or what word did they use to describe it to you (in case i'm misinterpreting the whole thing, which is certainly possible).


steve

yeah i guess, its not too bad it just hurts to eat cause my throat is burned so bad...yeah i got an endonscopy (spelling?) but that was before it got bad....they basically said that there wasnt anything to do about the throat, it will heal with time with a low ruffage diet, as far as the gall bladder (no stones) he just saidit was funtioning at a low rate, so its up to me if i want it out cause i dont really need it