LymeNet Flash: Heartburn - may be GERD or h. pylori

This is topic Heartburn - may be GERD or h. pylori in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :

I posted last week about burning lungs and people suggested the possibility of GERD or ulcers. Well, it hasn't gone away!

I've spoken to my Dr's office and they are sending me a blood test requisition form to test my pancreatic and liver enzymes, which had been slightly elevated in the past. They are also testing me for a bacterial infection, which I am assuming is h. pylori.

In the meantime, any advice from people? The chest pain kept me up last night, and I'm trying to study for finals without coffee...which is really really hard. I don't want to add medicine in case this is being caused by too much medicine.

The nurse I spoke with said no caffeine. Is that all forms of caffeine? I have a 4 hour final in civil procedure tomorrow night! I can't imagine not having my caffeine boost for that.

Posted by ibrakeforticks (Member # 6785) on :

Have you checked for gluten sensitivity?
www.enterolab.com

Posted by Semper Fi (Member # 3051) on :

Try IntestiNEW from Renew Life. It is mainly L-Glutamine. I had heartburn from coffee. Now ,after 2 months on this stuff, no heartburn, at all. I drink some beer and have no problem, now. I keep the IntestiNew handy and use only once every two weeks now.Just to make sure, it does not come back. Your healhfood store should carry it. Good luck.....

Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :

quote:
Originally posted by ibrakeforticks:
Have you checked for gluten sensitivity?
www.enterolab.com

I haven't tested for anything. I never had heartburn in my life before Thursday.

I'm doing the blood tests this week. If they come up negative, I'll look for more things.

Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :

Aniek,
Have you tried taking a Tums antacid when you feel heartburn? This is a short term solution, I know, but may help get you through the stress of finals.

Carol

Posted by duke77 (Member # 5051) on :

I have read that Lyme can cause heartburn and GERD. I have attributed my heartburn to the Lyme. I am not sure it is true heartburn because I don't even have to eat anything for the pain to be there.

I think I might ask my PCP for a upper gi test. I use Nexium and everytime I try to stop Nexium the heartburn is unbearable while I am on it I can't tell. I have had pylori tests too negative. My LLMD said it has to do with Lyme playing with the nerves that control the valve from the esphogus to the stomach allowing acid to come up.

[This message has been edited by duke77 (edited 11 May 2005).]

Posted by dontlikeliver (Member # 4749) on :

I also have upper GI problems....my pharmacist told me that chewing raw carrots relieves heartburn. So, I bought some carrots and tried it and it worked. Not a cure, obviously, but temporary relief.

DLL

Posted by TheCrimeOfLyme (Member # 4019) on :

I've been battling with chronic GERD for 11 years now. It MAY have been a lyme symptom for me back then, but if it was, it was the only one.

I also have some accompanying hemmorhagic gastritis, duodenitis, antritis and erosive esophaghitis. I then lost my gallbladder at age 24 with seven stones, two years before I got down with neuro lyme.

I tried everything for my GERD. In all actuality, at the age of 17, all I HAD was GERD ( endoscopy). At the age of 24, I had Gerd PLUS all the above, and I was on pepsid the ENTIRE time.

Then I moved to prilosec, then prevacid within a two year span and it just got worse on me.

You can take this with a grain of salt, but the one thing that REALLY helps my Gerd? Difflucan.

I found a pub med study that said 90 percent of those who have esphoghatis have Candida albicans as the cause.

GERD by itself though can contribute to sleep apnea, jaw pain, neck pain, throat pain and even shoulder pain, and ear pain. So its not fun for us lymmies.

Are you going to have an endoscopy done? Thats really the only way for them to find out what is truly going on inside your stomach. They did stomach biopsies on me for H pylori but found nothing. They never did blood work, so nwo Im interested if that would show it better...

Ginger root tea IS AWESOME for stomach burning. I lived on it before I got first diagnosed with my problem via endoscopy.

Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :

I just remembered another fix for GERD.
http://askwaltstollmd.com/hiatus.html

Ginger juice for GERD symptoms.

Carol

Posted by WildCondor on :

Avoid spicy foods, try the Ginger root, the tea is good. Prevacid works well for me at max doses, carafate is good also, as well as swish and swallow Nystatin.
Try elevating your head of the bed and dont eat for atleast 3 hours before bedtime.
If it doesnt get better, go to a GI doc and have them check it our via endoscopy. Try some Red Bull instead of the coffee! Ahhh!!

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Lyme Disease Help
http://www.wildcondor.com