Acid reflux - acid going down

I have horrible acid reflux, and I get burning pain in my stomach. I think I must make a lot of acid and because my top half has sunk onto my lower half, (think Hunchback of Notredam) the acid gets pushed up. Rarely get actual heartburn though.

But I think what that nurse said to you is very odd. The acid is supposed to be down there. The problem is when it comes up.

You can get gastritis which gives pain. Do you take coffee , alcohol or other irritants? May be worth googling gastritis+diet

Yes. I thought about Gastritis.

Do yer googling obi. (Not that it helps much )

I am at the top part of where I like my weight to be, but am not overweight.
I had just about worked out that no eating and no drinking was best. I have lost appetite anyway, so I am eating very little which should help I would have thought.
Coffee was the first thing I cut out, followed by tea. I suddenly didnt fancy either.

I am not sure whether to trust the nurse or not. She did seem professional, and the doctor's surgury is reputable. Some of the things she said did make sense, but at the beginning of the nine days, I was dizzy for two days and had a nose bleed and I still have a bit of ringing in my ears, none of which she could explain.

I will take the Omeprazole[20mg] and gaviscon as prescribed.

I will google gastritis. She did mention something about a gastric ulcer, trying to make sure I didnt get one? or something like that, but because I dont know anything about all of this, some of what she said went over my head.

I have to go back and see her in 7 days[sooner if my pain gets worse].

Mmm this all sounds a bit odd surely reflux means coming back up. Its normal to have acid in the stomach otherwise we couldn't digest anything but some people make an excessive amount. Omeprazole is meant to control this and Gaviscon to sit on the top of stomach contents and keep them in place - if anything does regurgitate the Gaviscon lines the oesophagus and protects it from the acid and the burning. I would definitely go back if you are no better but I think if it was me, I would ask to see the doctor and ask about further tests.

I think you should try to drink obi otherwise you will become dehydrated which can be serious. Can you manage a little milk this may neutralise the acid
Also small amount of food little and often. Try dry toast or cracker.
Stomach Acid is there to break down food ( I think ).
Hope you feel better soon

I would ask to see the doctor as well. Your loss of appetite and ringing in the ears don't sound like typical smptoms of acid reflux and you might need to be referred for further tests, as Teetime says.

If I were you I would see the GP unless it gets a lot better in the next few days - and even if it does, I would go to the GP for a checkup. The nurse practitioner is good for a lot of things, but not for diagnosing the reasons for acute stomach pain.

You may have an ulcer, or almost have one. Perhaps you had a mild gut infection of helibacter virus - they now reckon that helps to cause ulcers.

But if you don't eat and don't drink, you solve nothing, just make it worse. If there is nothing for the normal stomach acid to break down and digest, it irritates the lining of your digestive tract. You should eat as usual, but avoiding highly spiced things, and cutting down of coffee and tea. Drink plenty of water and milk.

And get a GP appointment

I agree, I would want those other symptoms checked out, of course it could be two different problems, but see the GP.

Definitely eat small, plain meals through the day. The acid needs something to work on.

Yes. Do some googling. You will be an expert in 'digestive conditions' when you come offline in about three days. Sigh!

When you see the nurse again in seven days, she will most likely refer you to the doc if you have no improvement.

Don't worry about it though. It's very common in us older folks.

If you've lost your appetite you should be tested for Helicobacter Pylori infection.

My SIL (39) had Gastritis and it was excruciating (he is no wimp) so you have my sympathy . Acid reflux sadly afflicts so many of us. I remember my mum saying of some food item "I like it but it doesn't like me" and I had NO idea what she meant. I do now!
Little and often, not rushing your food, sitting up in bed until the symptoms wear off, Gaviscon, Ranitidine, all of these also regular and "forced" deep breathing (remember you ante natal classes?) have helped me in the middle of the night.

When I first had mine, along with what I thought at the time was a virus, the doc did full bloods. Perhaps you should ask for that obi? It would include looking for h pylori.

Yes DaphneB. The middle of the night thing is awful. I was in the bathroom last night doing a little dance of despair! So want a good night's sleep without this.

Silent reflux. Do not stop eating and drinking, have small frequent meals or snacks. My rescue food was plain noodles, there is absolutely nothing to irritate the oesophagus. Milk is not recommended for gastric symptoms, yes I know they used to force feed ulcer patients milk, drinking water is adequate.

I'm no expert but I thought acid reflux was all about acid coming up, not going down. I get nasty attacks of this occasionally, for which I take Omeprazole, but then I can go for months and months without an attack, providing I eat carefully. This puzzles me. Why is the pain so bad, but then goes away for months at a time?

I had similar pains in my stomach several years ago obi and the pain seemed to radiate through to my back, so it was rather difficult to diagnose until a young locum at my GP surgery did the H Pylori breath test. The test proved positive and I was prescribed triple antibiotics and an anti acid.

I had been suffering with this problem for years and it was wonderful to have a diagnosis, treatment and relief.

I'm sure your practice nurse is excellent at what she does but please make an appointment with your GP and let him/her run some tests.

I am reading and googling.
I dont have any throat/voice/breathing problems whatsoever.

I am doing the small meal part[5 almonds this morning!]. I think plain noodles for lunch sounds like a good idea.
I am drinking more than I want to, as per all the good advice above.

The nurse did temperature[normal] and blood pressure[normal]. She did not mention any tests.

I am thinking that providing pains dont get worse, I will go back to the surgury on tuesday, unless the pill and medicine work[no sign so far, but early days I should think].

Thank you everyone for all the posts and thoughts. Greatly appreciated.

I probably havent finished all the googling yet about the things above, and those that I have, have other links that are probably worth me lloking into too.

The pain in the last couple of days, had started to somewhat disappear for a few hours then reappear. No such luck today so far, but mornings seem to be worse than later in the day on the whole.

I am thinking that if gaviscon is supposed to protect the osephogus, and I dont have any burning, then gaviscon is rather pointless for me?? But I will carry on taking it.

Gastritis - I will look at again. I did google it earlier, but my concentration is rather poor lately, so I need to relook at it.

Five almonds is not a meal! Not even a small one. Have some white bread. And a nice boiled eggie. (swore by eggs when I was ill. Still do)

Perhaps the nurse meant acid from certain foods, going down.

Maybe the dizziness was caused by sudden caffeine withdrawal?

Oh yes! Very possible. (I have half a teaspoon. Can't cut it out altogether. Too miserable)

I've had it for years. The acid was causing me to sound as if I was on forty fags a day. I started on omeprazole and graduated to ranitidine which mostly keeps it in check. It is mostly spicy foods that set me off and it is rare for me to eat them, but I made a curry for lunch and I am paying for it now so I shall be taking Gaviscon this afternoon . The thing about acid going down doesn't make sense to me either. It is a dysfunctional sphincter that allows acid to come back up into the gullet. It can cause some serious problems down the line if left without treatment. I have never had stomach pain as such, and if it doesn't improve ask the doc to send you for an endoscopy (if you haven't already had one).