Oh, No!!!!!
 

Well, Inmates, I've done it now. Let myself go too long. Thought I had a persistent cold with chronic cough, sore throat, and occasional heartburn. Saw an ENT friend of mine today and He diagnosed me with "Acid Reflux"! Apparently one of the common symptons is a constant need to clear your throat and "hoarseness", as well as sore throat. He put me on some antibiotics, steroids, bronchodilators for my chest, and Nexium. Recommendations are:

1. Lose any extra weight. (Need to definitely do that!)
2. Don't work out near bedtime. (What's a "Workout"?):)
3. Limit alcohol, caffeine, and fizzy beverages. (Is there anything else you can drink?)
4. Don't Smoke! :bh:hn

Just thought I would pass this along for any inmates who might be having similar symptoms.

Thanks for listening!:tu

Greg

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

Hope all of this can clear up sooner rather than later, Greg. It's amazing how much even drinking more water can help with things like this.

Take care!!!!!

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Thanks, Dokk! Need to definitely do that!:tu

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

First, those steroids will do wonders (seriously, I have bad allergies which cause tract inflamation and roids knocks it down fast!). Next, as pointed out, drink water. Also, if you must smoke, do not smoke close to bedtime and take a hot shower before bed everynight (and stay in there, let the steam be your friend). I know this sounds like wives tails, but believe me it helps (not a cure by any means, but DOES help). Alot of stomach problems can be caused by **** running down your throat, the steam shower cleans that crap right up.

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

Get better soon Greg. Don't give up smoking. As a matter of fact every doctor I've spoken with over my lifetime I've come across those who tell us not to smoke but then I see them smoking. WTF? :r

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Put some blocks of wood under the headboard of your bed so your head and torso is above your feet when you sleep. Let gravity work.

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

Hell I could have saved you a trip to the Dr, does not matter what is wrong with you they always say loose weight, quit drinking and quit smoking is the cure.

Hope you get better soon!

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If I'd taken my doctor's advice and quit smoking when he advised me to, I wouldn't have lived to go to his funeral," George Burns.

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

Start taking this,I have been taking it for three years.
Thus far,I have not been sick once.No chest cold,no sinus things.no flu.
Now I don't wake up every morning wanting to do 100 push ups,but I have not been sick...period.

http://www.embriahealth.com/epicor.asp

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

Sorry to hear that Greg.

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When the Hell do you ever feel like doing 100 push ups upon awakening???!!!:r

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Not "Quitting" for good, just a short term, hopefully!:)

Done!:tu

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Good Points! Thanks!

But, then, I'm not George Burns.:D
Thanks, Dave!:tu

Thanks!

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The only people I know are The Admiral & Dokk!:D

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Sorry to hear Greg...here's to a speedy recovery.

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

Ditto- feel better soon! If you have "acid reflux" I'm surprised it was not suggested to take a couple antacids before going to bed!

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

That, Too; but he told me to be sure and take Nexium 1hr before evening meal. According to Him, it works much better in the evening before going to bed. You're standing on your feet most of the time in the mornings, so the reflux doesn't bother you as much.

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

That sucks Greg!! Keep your head up buddy I am sure all will be well soon.

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Get well soon, Greg!! I hate to hear that your feeling ill, my friend.

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Get well soon Greg. As far as the no smoking part, I don't think I would be able to follow that request.

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

Greg, hope you can kick this crud quickly with the doctor's advice....although, glad the smoking advice is temporary. :)

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

Sorry to hear about this Greg. Hope you can get this cleared up soon.

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

Thanks for all the Advice & Well wishes, Friends!:tu Feeling much better this morning, although I didn't sleep very well last nite. Chest congestion is much improved and no heartburn/reflux noted. Need to get on an exercise regime, now!:)

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

A really good non medicinal way to alleviate Acid reflux is raw almonds. chew and swallow 2-4 raw almonds and give it about 45 seconds heartburn will go away due to the natural oils in the nuts.


Good Luck!

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Thanks, Jesse!:)

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Get better, Greg. Clear them lungs up for the YBOR, my friend. :)

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Thanks, Brother! I might need to pace myself in
"Training" for That One!:r:)

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Almonds, hmmmm I never knew.

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its a well kept family secret :) my dad used to have ulcers really really bad. To the point drinking water would give him reflux, one of his buddies at work let him in on some ancient remedy and 8 months later his ulcers were gone.

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

As one who has acid reflux for a decade or more, I can tell you that Protonix or Prevacid are your friends.
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

Feel better soon Greg, and do what I do in the future - stay the hell away from doctors! If they don't kill you outright, they will kill all the joy in your life, so what's the point of living anyway?

No offense to the doctors on this board - I'm sure you're the exceptions. :r

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

I had GERD for 15 years Greg, whatever you do don't let this go. I was diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus in 2000 and had surgery to tighten up a weak stomach sphincter valve that December. That stuff will tear up your pipes, get into your lungs and just make life miserable. At my five year checkup and scope my doc said there was no sign of Barrett's anymore. Whew!

I went without heartburn for nine years and started having bad attacks again this summer so I went back to see him. An xray shows I have a minor hiatal hernia opening up again so I'm back on the Prilosec which is working very well.

Take care of yourself!

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

Sorry for the bad news, Bro!!!

I would rather die than give up anything on the list... except exercise!!!

Stay strong!!!:tu

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

Greg,all the best. I wish I could offer you some advice but I could lose 30 pound, smoke regularly, watch TV before bed and drink alcohol whenever possible. Hope you get better though.

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

Sorry to hear about this.

Hope you recover fully quickly brother.

I'll smoke on your behalf....does that make you feel any better? :r

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Of Course!:) I know you're smoking an RP, right?:D Need to get well before Nov. 13th!:tu

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I am and will be. I'm holding an RP Decade Torpedo for you! ;)

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

GERD sufferer here, too. Having had reflux, you can discover small things that the rest of the world might not pick up on, such as the taste of stomach acid, how to sound like that guy who used to do movie intros without intending to, the fact that if you eat enough Rolaids you will be constipated.

Protonix, Prilosec, Nexium... There are several acid pump inhibitors that do a truly wonderful job on it and approach the problem from a completely different angle than what our parents had to deal with this problem. It was transformative for me. I'm not normally a big fan of a lot of pills, but they can make your life much, much easier. If you can find a natural remedy that works for you fine, but these are wonder drugs so far as I am concerned. Long-term acid reflux can lead to increased incidence of cancers in the upper GI tract, so I wouldn't monkey around with fixing it.

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

:tu

Thanks for the Advice & Info, Brother!:tu I have a good friend at work that has Barrett's esophagus or something similar to it and can only eat very small portions of certain foods every day. He is basically miserable 24/7 no matter what he does. I certainly don't want to get to that stage. I'm going to lose 30# and keep it off this time. Haven't had a cigar in 2 days.:( Also going to start a regular exercise program when I get this chest crud cleared up. All in All, it's been a wake-up call for me to change my ways to improve my quality of life! Thanks again everyone for the well wishes and great advice!:tu

Greg

Re: Oh, No!!!!!
 

Thanks for the advice, Brother, and stay healthy yourself!:tu

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I'm on a diet now and while I had the same issues as you, I found out that it's pretty simple to stick to healthy food in small portions, and that there is are a lot of non fizzy beverages that taste quite nice.

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I do need to start eating healthy! 2.5 pounds lost already!:tu

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Good start man :) There is always a beginning to every road