Acid Reflux or Gerd

I was rushed to the hospital last monday (the whole story is posted on Topics On Earth), then consulted an ENT doctor last Tuesday and was diagnosed with acid reflux.

What is Acid Reflux?
Acid Reflux is a disorder that happens when acid of the stomach flows back into the esophagus up to your throat and voice box. This causes irritation and inflammation resulting in pharyngitis and laryngitis or hoarseness.

Symptoms:
-on and off hoarseness
-frequent need to clear your throat
-voice breaks
-sour or bitter taste
-sore throat
-difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia)
-pain in swallowing (odynophagia)
-feeling like you are choking
-sensation of having a lump in the throat
-chronic cough
-sometimes bad breath

Avoid the following:
-fatty or fried foods
-spicy foods
-chocolates
-mints
-citrus and tomato-based foods
-alcohol
-caffeine (tea, coffee & cola)
cruciferous vegetables: cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and brussels sprouts
-milk and milk-based products containing calcium and fat within 2 hours of bedtime
-allioid vegetables like onion

Things you should do:
-reduce the amount you eat in the evening
-do not eat after 8PM or 3-4 hours prior to retiring for the night
-do not lie down just after eating
-eat larger meals for breakfast and lunch
-eat slowly and leisurely
-avoid eating too much
-drink 6-8 glasses of water per day
-stop smoking
-ensure good sleeping posture
-elevating your head and upper body by 6-8 inches when you are lying down helps limit reflux
-be sure to take any medication as directed
-visit your doctor for follow-up and progress of treatment

Things you should not do:
-don’t slouch
-don’t work out near bedtime
-don’t lift heavy object immediately after meals or do other things which put a strain on your stomach
-don’t constrict the stomach by wearing too tight-fitting clothes, too tight belts, girdles, pantyhose, etc.

If you are overweight:
-reduce weight by paying attention to the quality and quantity of your meals
-exercise according to the instructions given by your doctor

These are from the leaflet given to me by Dr. Cesar Joaquin A. Chavez, ENT-Head and Neck Surgeon. If you have the above symptoms, you may have Acid Reflux. Consult your doctor immediately.

Diagram from Wikipedia

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18 comments / Add your comment below

  1. parang meron akong ilang sintomas ah..malimit kase mahirap ako lumunok ng pagkain kaya kelangan e laging may kasama agad ng tubig..sana naman wala…

  2. Hi Ross, I hope your doing okay na. Ang daming bawal pala kahit acid reflux. I remember gusto mo pa naman ang chocolates. Take care and regards to the family. God bless!

  3. Neo is showing symptoms of Acid Reflux. I shared this with him and I hope makinig sya na iwasan na ang pag inom ng coke at iba pang bawal na pagkain at bad habits that can lead to a bad Acid Reflux. Thanks for sharing. Pagaling ka ha. Neo said regards to you. See you in December.

  4. Iwas sa bawal lang talaga at inum ng gamot…just take care of your health girl…lahat nga naman may purpose di ba? Tangap nalang natin ng kusa kung ano plano ni Lord.

  5. very informative. great blog you got here..=) i hope youre well..

    cheers

    acdee of confession nook

  6. There is really no better solution than the right diet. If one will try to avoid the foods that will worsen their acid reflux condition, then they are doing themselves a favor. It is nice to read everything in a neat one page here. Thanks.

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