Feeling OK

I have been OK since the weekend. VBS at night will keep me busy and active. Am I reflux free? Not exactly. I have had a sour taste in the mouth to mild acid tongue...but no heartburn or puke in the throat and I am not hoarse. I don't like being on a double does of Erythromycin...but it may be working. I am taking a two Culturelles per day to help out with that.
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Feeling ok today

So today no reflux...out of the blue and the trouble swallowing is gone too. I think I ate an egg sandwich that was too hot and it temporarily hurt my esophagus. At any rate, I am better today....so far. I am debating going on Reglan or somehow getting Doperidone (via Canada). I have call in with the doc to see if they will right me a Rx for the latter.
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Long time no blog

It's been a couple weeks or so because they had me switch to Zegerid over two weeks ago which helped a tiny bit...but not until I had over a week or more of lots of acid. On Monday I succumbed to a virus that Abbi and they boys all had...fever/chills, achey and some stomach cramping and then gone in 24-48 hours. The more one sleeps the sooner it is over. Once I got better from this the acid has been back in full force and I have trouble eating even small amounts of food. I have called Horse M.D. and have an appt to see him a week from today. I am going to ask to see another specialist for a 2nd opinion.
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New Med - Old Med?

Because Axid stop working for me the doc now has me on Zegerid...which is a powder form of Prilosec with sodium bicarbonate added (so the drug survives the stomach acid). I mix it with two tablespoons of water and take it like shot of tequila. This is day 3...no change so far. Supposedly my body should absorb this better than pills.
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The Past Week

In the last week I started having all sorts of GI Problems...abdominal cramping, diarrhea , and slowly a return to more reflux and heartburn. Today the heartburn and reflux back and today is one of the worse days I have had....3 out of 10.
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Yesterday - 6 out of 10

The good news is my reflux was limited to a little acid-tongue. The bad news is I had diarrhea for the first half of the day. Mirilax sometimes works fine, sometimes doesn't work at all...yesterday it obviously worked too well. So far, today has been better on all fronts...and rears :)
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Yesterday - 8 out of 10

I had a really good day. Only a tiny bit of acid, once in a while and I didn't feel bad after any meals. We had a great day at Upwards Flag Football and the Award Ceremony at night was tolerable. They actually kept it to an hour! So far today, ok...tonight is the AWANA Award Ceremony. The boys did really well in AWANA Club this year and should be getting the recognition for it.
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Yesterday - 7 out of 10

Overall I had a great day yesterday. Most of the day was an 8. I didn't have acid at all...until after dinner...I was mostly ok by bedtime and I slept well. I weighed at Publix...197. I am hoping for a good weekend. It's a busy one!
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Yesterday - 6 out of 10

Woke up feeling better than Wednesday. Had acid-tongue all day, but no bad heartburn or reflux in throat. I am thinking it may be the new hard-pressed apple juice I was drinking. It is now out of my diet. Slept in late today (forgot to turn on the alarm, and I took bacfolen last night). So far today I feel ok.
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Yesterday 4 out of 10

My streak of good days in a row I had is over :( Starting after breakfast and continuing into today...heartburn, reflux, ickiness...bleah!
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Tuesday - 7 out of 10

Most of the day was acid free...but it took me forever to fall asleep again. Today I don't feel as good (acid tongue), lack of sleep is catching up with me.
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Monday - 8 out of 10

A great day...a little acid before dinner but otherwise I felt much better. I had falling asleep though.
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Friday, Saturday and Sunday - 8 of 10

I had a relatively good weekend. I know that I have felt a lot worse and I know that there has been the occasional weekend that has been better. The good thing is I have had far less acid reflux. The problems that I did experience were some constipation and gas. I did have some phlegm that may be reflux related but it was not a lot and was less annoying than acid-tongue.

The one big difference that I did get a refill of my liquid EES (for motility). It always seems that when I first get the Rx refilled that the EES works better. Then it seems that when I get to the second bottle it doesn't work so well. I asked Publix if I could just get two weeks at a time and they said OK. So far so good. This weekend I felt like I have had a decent amount of stomach emptying and Monday AM I had relief to my gas and constipation.
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Yesterday - 8 out of 10

I had a really good day yesterday. Almost no reflux until around 9 PM last night and even that wasn't too bad.
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200 pounds again!

I have lost around 58 lbs. and weigh 200. Which I have not weighed in...7 years...10 years. I can't remember. That is the silver lining in all this. If only I hadn't run over that Old Gypsy lady and then lied about it :)
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Yesterday - 7 out of 10

I felt great most of the day...drank enough fluids and had my ginger candy and licorice on hand....then starting around 9 PM last night I got some bad acid reflux. I didn't sleep too well...but have been ok this AM. If not for the nighttime issue, I would have given they day an 8.
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Yesterday - 6 out of 7

Today started of good...great actually. After lunch I have seen an increase in acid reflux. I actually had a little heartburn too. No change in diet. All I can think is...

#1 It's been about 5 days since I switched meds and I always feel good for 4-5 after changing meds.
#2 I forgot to bring my licorice and ginger candy to eat after meals or when I have acid tongue.
#3 Other than the apple juice I had with my Mirilax this AM, I didn't have any other liquid...usually I slowly sip on water or apple juice. Maybe temporarily having no liquid was bad for me?

The good news is, after my afternoon meds (EES and Axid) and a small peach smoothie (yogurt, skim milk, canned peaches and honey). I felt much better last night. If not for the after-lunch reflux I would rate the day an 8.
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Yesterday - 7 out of 10

Again a better day. I had a little acid tongue at night but overall it was a good day.
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Yesterday (6) and Today (7)

Yesterday...felt a little better than Friday. Busy with Upward football with the boys and chores. Reflux was less. I bought some ginger candies and licorice from Wards (on Friday) and they seem to help when my tongue is acidy. I seemed to have a bit of acid at night and woke up this AM with an acid tongue. The good thing is I felt better after breakfast and lunch and not too bad after dinner. Hoping for a better week. .
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Yesterday - 5 out of 10

I felt *much* better yesterday. Of course this is usually the case after switching meds so I am cautiously hopeful.
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UPDATE: Trying a new Rx

(If you haven't read my first post here it is.)

As I said in my last daily status post I hit a new low. I called the GI doctor's office and asked the nurse to pass on a message to Connie. She is the one who had me try, Bacfolen and Protonix (along with the 2 Zantacs and 2 doses of EryPed 200). I expressed concern about the possibility that I may have too little stomach acid instead of too much. Connie does not think that to be the case (neither does my friend, Chris, who is a pharmacist). She says my reflux is caused by my gastroparesis (duh) and what I need is greater stomach emptying. She prescribed a new (well it's older...so different) drug Nazatidine (the generic of Axid). She said it would help with reflux and empyting my stomach. I found a couple of articles from a few years ago that suggested this might be the case. Anyhow, I am taking two Nazatidine 150s a day and I am dropping the Protonix and the Zantacs...yay! So far I have only had two doses. One last night and one this AM. It is too early to tell. I will say that any time I switch meds I seem to get better for 4 to 5 days and then worse...so time will tell. My next appointment with Dr. Sninksy is May the 11th. I hope to have a better report by then.

Yesterday - 2 out 10

My cold virus is almost completely gone...my acid reflux is at it's worst. Yesterday was a low point. The only times I have felt worse is when I had bad reactions to Nexium. More on all of this later...
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Yesterday - 4 out of 10

My cough was a lot better and I had a good night's sleep. Acid Reflux still bad.
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Yesterday - 2 out of 10

Bad cough all day and worse reflux :(
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Yesterday - 3 out 10

This cold virus is not only wearing me out it is causing more reflux. An awful day and last night was worse (with Ezra waking up crying and Abbi coughing after Ezra woke up). I am running on empty and on target for a day worse than yesterday :( I'm at work but considering going home to rest...
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Yesterday - 3 out of 10

Having the bad chest congestion that I had yesterday, I took a mucinex. Bad idea...it only made my reflux worse :(
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Yesterday and Today - 5 out of 10

a couple of so-so days...ok in the AM, minor acid after lunch...more after dinner. I'm not really getting any better and I am getting pretty frustrated. If only my reflux was under control :(
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Yesterday - 6 out of 10?

Well I have the upper-respiratory virus that everyone but Noah has officially has (I say officially because Noah says his ear hurts).

Yesterday I had post-nasal drip so it was hard for me to tell what was reflux and what was virus. I was tired and achey all day though.

The good news...maybe...is I got to sleep in late because I have to work late (server updates). So far, this AM, my sore throat is gone and I just had some mild, chest congestion. I am praying that I have an, all-around, better day.
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Yesterday - 6 out of 10

Yesterday started out a little better than Tuesday. I got a walk after dinner and felt even better. Then an hour before dinner I started coughing and having post-nasal drip. This is likely the virus that everyone in my family has had lately. This AM I woke with a sore throat and phlegm, but no reflux. Here is praying and hoping my day doesn't go South on me.
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Yesterday 5.5

Most of the day I was reflux free. From 8 PM throughout the night the acid was back. I started out this AM with a little "acid tongue"...which is never a good sign.
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Yesterday - 5 out of 10

Day started off as an 8...I felt great until lunch. The rest of the day was tons of reflux..a 3. I am averaging it to a 5 :( I am hoping for a better day today.
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Today - 8 out of 10

Ezra, Brennan and Luke were sick today which is always a bummer.
As for me, I had very little acid reflux. One thing I did was eat dinner much earlier...4 PM...I also have been eating a little more carbs (of those allowed). All I know I had a great weekend and felt better today than yesterday and better yesterday than Friday. I know these things go in cycles, but I hope for a better week.
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Overs 50 pounds shed in 3.5 months

The only benefit to being sick is I have lost over 50 pounds in the last 3.5 months. I still have almost that same amount before I get to my pre-marriage weight so I am not too worried.
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Today - 6 out of 10

No reflux until after my early dinner. Mostly better now and going to sleep.
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Yesterday - 5 out of 10

Day started out as a 7 ended as a 3. Acid reflux at night was awful.
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Yesterday - 7 out of 10

I felt much better yesterday. I did have a little heartburn. Poor little Ezra is sick with a nasty flu-like virus (fever, snot, cough). I woke up at 2 AM and gave him tylenol and some water and wiped crusted snot off of his nose. I am pretty exhausted this AM.
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Today - 3 out of 10 :(

Bad day today. I felt bad after breakfast and the reflux just got worse and worse. I am quitting the Assist. It is the new variable. Sorry Tina.
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Today - 5 out of 10

Today started of great (7+ in the AM). Reflux started a couple hours after lunch and then got better. After dinner I had reflux for several hours. It is finally starting to wane. I am starting to think that dinner should be limited to just a snack :(
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Yesterday- 6 out of 10

I am starting to rate how I felt the previous day. 1 is the worst I have felt and 10 is symptom free.

I took Assist twice yesterday. Maybe it helped. I had my usual nighttime reflux between dinner and bed (but it was less than usual). I slept well (thanks baclofen and Abbi for the neck massage). Even half a pill of baclofen zonks me out (and gives me very vivid dreams).

So far I feel pretty good today (7.5 out of 10). I pray that I continue to improve.
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Assist

So I am trying some digestive enzyme pills that Tina Crawford (wife of my Sunday School teacher) gave me: Assist (by Body Ecology). Took one at lunch and another one with dinner. I will let you know if they help me at all. So far I haven't had a change in symptoms (good or bad). I imagine it may take some time.
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This past weekend

I had a pretty good weekend. Saturday was Ezra's 2nd Birthday and Sunday we had a good Easter. Somehow we packed 3 days into the last two days :). As for symptoms: Acid Reflux has been a little better under control. I still have moments during the day where I have some reflux/heartburn. It seems like it is usually worse in the late afternoon and early evening. Back to work today. I am hoping for a good day.
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Gastropareis (GP)?

This is an updated reprint of a post I put on Facebook:

I have been asked by a couple of people about my medical condition so I decided to create this blog.

Just after Christmas I had surgery on a toe-nail. Because of this I was on antibiotics (Cephalexin) for 3 weeks. During my second week I started to get heartburn and acid reflux. I took some Prilosec but it only helped for a week. I saw my doctor a few times and tried Nexium and Zantac and other stuff to no avail. I made all the life-style changes recommended: diet, exercise, probiotics, raising the head of the bed, no food after 5 PM, small meals, no food triggers, etc. Nothing helped. I went to a GI specialist and had several tests (Endoscopy, abdominal ultrasound, gastric emptying study). The first two showed nothing wrong. The last test showed that my stomach wasn't passing food through quickly enough. The Gastro doc says I have Gastroparesis (GP).

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gastroparesis/index.htm

I don't have any symptoms other than reflux (common symptoms are nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain). I have lost 45 pounds in 3 months because I can't eat much. I just started Stage 3 of a GP diet (after being on the awful Stage 2 for about a month).

http://www.gicare.com/diets/Gastroparesis.aspx

In the past I have tried, Zantac, Prilosec, Nexium (awful gave me heart-palpitaions and confusion), AcipHex...all with no improvement. Currently I am on a couple acid reflux meds (generic Zantac and generic Protonix, two pills of each per day) and a med for the GP (liquid suspension of Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate, twice a day). I also am taking Baclofen (in hopes it will help improve muscle-tone of my LES). I just started this new regimen on Thursday after seeing a really good Nurse Practitioner at my GI doctor's office. My reflux is a little more under-control...but I can't say I am noticing vast improvement. On the other hand, I do feel like I am not getting drastically worse. Time will tell.

At this point Celiacs (gluten-allergy) has been ruled out by bloodwork.

Your support and prayers are appreciated. Pax Out!