Submitted by Dr T on August 1, 2012 – 8:33am
Question:
please help!!!i was diagnosed with gerd and erosive gastritis almost 2 years ago. was free of meds since about 1 year. anyhow it seems it has come back with a vengeance!!! my esophagus hurts i wake up with mouth full of strange saliva i always have phlegm in my throat and I am on Protonix 1 x day !!!i sleep with elevated bed, i eat 2 meals a day and very light at that and wait 3 hrs before i go to bed. anyhow my question is this lately that my gerd is worse when i do my treadmill in the morning i get pains like you’ve scratched me in the back and in the front . naturally i am worried it could be my heart but when it happens my heart rate is fine i don’t feel lightheaded i feel fine and it goes away even if i don’t stop my exercise. this kind of pain sometimes comes without exercise too but i am buffled why . i try to exercise without even having had my pills(thyroxine, zurcazol) . the pain is not severe but i would like some reassurance . any thoughts/advice. i am 36fem hashimoto thyroiditis/had my annual heart check up last month – doc said i can exercise as usual she did an ekg and an echocardiogram, she saw some mild regurgitation but she said it’s insignificant and i shouldn’t use it as an excuse not to exercise . my resting heart is in the 50’s when wake up in the morning and when i go to bed at night.do you think i need a stress test ? i had one done about 5 years ago.
Hi Tonia,
Why do you think your heart is involved? Those tests show your heart is fine, while a diagnosis of GERD (Gastro-esophageal reflux disease) has been made. However, if you continue with symptoms of acid reflux despite adequate medication, your doctors need to seriously consider an anti-reflux operation, because prolonged acid injury to your esophagus increases the risk of all sorts of future complications, including a stricture or esophageal cancer!
Hope this helps,
Dr T