I was diagnosed with GERD a year and a half ago. I believe my GERD is due to stress, you know, making more acid than necessary. I'am not a smoker, nor am I overweight, and I don't drink. My Doc believes it might be stress related too.
I did all the necessary life style changes, and I mean ALL, with the exception of putting a board under my bed... instead I just used huge pillows. GERD has been coming and going in 3 month increments. So 3 months are painless, and the next 3 will be painful regardless of the life style changes, and even medication(Nexium, it's the only thing that works).
So yeah, for the past 4 months I wake up with heart burn despite not eating anything 4 hours before bedtime. I wake up with that disgusting taste in my mouth as well. When I first was diagnosed I considered surgery, just to get rid of the pain. But now I guess I've become a coward to it, and am afraid it may be the only option left. It's supposedly an easy procedure but sounds freaky.
I'm in mourning, and Lately, I've began to drink. Wine mostly for the past 2 weeks. I know it's not a good way to deal with a death of a loved one but that's what it is. So I know drinking isn't helping the whole situation, and have stopped.
My questions are as follows:
Is there something else I can do to prevent heartburn in the morning?
Something I should know about surgery to ease the way I look at it?
How long after having GERD does it take for your esophagus to develop Barret's Esophagus?
How can I prevent it if I can't even prevent heartburn?
Does Barret's Esophagus ensure that Esophagul Cancer is in one's future?(I dont have any cancers in my family, both immediate and distant... and I know them all, we have kids at an early age.)
Any natural remedies to prevent heartburn?
I've been experiencing a lot of mucus in the throat, and even with blood... can that be due to the GERD?
Sometimes when my throat is badly burned from the acid in the morning, I will get sick like flu/cold... that common?
Thank you all for taking the time in reading my post.