The pepcid will not help. I have had acid problems in the past and the only thing that helped me was apple cider vinegar tablets. You can get them at your local vitamin store. Every time you have a flare up just pop one or two of those and the problem will subside.
From what I understand, the reason people get acid reflux is because people's bodies begin to create too much acid. Lets say you ate a piece of pizza that happened to be extra greasy. Your body then over produces acid to break down the grease but then also causes acid reflux and pain.
When you take pepcid ac, it stops your body from creating that much needed acid all together, which can be very harmful.
So when you take apple cider tablets it adds more needed acid and helps break down what is hurting your stomach. Which also helps slow down the acid production. With out taking it completely away.
Go to your local vitamin store, tell them what is going on and that you think its acid reflux. They will help you. Also ask them about apple cider vinegar tablets. They will tell you about those too!!!
You can also drink tummy calming teas... Try "stomach ease" and "rasberry ginger".
They taste gross but work well!
I would describe my heartburn as happening several hours after I eat, as if the stomach is empty and there's too much acid so it just comes up. Same here, right around the adam's apple and just below it. It feels more like liquid when my stomach is empty. Right after eating, I get some indigestion and it feels thicker I guess where the acid is mixed with food. I don't have the chest tightness.
I have been having similar problems for the last few months. It has been hard for me to pass gas and stool just like you. I have upper pain just below my rib cage that shoots down the left side all the way to my rectum. Everything feels swollen. Also my left side quivers occasionally. I stress out quite a bit and get bad anxiety attacks. Sometimes I get restless leg problems... I crave sugar as well which for some reason I believe takes part in all this mess.
Anyways, I went to the doc. and had almost everything looked at. They haven't actually inserted anything into my body, like a camera, to look at the walls of my bowels but they have done a Kat scan, felt my ovaries, and tested my blood and urine. Fortunately they could not find a thing and ended up giving me pain meds for an unknown muscle issue.
To get to the point, I finally decided to go a different route. I picked out an Alternative Medicine Doctor. (Who I found over the internet).When I went to her office she ran a few tests and found that I was having digestive issues. She put me on a complete detox program. No Dairy, meaning no cheese, no milk, and no yogurt. No sugar, meaning no pop, no coffee and so on.
This might be easier for me if I can explain what I can eat. I can eat rice, white meat like turkey and chicken, fruits and veggies. But no citrus fruits like oranges and grape fruit because that can upset the tummy. Oh and no Eggs and no condiments. Also drink lots of water and no fruit juices because juice from the store is packed with sugar.
So yes you pretty much have to eliminate all the tasty stuff.
Then with this diet (which I have not completely stuck too) my doctor gave me Enzymes and a tone of supplements (which you would have to get from your own doctor).
Anyways after about four days of eating like this and taking the supplements I realized I wasn't going to the bathroom at all! I was almost completely blocked and the pain was still there if not worse! So I called her back and told her everything. She then came to a good conclusion. I was very deficient in magnesium! She told me to get magnesium silicate. Which is a laxative in itself but the weird part about it is that after I drink that stuff all the pain goes away. This in my mind means I am headed in the right direction.
Now! I am not saying that this is the complete answer but just today I did some digging on magnesium and found that it is a very important part of the body. It helps keep our bodies in function and with out it can cause all sorts of problems. Like sugar cravings and even restless leg problems. It also helps with IBS.
So tomorrow I am going out and buying foods with high levels of magnesium. I found out that Almonds and the fish Haddock both have high properties. I am also going to by the supplement as well.
I will keep you posted on my detox diet as well as the results of eating more magnesiam rich food.
Last but not least, I am not saying stop going to your regular doctor’s visits or that being defiant in magnesium is the answer. I am not a medical doctor; I am only speaking from my own experience. My best suggestion is do you research when looking for doctors, and when finding answers. Always!!!!!!!!!!!! Look at more than one avenue and never give up!
If anyone has any questions or comments feel free!
Good Luck,
Jane
I have pretty much same symptoms as you. My abdominal cramping might be worse though. When I had a colonoscopy, they found inflammation in rectum and stomach. How do you describe your heartburn? I sometimes get a burning in my throat about an inch or two below my adam's apple and chest tightness.
I've noticed now that the pain is kind of on both sides at times. It's still the strongest in the LLQ, but it radiates to my left lower back, and I also feel a sort of "pinching sensation" on my right lower back. It doesn't quite seem like back pain because it feels closer toward the side and stomach.
Doc said to try Senokot for constipation and it does help - without it takes a lot of effort to have a BM and my stools are very small, and they sink.
Does this sound like anything serious?
Thanks