severe heartburn, prolonged tums usage, severe diahrrea

[askydiver76]

Ok I am a 33 year old white male. I have had heartburn so severe the past 3 years that I wake up at night chocking on acid, I can only sleep on my left side, if I try my right within minutes I am hurting. I was a heavy drinker but no longer. I know I was overdoing it but I would eat up to 30 tums a day at times, at times 2 at a time would just subside the heartburn for maybe a half hour. It has gotten so bad that at night I sleep with the bottel in bed next to me. I dont have insurance so I have not been able to see a doctor on this. Also for the past year or better if I overdo the tums I have severe diahrrea. It is bad at times to where it burns and is acidy. Also at times it has now caused hemroids and now I have alot of red blood when I wipe. Please suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
What you have could be due to exacerbation of the GERD or hiatal hernia. Treatment is a combination of drugs to reduce the acid and lifestyle changes. You will need to take a combination of medications like a proton pump inhibitor such as omeprazole,  lansoprazole or pantoprazole empty stomach in the morning and an antacid gel after meals for complete relief. Life style changes that will help include: Avoid heavy meals and eat frequent small meals. Avoid too much of caffeine, tea, smoking, fried food and drinks both alcoholic and non alcoholic fuzzy ones. Avoid heavy exercises within 4 hours of a heavy meal. Raise the head end of the bed by pillows to 30 degrees. Go to bed at least 2 hours after food. Maybe these tips will help you.
Since you also have diarrhea, you could be having IBS or food intolerance too. Increasing dietary fibers may help.
You should consult a gastroenterologist (a specialist who looks after the diseases of our digestive system) or a physician for this if these tips reduce your symptoms.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!

[LivingInHope]

I've heard advertised where you can get just about any blood test for a price without having to pay for a doctor's visit- don't know if it's legit, but you really should be trying to get a gastrin level.  A gastrinoma (tumor) in the duodenum (part of the small intestine) or the pancreas can produce high amounts of gastrin, which stimulates secretion of stomach acid and enzymes.  This can lead to ulcers.  Seeing a GI specialist would be best. Severe GERD unchecked can be dangerous- I 've heard it can even lead to cancer.  Also, with all the bleeding, your ferritin (stored iron) and possibly your blood iron stores as well may be too low and you may be needing to take iron supplementation.  Please spend the money after researching to find the best GI doctor in your area.  They may be willing to work with you on the money issue.  

With all the diarrhea, this likely is throwing off your electrolyte balance as well and dehydrating you, so you'll want something like G 2 to try to help with that & to get adequate potassium back in your body as well, as low potassium can give you muscle cramps, weakness, make you feel faint, etc..

Some steps you can take are dietary- cutting out dairy, spicy, fatty and fried foods, as well as citrus, peppermint, and anything you notice really sets off your acid problem.  Not eating at LEAST 2 hours before retiring and elevating the head of the bed significantly, using a wedge under the top half of your mattress or a hospital bed with the head of the bed elevated, typically can help if you have acid reflux.

There are over the counter medications other than tums out there being advertised, from prilosec to zantac- have you tried any of these?  Using zinc oxide ointment or baby diaper rash cream with 40 percent zinc oxide ointment can help some and there are over the counter suppositories for hemorrhoids.