Surging GERD symptoms?

[DatsMcGrats]

I've been dealing with GERD for 9 years.  It all came on suddenly when I was 36 (45 now).  Long story short, the first year was hell as I was trying to figure out what was happening to me and how to deal with it.  You name it, I had it: Steady pressure and pain in chest and back, dizziness, trips to the ER because of "heart attack" symptoms, nausea, weird tingling down my arms, insomnia, racing heart, anxiety, etc. etc.  Tried a variety of meds and eventually settled on Nexium.  With the help of the purple pill, changes to my diet, and addressing my anxiety with reading, counseling (and occasionally meds),  I was able to get a handle on the whole thing and move on with my life.  For the most part, I have managed it well ever since.  Have had my esophagus scoped a couple of times and things look pretty good.  It has been relatively smooth sailing.  I can often feel the GERD symptoms looming and I have occasional problems if I forget to take my Nexium or make a poor dietary choice, but overall I don't have many terrible days like I did in the beginning.  The question is this:  Has anybody else experienced periodic surges of GERD symptoms that don't respond to the normal management routine?  This has happened to me 4-5 times over the past 9 years.  I ask (maybe obviously) because I'm dealing with such an episode right now.  I have not made any lifestyle changes that I can think of that would be triggers, nor have I altered my meds, but my symptoms are rockin like they did in the beginning and they're not really responding to extra meds or even a super careful diet.  I'm experiencing chest pain/pressure for most of my waking hours, it's been going on for about a week and if it's like past episodes, it may stay with me for a few weeks.  The only thing that gives me peace of mind is that I've been down this road before and I know I will get through it.  Just wondering if anybody else has experienced this pattern of relative success in controlling GERD followed by relapses.  I'm just hoping to make some sense out of it.  Thanks and best of luck to all!

[bigkev414]

Oops - typed 'street' which should be 'stress'.

[bigkev414]

Hi
Yes, I have the same kind of pattern...Selma may have something because I suffer terribly from sinusitis and am sensitive to weather changes...and street which is the main underlying cause, and one thing I have noticed over the years is that if I have a good sleep (which is rare) I feel a whole lot better that day..
Problem is if I have a good day and then eat something that brings the burps or pain on I stress and then on it goes. Sometimes if I eat a few grapes, or even ONE, or just a couple of cherries or an orange within minutes I feel like I want to die. I carry Gaviscon Dual action tabs with me and take Zantac effervescent daily
You are not alone, and yes, I suffer along with you. Tomorrow will be better.....cheers

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the GERD forum.

Yes, it is possible to have symptoms that flare from time to time....for me, I know what my triggers are....PND due to allergies and or just an over production of histamines...so a change to a H2b was very helpful to me as well as watching my diet....But weather changes and stress can trigger symptoms so I have to listen to my body to try to keep things on track.

That does not mean I do not have the occasional flare up....but I am better at keeping it in check....

Keep a journal to see if it could be a food allergy or weather related....