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Chronic Heartburn
Chalkbot
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I'm trying to save myself a trip to the doctor by consulting the wisdom H/A.
So I have chronic heartburn. I wake up in the middle of the night with intense pain in my chest, and I avoid certain foods (fruits, chocolate, etc.) instinctually because they always cause pain. I even have difficulty swallowing potatoes or beans, or anything of similar consistency. It will feel like I'm choking and I'll have to stop eating for a half hour or so.
On my own accord I started taking Prilosec OTC. I'm sure you've seen it on TV. After some time (a couple weeks) of taking it once daily, I pretty much feel normal again, it solved all of my problems with no apparent side effects. Neato!
But I got to reading the box more carefully the other day, and it says I'm not to take more than 14 pills in 4 months unless directed to do so by a doctor. Holy crap! Well, it is a once daily pill, and there are more than 14 days in 4 months, even if you use February as one of the months (I checked). So I stopped taking it for now, because I've way exceeded that. I assume it's because it's hard on your liver. My dad died of liver complications so I'm generally cautious about things like that.
Problem is, after 4-5 days of not being on Prilosec, I'm slowly returning to my original state, i.e an active volcano in my chest. If I go to a doctor, what is he most likely going to say? "Keep taking Prilosec, heres a bill for $100?" "Here, take this other thing instead?" Perhaps, "Take Prilosec once every few days?"
So I have chronic heartburn. I wake up in the middle of the night with intense pain in my chest, and I avoid certain foods (fruits, chocolate, etc.) instinctually because they always cause pain. I even have difficulty swallowing potatoes or beans, or anything of similar consistency. It will feel like I'm choking and I'll have to stop eating for a half hour or so.
On my own accord I started taking Prilosec OTC. I'm sure you've seen it on TV. After some time (a couple weeks) of taking it once daily, I pretty much feel normal again, it solved all of my problems with no apparent side effects. Neato!
But I got to reading the box more carefully the other day, and it says I'm not to take more than 14 pills in 4 months unless directed to do so by a doctor. Holy crap! Well, it is a once daily pill, and there are more than 14 days in 4 months, even if you use February as one of the months (I checked). So I stopped taking it for now, because I've way exceeded that. I assume it's because it's hard on your liver. My dad died of liver complications so I'm generally cautious about things like that.
Problem is, after 4-5 days of not being on Prilosec, I'm slowly returning to my original state, i.e an active volcano in my chest. If I go to a doctor, what is he most likely going to say? "Keep taking Prilosec, heres a bill for $100?" "Here, take this other thing instead?" Perhaps, "Take Prilosec once every few days?"
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If it's been going on a while and has been this severe the whole time, you could have an ulcer.
If your problem is serious enough that Prilosec isn't working he will probably do some tests to determine what exactly is causing your heartburn, and if it is only a temporary thing or if you have GERD. He may give you a different medication, one more tailored to you, and will probably talk about your dietary habits and your stress level.
Also my family (both sides) has a history of acid reflux disease, so it might be that. I don't know. To be honest, I never really did any research at all. I guess it really could be something more serious. Thoughts?
Edit:
Just to clarify, Prilosec IS working 100%. I feel totally normal while taking it. My concern was with the warning on the box that says I'm not supposed to take it more than 14 days in 4 months... and I guess now that the problem could be something more serious...