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Answers to Readers' Questions on Health:
Heartburn
The following 7 comments and questions have been sent in. They are listed according to date.
List of first 10 items
- Gets heartburn after exercising
- Suffering with GERD and a hiatal hernia
- Overweight and has stomach problems
- Doctor prescribing strong medications
- I have gastritis caused by a drug I took
- Diagnosted with gastritis
- Has a hiatal hernia
Gets heartburn after exercising
Question
March 20, 2006
I am 46 yrs old and just within the last year started exercising to try to get my cholesterol down. Since I have started I have had heartburn at the end of whatever exercise session I do. It can be walking on a treadmill or a low impact class. I do not as a rule ever get heartburn (maybe a total of 5 times in my life). I have recently gone to a gastro dr. who thinks it could be heart related since it is associated with exercise. Everything I have read on this matter talks about exercising right after eating. I never exercise right after eating it is always after work, so it can be 4-5 hrs later. What do you think & have you ever heard of this.
P - USA
10514
Answer
Since you have higher cholesterol and since the heartburn is related to exercise, I think it would be wise to have a stress test of your heart condition. You are at the age where a stress test is often recommended.
Many of the treadmills have a cardio-check, where you can monitor your pulse. Know your resting pulse and then check it when you are on the treadmill. It should go up, but you don't want it to be racing too fast. That could give you the feeling of heartburn.
Since there is such a close correlation between the symptoms of heartburn and a heart attack, you want to make sure it isn't the heart that is causing you pain.
Also, try to relax when you are on the treadmill. Walk relaxed. Don't make it work or get your self tensed while exercising. Stress may also be a source of the heartburn.
I hope these ideas help. Best wishes in good health.
Suffering with GERD and a hiatal hernia
Question
March 15, 2006
Hi,
I am a 36 year old female that has suffered with GERD and a hiatal hernia for several years now. My doctor prescribed Prilosec and then Nexium but they both give me a terrible pressure right under my breast bone that travels up to my chest as if someone was inflating a balloon from inside of me. I stopped taking them. Now I'm on Zantac 150 twice a day which seems to help. The only thing that has me really troubled in the constant shortness of breath. Is there any rememdy for this and what would be a self test that could be done to ensure that is not heart related. I've had it for years now.
Thank you for your advice.
Mirtha - USA
10459
Answer
Ideally, you would like to solve your problem and start to heal without having to take these various drugs that often have side-effects.
Some things you might try are:
If you go on a regime for comforting your stomach, you may be able to start improving and also be able to get off the medication. Certainly avoid alcohol, coffee, tea and cola drinks. Also avoid spicy or hot foods. It is best to have somewhat bland food, but still have it tasty.
Eat small helpings. It is better to have several smaller meals than to eat a lot at one time. Take a 10 minute walk after each meal. Do not lie down for several hours after eating. This is especially important when you have a hiatal hernia.
Eat slowly, chew well, and try to avoid stress.
It takes some work and concentration to give your stomach a break, but you should find that it will start improving its condition. You probably still can take the Zantac for a while, but start thinking in terms of cutting back.
Verify this with your doctor to make sure this is a good idea for you. Often they prescribe medications, because so many people do not have the discipline to change their habits.
I hope these ideas help you get your health condition back up to where it should be.
Overweight and has stomach problems
Question
December 20, 2005
Hi i am 25 and i am over-weight to start with ,but the real problem for me has been the heart-burn gastric and choking in and around chest area .Though I don't feel these problem throughout the day but whenever I sit for long or lie down for long I do feel them .Also I've started thinking about them a lot .I am regular with my yoga and have lost 17 kgs in last 3 months and still working on it.Also please tell me the pulls that I feel in my body are they due to these problems that I have , also at times I find myself shakinf my legs or doin something ....i hope u r getting wht i am tryin to say...My doctor has said I dnt have any major prob but need to have a balance diet is that all .Coul u tell me a balance diet and lifestyle plan .I'll be very grateful.
Gaurav - India
9426
Answer
One thing to do is to give yourself several hours after eating before you lie down. In fact, it is a good idea to take a relaxing walk after eating. This will also help you lose some weight.
It is better to eat smaller meals more often than to have a large meal that may be difficult to digest and cause heart-burn symptoms.
If you are nervous or worrying about things while you eat, it can affect your digestion and cause some problems.
Yoga is good, but you may need more active exercise that will get your heart beating faster. A brisk walk or bicycle riding several times a week could be added to your yoga exercise.
Finally, watch what you eat. Like the doctor said, you need a balanced diet. Fatty or greasy foods, spicy foods, and too much coffee or tea can irritate your stomach. Once things settle down, you can indulge somewhat again.
I hope these ideas help you get your stomach and health back in order.
Doctor prescribing strong medications
Question
November 6, 2005
I have gastro problems and heartburn. I have been taking Zantac 75 two times a day with no side effects. I was told a need a healing med. Two years ago my Dr put me on prevacid. The first day I took it I was up all night with heart palputations every hour like a clock. I asked the gastro Dr. and he said he never heard of that reaction. Now I have a new Gastro Dr. who wants me on Nexium. They are both proton pump inhibitors and I am afraid to start the Nexium. I was only 36 yrs old the night I took the prevacid and really thought there was no way my heart could handle one more event. I really thought I was going to have a heart attack. Can this also happen with Nexium? Also is pain between the shoulder blades common in gastro problems as well as pain in the top middle of the rib cage? I wore a halter monitor for 24 hrs and they say the pain is not comming from my heart that it is probably costracondritis? Help!
tee - USA
8835
Answer
You need to take other actions to not only relieve the symptoms but also to allow yourself to heal. Look at possible reasons why you have these digestive problems. Do you eat foods that are difficult to digest, that have a lot of fat, or are overly spicy? Do you drink a lot of coffee? Do you eat too much at a sitting? Do you go to bed too soon after eating? There are a number of such things that can cause heartburn or affect a sensitive stomach.
Start by eating a bland diet of food that is easy to digest. It is better to eat small meals or even snacks several times a day instead of too much at one sitting. Take a relaxing walk after each meal. Those are much better ways to start improving the health of your stomach than taking strong medications that may have serious side-effects.
Talk to your doctor about recommending life-style and eating changes for you before having you on these medications. They should be a last resort. Unfortunately, it is often easier for the doctors to prescribe medications than it is to give some solid advice.
I hope these ideas help and that you will be able to recover soon.
I have gastritis caused by a drug I took
Question
September 26, 2005
I have gastritis caused by a drug i took for a bladder condition called Elmiron. I've been on prilosec for a couple weeks, it's no better. I cut the prilosec in half because the full dose irritates my bladder. How important are taking these drugs to heal the gastritis? Will I get better?
Ellen - USA
8308
Answer
Gastritis can be caused by irritating drugs, infection and a number of other things. The best thing to do is to let the doctor who prescribed Prilosec know that it is has caused gastritis, as well as irritates your bladder. The doctor is responsible for prescribing the correct medication to solve your bladder problem, as well to heal your gastritis.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Diagnosted with gastritis
Question
June 9, 2005
i'm a 15 year old diagnosted with gastritis. in the last two weeks i've had heartburn daily.it's not so bad ,i only feel like being real stuffed .even thou it doesn't hurt i'm still worried because it happens three times a day when i'm still taking my medicine (zantac 150).do you think with a stronger medicine i will get well.
eligio - USA
7231
Answer
Sometimes gastritis can be caused by a bacteria, but it usually is related to the food you are eating that irritates the stomach. The best thing to do is to change your lifestyle to avoid this problem. Even a temporary change can be helpful.
You should not smoke or drink coffee or cola drinks. Try to avoid greasy and spicy foods that are hard to digest. Don't eat so much at one time, because that often makes your stomach work overtime. Don't take aspirin, especially without food. Don't eat just before going to bed. Try to relax and cool it, especially around times when you are eating.
It is better to have some self-discipline instead of trying to depend on medication to help you. Especially, you don't want to get to the point of having to increase dosage.
I hope these ideas help you get over your gastritis.
Has a hiatal hernia
Question
February 18, 2005
I had to be admitted to a hospital for two days this past weekend. The doctor said, she wanted me to be under hospital observation for signs of a heart attack. I passed the stress test just fine, but the X-Ray Technician thought there may be some spots of my lungs...fibrio..not sure about the spelling. I actually have a hiatia hernia and this is believe is my actual problem. Couple of the symptoms I had (chest pain) going through the center of my back were similiar to a heart attack. I am taking protonix first and then now I am on nexium. The doctor just prescribed nexium for me today. I hope this nexium medicine will help. I cannot eat anything without hurting from the middle of my chest going to the center of my back. I is bad pain. Do you think the nexium of the protonix is the best medicine. A few people told me that nexium not only helps the symptoms, but will heal a hiatia hernia. Is this true. Also, if nexium helps, what foods can I eat..haven't found any food I can eat yet all week...except jello...tired of jello now. I prompt my head on pillows at night just to sleep. Real bad chest pains the night before I went to the hospital to be admitted. scary stuff..going to the hospital..thinking it might be your heart. Relived it wasn't...but still really concerned about this hiatia hernia attack. Please let me know what you know about hiatia hernia..any food I can eat..I know a lot of foods I have to avoid...just not what I can eat. I thought fruit would be good..but found out the hard way...apples..bananas..etc are out of the question. Thanks a million!
Bonnie - USA
6015
Answer
Sorry to take so long to answer you. I hope by now your problems have been relieved.
The big thing with hiatal hernia is to avoid eating large meals, especially in the evening,a nd especially things that take a long time to digest--like beef. Give yourself several hours after eating before laying down. A pillow to prop up your shoulders is a good idea.
Hopefully, your hiatal hernia is not so severe that you will need surgery. After a month or so, it should heal and you will have no side effects. But still, you need to be careful not to overindulge and cause it to act up again.
I wish you the best of health.
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