Is anyone doing this? (Apparently 30% of over 50s have them.)
I got a diagnosis last week after 2 years of pretty miserable symptoms via a pretty traumatic endoscope. It looks like I now need to live without alcohol, caffeine, tomatoes,peppers,onions, chocolate and fatty/spicy food.
WTF am I supposed to eat. Bland food, chicken and rice said my GP. I just went to a BBQ, what am I supposed to eat there?
Pretty depressed about it at the moment, anyone in the same boat? I've had a rough time over the last couple of years (still in therapy) and I could do with my life getting easier not harder.
Mick
My Mrs has had this for years. She has cut down but still has all of the things you've listed on a fairly regular basis. She loves seafood/fish anyway and that seems to have few repercussions.
That's good to know. I'm so sick of the symptoms that I need to try and do something to settle them (already on PPIs from GP).
Yeah I had it and the doc gave me the same list of foods. I was nearly back to normal after 6 - 9 months of daily Omeprazole and avoiding the trigger foods. Now pretty much eat/drink whatever I want and just take Omeprazole a couple of times a month if it flairs up at all.
Omeprazole, works for me as I get an issue with statins which I have to take. ( Genetics).
The endoscope inspection is pretty character building, isn't it. I recall the pleasure of having one about 4 years ago. A colleague compared it when she had to have one to the NHS's version of water boarding.
On a positive note in my case at least they did do the gastro one before they turned the endoscope's attention to the other end of the system. 😱
Mrs has had it for years; omeprazole and avoiding certain foods. For her it's doughy bread , pastry, red meat and processed foods. Other than those things she's fine.
The endoscopy was traumatic. I had it without sedation because I have no one to drive me home ( I know I should have got a taxi ). I thought it would be a tiny tube like fibre optic. I also didn't realise it would go all the way to my stomach and poke around.
Yeah you definitely need the sedation! I gag brushing my teeth so it was a yes from me. Benzo's also make you forgetful so you don't remember much about the procedure once its done which is a big plus .
Had mine for 15+ years. Eat/drink pretty much what I like, but try and leave at least 3 hours before going to bed after a big/heavy/spicy meal.
A single Oneprazole a day keeps things under control most of the time. I probably take another one once a month if I eat too late or struggle for other reasons.
Other tips; sleep on your right side or back for at least the first three hours. If you feel rough at night don’t try and muscle your way through, prop yourself up in bed (I have a bean bag for this).
