I'm in the queue at the VA to have a check up to see what we can do about heartburn bad enough it makes me think I'm having a heart attack and thus a panic attack which is even more like a heart attack than the heartburn.
Can you see the self-reinforcing cycle here?
All of which takes time away from fun relaxation with Legos, guns or cars. Truly a vicious cycle.
ReplyDeleteHope you come out of the VA better than you went in. And that they are actually able to help you.
FWIW, have you considered the Over The Counter acid reduction options? If you have heartburn that bad, you're out of the place where Tums or Rolaids is gonna help more than a few seconds.
ReplyDeleteI have decades of experience with this. I'd recommend one of the older drugs called H2 blockers, like Zantac or Pepcid AC.
The heavy drugs are called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). The OTC versions are Prilosec OTC and Nexium. It's a different class of drugs than the H2 blockers and there's more evidence they're bad for you long term, but feeling like you're having a heart attack regularly isn't exactly good for you either. They do seem to reduce the heartburn and pain more, but they're pretty much something you'll be taking for life.
The H2 blockers are cheaper and if they work for you are less bad for you.
Oh, it should have gone without saying that I'm not a medical professional of any type. Just someone experienced with acid reflux.
DeleteHarvey got me some generic Zantac and it seems to have helped a lot.
DeleteFingers crossed!
Good luck.
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