Acid Reflux: Beware Over-The-Counter Medication
According to Dr. Richard Seitz of Fremont, over-the-counter medication gor acid reflux should only be used for several weeks and then if symptoms don’t get better, or come back when medication is stopped, a doctor should be consulted. If however, it gets worse even with medication, it is best to see a physician. Prescriptions are more potent than over-the-counter medicines, but if the over-the-counter medication works well, Seitz said it can be taken long term with no adverse effects.
Sometimes, a more serious esophageal problem can develop. When the sphincter is weakened so acid flows into the esophagus, the stomach may try to protect itself.
This change in the lining isn’t normal and if the lining continues to change it can lead to cancer of the esophagus eventually. If problems persist, or don’t respond to normal treatment, doctors can do an upper endoscopy.
Unexplained weight loss, trouble swallowing, passing blood in the stool or vomiting up blood, all need an upper endoscopy to make sure there is no cancer, and to see what is causing the problems.
Sometimes, Seitz said, there is also scarring in the esophagus. The endoscopy is an out-patient procedure completed under a mild sedative and used to remove scar tissue or polyps if they are evident.
“Cancer of the esophagus is rare, but there is a 120 times greater chance for cancer if Barrett’s Esophagus is evident. Depending on how severe it is, we use the scope every year or two to keep track of any changes,” Seitz said.
One of Seitz’s patients is Sandra Kiichler of Fremont. She was diagnosed eight years ago.
“I had symptoms. I would eat so much, and then my food would get caught,” Kiichler said.
What Seitz found was a narrowing of her esophagus and that led to discovering the acid reflux. Kiichler had the endoscopy and Seitz also found polyps and scarring, which he removed, and he also stretched out the sphincter muscle.
Although that has helped, Kiichler will always be on prescription medication.
“I’m careful of what I eat. I don’t eat a lot of lettuce and I stay away from spices and salsas,” she said.
Those things bother her stomach but she said otherwise she eats most everything else with no problems.
She was on Prevacid but was switched to Nexium twice a day.
“I don’t have many problems on the medication, but I also try to eat smaller bites and chew my food well because it goes down easier that way,” Kiichler said.
She goes in every three months for a general check up.
With lifestyle changes, medication, diet and endoscopy when needed, acid reflux can be controlled.
Usually Kiichler said once the sphincter is stretched it doesn’t have to be done again.
Kiichler has made the lifestyle changes and diet changes she needed to, and with her medication, she said, “So far mine is doing just fine.”
(info by Carolyn Gibbs from http://www.fremontneb.com/articles/2005/07/15/news/news6.txt)