i FIRST NOTICED HEARTBURN WHEN i WAS VERY YOUNG -- AROUND 15-- fOR SOME 6 YEARS i DID NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND ACTUALLY DID NOT STOP SMOKING DUE TO MY FEAR OF BAD BREATH AS A RESULT OF ACID REFLUX. AFTER THIS TIME i WAS AT A PARTY AND SKULLED 3 BEERS AT A 21ST -- STUPID LOOKING BACK BUT AT THE TIME IT WAS JUST A BIT OF FUN. UNFORTUNATELY I VOMITED A CUP OR TWO OF BLOOD AND THEN DECIDED TO SEE A DOCTOR.

THE PAIN I USED TO HAVE WAS BURNING BEHIND MY BREASTBONE AND A VILE ACIDIC TASTE. SO MUCH SO THAT I THOUGHT GIRLS WOULD PREFER ME SMOKING TO KISSING ME WITHOUT THE SMOKE TASTE. AFTER NUMEROUS TESTS MY GASTRO TOLD ME THAT MY OESOPHAGUS LOOKED LIKE A RAKE HAD BEEN PULLED ALONG AND THAT IT WAS RAW. i HAD ALREADY IMAGINED THIS WAS THE CASE AS i WAS TAKING A PACKET OF QUICKEZE A DAY AND WAS IN CONSTANT PAIN, PARTICUARLY IF DRINKING ALCOHOL, SMOKING AND EATING TOMATOES.

i HAD A NISSAN FUNDOPLASTY IN 1990 AND WAS SYMPTOM FREE FOR 6 YEARS. i WAS PLACED ON IMMUNOSUPRESSANTS FOR A SKIN CONDITION AND IN 1997 WAS TOLD I HAD BARRETTS ESOPHAGUS. I WAS AN IDIOT AND CONTINUED TO SMOKE AND IN 2004 WAS TOLD I HAD INVASIVE ADENO CARCINOMA OF THE STOMACH. THIS WAS AFTER A HEART ATTACK IN MAY 2004 AS WELL. I WAS TOLD THAT A GASTRO ESOPHAGECTOMY WAS MY ONLY OPTION AS THE HOSPITAL HAD FILED MY RESULTS AND AM A YEAR ON AND CANCER FREE SO FAR.

PLEASE NOTE EVERYONE THAT GERD IS A SERIOUS DISEASE AND i HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A GENETIC PRE-DISPOSITION IN SOME FAMILIES FOR THIS TO OCCUR. PLEASE TAKE IT FROM ME AS I ONLY HAVE HALF A STOMACH AND ESOPHAGUS NOW -- TAKE YOUR CONDITION SERIOUSLY -- INSIST ON REGULAR ENDOSCOPIES FROM YOUR DOCTOR AND CHANGE YOUR DIET, STOP SMOKING AND REDUCE ALCOHOL OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT SEEMS TO CAUSE SYMPTOMS EG TOMATOES, CHILLIES ECT AND LASTLY PLACE BRICKS OR BOOKS UNDER YOUR BEDHEAD TO HELP REDUCE ACID REFLUX AT NIGHT. ALSO DO NOT EAT FOR 3 HOURS BEFORE BED. GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY AND I HOPE YOUR HEALTH IMPROVES.

[i:16b44d09ec]This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience[/i:16b44d09ec]