GW
07-11-2003, 04:55 AM
Hi Guys,
Well it's been over a year since my GERD problems were cured using the "100 day regimen" I was on. For those who don't know me.....the Reader's Digest version is that I suffered for five years with severe heartburn symptoms. I had chest pains, dizziness, burning, regurgitation, trembling, and fainting spells. I was finally "officially" diagnosed with GERD about 18 months ago by an MD who sits on two medical boards in the Puget Sound area and one who was a GERD sufferer at the same time I was.
A few weeks after my Endoscopic procedure revealed inflammation at the GE Junction in my esophagus I began to campaign for an anti anxiety drug based on my growing symptomatic episodes of trembling, shaking and cold sweats. I had at that time begun reading testimonies from this message board reporting almost exactly the same problems. One person in particular was Hallsy who was telling of the success he was having with Xanax (alprazolam). He spoke of his symptoms declining using the drug. And as a side benefit he also spoke of how it helped him not have the need for blood pressure meds any longer. I asked to receive his email so I could really get the fine details down. We began corresponding regularly and since that time has become a very dear friend of mine. Among the list of about a dozen people who've also become a part of my permanent "add sender to address book" are Sharon and the "Pard" whom I also classify as dear friends. These folks and this board has been an absolute Godsend to me.
I was headed toward a path to seek out surgery and ended up with a doc with GERD who noticed my "other" problem of anxiety. With a change of lifestyle habits and a med regimen of Prilosec (which I was already on for a year) Xanax, and Celexa.......I was completely med free and symptom free in about 100 days! I did however go through two seperate weeks of chest pains caused by gas from slipping back into overeating (from feeling so dang good) which subsequently kicked off two days worth of the ol' "shaking and trembling". I treated these symptoms for two weeks only still using an old Rx for the .25 mg of Alprazolam. The last one was four months ago and have continued well ever since.
I haven' t been on this board much lately for several reasons. One being the much predicted axiom "when you start feeling better, you won't be around much here." Another reason is I've taken on a new job recently which requires me to be on the road alot, and I don't own (or want) a laptop to hook up with the the www.
Finally, as I've stated so many times in the past here.....I absolutely HATED the idea of taking mind altering drugs. I was never a typical "experienced" Child of the Sixties nor have I taken anything prescription-wise in my life other than antibiotics and a couple of pain meds for those lovely root canals. But, I will tell you this....... I am so very glad this medication was available to me to help in my being able to form a battle plan to heal my GERD. Yes......I said HEAL. By the way, my doctor (the one with GERD) who had me scoped again a couple of months ago to verify the clear esophagus has no symptoms of GERD any longer as well.
Oh, yeah, I bet there are those wondering....did he/they do that GI interview they suggested awhile back with me because of our little "discovery" about the anxiety/GERD connection? NO. And they're not talking about either. That's OK. I'm going to have my results and my theory sent in to the local newspaper's Health Column and see if I can open up the proverbial "can" way.
My particular stance on this matter is fairly well known to most of the old timers on this board and like it was challenged to me by one of my opponents once during a lively debate between surgery vs. meds...."hey, if it works for you, great, shout it from the mountain tops." So, now that I dragged my ol' butt all the way back up the hill here, I'd just like to shout........"IT WORKED.......I'M FINE!"
Later,
Geary
Well it's been over a year since my GERD problems were cured using the "100 day regimen" I was on. For those who don't know me.....the Reader's Digest version is that I suffered for five years with severe heartburn symptoms. I had chest pains, dizziness, burning, regurgitation, trembling, and fainting spells. I was finally "officially" diagnosed with GERD about 18 months ago by an MD who sits on two medical boards in the Puget Sound area and one who was a GERD sufferer at the same time I was.
A few weeks after my Endoscopic procedure revealed inflammation at the GE Junction in my esophagus I began to campaign for an anti anxiety drug based on my growing symptomatic episodes of trembling, shaking and cold sweats. I had at that time begun reading testimonies from this message board reporting almost exactly the same problems. One person in particular was Hallsy who was telling of the success he was having with Xanax (alprazolam). He spoke of his symptoms declining using the drug. And as a side benefit he also spoke of how it helped him not have the need for blood pressure meds any longer. I asked to receive his email so I could really get the fine details down. We began corresponding regularly and since that time has become a very dear friend of mine. Among the list of about a dozen people who've also become a part of my permanent "add sender to address book" are Sharon and the "Pard" whom I also classify as dear friends. These folks and this board has been an absolute Godsend to me.
I was headed toward a path to seek out surgery and ended up with a doc with GERD who noticed my "other" problem of anxiety. With a change of lifestyle habits and a med regimen of Prilosec (which I was already on for a year) Xanax, and Celexa.......I was completely med free and symptom free in about 100 days! I did however go through two seperate weeks of chest pains caused by gas from slipping back into overeating (from feeling so dang good) which subsequently kicked off two days worth of the ol' "shaking and trembling". I treated these symptoms for two weeks only still using an old Rx for the .25 mg of Alprazolam. The last one was four months ago and have continued well ever since.
I haven' t been on this board much lately for several reasons. One being the much predicted axiom "when you start feeling better, you won't be around much here." Another reason is I've taken on a new job recently which requires me to be on the road alot, and I don't own (or want) a laptop to hook up with the the www.
Finally, as I've stated so many times in the past here.....I absolutely HATED the idea of taking mind altering drugs. I was never a typical "experienced" Child of the Sixties nor have I taken anything prescription-wise in my life other than antibiotics and a couple of pain meds for those lovely root canals. But, I will tell you this....... I am so very glad this medication was available to me to help in my being able to form a battle plan to heal my GERD. Yes......I said HEAL. By the way, my doctor (the one with GERD) who had me scoped again a couple of months ago to verify the clear esophagus has no symptoms of GERD any longer as well.
Oh, yeah, I bet there are those wondering....did he/they do that GI interview they suggested awhile back with me because of our little "discovery" about the anxiety/GERD connection? NO. And they're not talking about either. That's OK. I'm going to have my results and my theory sent in to the local newspaper's Health Column and see if I can open up the proverbial "can" way.
My particular stance on this matter is fairly well known to most of the old timers on this board and like it was challenged to me by one of my opponents once during a lively debate between surgery vs. meds...."hey, if it works for you, great, shout it from the mountain tops." So, now that I dragged my ol' butt all the way back up the hill here, I'd just like to shout........"IT WORKED.......I'M FINE!"
Later,
Geary