Can anyone help me please? I have had a problem with refux and heart burn on and off for years. It all started when I had my first major MS flare up, so I know it is connected in some way. I have increased my Omeprazole to double dose (40mg), which usually stops the heartburn after a couple of days, but this time it hasn’t, and it is just getting worse. I also feel as though my stomach is going into spasm, and is very painful. This time I have also developed a problem with food and drink going up the back of my nose. I feel as though my entire oesophagus is not working properly. I will go to my GP on Monday if things don’t improve, but any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have SPMS. Many thanks.
I take spasmonal forte for stomach spasms. Don’t know if it’s what you need, but your GP should.
Karen x
Know how you feel. I have had two long phases of waking up each night with reflux in last few years. Very unpleasant, not just the burn but the obstructed breathing and having to cough to clear contaminated airways so you can breath without dragging the stuff into your lungs. I think you are right that it is probably connected with MS. I read somewhere that the leaky sphincter at the top of the stomach gets weakened by a damaged nerve somewhere, not unlike other sphincters that seem to weaken with this condition. For myself, it went away some while ago by itself, but I think one way you can help yourself is by not eating late at night (ok I bet I’m not the only one who raids the fridge) and having a glass of water by the bedside. Also had swallowing problems lately but never managed to get it up my nose.
Thought I was the only one…I take peptac as well as omeprazole but I still get the clogged airways once in a while, WIll have to speak to my GP about this.
Had all your symptoms for a couple of years, was given Buscopan for stomach spasms, Baclofen for leg and back spasms and like you Omeprazole x 2.
You may need to sleep slightly upright in order not to vomit whilst sleeping and help keep the acid down.
I was sent for tube into stomach to see if my stomach valvue was working properly and to look for burning. Also tube up from bottom to see if anything amiss there. In the end after 2 years of investigation was told it sounded ms related and that stomach spasms can indeed push food up the windpipe at such speed it can cause damage unless not protected - hence all the medication which should help long term. Swallowing also was affected, still get it on and off however Im lucky in that I can cope until it subsides.
It was neuro who concluded suspected reason for suffering such. Ask for help to relieve all this horrid stomach acid causing more distress.
bren
x
I had a chest/.neck/.teeth pain which was diagnosed as acid reflux.
I was worried it might be angina. GP referred me to cardiologist and that`s how I got the dx.
I take 40mg lansoprazole a day. I wonder of it more affective than omrezapole…???
Hope your doc can help sort it out for you.
luv Pollx
Hi Mhairi,
I read your post and found it uncanny!
I too have been suffering with reflux, swallowing diffulties and heartburn for several years. I was not aware that these problems could be associated with MS, nor have I been diagnosed with MS (investigations are ongoing). I suffer numerous other symptoms that I am aware could be related to MS or mimics.
Examination of my esophagus by an ENT consultant confirms inflamation but a recent barium swallow came back as normal.
I am currently at a loss as to know what is going on as I am advised to continue taking 40mg Omeprazole per day but feedback is vague. Surely the fact that I am advised to take this drug indicates acknowledgement that there is a problem??
It seems strange to treat the symptom rather than the cause?
Why strange. Usually, that is all the medical profession can do!
Think along the lines of:
“Here’s your script. take 3 a day and come back if they don’t work”.
Sometimes it is all the GP can do.
The approach is also the basis of a whole lot of psychiatric medicine - see the paragraph above for details. A common example is the use of Lithium for Bi-Polar Disorder. This is why a lot of psychologists talk about the “medical model of treatment”, when they believe that a psychological intervention would be just as effective, and at a lower overall cost.
Treating the symptoms can also be a diagnostic approach.
Geoff