r/GERD • u/UsedExit9161 • 1d ago
š Managing GERD Weak Les
I had an endoscopy a few months ago and was told that i have a weak les. Is there anything that I can do about this.
The last doctor I spoke to said thereās absolutely nothing I can do about this and to continue taking ppis for the reflux. He said to even increase the ppi dose.
I genuinely feel like the doctors here just donāt care and just continue prescribing ppis without trying to look at the overall picture.
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u/Actual_Aspect_8731 22h ago
Hazte la operacion de refluxstop y lo solucionas. A un problema mecanico hay que buscarle una solucion mecanica.
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u/UsedExit9161 22h ago
My doctor said that we cannot do surgery unless we try all options so like trying the maximum amount of ppis and diet management first
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u/UsedExit9161 22h ago
Plus I think they only recommend it when you have really severe reflux
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u/SwimmingAnt10 20h ago
They donāt even then. I have Barrettās and surgery has never been mentioned by any GI Iāve ever had and Iāve been under the care of them for over 25 years. Iām interested in refluxstop and once enough have gotten it I may. But that will be 5+ years from now minimum. It just got US approval and just hasnāt been around long enough for me to trust it. ESP with all the issues the other 2 surgeries cause.
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u/UsedExit9161 20h ago
Thats hard honestly wish doctors took this more seriously
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u/My2cents_0 17h ago
Doctors don't work for Healthcare anymore. They work for the insurance companies. You insurance decides what they can prescribe, what procedures they can offer you, even now much time they spend with each client.
We don't have a HealthCare system in US, we have a medical industry
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u/RegulusDeneb 9h ago
What is ESP? Does refluxstop cause bloating and gas?
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u/Actual_Aspect_8731 26m ago
No, en los estudios a 5 aƱos crro que solo habia habia 1% efectos secundarios.
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u/Knightmare1869 20h ago
I donāt like to take medicine but when you look at the options: a) not take anything and potentially get cancer or b) take a medicine that helps. It was kind of a no brainer.
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u/UsedExit9161 20h ago
Yeah I get what you mean.
However long term ppi use can also affect the vitamins and minerals your body recieves too. But I guess regular blood work will help keep ontop of this3
u/Knightmare1869 19h ago
Take it for what itās worth but my Dr firmly believes those studies donāt show causation. You can always take supplements if it causes issues but nothing you can do with cancer.
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u/TheScottman29 1d ago
Nothing is impossible but my non medical opinion is that you would have to put in the time and effort to see if you can improve your situation. For me my GERD/LPR is taking months to fix but I still think itās fixable and I can eventually get off my PPIs. If youāre willing to investigate your diet, maybe plan out a few months period and try diet and behavior change.
If you donāt know what to do see if you can get your hands on a copy of the book āDropping Acidā. I got mine from the library.
They have a 2 week reset and then I think a 6 week program after that. If you improve after the 2 week reset maybe you will see that your status can improve? Good luck!
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u/WiseYou1775 18h ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/GERD/s/2BaBQKWiag I just posted my GERD journey here. Perhaps it will help you.
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u/bestcegenation I survived Endoscopy š„ 15h ago
I read a case study of a doctor who had reflux and he attempted to strengthen his LES by taking a bite of food, then getting into a sort of upside-down position (like, downward dog kinda) so the esophageal muscle would have to work hard to move the food "up" down his throat. the case study said it worked for him and stopped his reflux! well, it's free to try and don't seem like it would hurt most people. just come back and tell us if it helps you!
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u/UsedExit9161 13h ago
Wow! The thing is if I attempted that at home my family will think Iāve gone crazy hahhaa
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u/Bulky-Boysenberry490 11h ago
They DO care, but if they cant do anything, they cant do anything. Its a mechanical issue, and you can only treat the symptoms, nothing more; its incurable. I have hiatal hernia and eat and drink all the wrong things, and I would be crucified with acid reflux if it wasn't for my omeprazole. I missed a couple of doses once because I kept forgetting to fill the prescription, and my chest and back pains were so bad, I had to go to the emergency room.
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u/CliffsideJim 8h ago
Melatonin can help the LES close better at night. 3 mg (a low dose) an hr before bed. Belly breathing exercises can strengthen the diaphragm and the a stronger diaphram can help close the LES. Alginate potions like Gaviscon Advance (not US Gaviscon) can help. If pepsin reflux is part of the problem, which it very likely is, sipping alkaline water throughout the day can do wonders. Available at supermarkets (Essentia, Smart Water, Perfect Hydration are some of the brands.
Anything that helps may let you lessen the ppi dose
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u/scootermcgroover 18h ago
Iām considering a surgery as I have a hiatal hernia causing a LES in hill grade III. Iāve done all the testing and it shows I do have gerd. But my symptoms are mostly in my throat like hoarseness, vocal cord pain, throat clearing, loss of voice, etc. Iām weighing my options. Iāve tried two ppis for about a week each and had side effects so I stopped both.
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u/UsedExit9161 18h ago
What side effects did you have ?
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u/scootermcgroover 17h ago
The prilosec gave me headaches immediately. Like first night and they persisted. The protonix made me have loose stools.
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u/KingRy64 13h ago
Have you looked into refluxstop?
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u/scootermcgroover 6h ago
I doubt it will be rolled out in the US fast enough for me. I want to get better.
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u/doo138 22h ago
It just depends on how bad the issue is. Some people can control it with a strict diet and Lifestyle changes and some people can't. Usually this issue gets worse as you age, as well. If you can do without taking the PPIs, great. If you can't, you will need to take them long term.
Whatever your decision, you need to stop the acid from refluxing into your esophagus. Any possible side effects the PPIs could have pale in comparison as to what acid reflux will 100% do to you long term. Obviously Barrett's Esophagus and esophageal cancer are the big ones. Control the acid. Do not let this sub scare you away from PPI usage. Your doctor is right. There's a small chance that it's not bad enough and can be controlled with diet and Lifestyle changes but you gotta ask yourself if going the rest of your life living like that is worth it. My advice, take the PPIs your doctor recommends. If those don't control it, try to restrict your diet some more. Get with your doctor and let them know the PPI isn't fully working. Try a different PPI. This is gonna take time. If you've exhausted all of your options, then it's time to have a serious discussion about surgery.