How can I make it feels better? (5 years GERD)
I got diagnosed with GERD when I was 18. I am now 21F. It has been almost 5 years dealing with it and I am not sure if it has gotten worse or not.
My symptomps often begin with the feeling of bloating and fullness on the upper half of my stomach. Then it will raise up to my throat even sometimes I feel like it blocked my nose and cause my headache. It is accompanied with the feeling of fullness in my chest, difficulty to breathe, like something is stuck in my throat. While my oxygen levels are always at normal (thankfully). I read on the internet that it is more likely LPR but when I asked my doctor they were pretty dismissive so I dont know.
I rarely have pains in my stomach or a burning sensation. I rarely have nausea as well. My biggest issue is feeling like it's hard to breathe normally! It felt so full all the time. Once it flared up, these symptomps lasts for WEEKS. Even if I do get relief it is temporary. So I lived in fear every single day as if waiting for the episodes to come back and hit me again 😭
But this symptomps frustates me because I don't know how to treat it. I have tried many medications, including PPIs, ranitidine, sucralfate, antacids, even anxiety meds. Some did relieve the symptomps but mostly temporarily. I went to varioys doctors in my area, which didn't have the best healthcare unfortunately. They only prescribe PPI or say I am stressed and that I should calm dow. While managing my anxieties helped a bit, I am still struggling.
Some of the things I have tried are:
Diet, of course. Eating little and slowly has always been my habits, I am not a big eater. Yet even when I am eating slowly or drinking slowly, sometimes I felt like choking when I am not. Plus I have switched to non caffeine, no alcohol (never drank one), no low Ph food or acidic food for at least 3 years. Still, minimal change.
Sleeping with more pillows, diaphragmatic breathing, and losing weight. I had done this too. Though, the weight part I am still trying because I have quite the bloated and a big belly? Idk if 57kg counts as obese tho. Which I found weird because I ate little yet gains weight.
Exercise. Now, this is where I am also confused. Because I have symptomps almost every single day, exercising became difficult for me, especially when I feel like it's hard to breathe. By the way I got checked for lungs through scans and all that, the result came out normal. So the doctor said I don't have respirative issues. But, these symptomps has caused even light exercise become so difficult. I got tired easily, and when I pushed myself I feel like fainting. Also when I got tired too much my reflux flared even more. I am kinda in a loop.
If you have any suggestions regarding to exercising with GERD please do let me know.
All I do is mostly just light walking for a few km, yoga and all that.
- Other things I tried which was reccommended by people I know is tryin herbals, or foods/drinks like cumin, ginger, aloe vera, arrowroot tubers (which worked for my friend and helped him cure GERD, you can try if you want), but well some do help decrease the symptomps but I have yet to find massive improvement.
Oh right, I was diagnosed with ovarian cyst and got it removed. But my GERD symptomps remains and it flare up h+1 post operation and it was horrible
English is not my first language so apologies for the mistakes. I just want to live more comfortably honestly, if you have some tips or experiences please do let me know in the replies and maybe what works for you