Understanding GERD: Severity, Treatment, and Long-Term Outlook

Question
Hi,

I was diagnosed the other day with Gerd. She gave me nexium and pepcid. She didn't really say anything else to me. I've been reading that Gerd is serious and you could end up getting esophageal cancer?  I just wanted to know how serious it was, and can It go away or do you have it for the rest of your life.

I asked her if it was serious and she just said you might have to take medicine for some time. I'm just freaking out because I wouldn't want to end up with cancer.

Thank you.

Answer
Your esophagus is the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) happens when a muscle at the end of your esophagus does not close properly. This allows stomach contents to leak back, or reflux, into the esophagus and irritate it.

You may feel a burning in the chest or throat called heartburn. Sometimes, you can taste stomach fluid in the back of the mouth. This is acid indigestion. If you have these symptoms more than twice a week, you may have GERD.

So if it is so, then you should take care to prevent the acid from harming the oesophagus. It does not harm the stomach since its wall is specially designed. Thus you should first start with a syrup with Magnesium hydroxide or Megaldrate. take one spoon one and a half hours after food twice daily. Also cold milk helps a lot. you may need to take two spooons. If this doesnt help, then the medications like nexium are needed.

Also avoid taking much water before, during and after food. give a gap of two hours or at least one hour before and after.