My acid reflux is becoming more of an issue. I rely on the long‑acting antacids prescribed to me four times a day; they help by preventing flare‑ups but they’re not a quick fix like Quic‑eze, the one that almost killed me. Now that I’m not taking that, I have to find other ways to cope with the heartburn between my medication doses. What is wrong with me? An endoscope keeps being brought up, but I’ve said bluntly that I am not going to have one. The whole process terrifies me — I know, I’m a wimp! Much of my fear centers on being knocked out; the idea of anesthesia has never sat well with me. I’ve been through it twice before, and the older I get the less appealing it becomes. The thought of being anesthetized again truly frightens me.
No doubt this was the beer I was drinking, but then again, who really knows? All I know is that I’m stuck with this awful, debilitating illness. It’s been made even harder because I haven’t been taking the so‑called deadly quick‑eze lately, which now isn’t even an option. I’ve suffered heartburn for as long as I can remember, and it’s only grown worse over time. The doctor has doubled my dose, so here’s hoping I can finally find a little relief — and maybe a bit of joy — with this new regimen.
When I get a bad dose of it, I become intensely nauseous. It’s not uncommon for me to vomit repeatedly until the medication finally kicks in, assuming I’m able to keep any of it down. This is awful in the moment, but afterward my body seems to thank me for having purged. I usually take a hot shower or a long bath when I’m going through an episode, and that provides some relief for about fifteen minutes. Otherwise there’s no perfect cure and I have to ride it out. I don’t feel it as strongly during the day; it’s when I’m lying down in bed at night that it tends to hit hardest. My doctor advises me to try to sleep while sitting up, but I can’t imagine staying in that position for an entire night. I’ll keep you posed!