What is the best way to treat GERD, gastritis, and esophagitis when you have tried everything?

Question by Eric: What is the best way to treat GERD, gastritis, and esophagitis when you have tried everything?
I am 17 years old and diagnosed with GERD, gastritis, and esophagitis. Before you tell me to exercise and change my diet, I already have done that 2 years ago. I eat a pretty bland diet. Nothing too spicy, hot, fatty, acidic, etc. I also do not drink alcohol or drink sodas. I mostly drink water. I have tried all natural supplements you could think of, and several medications. I currently take Zegerid 40mg once a day, and Zantac 150mg twice day. It works to a very minimum, but I still get extremely intense pain. I even was in the emergency room getting an injection of 10mg of morphine Thursday night where the pain was so bad.
I saw my regular doctor yesterday and she added the Zantac, along with Lortab as needed for pain. I know the Lortab only puts a Band-Aid over the symptoms, but it is the only thing to help me be able to halfway function.
I have tried the following medications: Prilosec, Prevacid, Dexilant, and Nexium as far as PPIs go. Other medications I have taken include Zantac (in the past), Tagamet, and Pepcid. I can chew all the Tums I want and still get no relief, so I don’t even deal with them anymore.
I have had an endoscopy (upper and lower) several times and they only find the gastritis, esophagitis, and GERD. It has also been confirmed nothing is wrong with my heart or other organs in that area. I have had an EKG, CT Scan, and several blood tests.
I just want to be able to be without this unbearable pain and not have to rely on narcotic pain relievers. I hate relying on medication in general, but I need something that works.
I know it could be worse and I could have (god forbid) cancer, but still this is so unbearable. Thank you for any help you can provide.

Best answer:

Answer by pdragon7
Keep a diary of what you are eating. Maybe there are the source of your symptoms. Change your lifestyle. Different times, frequency, of eating. Different types of food. Maybe try probiotics. Check for Helicobacter pylori. If positive, get treatment for it.

Answer by oldtimekid2
Pdragon makes a good point that a food diary might help, but ironically, what you’re taking might be causing part of the problem. Very commonly, when the “normal treatments” for reflux (eg. the acid blockers/reducers) don’t help, that’s typically a sign that it’s not too much acid causing the problem, but not enough. Simply put, reflux is something that happens when you have too much acid (excess acid kicking up over the valve in your stomach) and also when you don’t have enough stomach acid (as the valve doesn’t close right if there isn’t enough stomach acid).
In other words, if the acid blockers/reducers didn’t help, you may need to try taking Apple Cider Vinegar or an HCl pill regimen to replenish your acid levels. Dr. T gave a great explanation of this a couple years ago at http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101208204250AAIXTF0 if you’d like to read over it. Oh, and for quick relief, try chewing gum after a meal… that can help heartburn by stimulating some of the digestive signals that your body uses to close the valve as well. 😉 For the long run, it also would be a good idea to try some DGL (Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice)… it tastes horrible, but it helps to calm the stomach and helps to heal some tissues in the esophagus that may have been damaged by the stomach acid kicking up. Good luck and I hope I helped!

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