Extreme heartburn

[EvieBaby]

I've had heartburn on and off for a few years but recently, the last couple of days, it has been unbearable. Its like there is a huge knot right in the middle of my chest and nothing at all will get rid of it. If I drink water I can feel it when it gets to the painful area, and then its like it can't pass through properly. Antacids don't work, I've tried drinking water or milk and nothing works.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? is heartburn a common symptom of crohns? If it doesn't calm down tonight I'll have to see a doctor tomorrow but I'd rather just try and control it myself.

 

[hawkeye]

My only experience with severe heartburn was after surgery. I had heartburn after I started on soild foods following a resection of my large intestine. It started about 4 days following surgery and continued after I was released from the hospital a couple of days later. After I was home for a little over a day I ended up back in the hospital with a small bowel obstruction.

If your heartburn is accompanied by vomiting or progresses to severe abdominal pain (like a hand squeezing your intestines) I’d get medical attention.

 

[shamrock15]

I am on acid blockers due to heartburn, all thanks to a hiatal hernia. They do keep it pretty much under control. There are likely some available as over the counter meds that you can take. It can also be caused by partial obstructions, but I expect you would find other symptoms of greater concern. If it continues, please do seek attention for it.

 

[GlasgowGirl86]

If the heartburn continues I would definitely see your GP. It can be caused by a number of things like diet, helicobacter pylori infection, gastric ulcers. I'm not sure if it's related to Crohn's however when I first developed Crohn's like symptoms I also got horrendous heartburn. Your GP should be able to prescribe you something like omeprazole which I find defintely help.

 

[wellen1981]

If the heartburn continues I would definitely see your GP. It can be caused by a number of things like diet, helicobacter pylori infection, gastric ulcers. I'm not sure if it's related to Crohn's however when I first developed Crohn's like symptoms I also got horrendous heartburn. Your GP should be able to prescribe you something like omeprazole which I find defintely help.

I was reading up in detail on exactly the hows, whats and wheres last week on this infection and was amazed with what I found out - so many signs relating to my earlier symptoms 10+ years ago eg loss of appetite also loss of hunger reflex and acid reflux and heartburn...

General thing with h.pylori seems to be that it gets in and borrows under a layer then starts to work against normal stomach acid function by secreting a counter substance which either nutralizes the acid or causes it to come up as acid reflux/heartburn. This is done due to the infection actively altering the environment state where it resides in the body.

There is a very dangerous scientist who has actually attempted to argue that having h.pylori is actually a positive thing eg not getting hunger pangs etc.
Unbelievable to think that a scientific professional would be so simplistic in outlook. Very dangerous conclusion to draw.

My view on h.pylori... nasty little bugger.

 

[UnXmas]

I have unbearable heartburn sometimes, though thankfully the pain is brief - a few minutes at a time. I've tried about every medication there is but none help. When I've had endoscopies, my stomach has been inflamed from bile reflux, and my throat inflamed from stomach acid reflux. They can distinguish the reflux inflammation from Crohn's inflammation.

It's worse in the evening/nighttime and when I'm lying down. This often is the case with reflux - I think it is with heartburn too. On nights when the pain wakes me up I put two extra pillows on top of my usual two pillows and sleep propped up.