Need Help with Chronic GERD

A

Angelina B

New Member
Hello,

I've been able to rid myself of most of my TMS symptoms over the past few years to include plantar fascitis, achilles tendonitis, fibromyalgia, etc., yet, I can't get rid of my GERD and this upsets me because I just found out on my last endoscopy that I have Barrett's esophagus, which terrifies me and angers me because I've been trying to avoid this for years. At first I treated my GERD with PPIs, but since I still have reflux, I figured it didn't work, and plus, I wanted to prove to myself that it was TMS, so I wanted to stop feeding into it by taking the meds and ignored the symptoms for a couple years, only to find out that my last endoscopy showed more damage than the first one a few years ago. Supposedly TMS isn't dangerous, but in this case, I beg to differ. I do believe it's TMS because there have been rare occasions when my symptoms have drastically improved by like 90% when I've either taken Xanax or have been on a very relaxing vacation, but otherwise I'm struggling with this every single day. Any helpful tips for getting rid of GERD? When getting rid of my other symptoms, it helped to read other people's testimonies and when I was able to see myself in them, that further helped me build my case/evidence that nothing was truly wrong with me, but although I've found people who list GERD as a symptom they've gotten rid of, I think I really need to hear someone who has struggled with it as much as me and had actual damage to their esophagus that has hopefully gone away.

Thanks so much in advance for any help!
 
I'm no doctor so I cannot give medical advice, but if it is tms you have to stop the doubt and fear. It seems time you are fearing this symptom a lot and think its going to get worse, this will continue to feed the tms. Maybe try and ask the question on Ask a TMS therapists thread in the wiki to get some advice.

Fear of a symptom will only intensify it, I suggest you read "Hope and Help for your Nerves" to help with the anxiety. Everything will be ok, you need to deeply believe your body is ok. I know a lot easier said then done. Try living in the present and be thankful for each day. Living in the future will cause lots of fear and doubt. Living in the past will cause anger and resentments.

Hope you get some relief soon and everything works out. You can overcome this hurdle, we are what we believe. Best of luck.

Ryan
 
Hi Angelina - I have struggled with GERD and yeah…you're right. this particular symptom can cause serious problems. All I can say is this - mine just disappeared. At one time, I was on a wheat free diet and that seemed to help. There seemed to be a connection between wheat and heartburn; within and hour of eating wheat, that unwelcome friend would show up.

I decided to challenge the cause and effect since I suspected it was TMS and the wheat was merely being a trigger. My suspicions proved correct. I can now eat wheat without issue though I DO avoid it because I am struggling with being overweight.

But before I got there, I decided it was okay to use Pepcid or the like. I didn't like it but it brought relief. And before I took any, I always told myself that GERD wasn't the problem, it's TMS. That way, I wasn't reinforcing the old thinking.

Journaling has been very helpful to me. And also identifying relationships with some people. I could LITERALLY feel GERD creeping up when I saw my mother-in-law pulling up into the driveway. Talk about a trigger! That also helped me see the connection with my emotions and the symptom.

Daily meditation is helpful too. The Hope and Help For Your Nerves by Dr. Claire Weeks is excellent too. (Hat tip to you, Ryan!)

Know that you CAN heal. My GERD is 90% better. I still get heartburn once in awhile but it's becoming more rare.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!
 
I've never had GERD but it does seem to be it is from TMS. My stomach can get upset if I let things worry me.
I try to tell myself they're not worth worrying about and do deep breathing and some meditation.
My upset stomach goes away. If not, some hot milk while thinking of calming images usually does the trick.
 
Reflux, dizzy spells, back pain for over 30 years!!! I was blessed enough to find John Sarno's book and read it front to back. I was also blessed in that once I had the information about TMS my back immediately stopped hurting. Of course TMS morphed into many issues and once I followed Dr. Scheckters workbook, all symptoms subisded. Now 3 years later reflux reared its ugly head again, and I forgot what I had originally learrned. I proceeded to have an endoscopy which showed nothing abnormal and was told I had reflux due to age and to start taking Omeprazole. My husband looked at me one night and said, hey you cured this once, how about going back to the book again!!?? I was stunned that I had forgotten. Of course the minute I started applying the principles and asking where I was under stress it became obvious it was TMS again...so after suffering needlessly for almost 4 months, I reread the book and started challenging my beliefs about reflux..I am now once again 4 days pain free. Each day it tries to come back, but I say out loud, I do NOT have reflux, I have some stress and this is how I choose to take care of it, and it subsides.................Miraculous once again.................Pain free in a matter of a few days...
 
Awesome, Susan, thanks for sharing! Just the other day, I had reflux try to rear its ugly head. It settled down the next day. :)
 
Susan, thanks for posting your success story. It is amazing how you learned again that your reflux was from TMS.
We can heal, then get later get back the same or other symptoms. We just have to take each day, and each hour and
apply our emotional feelings to our pain. Your husband was wonderful to have reminded you that you had healed before
from reading Dr. Sarno and could again, and you did.
 
i have been suffering from GERD related symptoms and am also trying to work on it through hypnosis, meditation and relaxation because i am CONVINCED that the GERD is just another TMS related issue.
 
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