Mark Spitz defeats acid reflux disease

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Mark Spitz defeats acid reflux disease

.... " I probably had acid reflux the entire time I was training but didn't

know it, " ... " I had indigestion a lot and figured it was because I used to

eat before and after I swam my practice or was from training indoors and

breathing in chlorine. I got in the habit of thinking that if I didn't have

that burning pain, then I must not have trained hard enough. " ...

" About ten years ago I went to the doctor and told him about the heartburn

feeling and how it would get worse toward the end of the day when I would

lie down, " recalls Spitz, who is now a paid spokesperson for AstraZeneca,

makers of Nexium. " Back then they called it GERD and he thought that was

what I had. I tried to manage it as best I could. A couple of years ago he

prescribed Nexium which inhibits the cells in your stomach from producing

quite as much acid and therefore reduces the symptoms of acid reflux. "

Spitz says his acid reflux improved dramatically after taking Nexium and

years later was more than willing to help raise awareness about acid reflux

disease, because he knows personally that there is actually something

effective that can be done about it...

Acid reflux disease is defined by heartburn-like symptoms that occur more

than twice weekly. Acid reflux happens because lower esophageal sphincter ‹

the valve separating the esophagus and stomach ­ does not close properly,

allowing stomach acid to back up into the esophagus...

According to Bremner, 18% of Americans experience heartburn weekly; 4%-7%

experience it daily. Severe acid reflux which causes erosions in the

esophagus afflicts about 2%. This is compared to the United Kingdom where

10%-15% experience the disease weekly. Only 0.07% in Japan experience acid

reflux weekly.

" We believe it probably involves the diet, " says Bremner, who is a foregut

surgeon... Fat causes a long delay of emptying in the stomach. So the

stomach is full for longer periods of time. We believe it might be related

to distention of the stomach for prolonged periods of time. The lower

esophageal sphincter tends to open up with distention of the stomach. "

Bremner says that America's love affair with sodas may also contribute to

acid reflux, because it also distends the stomach.

Whatever the cause, Spitz tried to treat his symptoms by limiting his intake

of spicy and fatty foods. But relief was not forthcoming and the problem got

worse. He started to experience asthma-like symptoms ­ three-hour coughing

spells after training and felt like he constantly needed to clear his

throat. At one point, Spitz was placed on asthma medications.

" I saw a pulmonologist because I developed what they call self induced

asthma, " Spitz says. " I didn't have asthma I actually had acid reflux. I had

wheezing but was never really out of breath. The coughing and the stomach

irritation was the acid reflux. " ...

Proton pump inhibitors not only reduce the amount of acid produced by the

stomach and therefore limit acid reflux but also have been shown to help

heal esophageal erosions.

" Over-the-counter medications are not nearly as effective as the proton pump

inhibitors, " Bremner notes. " The PPIs are extremely effective but also

extremely expensive. Some people choose surgery to correct the valve damage,

because they cannot afford to be on the pills indefinitely and insurance

does not always cover it. "

Bremner recommends getting as early a diagnosis as possible, preferably by

endoscopy.

" Many general practitioners will put patients on PPIs for two weeks and if

the heartburn goes away they will determine the patient had acid reflux, "

Bremner explains. " But a gastric ulcer or a gastric cancer can sometimes

improve on PPIs so you need to rule these conditions out first. "

Spitz says he suffered far too long not knowing what was wrong with him and

urges people to see their doctor if they have heartburn more than two or

three times a week...

 

Find this article at:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlighthealth/2004-08-17-spitz-spot_x.

htm

 

 

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