Hello, My name is Reggie and I suffer from acid reflux, also known as G.E.R.D., which stands for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.I was offically diagnosed with it when I was in my mid 20's, but was suffering from it long before that. Around my mid-teens, it seemed that I was constantly getting heartburn if I ate certain foods. As I got older and entered college, it got to the point where everything gave me heartburn. I would buy rolaids and tums in bulk and pop them like candy. I had to have them with me everywhere I went. Eventually, I finally broke down and went to see my family doctor about the problem. Initially, he suggested certain food items to stay away from which basically amounted to everything that I enjoyed and suggested to limit my alcohol consumption and told me to take some over the counter medicine that was a little stronger than rolaids (and also a "little" more expensive).

Needless to say, the problem continued , so I was then referred to a gastrologist who ran some tests and diagnosed me with acid reflux. One of the tests that I had completed to look at my heartburn situation is called an Endoscopy. I have completed two of these in the past four years. An Endoscopy involves placing a thin tube with a light and a small camera on the end of it through your throat to look at your esophagus to see whats happening down there. You are not permitted to consume any food after 12 midnight the day before the process and you also need a designated driver to bring you there, because you will be very much out of it when the test is through. It is an outpatient process and it will take around 10 to 15 minutes. It is pretty much painless, they sedate you to help you relax and to stop you from gagging while they get the scope down your throat. You can expect for the rest of that day you won't be doing much, but after a good nights rest, you should be back to normality the next day.

After the first endoscopy, I was prescribed a medication known as prilosec, which is a time release pill that I take religously every morning the minute I wake up. I've been taking the medication for about 7 years now and it has been 7 years of no heartburn. I basically eat and drink anything I want and as long as I take my pill I do not get heartburn. On the rare occation I forget, believe me, I remember really fast. So it appears I will need to be on this medication for the rest of my life, but it is worth it to me to stay heartburn free. So basically, my advice to anyone reading this and can relate to this problem - go get it checked out and stop living with the agony of heartburn.