I have acidic with heartburn and occasional stomach pain. Is it GERD or peptic ulcer?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am a 51-year-old male. I was diagnosed with hay fever four months ago. I was prescribed an antihistamine, Omeprazole, and a nasal spray for it. Though my symptoms got reduced, they never disappeared. After a couple of months, I started to have heartburn, regurgitation, difficulty in swallowing, and a sleep disorder. So I consulted a doctor, and I was diagnosed with malaria and acidity. I did an ultrasound, and it showed excess gas present in my stomach.

I was prescribed Spasmodigestin for 10 days and Rabeprazole for a month. I am taking three doses of antibiotics for malaria. I was doing better for a few days. Due to travel, I was not able to control my food intake. This led to deterioration again. I am feeling more acidic with heartburn and having stomach pain occasionally.

Is it due to GERD or a peptic ulcer?

Please suggest.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

An ulcer in the stomach is not shown as a diagnosis in the ultrasound. Some antibiotics that you are taking can cause side effects, including an erosion of the stomach wall. I am not sure whether you are taking medications to reduce the secretion of acid in the stomach. On considering your immediate past history, your stomach burn is mostly antibiotic-induced.

If you have heartburn with an acid taste in the mouth after sleeping for a few hours, then it is likely due to regurgitation.

You can take Omeprazole sustained-release (SR) twice daily for seven days and then once daily for 14 days.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Avoid taking excess coffee or tea and spicy foods.
Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
Have a time period of ninety minutes between your dinner and sleep.
Do not sleep immediately after taking food.
Keep your head end elevated by placing pillows between your shoulder blades.

You can take an upper GI (gastrointestinal) endoscopy if the severity persists or if the symptoms reappear after a month to know what is happening.

I hope it helps.

Thank you.