I got the GERD!

Warning: This might take more of your time than usual to read.



It started with the voice... I lost my voice approximately three weeks ago. I arrived at work just in the nick of time hence I wasn't able to get my regular dose of caffeine, my all-time favorite, instant cafe-mocha, at the pantry. Just in time though to pull up my tools and stuffs I needed to endure my eight-hour night shift. After three or four calls of troubleshooting computer issues, I began to feel the dryness of my throat and hoarseness of my voice. At that part, I decided to take my first 15 minutes break and decided to have my dispenser filled-out with the caffeine. I would have gone to the clinic to have some spray of that bile tasting medicine and some Orofar-L lozenges but the skewed handwritten sign of "Lunch Break" on the door prevented me. As the first break is almost up, I just went back to my cubicle waiting for the seconds to close down the timer I had opened earlier.


After that, I just went back to my normal routine, taking more calls, sleeping on my lunch break, doing a terminal second 15-minute break (using my last 15min break to consume my remaining time before logging out), and walking back to the apartment since its just two blocks away from work and could spare me some seven pesos for the transportation and because I actually enjoyed the walks.

If I remembered correctly, the next two days that followed were my day-offs. I can't tell much of what I did those days cause I can't really remember much of it. Moving further, on my second day of work for another week, I informed my supervisor that I will be absent from work because of an asthma attack. I got an approval but will have to secure a med certificate the following day.

The following morning, I woke up early and went to the med insurance facility to have a consultation with a doctor whom would be providing as well the certificate. To make the story short, I got the certificate, and some drug prescriptions for my sore throat and dry cough apart from the medicines I was already taking for my asthma.

About a week after, even though I have already finished drinking all the prescribed medicines, the soreness of my throat and the constant dry cough still did not faded. Hence, I went for another checkup on the same facility with another doctor. New sets of drugs prescribed, another set of thousand bucks chunk-out of my pay. As usual, I took the medicines and hoped to be better soon. However, much to my disappointment, the same ailment still suffice. I had constant shifts were I was given admin tasks and not taking-in calls (which i preferred). But as they say, all good things come to an end and few days after I began to take calls again.

After that, a lot of things had happened, I felt a little better, I spent my 2 days off back in Davao to surprise my mom on her birthday. When I thought everything will be going smooth again just few days after, I began to experience the same symptoms I had weeks before, an aggravating cough (most common during taking calls and during bedtime for me) and the same hoarseness of voice. This got me alarmed. Why would I still experience these things after all those drugs I ingested so far.

This has been my third week now having this symptoms and its really affecting my daily performance at work and my sleeping habits as well as of my housemates who overhear my coughing. Worse, I have constantly getting heart burns, "wet burps" (burps were you can taste acidity on your mouth) and asthma attacks again. Thus, I decided to have another consultation with another doctor but not on the same facility anymore, pardon my saying, but I think the doctors there are really not worth of the money your paying. I had my check up at the Chong Hua Hospital late in the morning and managed to get accommodated even without a prior appointment. Explained everything to the doctor what happened, she examined my throat, and had me set for an x-ray session. On her prognosis, I may be suffering from a disease called reflux or GERD, short for Gastroesophageal reflux disease.

GERD is a kind of condition wherein the acids produce by stomach refluxes or arises from the stomach to the esophagus. This is a lifetime condition thus this would greatly affect the whole lifestyle of the person having it. The person having it should refrain if not cut down from eating acidic and fatty foods and drinks. This condition is not easily detected or might be wrongly diagnose as a simple: asthma attack, persistent dry cough, sore throat, or heart burn. GERD should be treated as soon as possible as this would cause further problem and would cause other organs to malfunction because of the acid it produces. If not properly taken care of, this would actually lead to major problems such as cancer.

Scary as it may seem, I have to face this condition thoroughly. There would be a lot of adjustments to do especially with being a coffeeholic myself and more of my diet and lifestyle. Would need to sleep as of now in an elevated position so that would give minor relief for dry cough during bedtime. I hope I could have this issue settled soon and I don't want this to arrive on major problems in the future.

If you are suffering from common symptoms I've mentioned above, best to consult now with a trusted doctor and as early as possible. More details of this disease is on this website, The Acid Reflux Disease.com. Hoping for the best!