I was diagnosed with acid reflux when I was 19 years old.

The time leading up to my diagnosis was some of the worst moments. Pain in my chest, nausea, vomiting, and other things that just made me uncomfortable after I ate. At that point, I had experienced the discomfort for 3 years. I asked my mom if I could see her gastroenterologist to see if he could give me any insight on my symptoms. He suggested I should have an endoscopy procedure done. This meant getting put under anesthesia and having a small tube in my esophagus to look for anything abnormal regarding what I had been feeling and the weight loss I experienced. He, in fact, diagnosed me with acid reflux.

Acid reflux is not all fun and games. It is just as big of a deal as anything else. I have to watch what I eat, make sure I eat every so often to avoid acid from not eating, and take prescription medicine everyday. I also have to try to follow the GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease diet). This is a list of foods and drinks that can give people acid that I should be avoiding. This includes creamy foods, spicy foods, and foods such as red and green peppers and whole milk. When you think about it, it is basically a diet where you eat mostly bland flavored foods, but could get creative to make them tasty.

For me, I get acid from not eating enough food, eating too much, eating certain foods, or the temperatures of the foods I am eating. It is hard for me to eat what I want because of the fear of another episode where I am nauseous, vomiting, and have pain near my esophagus and stomach. I used to get these episodes at least 3-4 times a week which doesn't seem like something anyone would want to go through. I don't experience this as much anymore, but the thought of me ever experiencing that is a nightmare.

After a change in medication to a better one, my doctor is now thinking about reducing the dosage on my medication because the symptoms are not as terrible as they used to be. I still have a long way to go, but I am so glad that I am seeing improvements. I am proud of the foods I have been able to avoid and take out of my diet to at least reduce the amount of acid I was getting before.

Acid reflux, if not treated or monitored by a doctor, can lead to a host of other diseases. Barrett's esophagus and esophageal cancer for example; my dad had esophageal cancer, which was hard for us as a family to watch him battle. It is important to advocate for those who might or are experiencing symptoms of acid reflux and share knowledge about medications, the GERD diet, or a better diet with others. The support and love from someone can actually do wonders.