 | Dr. George R. Watson, D.O. is certified in Preventive Health, Occupational Medicine, Bariatric Medicine, and is the first physician in Kansas to be a Diplomate of the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine. Dr. Watson has served in the Air Force as a Weapons Systems Officer, Electronic Warfare Officer, and Flight Surgeon. Dr. Watson is located in the Park City Medical Center, 425 E. 61st St. North. #2 and can be reached at 316-744-3400 |
Health & Medicine
2007-02-01 16:23:00
Differences between GERD and ulcers
QUESTION: How is that?
ANSWER: The drug companies have slick ads telling you to ask your doctor about such things as the purple pill. That is treating the symptom. The same treatment is recommended for GERD, which can lead to esophageal cancer if gastric (stomach) acid is allowed to reflux into the esophagus.
QUESTION: How do you treat indigestion and GERD?
ANSWER: If the patient is over forty, or has symptoms that indicate indigestion, they should start with a simple, inexpensive intervention—digestive enzymes with each meal. The patient asks when or if they can stop taking the purple pill. They can stop when they forget for several days. That ends up saving them a lot of money. They also should do the usual things such as not eating within 3 hours of bedtime, consuming viscous fiber AFTER the meal to prevent stomach acid from refluxing into the esophagus, and lose weight if it is indicated.
QUESTION: What about gastric ulcers?
ANSWER: Most people now know that a large percentage of ulcers are caused by H. Pylori bacteria. In the past, diagnosis involved gastroscopic evaluation with biopsy, and treatment involved at least two weeks of therapy costing in excess of $220 just for th
ANSWER: Indigestion is very common, since, by age 40, some studies indicate that 80% of people have SOME type of digestive enzyme deficiency. So that gives us the choice to treat the symptoms or to treat the cause.
QUESTION: How is that?
ANSWER: The drug companies have slick ads telling you to ask your doctor about such things as the purple pill. That is treating the symptom. The same treatment is recommended for GERD, which can lead to esophageal cancer if gastric (stomach) acid is allowed to reflux into the esophagus.
QUESTION: How do you treat indigestion and GERD?
ANSWER: If the patient is over forty, or has symptoms that indicate indigestion, they should start with a simple, inexpensive intervention—digestive enzymes with each meal. The patient asks when or if they can stop taking the purple pill. They can stop when they forget for several days. That ends up saving them a lot of money. They also should do the usual things such as not eating within 3 hours of bedtime, consuming viscous fiber AFTER the meal to prevent stomach acid from refluxing into the esophagus, and lose weight if it is indicated.
QUESTION: What about gastric ulcers?
ANSWER: Most people now know that a large percentage of ulcers are caused by H. Pylori bacteria. In the past, diagnosis involved gastroscopic evaluation with biopsy, and treatment involved at least two weeks of therapy costing in excess of $220 just for the medication. Now, there is a ONE DAY treatment that is 95% effective for less than $100. Diagnosis can be made with blood or breath test.
