Discharge Instructions for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a backflow of acid from the stomach into the swallowing tube (esophagus).
Home care
These home care steps can help you manage GERD:
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Maintain a healthy weight. Get help to lose any extra pounds.
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Avoid lying down after meals.
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Avoid eating late at night.
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Elevate the head of your bed by 6 inches. You can do this by placing wooden blocks or bed risers under the head of your bed.
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Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes.
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Avoid foods that might irritate your stomach, such as the following:
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Alcohol
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Fat
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Chocolate
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Caffeine
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Spearmint or peppermint
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Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking any of the following medicines. These medicines can make GERD symptoms worse:
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Calcium channel blockers
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Theophylline
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Anticholinergic medicines, such as oxybutynin and benzatropine
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Begin an exercise program. Ask your healthcare provider how to get started. You can benefit from simple activities, such as walking or gardening.
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Break the smoking habit. Enroll in a stop-smoking program to improve your chances of success.
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Limit alcohol intake to no more than 2 drinks a day.
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Take your medicines exactly as directed. Don’t skip doses.
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Avoid over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, unless recommended by your healthcare provider for certain conditions.
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If possible, avoid nitrates (heart medicines, such as nitroglycerin and isosorbide dinitrate ).
Follow-up care
Make a follow-up appointment as directed by our staff.
When to call the healthcare provider
Call your healthcare provider immediately if you have any of the following:
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Trouble swallowing
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Pain when swallowing
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Feeling of food caught in your chest or throat
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Pain in the neck, chest, or back
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Heartburn that causes you to vomit
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Vomiting blood
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Black or tarry stools (from digested blood)
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More saliva (watering of the mouth) than usual
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Weight loss of more than 3% to 5% of your total body weight in a month
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Hoarseness or sore throat that won’t go away
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Choking, coughing, or wheezing