President Barack Obama, who had medical tests on Saturday after complaining of a sore throat, is suffering from acid reflux, the president's physician said.
"The president's symptoms are consistent with soft tissue inflammation related to acid reflux and will be treated accordingly," Obama's doctor, Captain Ronny Jackson, said in a statement.
Now of course that is the official explanation, however some conservatives are convinced that Obama's sore throat is simply proof that he is gay.
Which of course is a ridiculous contention, because my ex-wife had sore throats all of the time and I can assure you it was not due to any activity that she might have had in common with gay men.
However I would also like to voice my skepticism about this diagnosis based solely on the fact that I think acid reflux is one of those fake TV diseases, like restless leg syndrome, and erectile dysfunction that advertisers use to sell us medications that we do not really need. (I mean seriously who CAN'T get an erection?)
Not only that but the medications to "cure" these diseases always seem to have side effects significantly worse than the problem they are curing. Such as fracturing bones, increased risk of liver failure, and rectal bleeding.
That's right RECTAL BLEEDING!
Guess what, if my choices are legs that move around at night or bleeding out of my ass I will simply tie my damn legs together with rope or something.
Anyhow whatever the President really has, and I would assume it is probably a sore throat from swallowing all of the conservative BS these last couple of years, I hope he gets better,
Because we still need him.
Perhaps now more than ever.
Acid reflux is real but I would be really cautious about the drugs they prescribe. As with so many other modern afflictions, change of diet and lifestyle can help a lot. Smokers are more likely to get it and I knew at least one person who got esophageal cancer that was presumed to be the result of many years of acid reflux.
ReplyDeleteOK - leave the medical diagnoses to the medical personnel Gryph.
ReplyDelete1) Acid reflux can be a real problem. Long term damage to mucosal tissue can lead to some bad stuff, not to mention it can interfere with sleep - and we need our president well rested.
2) I'm sure there are people with erectile dysfunction, I haven't met any personally. The best thing about the ED medicines is that they help kids with congenital pulmonary problems!
3) I agree lots of meds seem more harmful than the primary issue, but for some people, their quality of life is made better with these drugs despite lots of side effects.
As a restless leg sufferer for my entire life, your comments are moronic. Do a little research before running your yap.
ReplyDeleteI second that. It is a highly unpleasant syndrome.
DeleteI also agree with everything said by 12.08. Untreated, long-term acid reflux is the major cause of cancer of the esophagus.
You might want to check out the facts about ED. It could happen to you.
http://www.webmd.com/erectile-dysfunction/myths-and-facts-about-erectile-dysfunction
Gryphen I have to disagree with you on Restless Legs Syndrome. I have been suffering from it for about 5 years now.
DeleteI have restless leg syndrome since my twenties and it has kept me up many a night in misery. I started taking Gabapentin (which I have no side effects from) a couple years ago and haven't had a episode since.
DeleteI assure you that restless erectile condition is REAL, man. All it takes is a gentle breeze...
DeleteGryphen, while you're quite astute about political matters, you'd be wise to steer clear of making medical diagnoses, or mocking people who have physical problems that you've never encountered or do not understand.
ReplyDeleteAbout the President: the diagnosis was acid reflux, but his on-site physician was worried enough to have him go to the hospital for tests. A sore throat could have been the symptom of throat cancer, among other serious conditions.
He may or may not have been prescribed medicine; lifestyle changes can help. There also may be more to the situation than we're told now. Nothing that's major, but protecting the privacy of the President.
And, yes, there are side effects to many medicines, but they're not prescribed, or taken, just for the sake of keeping pharmaceutical companies in business. You're lucky you're not a person with ED. Perhaps you'll always be that lucky. But don't knock it for those who do need it. For them, it's not a laughing matter.
I agree with all posters who suggest that Gryphon should keep his mouth shut about things he does not understand. He probably also does not know that when you are President, you must see a doctor ASAP for any medical condition, precisely because you are President; that is because every health issue that you have as President has the potential to become an issue of national security.
DeleteAs for restless leg syndrome, I have read in multiple places that it can be corrected by a substantial intake of magnesium (preferably in liquid form, as magnesium is quite difficult to absorb), and that it is usually a sign of magnesium deficiency. Most Americans take too much calcium (which deposits calcium in the soft tissue, precisely where you do not want it; this is especially true if you are K2-deficient), and most of us are magnesium-deficient.
I agree with you about Rx being worse than the disease/syndrome. For acid reflux, a change in diet would probably solve the problem.
ReplyDeleteAcid reflux is real and, if chronic, can lead to Barrett's esophagus which increases the risk of esophageal cancer.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/esophageal-cancer/basics/symptoms/con-20034316
I am one of those who tried to live with/ignore acid reflux too long (can't eat onions, garlic, tomato sauce/soup, etc. etc.). I'm on N3333M now, and it has helped, even though I still can't eat those foods. Unfortunately, since I didn't pay attention to it soon enough, I do have Barrett's esophagus. Not something to "tough it out" or ignore.
DeleteAcid reflux is not only very real, but can be very harmful. I'm currently dealing with it and there's a long road ahead. While I agree with being cautious about meds, don't be so quick to dismiss the physical situations that are out there. Just because you have never experienced them, it doesn't mean they don't exist. And, in my early 20s, I also had restless leg syndrome for awhile and it's nothing to joke about. It's a real thing and it's maddening. Your mocking is no different than guys who think women are making things up and/or exaggerating the condition of menopause. Be cool about this stuff., k? (no hot flash pun intended)
ReplyDeleteI hope President Obama gets well soon! Cannot imagine the stress the man is under with the responsibilities of all that is going on in our country and the world/wars!
ReplyDeletePlus, the asshole Republicans in Congress, who do nothing but obstruct and cost taxpayers money (!), has to be so frustrating and irritating to him!
The Republicans need to be voted out of office (that are up for reelection in the U.S. Congress) in 2016. We need young blood in the offices that will actually work for the people that elect them!
I of course knew as I was writing this that I would have all kinds of offended people commenting here and telling me that I don't know what I am talking about. I actually sort of did not that purpose.
ReplyDeleteI certainly do know that some of the problems I listed above are real, and I also know that because of the constant barrage of advertising that many people self diagnose and go to their doctors absolutely convinced that they have one or more of the symptoms listed by the generic looking man or woman describing them to the camera.
Hopefully you have a good doctor who does careful testing and has no problem telling you that you are fine and that his, or her, prescription is to watch less television.
However you should know that there are powerful incentives in place to get doctors to prescribe some of these medications, including free seminars in exotic locations, networking opportunities, and even cash payouts, though that is considered unethical. (Still happens.)
So yes my first response to news of President Obama's acid reflux was one of skepticism, and as I explain that is almost solely due to these manipulative commercials.
However as I said, I hope the President gets better, and I also hope that any of you suffering with an actual problem that just so happens to be discussed in TV advertising constantly, get better as well.
Gryphen, you've clearly been affected by too many TV commercials.
DeleteDiagnosis: turn off your television and read a good book.
I'm not offended, but I have also been diagnosed with acid reflux and I had symptoms like the president, so I know it's very real. Actually it felt like the back of my throat was on fire, so I had an upper endoscopy to confirm it and my gastroenterologist (yes, I have one being that I'm over 55 and have colonoscopies on the recommended basis) recommended I take Prilosec as needed. My doctor wasn't the one who pushed for the upper endoscopym by the way, I was. I've had two other forms of cancer already, and I was terrified I had esophageal cancer. I wanted more than my doctor's word that it was acid reflux, which certainly can become so severe as to be a factor in developing esophageal cancer... that's why you don't fool around with it but get it treated. Fortunately for me, Prilosec worked and I only very occasionally need to break it out anymore.
DeleteWhen I asked my doctor what caused my acid reflux, he said one word: "Stress." Now, I had been very, very worried and fretting about an issue in my life for several months before my throat ignited, but my doctor didn't even know that. Anyway, as soon as I heard the president had been diagnosed with AR, I thought the same thing -- it's from all the stress he's under. Fortunately the issue in my life was resolved and I no longer have to fret (much) about it, and by the same token I hope President Obama's stomach goes back to normal on January 20, 2016,
I agree, if you can't turn off the TV, at the very least, mute the commercials. My household mutes the commercials on the rare occasions we watch network TV.
DeleteReally upstanding institutions do NOT, repeat DO NOT let medical drug reps avail their staff. I work in such an institution.
Gryphen: "I;m sorry IF anyone was offended. But I really meant to say all this stuff anyway.
DeleteGryph, please stick to politics. I doubt that your posters here are hypochondriacs, and I believe that they know their own bodies better than you do.
I think many of us can agree that we have been duped by the pharmaceutical industry many times, and that so many of the ads for medications these days are ridiculous, but I am guessing that you, yourself, have been very fortunate with your health. I know people who have not been, and some of the conditions you are questioning have been very real and troublesome to them. I wish you continued good health, and like some of the other posters, hope that you will leave the medical dialog to people who have some more real experience, either professional or from personal experience. Your comments border on the unkind.
ReplyDeleteYour stupidity continues to runneth over today. You're actually starting to sound like a Palin.
ReplyDeleteAcid reflux can create serious problems including internal bleeding and esophageal cancer. It is not to be taken lightly. I am glad the president sought treatment and that there are options available.
ReplyDeleteI got sucked into using all those syrupy sweet or chewable things for awhile. There's nothing more gross than having to take that stuff at night. I quit them all and just keep a bottle of water by the bed. A few swallows of that if I need it dilutes the acid and helps it to continue through the digestive tract. And it's a heck of a lot healthier for you than all those gross medicines...not to mention saving money.
ReplyDeleteGood for you.
DeleteWhat works for you, however, may not work for others.
Thanks for sharing, but anecdotal accounts don't have much to do with whether or not there are real medical problems that need real medical solutions.
Nobody else has to try it. I was just pointing out what worked for me, and you never know, it just might be worth trying for someone else too.
DeleteGryphen, you said "(I mean seriously who CAN'T get an erection?)"
ReplyDeleteSarah Palin can't but she keeps trying.
You are seriously ignorant and uneducated about medical issues. Who can't get an erection? Many men. Regular ones and those with various illnesses like MS, spinal problems or those on medications. You sound like an asshiole bragging about his virility.
ReplyDeleteAs far as reflux, your comments are equally stupid.
I can tell you have NO medical knowledge or education.
And I'm a nurse practitioner specializing in natural medicine so I am not a big drug proponent.
Man, stick to issues you know about or at least research them before being such an insensitive buffoon.
I have this and the throat irritation is quite annoying. A change in his diet is warranted, low acid, no spicy, no late meals, sleep with elevated pillow....this condition can lead to cancer of the esophagus.
ReplyDeleteMy only question is why the hospital. My ENT scoped me in the office and diagnosed me right away. Maybe a president has a different protocol.
Hope he feels better
The Commander in Chief of the military gets treated in a military hospital, which has the staff, the equipment, and the medicines the POTUS (any POTUS) might need, right at hand, to treat him for any and every illness or accident. It's just a perq of the job--you don't want the leader of the country to have to wait around for days to get an appointment at Joe Blow MD's Random Office in Some Random Stripmall.
DeleteWhy the hospital? Because if you are President of the United States, your doctor will not give you an endoscopy in his office, that's why. There is a different medical protocol for Presidents – and for good reason. Look it up. I am addressing this to both Gryphen and every poster who thinks Obama or his doctor may have over-reacted.
DeleteGryphen, DO NOT interject on medical issues like this without speaking to someone who actually knows medicine. You could not be MORE wrong about acid reflux and the seriousness of it as a predisposing factor for esophageal cancer. While many patients have a predisposing factor, hiatal hernia, others are predisposed from obesity and you surely know this country has an obesity epidemic. Alcohol intake can be another contributing factor.
ReplyDeletePlease... do not "wing it on serious medical issues.
Couldn't agree with you more. I have a dear friend who has had acid reflux for years – correctly diagnosed with an endoscopy, of course. She has to have regular endoscopies because she now has Barrett's Syndrome and is at risk for esophageal cancer, a horrible disease that is probably neither treatable nor curable. Dietary changes have not helped her; we are all different, and so are our bodies.
DeleteI believe that Rush Limbaugh couldn't get an erection. Remember?
ReplyDeleteAcid reflux (GERD) is a very real, vey serious condition that left untreated can result in, or contribute to, throat cancer. I have GERD, and have successfully controlled it by taking a high dose of Prilosec daily. I have been scoped and am fortunate to be clear of cancer. So, please don't be so cavalier about this condition. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWith Gryphen's psychological knowledge, medical knowledge, and $1.50 you can get yourself a cup of coffee. The excuse you gave for making the post makes no sense. Do us a favor and post what education, certifications, and degrees you have. I'm pretty sure you don't have anything that amounts to the knowledge you profess you have. I think you're a book of knowledge that has nothing but blank pages.
ReplyDeleteI was never a fan of big pharma. I never go to the doctor because at my age, they always want to push the pills.
ReplyDeleteHowever, my husband spent 12 days in intensive care a year ago and by some miracle made it out alive. He now relies on big pharma to postpone the inevitable a bit longer. So, I have to admit now that big pharma can help and I no longer view them as ruthless bastards.
Enjoy your good health G. It can change on a dime.
A trial study of Avastin gave my father 6 months of enjoyable health after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Those six months were packed with trips and cherished moments. The next six months were a little rocky, and he had to stop taking chemo and Avastin. We lost him soon after, but the year we had knowing it would be our last was truly golden.
DeleteSo, you kicked the fire ant mound on this one, huh?!
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to add something that my daughter and I both experienced with a bout of acid reflux that might explain the trip to the hospital.
We were on a family vacation and she started having near panic attacks because she felt like she was choking. There was no sore throat, just that feeling that you get when you try to swallow too much bread and it hangs up in the esophagus. You can breathe, but you feel a weird pressure and a sense that it will move and cut off your oxygen.
My mother has had acid reflux for years, and she recognized that symptom and explained what might be going on. We gave her antacids until we made it home. Her doctor confirmed that she was having acid issues. Fortunately she worked her way out of it, and only has short bouts now and then because of stress or diet.
I just experienced this myself in the past week. At first I thought I had a chronic backache, but after a few days the pressure felt like it was in my esophagus behind my sternum. Soon after that, I started to feel the acid burn in that area, so I started using Zantac and drinking more water.
If the president had this kind of symptom, I'm sure they sent him to the hospital to make sure it wasn't a heart issue. Let's hope he gets the best advice and medicine available so he can get back to work, and make the most of his last two years!
Yes, you are right: a heart attack can manifest itself as acid-reflux syndrome. Just another reason they would have to check the President out thoroughly, at Walter Reed hospital.
DeleteYes, they make money from advertising meds for these conditions, but the conditions are very REAL and for many the help they need is beyond "natural" remedies.
ReplyDeleteMy father has led the most moderate and healthy lifestyle and he has had GERD for decades. He has spent many holidays in the ER because he is unable to swallow due to the narrowing of the esophogus that happens (eventually) due to scarring from the condition.
He also has had "restless legs" since his 20's. My mother couldn't sleep in the same bed because he kicked and twitched so much. He walked many miles every day because it was the only thing that relieved the discomfort in his legs. "Restless Leg Syndrome" may sound like a joke, but it is NOT.
Well, at least you stayed away from depression, panic attacks, anxiety, mania .......... comments might've overloaded your server.
ReplyDeleteI have a doctor who won't prescribe an aspirin if something else would do. I learned from watching the sales reps from big pharm over the years. "If you write x scripts for this medicine, you'll get an all expenses paid trip to Sandals" They give all kinds of incentives to prescribe their patented brand.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying that all of them are bad or their products don't work, I'm sure they do for many. In a way, I agree with Gryphen. Read the possible side effects, and it makes you wonder if the risk is worth the cure.
There's a new drug that was rushed through and put on the market. It's for painful intercourse (osphena) in menopausal and post menopausal women. It uses no hormone replacement, and actually helps build vaginal tissue. One of my neighbors was on a clinical trial for it, and she's convinced she got a placebo during the trial, because she's suffered that pain, now that she got a prescription and the levels in her system have stabilized, she swears by it. FWIW Acid Reflux is a real problem, left untreated it could cause throat cancer in some people, so I'm relieved the President got it checked out early and knows what to do to relieve it.
Gryphen, there is absolutely no scientific reasoning why Sarah Palin's six year erection over POTUS can be explained.
ReplyDeleteThe frightening thing about acid reflux is that your stomach lining will grow into your esophageal passage and overgrow and become cancerous, that's why reflux needs to be taken seriously. Hopefully he caught this soon enough that he has not had the stomach lining grow into the esophagus. If I had his stressful life I'd have indigestion/reflux as well!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine putting up with the shit this man does for what little he is paid! My company makes as much as the POTUS does annually with only 3 employees and very little stress for any of us and as all we do is create beauty for people in their homes and gardens. I couldn't imagine being leader of the free world for such a tiny amount of reimbursement! I do appreciate him and his sacrifice doing this job for a pittance and I hope in his personal life after POTUS he rakes it in and lives stress free and full of personal wealth.
The problem with promoting prescription drugs to the public is that they are often given to people who don't need them. Acid reflux is a real condition, but there are other ways to treat it than with an advertised medication. In my case I just get up for a while. My partner decided to cut out late night desserts.
ReplyDelete(sorry not caught up on the comments, but...)
ReplyDeletegot to disagree w/you Gryphen,
acid reflux is real. Also called GERD for GastroEsophagealRefluxDisease.
In my humble experience, it is aggravated by stress,
eating too late, or eating too much, certain acidic foods, coffee,
etc.
Rather than the prescriptions, I recommend probiotics like
acidophilus - which were great for me.
I sure hope President Obama feels better.
Chronic acid reflux can predispose to esophageal cancer. The drugs used to treat it are safe. As far as side effects, literally anything that happens to a patient in a clinical trial is considred a side effect - if you fall off your bicycle and break your arm, bone fractures are considered a "side effect" of the drug. I've been a pharmacist for 30+ years, and know what I'm talking about.
ReplyDeletesorry Gryph, but if as a responsible skeptic, you should have gone and looked up the information before you made up your mind.
ReplyDeletePlease keep in mind that package inserts are legal documents and they must list all possible side effects, but they don't give you the full picture of how prevalent these effects are.
Our government does require that manufacturers prove (through clinical trials) that their products are effective. Unfortunately for consumers, mfrs. were exempted many years ago from having to prove their products were better than something already on the market.
You are correct that there are problems with physicians being unduly influenced by pharmaceutical courtship, but its much better than it was even a decade ago. Since there is awareness of the problems, there have been and continue to be efforts to change the culture of freebies. As far as networking, its a very valuable part of medicine, as doctors can find out trends in advance of study publishing, and build relationships with people who are more expert than they are.
Self-diagnoses: if someone goes to the doctor to discuss a problem, then they aren't relying on their own diagnoses. Its the people who treat themselves after the self-diagnoses who are a problem. There ARE some undesirable effects of long term use of proton inhibitors like prilosec and previced, so it is a good idea to talk to your doctor. But if the side effects truly were worse than the disease they treated, people would stop taking the drugs.So, no problem.
Many people enjoy this blog, and there seems to be a consensus that you got it wrong this time.
My mom has restless legs, and it's horrible! I have occasional bouts, like on an airplane, which is bad enough, but hers often keep her up at night.
ReplyDeleteAnd acid reflux is real too. A bigger problem, I think, is the over diagnoses of osteoporosis. My mom is 84 and her back is straight as a 20 year olds. My sister and I have both been diagnosed with osteopenia. I was on Boniva for a year, when I quit because my knees hurt so badly I couldn't stand up longer than 5 minutes. My knees got better immediately, and my osteopenia has not gotten worse in 4 years. I also fall at least once a winter, and have never ever broken a bone.
A couple of years ago I had a bone density test, first one in about 10 years. My numbers were excellent but, because I was 65, because my mother (then aged 82 and confined to a wheelchair because of dementia and a lack of balance) had fallen and broken her hip, I was deemed to be at "high" risk of developing osteoporosis. Fortunately no one mentioned taking medication because I would have refused. I had watched a friend, who was dying of cancer, giving herself daily injections to ward off osteoporosis. She died long before it would have been a problem.
DeleteBeaglemom
I know that every medical issue, even those that might otherwise seem minor, becomes serious when it's the President of the United States.
ReplyDeleteI was quite relieved when I read that he had been diagnosed with acid reflux because my first thought was something related to the years he spent smoking. Certainly acid reflux is a lot less serious than many of the other possibilities!
What is a little GERD among friends. It is not fun, however.
ReplyDeleteRestless leg is DEFINITELY real - It feels like you have built-up muscle tension, like you have to stretch. But stretching doesn't relieve the tension at all, and for me at least it always seems to start at bedtime. It's miserably uncomfortable and I always end up having to pace my apartment until it goes away. As for acid reflux...that's real too and it can burn holes in your stomach lining and throat. I'm surprised the President hasn't had it before now, with all the bullshit he deals with day in and day out.
ReplyDeleteI've also heard because who think fibromyalgia is bunk. Um, people who have fibromyalgia literally hurt all the time, all over.
DeleteIt COULD be other things, but please don't call something crazy until you experience the pain
Gryphen,
ReplyDeleteAs a woman under the age of 50 who enjoys every aspect of my sexual self, having an SO with ED is very real and very frustrating. A little medication with a lot of patience and a lot of imagination keeps us from having a "dead" bedroom. Please don't mock situations that you don't understand. You have put a small chink in the mountain of respect that I have for you.
Performers often have throat issues from excessive talking. It's probably related to that.
ReplyDeleteHOWEVER, acid reflux IS a thing. Im not saying that it needs medication, because it's usually diet related. How could it not be food related? Food goes does. Irritates/causes some reaction. Acid comes up.
Isn't that what people describe?
But who knows. I don't fully believe the HIllary reason for her hospitalization.
But honestly, I kind of dont care.
You can't be in a position like that and not have constant medical attention. So even if a president is undergoing immense problems, he's taken care of.
I had a boss 12 years ago who was schizophrenic. Except you'd never know it because he had it under control.
People LOVE to blow this type of shit up to either embarass or use it in envy and say so and so isn't qualified because they're_____
In reality, ANYONE with almost any malady can do anything in the world
When you wake in the night almost asphyxiating on the bile your body is regurgitating.... first you are terrified....and rest assured it is acid reflux. First I would wake up repeatedly coughing, like a tickle in the throat that you can't get rid of, that apparently is one of the fist signs. that was bad enough. Diet plays a small part of it, I tried everything before taking medication, but stress is a huge factor. if it isn't too bad, over the counter heartburn remedies work. If not treated, the results are worse than the medication, and believe me, if you regurgitated what feels like battery acid once or twice a night...you would take medication too.
ReplyDeleteWhen Barack Obama wakes up in the white house Tempest hopes the president slowly wakes up from the thing he took.
ReplyDeletetempest hopes Barack Obama gets better soon and Tempest really like you get better very soon Tempest wants you come to Springfield Oak Ridge centenary.
ReplyDelete