Korean Job Discussion Forums

[easyxmind]

Hi all. I'm getting ready to fly to Korea this week to start the ESL teaching journey. Last year I was diagnosed with GERD. I'm not on Prilosec/omeprazole on a constant basis, since my symptoms come and go. But I do tend to go on it when I can feel it starting to act up. For the record, I don't need to lose weight, I'm female and 107 pounds, fast metab/naturally slim. My stomach just hates me.

Also useful to know is diet management doesn't help my symptoms at all. My symptoms are mostly chest and stomach. The only thing I've noticed is my stomach did get torn up and stayed torn up for 2+ days, after eating exceptionally spicy Korean food recently, but it'd been probably a year or more since I had spicy food so I'd safely say it was at least partially because my stomach wasn't used to it.

I've lived in Korea before, but that was long long before I developed GERD.

I'm wondering if there's a similar acid-reducing drug or PPI of some sort that I can get in Korea. Unfortunately prilosec is not cheap and I'm currently in a financial bind so stocking up here before I leave is not an option. I do have two 14-day bottles of omeprazole, which will hopefully get me through a flare up or two. But after that I'm gonna need help.

[Drew345]

I had GERD diagnosed here in Korea after an endoscopy and colonoscopy and was prescribed 3 months worth of antacid pills and a liquid to take on big flare ups. The standard insurance heavily subsidizes the endoscopy, but maybe because I am over 50. And the standard insurance heavily subsidized the medicine, but only after the medical inspection.
I would say... get your Korean insurance and try to get a doctor to diagnose it without the endoscopy, or do the endoscopy if insurance covers it. Then the medicine is pretty cheap with insurance. I think it is the same as the standard medicine from America (one kind is before every meal, another kind is once a day in the morning).
Note that even with insurance, the medicine is not any cheaper than Costco in America, but you said that's not an option.
Anyway, yes, same medicine is here and covered by insurance.

[denverdeath]

I aint a doctor, or preacher.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/gerd/gerd-and-smoking.aspx

I used to smoke. I dont now. I used to get severe heartburn, but never now. Pretty sure its because I no longer smoke.

If I'm completely out in left-field, and neither of you smoke, forget what I said.

[Drew345]

Hehehe
The main external causes of GERD are smoking, overeating, coffee, chocolate, and late night eating. I do all except smoking.
Any way the OP may be dealing with a case not related to external causes, but still good to mention for other readers.

[denverdeath]

[easyxmind]

I don't smoke, don't over eat, have coffee once a day. My doctor when I was diagnosed suspected it was probably related to my anxiety.