Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome and Acid

{mosimage}

There are many reasons why you can have sour taste in you mouth. One of the most common is obviously gastro-oesophageal reflux. Look:

Then people start to talk about acidity. For example look what Aparna wrote about

And then, if you have a stomach ulcer, you might also think about hyperacidity, which always was considered the case, though in the last 10-20 years it was shown that up to 75 % of stomach ulcers are caused by H. Pylory (or at least associated with the bug).

This is, by the way, why we treat the peptic ulcers with antibiotics nowadays.

Yet there are some rare conditions.

I have asked Louise to talk more about one entity: Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome

Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome quiz                                             Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome quiz for wireless device

{mosimage}

“Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is a condition where you have several tumors that form in the pancreas and the upper part of the small intestines known as the duodenum. These tumors are unlike any other, in that they are usually harder to get rid of. What happens with this syndrome is that tumors form and causes your stomach to secrete more acid than normal.  This, in turn, results in ulcers and open wounds in the stomach. 

Sounds less than pleasant, doesn't it. The only treatment available is for your doctor to prescribe medications that will reduce the acid and allow the ulcers to heal. In extreme cases, surgery is called for. Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is an infliction that doctors have yet to discover the cause. I've tried to pin down the cause myself, but haven't yet been able to.

Some of the symptoms you might encounter are very similar to a peptic ulcer. You will have burning in your upper abdomen, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and bleeding along the digestive tract. Because your stomach is so sensitive, you will more than likely lose weight.  (Some people think this is the best part of having the syndrome!) Even if you were to take some of the over-the-counter remedies for heartburn and excess acid, you wouldn't get much relief, unfortunately.
 
If you have a persistent burning in your stomach and any of the other symptoms, you should talk to your doctor immediately. If you try treating yourself with medicines such as Zantec, you could be putting yourself at more risk. In effect, what you are doing is masking the other symptoms and your condition could worsen.

Your doctor will probably run a number of tests. The first is a blood test to check for increased levels of gastrin. This is the hormone secreted by the pancreas that triggers acid in the stomach. You may also have to have an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Yes, that is a mouthful, I know, but the procedure is really nothing big. Basically, your doctor will insert a very small camera down your throat to look into your stomach. Your doctor may also take a sample of your stomach’s tissue, called a biopsy, to have it analyzed in a lab. Another technique that might be used is an endoscopic ultrasound. The probe used in the ultrasound produces better images for your doctor and from these images, he can determine the extent of any tumors.