WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Help halting heartburn

August 12, 2011

Alexa Hollander is just like any other hungry teenager. But just two years ago ordering a burrito with the works would have been something this 16-year-old couldn't stomach. That's because she had gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD.

"My stomach about here would start hurting and all of a sudden stuff would start coming up and sit in my throat," she said.

Hollander had to drop out of sports and her grades suffered. She couldn't even eat the yogurt she served at her part-time job.

"What changed is the valve at the end of the esophagus probably started off weak and just got weaker over time," said Dr. Miguel Burch of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Forty percent of Americans suffer heartburn at some point in their lives. While many people get by with medication, it can drain calcium from women. So Burch performed a unique surgery to strengthen Hollander's valve so food can go down but not back up. It's incisionless surgery.

"We put an endoscope down and through it a sewing machine; it allows us to shape the stomach," Burch explained.

To reduce heartburn, doctors recommend losing weight or cutting out caffeine.

Surgery was the only thing that helped Hollander. And the incisionless procedure meant a short recovery.

She said, "After a week I was back on my feet walking around."

And ready to take a bite out of life.

Obesity and diabetes can increase your chances of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

CBS News