A woman suffers regular "acid attacks", restricts her diet and is forced to sleep sitting up.
Shannon Lyon has a hiatus hernia [when part of your stomach moves up into your chest] which has led to chronic GERD [chronic acid reflux]. The condition is quite common in people over 50.
Most people tend to have little to no symptoms but some will eventually need surgery if symptoms appear and become too difficult to live with. Shannon, 25, has had the condition for two years and despite making dietary and lifestyle changes as well as taking medication, she still lives in constant pain from the acid travelling up her throat.
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The English teacher told the ECHO about how she will often suffer "acid attacks" that cause intense pain and has affected her life since March last year. She said: "I have to sleep with a number of pillows and my head propped up because of the acid.
"Sometimes I have to sleep sat up which isn't comfortable at all. It could be years before I get the regular NHS operation.
"My relationship with food is toxic as well. The only thing I can drink really is water, and if I have too much it can aggravate the hernia."
Shannon, originally from Aintree but now living in the city centre, is raising money to get private surgery which would see a small magnetic band placed around the oesophagus that would stop the stomach acid from travelling up her throat. The surgery, known as LINX surgery, costs £8,500, with the aim of raising £1,100 through a GoFundMe for the deposit to get an initial consultation.
She said: "I have to restrict my diet so much. It causes lots of different problems. It's so hard because [the treatment] is just there but it's just out of reach. Not many people have £8,500.
"I'm only young as well so it makes it difficult to get a loan. I thought it would be straight forward but it would cost me so much in interest."
To read more about the GoFundMe or to donate, click here.
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