Ask Dr Mel: Depression and heartburn

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Woman's Weekly logo Every week we bring you expert advice from Woman's Weekly health expert Dr Melanie Wynee-Jones. Mel is a GP with 26 years' experience and is the senior partner in a busy surgery in Stockport. This week she answers your questions about depression and heartburn.

Q. I've been depressed for months and feel ashamed that I can't pull myself together. I can't see a way out, so what's the point of going to see my GP?

A. Feelings of self-blame or guilt are often symptoms of depression, along with low mood, enthusiasm, concentration and motivation. These can be so disabling that many sufferers can't "pull themselves together", however hard they try.

Depression can strike when bad things happen to us, or for no obvious reason, but it's treatable. Talk to your GP who can tell you about treatments. These include counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which helps to change the way you look at things, joining a support group and/or a course of antidepressants.

Please don't see making the decision to consult your GP as a sign of weakness. It really means that you are back in control, doing something positive to start overcoming your depression.

Q. I've been suffering from a lot of heartburn lately - do you think I could have stomach cancer?

A. It could, but it's more likely to be something less serious. Cases of stomach cancer in UK women have more than halved in the last 30 years, according to Cancer Research UK, which says the fall is due to better diets, and reduced rates of smoking and helicobacter pylori (HP), a bacterial stomach infection.

See your GP. If you have persistent or additional symptoms, such as pain or difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, anaemia or weight loss, she'll recommend a telescope examination (gastroscopy) to make sure there's no cancer. If HP infection is detected, you'll be given antibiotics.

But you're more likely to have a hiatus hernia and/or acid reflux; these allow stomach acid to wash back up the gullet and burn its delicate lining and are treated with antacids and/or drugs, such as ranitidine or omeprazole, to reduce acid production.

Cancer Research UK says that stomach cancer is largely preventable, so I'd follow its advice about eating a healthy balanced diet, high in fresh fruit, veg and fibre, and low in salt, and red and processed meat.

Note: Advice given here is for general information only and is correct on date of publication 6th October 2009 but may be subject to change. Please seek help from your own GP if you have a medical problem.
Advice given here is for general information only and is correct on date of publication. Please seek help from your own GP if you have a medical problem.

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