If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease, or if you think you might have it, then you could be thinking about seeing a doctor for help. You might have even told your primary care doctor that you need help with GERD, and they might have told you that it's a good idea for you to see a gastroenterologist. If you're going to be seeing a gastroenterologist for help with GERD, you could be looking for some advice for your visit. These tips should help you out. 

Understand Why You Should See a Gastroenterologist 

First of all, you might know that GERD is pretty normal and common, and you might know other people who suffer from it and who never see a doctor about it. However, this does not mean that you shouldn't consider seeing a gastroenterologist. You should not suffer from GERD symptoms without seeing your doctor, since this can lead to weight loss, worsened issues, and more. Plus, suffering from untreated GERD can have a major impact on your quality of life and can leave you dealing with unnecessary pain.

Of course, you might know that it's a good idea to see a doctor about GERD, but you could be wondering why you should see a gastroenterologist in particular, rather than your primary care doctor. Although it's true that your primary care doctor can help you with GERD in some ways, you might find that you will have even better success if you get help from a gastroenterologist. Basically, a gastroenterologist has special education in GERD and other similar disorders, and they typically have a lot more professional experience in treating patients with these conditions. Therefore, you might find that you will get better care from one of these specialists, so you may want to ask your primary care doctor for a referral if you have not received one already.

Keep a Journal

In the days or weeks leading up to your appointment with a gastroenterologist, it's a good idea for you to keep a journal related to your GERD. It's a good idea to keep track of the foods that you eat and the symptoms that you notice. This can help your doctor get a better idea of whether or not you have GERD, how severe it is, and what your triggers are. This can help them get a better understanding of what you are dealing with, and it can allow them to provide you with more advice.

These are just a couple of things you should know about seeing a gastroenterologist when you have GERD. If you see the right doctor, they should be able to help you with your GERD so you can improve the quality of your life.

To learn more, contact a company like Ologist.