GERD is gone

[cateblanchett]

I live in Belgium so don’t know if this medicine is available in the UK.

I’ve noticed how many people on this forum are suffering from digestive complaints with no clear solution found, which was my situation until now.

For years I suffered from GERD. I would wake up with acid in my mouth and throat. When I started heart meds it became worse. My usual treatment was pantoprazole, rennies and gaviscon. None of these actually worked very well.

Recently I was hospitalised for dehydration (very severe). Part of the treatment I received was to try and tackle the GERD problem. They gave me “Riopan” before each meal and one before bed. 

Riopan comes in a tube, you cut it open and suck the ingredients into your mouth.

I can’t praise this antacid highly enough. I no longer have GERD or bloating. The other night had hiccups, took riopan and they went right away.

I think it would be worthwhile to mention this to your GPs - it is really impressive! There might be an equivalent in the UK.

[cateblanchett]

Just thought that my post might be considered a promotion. I have no connection to Riopan producers. This is merely my personal experience.

[Qualipop in reply to cateblanchett]

I would think riopan is the brand name. The packet somewhere should say what the active ingredient is. That would help people to find out if there's a similar one here. If as said below, it's magnesium based, that's something that woudl work for me too I think. The only thing that helps me is magnesium trisilicate which is available over the counter but difficult to find now. I'm allergic to PPIs so yours was a very helpful suggestion. Thank you. I'm glad you've found some relief.

[cateblanchett in reply to Qualipop]

It’s good that you’ve narrowed down what works for you. If, as is indicated in another posting, RIOPAN is magnesium based I would think there is a good chance it would work for you. Thanks for your feedback. It’s good to know about magnesium trisilicate.

[Hidden]

Hello

So pleased you have found something that has cured your gerd as there is nothing worse when you suffer with it like I am at the moment

I am not sure we have it in the UK but sounds like it is good and maybe we have something similar I shall have to ask my Doctor

I hope it continues working and you keep been gerd free x

[cateblanchett in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your good wishes. I hope you find something similar or the same in the UK. It seems a miracle to me. If it exists in the UK please let us know if it works for you.

I hope your GERD is not too horrible right now.

[Hidden in reply to cateblanchett]

Hello

I am suffering with it bad at the moment so yes I will ask and will let you know if I get anywhere with it x

[Hidden]

As someone with reflux disease I read your post with interest. However having done a little research on tinterweb I found that Riopan is part of a family of products based on 'Magaldrate' which is a magnesium aluminium complex alkali, and is therefore just another form of alkali based antacid and works in the same way as Gaviscon or Milk of Magnesia or Rennies or whatever else people take when they are not on PPIs. In the UK NICE dictate what antacids can be prescribed by medics and apparently these are usually based on alginate based alkalis. Magaldrate based products may therefore be excluded from the NICE prescribing list, but may be available over the counter in the UK, just like Gaviscon which apparently is on the NICE list again having previously been taken off and can be bought off prescription everywhere. Nonetheless maybe others know differently. All that said if Riopan works for you that's good to hear. 👍

Personally I find that PPIs and diet and lifestyle management works for me and rarely have to resort to antacids.

[devonian186]

Digestive problems have a lot of sources. Sometimes they can be traced to lifestyle which includes being overweight, eating the wrong foods or eating too late, or not being raised enough on a pillow.

Of course medication for various ailments can exacerbate the problems. You will have gone through all these possible causes over the years and been able to discount them so am glad you found something that works for you.

This note is more for those who have been recently experiencing these sort of problems to look at basics first

[DD13 in reply to devonian186]

Not lying on your right side at night, also stops the acid from coming up.

Regards Dee.

[cateblanchett]

To everyone who replied saying basically there are other ways of treating GERD, e.g lifestyle changes and other antacids, all I can say is I’ve tried them all and did not get relief. Riopan works perfectly for me. I posted to alert others to this antacid, so they could try it for themselves. I was hoping others would get a good result like I have.

[devonian186 in reply to cateblanchett]

We appreciate you have tried other methods and that this works for you, so thanks fopr the alert.

However anatacids etc are very widely promoted and we just wanted to ensure this method doesn't become the default way of dealing with the problem, but that they look at lifestyles.

[tunybgur]

Hi cate,

Often GERD is caused by problems with the digestive microbiome.

My wife and I used to regularly wake up in the middle of the night and take a swig from the Gaviscon bottle as the acid reflux prevented sleep.

We both found relief by including fermented foods in our diets.

We started off by drinking Kefir every day (very simple and cheap to make at home) and also adding sauerkraut and kimchi to our diets.

I know you say you've tried everything but thought I'd add this in case it might help.

Good luck

[cateblanchett]

I’m pleased to read that you seem to have found a solution to your particular cases of GERD by adopting the dietary changes which you describe. There are so many factors, dietary and otherwise, which vary from person to person that a “magic bullet” solution suitable for everyone is unlikely. My positive experience with RIOPAN followed a period when all else had failed. I cannot guarantee it will work for everyone but I would be happy to read of any good results with it obtained by others posting on this forum.