Hello, does anyone else suffer from hideous reflux as part of their party bag of symptoms? I've had all the 'oscopies' and have a leaky valve as well as IBS. I'm prescribed 40mg Esomeprazole daily which until recently has always worked ok. However, lately, I feel like I'm swimming in acid right up to the back of my throat, and often into my mouth. It's burns horribly, and no amount of Gaviscon can keep it at bay. It's so bad that I've had to stop taking my pain meds, as swallowing anything, including food, makes it worse - so without my anti-inflamms, codeine and tramadol, I'm a wee bit sore and grumpy. I don't want to bother the GP because I feel a bit like I live there and would rather only go when things are terrible so he takes me more seriously. But, I'm not sleeping even more than usual because I'm having to sit upright to stop myself drowning in acid. I guess I'm hoping there is an old wives remedy out there that might assist? Please?
Sorry to hear about your acid problems - it sounds like you have it pretty bad there!
I personally do not have acid reflux ( where the acid goes up through the valve ) but I do have an issue becuse of the meds I am on, and the doc has prescribed Omeprazole to help protect me from the increased acid prodcution becasue of one of my painkillers.
I would definitely reccomend seeing your doctor as soon as possible about it - I know how you feel, I am the same, we feel we a re being a pain, and as it is not the main problem we want the docs to fix / deal with we also do not want to distract them or make them think we are always complaining about something BUT severe acid reflux is a serious thing and you should definitely have it looked at, especially as it is something that can be fixed / controlled (Gaviscon is only for mild indegestion - do not worry that this has not worked).
I can reccomend, although this may not work for everyone as everyone is different, fresh beetroot juice, or raw beetroot, as it will increase your bile production which reduces acid levels in your stomach, but this may not work much for you as your acid levels are quite high - worth giving it a go until you get your doctors appoint - it may give a bit of relief.
When you are at the docs I would ask him if he thinks it is the meds doing this or if it is something in your body ( i.e. lack of bile prodcution - the bile neutralises acid - if you do not have enough, or if it is of the wrong viscosity you get too much acid)
Also - how is your metabolism? I only ask as I remember reading that if you have too much acid in your stomach, your metabolism slows down so that the excess acid does not go into the rest of your digestive system.
A lack of Bile shows up, as you will be finding it difficult to metabolise fats and more importantly fat soluable vitamins so you may find you are Vitamin dificent in some way?
Whatever the reason for your excess acid, your doc can help figure it out and help fix it for you - no need to sufer with things that are fixable
I hope you find something to help, I know what it is like not getting any rest, and I feel for you.
Sorry to hear of your problem with the acid, I do know what you are going through as until I was in hospital a few years back and they decided that I was to anaemic to operate on, They gave me the cameras up and down (I hope they cleaned it between actions) and since then I have had a hiatus hernia and have suffered with reflux in a bad way (your drowning is an accurate description), I was taking a bottle of Gaviscon a day but that did not help a lot. When I saw the doctor he prescribed Lansoprazole and it has mostly worked, I had to up the dose as it was not working at night so now I have one morning and one at night and it is working (at least for now).
See your doctor as there are many things that can help. My Wife was on omprazole when she was having her cancer treatment and that worked for her.
Triple whammy, Flower. SEE THE DOC. Gaviscon, Bisodol and all the other over the counter remedies are ok in SMALL quantities or for a short period for mild reflux or "indigestion". Over a long period your stomach will just produce more acid than ever to counteract the alkali nature of these remedies, only making matters worse. I've had reflux for years but half a Bisodol stops it for me and it's only once or twice a week, so I'm nowhere near your league. The longer you leave it the harder it will be to find a treatment. Sorry, I've no home remedy. Hope that helps. Gentle hugs. Paul x
I agree no 1 GO BACK TO YOUR DOCS, but in the meantime keep a diary of what you eat . It was only when I twigged that tomatoes were causing problems that things settled down. I have found that ginger tea can help .....sue
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Yummy lemon and ginger tea I love it and agree it works for me too
I agree and won't go on
Go back to your doctor to get you some help my friend
fluffies on route to comfort you
xxxsianxxx
Ahh thanks everyone, I'm just about to pinch my nose and drink a great big glass of beetroot juice. It looks pretty, but I know it's going to taste like mud (I'm such a child when it comes to vegetables). After that I shall have some ginger tea. I've got a Dr's appointment for the 18th Feb (you have to wait that long - I booked it 2 weeks ago) so I'll mention it then too.
Sending gentle hugs to you all too
Xxx
I have reflux disease, it sometimes feels like a heart attack the pain is so severe.The first thing I try is cold milk to neutralize the acid.( I am on emeprazole 40mg daily) I find gaviscon granules can give some relief.My GP gives me the Gaviscon tropical powders on prescription.Worth a try.My sympathy to you.
in reply to
Hi sparky-21, thank you so much for recommending the Gaviscon granules, they really have helped enormously! I can hardly believe it. Don't get me wrong, it's still there, but they definitely dampen it down and stop the back of mouth/swimming throat feeling. So does your GP literally just write Gaviscon instant powders on the prescription, and the pharmacist raids the shop floor? I bought some from Boots yesterday but have already used half a pack, which I couldn't afford to keep up.
Xx
in reply to
They sell them in Savers cheaper,when they can get them in.I was in the surgery with my GP and had to take a gaviscon powder as I had an attack of acid.She then told me she could prescribe them for me.They are (Gaviscon Instants tropical fruit oral powders)Hope your GP will prescribe them for you.Good Luck.
Hi, glad your going to get it checked at drs. In the meantime I find milk can help if reflux/heartburn mild. If worse, then I find eating half an avocado sooths the reflux and seems to last quite a while (12-24hrs).my dad swears by earl grey tea to sooth his heartburn.
Dear Lipbalmaddict, This is probably going to sound weird and a bit 'out there' but I tried this method for my hideous acid reflux and it worked. It's simple: just eat up to three apples (your choice of variety but not cooking apples) whenever you have the reflux. I found this tip on the internet after doing extensive research to cure my problem as I am unable to take prescription medication. Obviously, I cannot guarantee it will work for you but it is worth a punt, I think. (I should add that since I starting using this I have not suffered even once from reflux. I can't explain it, I just know it works for me.)
I have awful reflux and had the camera down a few years back, but they only found a small 'reddish' area which they felt wasn't a problem. I was prescribed Esomeprazole for 28 days and then the reflux came back. Every mouthful of food that I swallowed felt like a rock dropping into my stomach. My GP then prescribed Lansaprazole and that works great. But I can't eat cucumber, spring onions or chocolate as they all give me horrendous acid. I now find I don't need to take a tab every night, just now and again!! XX
Oh Sue, I really do feel for you! I mean spring onions and cucumber I could take or leave, but chocolate ! What a cruel condition. I have to admit chocolate does make mine worse though, I've recently discovered Lindt dark chocolate strawberry intense, and it is divine. I stayed dry for January for cancer research, which meant I ate more chocolate, and I'm quite sure that's what made it worse. I'm not sure I could give it up always, just mostly and have the occasional hideous acid day. I'm too much of a ...holic xxx
I see this is an old thread, but answering to maybe help someone.
What has made my life turn around after about 10 years with acid reflux was to find out that I'm alergic to gluten and lactose. I also learned to breathe properly again, with my stomach instead of my upper chest. Avoiding gluten and lactose made my stomach much less swollen, and it seems to someway have lowered my internal presure a lot, so that the acid has stopped from being pushed up my throat. And I think my esophagus is closed much tighter down by the stomach after I did learn a better breathing technique. I'm not a doctor, but this is the only explanation I have to why I'm almost without problems now. If I eat lactose, the problems start again, but not at all as bad as before.
I first tried all sorts of acid medicine (protone inhibitors), and they worked for some time, but after a couple of weeks I was back at worse than before - had to sleep sitting up but still did swim in my own acid. Lyning down ment waking up by not being able too breathe because of acid closing my airways. In the morning I usually could eat and drink, but by evening my throat was so soar and swollen that I had to drink water with a teaspoon, I couldn't swallow more than that. I was ready to do the gerd surgery (aproved after xray and some weird test dripping water in my throat and a painfull tube with a camera down my throat), or just die to get some sleep and avoid the nightmare of waking up in panic that often.
But today I'm doing fine! When I have a swollen stomach it's usually when I did eat some lactose. If I need it I take a couple of tablespoons with apple cider wineeagar before bedtime, but usually I don't have to. And the more I am without gluten the more lactose I can eat without getting swoollen. I can eat as late as I want, drinking coffee, soda and alcohol.!And I'm eating wathever I want, but just not gluten or lactose.
Sorry for maybe bad english. And all written on my iPhone, so no easy spellcheck.
Hi hon I know exactly how you feel. I actually had to stop the proton pump inhibitors. They made the Parkinsons go crazy.
A friend of ours stopped by a few weeks ago and he has similar issues from owning a dry cleaners. He told me he's been drinking alkaline water.
It makes sense. When our pool is acidic we add alkalinity. I've been drinking about a bottle in 24 hrs (16 oz) and regular water all day.
It hasn't completely eliminated it but it helps neutralize it quite a bit. I use one called blk. Its actually black but no taste.
It was available at the grocery store but I found it by the case (24) on Amazon. Do your research tho. There are pros & cons to it. This one I feel is better quality with a ph of 8. Also i read it helps to metabolize the pd Meds quicker. I've seen some improvement there also. I take it with my pills. Give it a try. Also eat eat eat. Toast cream of wheat crackers muffins fruit cups eggs white potatoes seem to all help.
I take my pd Meds every two hours. I eat in between. Be well Judy
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as they all give me horrendous acid. I now find I don't need to take a tab every night, just now and again!! XX
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