terrible acid relux

[Thornthorpe]

has anyone got any advice on acid reflux , had it constantly for about 4 months , Doctors advice go back on antidepressants which after 10 years managed to stop taking and take lansoprazole which just made me sick I have a sore throat and cough all the time , taking bottle after bottle of heartburn liquid . Which surely cannot be good ever thing I try does not seem to help

[Blue-52]

hi, I tried lansoprazol, did nothing, but esomaprazol, I find works, keep an eye on your diet as well, if you can tolerate it, try drinking milk, not sure why, but it lines the stomach, personally I can’t do that any more, as lactose intolerant, also may be gaviscon advanced.

I do feel for you, the cough and sore throat could possibly indicate diverticulitis, I’m no doctor, this is a pure guess, along with your reflux, probably would be a idea if your doctor sent you for some tests, instead of putting it down to your anxiety.

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer]

Hello, ask too be tested further as it’s been consistent, I was checked at the hospital and turned out I had a hiatas hernia which is very common and in women over a certain age, causes no problems but if I miss my lanzaprazole tablet I produce burning acid after I eat drink things. Just a question why is he asking you too go on antidepressants ? There are acid reflux tablets you can be tried on ,trial and error too find something that suits hopefully, l hope you can move forward very soon with this , take care xx

[Thornthorpe in reply to Yassytina]

My anxiety levels are very bad he said he thinks that’s not helping my acid reflux , been having CBT sessions but as you only get so many it helped but now have to go back on waiting list for next level, having to take acid reflux tablets everyday I really don’t want to do that I try not to take any medication as in the passed antidepressants have affected teeth and gums . I know for some people medication suits them but it’s not for me I cope with the pain and fatigue of fibromyalgia but am trying to do it tablet free and hope to do the same with the acid reflux , I thought someone might have diet or natural remedies.

[Pippyclarks in reply to Thornthorpe]

Im with you! I get every side effect imaginable with tablets and would rather treat the route cause where possible. I got an Iqoro. You can get them on prescription. Its easy to use and strengthens the muscle, however they ate not ideal if you have any tmj/ jaw issues.

[Betty20 in reply to Thornthorpe]

hi I thornthope , I suffer from this I have a heria, I now drink honey with hot water and ginger last thing at night , I think it’s more the honey that works than the ginger , I started drinking it when I had covid and realised then that it works for acid reflux, honestly I could only sleep on my back and was woke up so early every morning, I don’t know if it works for everyone but no harm giving it a go. Acid reflux is horrible. Good luck

[Nikkior in reply to Thornthorpe]

Hi. I was put on lanzoprazole for gastritis 8 years ago. I came off them which caused more sore throat etc The method I use now is to drink apple cider vinegar to put the acid back into stomach which is needed to do do a variety of tasks such as closing the valve, food digestion. Also eat sourcraut to put the good bacteria back in to fight the bad bacteria. Gave up all my tomato dishes. I'm much better now.

[Welshcatlady]

Hi, I've had problems with stomach, acid reflux etc for years, initially prescribed Lanzoprazole which worked for a while, but then I developed nausea, so was prescribed anti sickness tablets. Then after a few years they stopped prescribing the anti sickness tablets for whatever reason (some sort of health scare), so was nauseous all the time, looked on line and found that nausea can be a side effect of the Lanzoprazole, so spoke to my GP and was prescribed Omeprazole instead. I can tolerate them and I take a 5 ml dose of Acidex before bed and it seems to work for me.

[Gigiruth]

Hi ThornthorpeAs others have said,maybe best to check exactly what's happening. My twin, myself and I have all had reflux and different causes. You could ask for more tests and keep a diary.

Mine was stress related with a nervous cough. Usually when I woke. Helped by a change of job,breathing exercises and better self care( gentle walks in nature and learning to say no)

My hubby found he was lactose intolerant and has to avoid.

My twin had a valve problem and takes medication.

If you want general tips while you wait for more CBT /tests I like Deb Dana Polyvagal cards. Useful in understanding why stress can make us physically ill.

I hope you find what is going on and get some relief.

Take care of you

Gigi

[Purplelife123]

I know it’s hard but I would return to doctor as there are different drugs that can help acid reflux. Lanzoprazol works for me I take it before food in the morning with my pro biotic. (Actimal) works for me hope you find something to help.

[Binky68]

hi there ! Have you had an endoscopy to find out reason ? Insist on this . It could be a hiatus hernia or it could be h pylori .

Mine was due to sliding hh. After 15 years I went to Egypt and had it fixed by a gastric surgeon ( 3 years ago ) been fine ever since .

Prior to that I took a YEAR to very slowly wean off PPIs . Stopping them quickly causes more acid . Then we get stuck in a trap of meds.

I used slippery elm powder made into drinks and gaviscon .

I gave up all alcohol , large carb meals , fizzy drinks etc and overhauled my diet . This meant it was all manageable until I had surgery .

You need a multi pronged approach starting with endoscopy .

[G1s2m3]

I,ve experienced this for years and prescribed omeprazole now on lansoprazole. I,ve recently stopped alcohol and following nhs guidelines, cutting out garlic etc. I,m trying to do a low fodmap diet following Monash guidelines. You can google nhs advice. I have stopped belching as much. I agree with previous posts re getting tested for h pylori etc. I ve Google slippery elm and looks effective. I m doing a food diary to see what is causing symptoms. All the best 😊

[Fibrooh]

be aware it is reported that PPI drugs used longer term can deplete magnesium, B12 and other nutrients in your system.

[Pippyclarks]

from all that I have read PPi’s aren’t good long term but they keep throwing them at us. I was taking omeprazole and it worked but then I started getting awful side effects with my muscles etc so had to stop.

[Nipper11]

⁷I know your symptoms so very well. I too have the same problems. I had to push my doctor to send me for more tests and they identify has a hernia which was moving backwards and forwards into my Diaphragm and created all sort of issues for trying to eat and swallow and digesting my food. I have had to change my diet . Plus Understanding to eat my food slowly in small quantities to make it easy for my stomach to process. 🙃 its very hard at times as I follow the diet and can still have problems. They gave me tables to help which i chose not to take because of the side effects. I only use gravitation advanced before eating now.

They said it was something they could not fix and the only way to control it was to do certain exercises to strengthen my Diaphragm which I am researching self-help at the moment. There lots of help out there for reflux self help however tests should be done to see if this is the problem creating the symptoms. Good luck and push your GP he or she is not listening to you and understanding of how thid horrible Symptoms this can be. Big hug 🫂 xx

[Tempur]

Sorry to hear about acid reflux , I too suffer with acid reflux its awful i feel like i am going to die i cant breath my throat is on fire and an attack last for ages, I also have hiatus hernia, i take lanzaprozal morning and night and inbetween take tums until flare up calms down, its an awful thing to suffer with, nobody knows what its like unless they suffer with it Take care X

[Quenzer]

I was prescribed Lansoprazole but gradually weaned myself off them completely by taking a daily tablet - food supplement with live bacteria culture , vitamins and calcium (Super50 Pro) and also several spoonfuls of natural yoghurt when I have a feeling of indigestion or acid reflux. Watch the foods you eat/drink. Sore throat and cough could be from the inflammation from the acid reflux.

[Thornthorpe]

Thank you for all help and advice

[Tralialia]

TRY MASTIC GUM

Hi,

Sorry you have to suffer from it. From natural options it is really worth trying MASTIC GUM capsules. It acts as anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral. It also skills helico-bacteria (which often causes acid reflux). It helps stomach lining to heal and improves digestion. Many benefits, not only for stomach. No side effects (unless you are allergic to it). It's a bit pricey, but really worth it. Talking from experience. Can be used for a long time (or continuosly if needed). In the beginning might need bigger dosage like 500mg twice a day. Later could be 250mg twice a day. Hope you get better 💜

[DavidCB]

I had issues with lanzoparole (stomach pain and bleeding), they have other drugs but they don’t like outfitting you on them as they cost more. I’m on esomeprosole and have been for 7+ yrs and works for me, ask the doctor for other options !

I don’t understand why they’d be asking you to go on antidepressants for stomach acid as in my head they do something very different? But I’m not medical so you’d have to ask them on that one.

[CheetieCat]

Have a look at apple cider vinegar. I've tried it a few times but I can't seem to stick to it, end up grueing at it but lots swear by it for reflux, indigestion etc ...

[Sroot]

Omezmaprole, peppermint tea and try sleeping on a raised pillow. Mirtazipine before bed to help with anxiety and sleep.

[Twin4Life in reply to Sroot]

Peppermint tea is one of the worst things you can drink if you are having acid reflux problems. It relaxes the stomach muscles and makes it easier for acid to leave the stomach and go up into the oesophagus.

Please don't drink mint tea for acid reflux problems.

[Natterstitch]

I used to have horrendous acid-reflux and I feel for you and anyone else who has this.

I had been on one after another of prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin etc) without any protection for my stomach, I had a camera both "up & down" and the Specialist told me not to use them ever again. CARE that includes even a tiny amount of anti-inflammatory cream or ointment. Taking Omeprazole (2 a day) has changed my life, but I have to take them religiously or I know I will suffer.

Hope this will help you and any other people suffering with this. But please do speak to your Doctor first, with their help and changes to my medication (not pain killers) I feel so much better.

I have also been been having Pain Management courses, "10 Footsteps" these are helping so much. Look it up and see if there is anything near you. I cope much better with my pain now, and I've reduced my pain relief massively.

Good luck with sorting out the acid-reflux and take good care of yourself.

[Scooterz in reply to Natterstitch]

Lansoprazole is also really good for reflux plus it lines the tummy if those take NSAIDs long term

[denny_the_wench]

I support the others who have said ask for more testing.

After a tube down my throat they discovered I had oesophagitis - basically my oesophagus was so inflamed where it went into my stomach (due to me not having a gall bladder my bile was drip, drip, dripping down continuously) that it was almost eaten through - I also had 2 ulcers. I'm now on Pantoprazole for the rest of my life and I REALLY know if I forget to take it, but it has made a huge difference to my life. It also sorted out the palpitations which I'd been having - these were gastric based and NOT heart related which was a great relief.

[Twin4Life]

Hi,

I have a sliding hiatus hernia which causes a number of problems one of which is acid reflux. I don't think anti-depressants would really help much with the acid reflux. Although anxiety and stress can make stomach issues worse, I don't think anti-depressants do reduce stress enough to make much of a difference. I developed a stomach ulcer and had holes in my stomach lining when I became too stressed. I had to take lansoprazole for about two years before my stomach healed enough for me to stop taking it. It worked well for me, but only when I took it correctly. A lot of people don't take it correctly because their doctors don't tell them how to. And, if you don't take it correctly it won't help you at all. Currently, I manage my stomach issues without medication. (Although, I do take Rennie tablets for acid relfux and indigestion. I do not like Gaviscon liquid. I tried it and it burned my throat.)

Your sore throat and cough is almost certainly caused by your acid reflux issues. When acid enters the esophagus it can damage it leaving your throat sore. It can also irritate the esophagus causing you to cough.

I realize you don't want to take medication but some stomach issues require medication. So I definitely think you need to ask your doctor to refer you for more tests to figure out what is wrong with your stomach, before you can decide whether to take medication or not.

If you do choose not to take medication, here are some tips to improve your symptoms without it.

1. Try looking into/following the GERD diet. It is a diet that is specifically for people with acid reflux problems. I had to follow this diet very strictly for a while. It's not a very exciting diet but it can help improve symptoms quite a bit.

2. Eat smaller portions. Try eating several smaller meals a day rather than three large meals. (I find eating large amounts of food uncomfortable due to my sliding hiatius hernia, and it often causes acid reflux.)

3.Raise the head of your bed. (You can buy bed risers to place underneath the legs of your bed. They usually come in sets of four because people use them to increase the height of their entire bed. You should only use two, one on each leg at the head of your bed, so that the front half of your bed is raised. Or you could buy a wedge cushion, which will also prop up your upper body. This will help prevent acid reflux at night when you are in bed.) I have done this with my bed, and it helps quite a bit.

4. Avoid tight fitting clothes that put pressure on your stomach. (I dislike wearing tight bras because they squeeze my stomach too much.)

5.Avoid lying down, bending over, or exercising intensely after eating food. All of these things can trigger acid reflux, and are triggers for me.

6.Do not eat food late at night or within a few hours of going to bed.

7. If you smoke or drink alcohol, try to give those up. Both of them can make acid reflux problems worse by relaxing the muscles between oesophagus and stomach.

8.If you are overweight, try to lose weight. The extra weight puts pressure on your stomach making acid reflux issues worse.

9. Try to avoid fatty, acidic, and/or spicy foods. These can all make acid reflux worse.

10.Try removing caffeine from your diet. Some people (myself included) are sensitive to caffeine and it upsets their stomachs. If avoiding caffeine doesn't change anything for you, then you may be able to reintroduce it into your diet as not everyone is sensitive to caffeine and it may not be causing your problems.

11.Try to avoid fizzy/carbonated drinks. The carbonation can cause acid reflux.

12. DO NOT CONSUME MINT. Mint relaxes the stomach muscles which eases nausea, but makes it easier for acid to escape your stomach. So next time you buy any acid reflux medications such as Gaviscon or Rennie tablets, try buying them in a flavor other than mint.

[Luckychica]

Hello, I’m sorry to hear about the experience you are going through. I know how bothersome that kind of cough can be!

Don’t know if it may help at all but here is my experience of probably the same issues you have.

My old GP found I have a very big sliding hiatus hernia, many years ago now.

Didn’t seem to give problems at that time so no meds or treatment needed.

When into my 50s and still working in a stressful job, I had a series of bad coughs and flu-like infections that finally made me lose my voice for a year. Lots of investigations and tests later ( all normal or inconclusive), a casual comment by a nurse was, “ It sounds like ‘Silent Reflux’ to me.” … Yes! FINALLY!!

Discussed with GP and he agreed so started me on Lansoprazole , didn’t help at all but just made me feel sick.

GP changed medication to Pantoprazole and that has been fantastic. The horrible cough disappeared and hasn’t come back.

I see nobody has mentioned that medication so I thought I’d just let you know.

Now have various other conditions, ME, Fibromyalgia, and some other issues related to that.

It may not help because different meds suit different people but fingers crossed you’ll start to feel better if you try Pantoprazole.

BFN. 😘🤗