Acid reflux getting me down.

[swinter92]

I am really starting to feel down now thanks to acid reflux.

I have been awake all night with back pain towards my shoulder blades and a bloated tummy!

This can last for several days and I find it really hard to get comfortable.

Is there anything I can do to get a bit of relief fast??

Thank you!

[Gg1988]

Everything I read suggests sleep on the left, raised pillows, small meals.

Worth seeing what works for you....I try to stand up/ walkaround and clear the acid or take gaviscon and watch tv sitting up to see if it clears.

Also tried some sleep stories and the calm/ headspace app

[swinter92 in reply to Gg1988]

Thank you I will try all of the stuff you have suggested. Hopefully it helps me get a bit of relief!Thank you again!

[AMerchant in reply to Gg1988]

I agree sleeping on the left also helped me a lot and not eating at least 2hrs before bed time

[swinter92 in reply to AMerchant]

Thank you!

[miniione1224]

I use gaviscon, and a heating pad in the really ache areas. I'll pray you find relief soon.

[swinter92 in reply to miniione1224]

Thank you!

[Hidden]

All of above. I also gave up caffeine, so decaff only. Worth trying for a couple of weeks see if it helps.

[Gg1988 in reply to Hidden]

This one defo helped me....who knew tea could make you ill...I've drank it all my life

[swinter92 in reply to Gg1988]

I don’t really drink hot drinks. It doesn’t matter what I eat or drink it still seems to happen no matter how much stuff I cut out my diet! It’s getting a nightmare

[Gg1988 in reply to swinter92]

I was in the same vicious circle a few weeks back. Wrote every single thing down I ate and how bad I felt. In the end I think it was stress and anxiety making things worse.

I got some mild anti depressants which helps me relax my mind. That and moving to a gluten free, caffeine free diet where I eat till 3pm has really helped.

I am exhausted by 8pm but better to have 12 good hours rather than struggle.

It may jist take time to find your trigger...but try not to stress too much

[Maggue66 in reply to Gg1988]

Hi Gi1988 i was very interested to hear you went Gluten free i have gastritis and yes your right depression and stress is a trigger, did the gluten help I was very interested, did you loss weight i cant put weight on which is a worry.

[Gg1988 in reply to Maggue66]

Hi Maggue, I have been gluten, caffeine , alcohol, chocolate, spice free since November. It has defo helped my symptoms. I lost nearly 2 stone last year - I have put almost half of that back on by eating meat, gluten free products, nuts and beans.

[Maggue66 in reply to Gg1988]

Hi Gg1988 thanks so much for you reply what sort of thing do make yourself and what nuts, do you eat do buy gluton fee biscuits, or cake really worried about my weigh like you two stone always cold do you take ppi really appreciate your reply

[Gg1988 in reply to Maggue66]

My snacks are usually high protein yogurts, gluten free digestives/ shortbread and pistachio nuts.

Meals...usually meat or fish with veg and wholemeal rice, beans

I would say it's trial and error...took me months to get a settled diet. I started with just meat and caffeiene free tea and then built in other stuff and watched reactions.

[Maggue66 in reply to Gg1988]

Thanks again do you drink camomile tea caffeine free Im so frightened to try things because of the pain, I do have a special acid reflux by pillow and I did stop eating a 6 so may try earlier like you. As you said it all trial and error. Doc gave me high calorie drink Called Cal-Shot to help with weight but I think is irritating me, at the moment I eat porridge banana, sweet potato fish but still have weight loss, had all the test endoscopy top a bottom. One more thing which high protein yogurts do you buy thanks again I'm at my wit's end

[Maggue66 in reply to Maggue66]

Sorry are your high protein by yogurts fat free thanks

[Gg1988 in reply to Maggue66]

No worries...I am slightly ahead of you on the journey so happy to help. When I was really struggling early On i got amitriptyline to help with the anxiety I was having around eating...that also seemed to help my stomach. I drink caffeine free peppermint tea and fat free protein yogurts - you get in most shops. Last thing I done was start the gym. It gave me a focus beyond worrying about my poor health.

[Maggue66 in reply to Gg1988]

Thanks again for your help Doc gave me diazapam to calm me down which is helping I'll keep in touch and thanks you've by been very helpful there's light of at the end of the road .

[Hidden in reply to Gg1988]

Me too.

[Bexter21]

Well after a week swapping to omeprazole some stomach ache and constipation apposed to water diarrhea and very painful tummy. My belching seems to ro of stopped but my main complaint I went to the doctors with a dry tickly cough irritated sore throat, sometimes like knifes. Worst when I'm talking a lot and at night...... I always said its because I breath through my nose . No better at all

[Acidaccount77]

Its good that you are trying different ideas seen on the site I notice you are trying to use more pillows raising your head and sleeping on the left ( I find the latter very typical) - I used to have 4 pillows and I noticed that someone on this site mentioned that being raised might actually work to create more problems by pressing on the sphincters at this angle so I have reduced mine and found it worked better ( so just something to experiment with for yourself ) - Also not late eating and not spicy food at least not late in the evening ( again I think its all an experiment for you ) -

I have noticed a difference when I removed a specific type of bread from my diet and have wondered if I am intolerant to bread in general ( found wholemeal to be better ) -

I just wonder if you are getting a food reaction especially the bloating ( I noticed that I have a bit of an issue with cauliflower no matter how well its cooked ) naturally bloating type of foods maybe.

I recently had a weird "clear up" of my acid reflux but I am still thinking its temporary and I wait to see if its now "cured " … it seems difficult for me to pull apart what it really is that has made it so much better - the first might be to not be raised up to sleep ( but sleep on the left is good ) - then the weird bit was that I saw the doctor who checked my stomach for any worrying lumps etc following his prodding and pushing my stomach I noticed this decline in my acid issues !! ( either he's got healing hands or he's closed off a sphincter if that is at all possible ! or its just a red herring effect. So I am wondering if my change of bread and reduction of it overall might be the main effect.

I wish you well with yours I think its very much an individual pathway of trial and error keep a diary etc . I think weight has a bearing so I am trying to get mine down but again everyone will notice different things. ( and stress seems to be a trigger point - even good stress ! )

[swinter92 in reply to Acidaccount77]

Thank you for your reply I am in hospital now. Have been in since Sunday.

They have done a few different scans. They said it’s gallstones, they are going to do more scans today or tomorrow to check my liver too because they can’t see the gallstone on my most recent scan so they are thinking it’s passed or got blocked somewhere that they can’t see. So they just want to find out why I am jaundice

[Acidaccount77 in reply to swinter92]

Oh my I am so sorry to hear of your news and wish you the very best of luck for this next phase. Hopefully you will get the best treatment and will finally resolve it Its a complicated area isn't it? - I had raised amylase once on a blood test just be fluke but close to that time I had been told I was getting closer to borderline type 2 diabetes so I have managed to "cure " this by diet - I still think there may be scaring on my liver too and often feel its all so connected the liver the pancreas the gallbladder and even my "sensitive stomach " I think its related to something going off in one of these other organs.

I wouldn't be surprised to find I have issues with my gallbladder in time - my concern was my pancreas with the raised amylase but you do need raised lipase assessed as well I believe. my reflux seems to be a bit "quiet " at the moment so not sure if it will erupt in the future I take only one Gaviscon tablet at night but now given that up recently and yet I don't feel I am completely cured - I might have "silent symptoms "

I really hope you get to resolve your issues stay positive this time your having will pass.

[swinter92 in reply to Acidaccount77]

Yeah it is definitely a complicated area so will be having more scans sometime tomorrow. Will give an update on what they say.Just be glad when I’m sorted and can go back home.

Yes reflux is definitely a pain! I’m on meds for my reflux but don’t want to be on them forever so will be glad to get answers

[Acidaccount77]

All the best good luck with it all