hypo and reflux

[Charliekilosierra]

hi everyone me again, I’ve just been looking on here and I have came across posts saying hypo can cause low stomach acid? I’ve recently started to take lanzoprazole for silent reflux as when I’m hungry or missed a meal I feel like I can’t breathe. I’m now worried I won’t have any acid at all! I’ve noticed that since taking it I’m suffering with sore throat and joint pain fatigue all over.

[Hidden]

Digestive enzymes with HCL betaine and pepsin can help x

[Charliekilosierra in reply to Hidden]

so would you stay on the lanzoprazole then?

[Hidden in reply to Charliekilosierra]

Personally I wouldn’t.

What is likely happening is that your hypothyroidism is creating low stomach acid, meaning you aren’t breaking down your foods well and this gives you reflux. In true symptom-managing fashion docs prescribe PPIs for this, which stops your stomach making enzymes and acid needed to break down food, this stops you experiencing acid reflux but it also means you will digest your foods even more poorly than you are.

What would be better is a supplement like digestive enzymes that actually help you break down your foods. This should help reduce reflux as well as improving nutrient absorption from your food.

[Hidden in reply to Charliekilosierra]

something like this -

naturobotanica.com/pure-enc...

[Charliekilosierra in reply to Hidden]

thanks I’ve ordered that. I’m desperate atm. Sat here in agony

[Hidden in reply to Charliekilosierra]

bless you. If it’s totally agony then I’d go for it in the short term and then slowly swap over to the D enzymes. You may need quite a few x

[Charliekilosierra in reply to Hidden]

I’ve ordered a full thyroid panel test. I’m convinced it’s that. Every single muscle in my body is aching. I find it happens after a hard day or sometimes depending what I eat. It’s so random and confusing. Bloods came back fine from docs so they are not bothered

[Hidden in reply to Charliekilosierra]

How long have you been on it?

[Charliekilosierra in reply to Hidden]

the lanzoprazole? About 3 weeks

[Charliekilosierra]

4 weeks sorry

[Hidden in reply to Charliekilosierra]

nutritionaltherapy.com/wp-c...

[Charliekilosierra]

thanks for your help I’ll wean off and take the new enzymes too

[radd in reply to Charliekilosierra]

Charliekilosierra,

You can't take a PPI and Betaine HCL at the same time as they are doing totally opposite jobs.

The PPI weaning process is to help prevent rebound but if you've only been taking it for 3 weeks, I myself would just stop, wait a few days for things to settle and then start don'tforgetcortisol's great suggestions. Also stress reduces that mucus membrane protective layer we have in the gut so you might find slippery elm helps ease your pain.

Stomach acid (HCl) is one of the signals that closes the sphincter (LES) between the esophagus and stomach. When we are short of gastric acid (caused by low thyroid hormone), those small amounts can leak up causing heart burn and leading to misguided GP's thinking we have an excess that needs reducing.

[arTistapple in reply to radd]

That’s really interesting about the sphincter! I was told I had a tiny hernia (long before hypothyroid diagnosis of hypothyroidism). I avoid high carbs if I suspect my stomach acid is particularly low. High carbs actually seems to cause it in me. Veg and veg smoothies (too much sugar or something in most commercial ones) or squeezed raw veg juices. Although it’s much easier with a proper ‘squeezer’ for this. If you have a Vita Mix or something similar you can then seive the result and get just the juice. The beauty is you can drink it throughout the day. It’s lighter and more soothing than food. It usually clears up in a few days even although my hormones are not yet optimal.

Just a note but this is yet another area of ‘doctoring’ where they are quite happy about not ‘curing’ the patient. They give you the prescription for ever and a day and it never needs referred or to to see you again. I guess they would love to do that with our thyroid meds too. Unfortunately there are a whole other issues associated with being hypo or hyper. We could easily be taking ten different drugs a day to deal with our many splendour of ailments, using their regime (or protocols)!

[Charliekilosierra in reply to arTistapple]

it’s a nightmare I’m not organised in my life enough for this I struggle cooking basic things never mind a fancy thyroid diet honesty cannot be arsed with it and it’s getting me down. Went to bed last night with everything aching all over. Woke up this morning fine!

[arTistapple in reply to Charliekilosierra]

Yup all this stuff happens when we are at our weakest most helpless point. I have exactly the same going on here. I organised a whole load of stuff like this over years because I was undiagnosed (of course unknown to me) a long long time. So blooming glad you are fine this morning. It’s inexplicable isn’t it. However I would say if you can be ‘mindful’ (ha) and plan ahead precisely when you do feel better. Have your ‘comforters’ organised if you can. I am lucky my husband has been a long time training but he is getting better,

[Charliekilosierra in reply to radd]

I think this is it! I’m hoping the private thyroid panel will confirm thyroid problem. I think this is it all along. I’ve been suffering silent reflux from not enough acid not too much??!! I’ve also noticed I have floating stool. Sorry I hate saying that haha

[Charliekilosierra in reply to radd]

by taking the new pills to aid the breakdown of food will I produce more acid yet it not cause me breathing probs? I know your not a doc so I apologise if you don’t know

[waveylines]

Great advice given. The problem is that your doctor is treating a symptom not the cause. Am glad you are weaning off. It was only designed to be taken temporarily. A friend of mine has been on it for years, she now finds she can't stop it despite it causing other issues because of the consequent digestive probs. She now has low B12.... A young GP recommended she stopped.

Hope the enzymes help you.

[fiftyone]

I am hypothyroid (take levothyroxine) and I do, it seems, have acid reflux, though I've never noticed it. What have have noticed is stomach pain from high stomach acid. I was given omeprazole and instructions were to take two a day. I automatically took one in the morning and one at night. This not not solve the problem but when I took two at night before bedtime, the discomfort went. It solved the problem for me. I imagine the acid probably builds up at night. However, omeprazole (and metformin which I take for type 2 diabetes) mitigates against absorption of some vitamins and I have to have B12 injections.

[Ukie in reply to fiftyone]

Very recently I’ve had the same. I had constant pains in the chest/stomach area and the dr diagnosed high stomach acid. I was sceptical but he prescribed Omeprazole with no alcohol, spices or caffeine. This was a challenge (!) but I stuck with it for a month as advised and it seems to have worked. I’m now getting another packet to wean myself off. 🤞

[Hypocaz]

I was prescribed omeprazole for reflux years ago, all it did was stop my thyroxine from being absorbed and my tsh went from normal to 12, in order to minimise the reflux I started eating healthier and smaller portions which literally eradicated it, pay attention to what foods trigger the reflux, ppi’s are no good and can be bad for us taken long term.

[Phil865 in reply to Hypocaz]

When I first started taking levothyroxine years ago I was also taking PPI's for acid. Nobody told me not to take them at the same time. After a couple years they decided I was being foolish for taking them both at the same time. I checked all the instructions back then and they said nothing about doing that. Yet somehow it was my fault.

[Kapuna]

Have you been diagnosed as having a hiatal hernia? It means the flap at the bottom of your esophagus is weak and lets acid and/or food to be regurgitated up the esophagus. Look on the Internet for “acid reflux and hypothyroidism” and you will find a correlation between the two. I have a hiatal hernia and had acid reflux until I learned not to eat spicy foods late at night, not to overeat, and sleep on my left side. I also have sleep apnea and use a CPAP which actually helps minimize reflux.

[Charliekilosierra in reply to Kapuna]

no I haven’t. Hope your better now

[Batty1 in reply to Kapuna]

I couldn’t get on with CPAP it caused my heartburn to go crazy …. Your lucky.

[Bertwills]

one thing that has definitely helped me with acid reflux at night is to raise the head end of your bed to stop the acid rising up as you sleep. You can buy blocks on Amazon but I did it with a piles of magazines. Gluten free helped as did dairy free. Avoid spiced food and alcohol in the evening. Slippery elm & aloe are soothing. Simple bicarbonate of soda too. Digestive enzymes are a godsend for me.

[TWATTOX]

go on YouTube and watch dr bergs videos on acid reflux..Cured mine by stopping antacids and drinking lemon and apple cider vinegar (diluted) to increase stomach acid…

[Miffie]

I have taken Omeprazole for years without it I couldn’t cope.

I had an endoscopy to diagnose hiatus hernia and Barrett’s oesophagus. I have to watch the timing of taking thyroid hormones and prescription meds to avoid problems with blocking absorption. I suggest you ask your GP to arrange an endoscopy to get a clear picture of what it causing your symptoms.

You don’t say you had any heartburn or indigestion prior to taking the PPI so can’t think why that was prescribed without further intervention especially as your symptoms include difficulty with breathing. Good luck

[Charliekilosierra in reply to Miffie]

hi yes I’ve been prescribed it before as a few years back I had a feeling like I couldn’t breathe if I hadn’t eaten or if I’d eaten certain things. I get occasional painful heartburn but mostly it’s silent. I believe my thyroid is out though due to a multitude of other things so that leads me to believe I have low stomach acid not high stomach acid but they are causing the same problem.

[Batty1]

I doubt the pills are causing you joint pains and fatigue its very possible to have some kind of arthritic condition starting to rear its ugly head and this is what your experiencing …. If you have reflux (silent) you need to do what you need to do to control it or you could end up with ulcers in your esophagus and this is not something you want to take lightly because its a very painful existence .

[Charliekilosierra in reply to Batty1]

I’m only 37 and I feel fed up of it already. How can you live and work and be normal when you feel crap and no one believes you and docs aren’t bothered

[Batty1 in reply to Charliekilosierra]

You just have to take the stomach pills until you settle your stomach down and I would also recommend stopping carbs mainly (bread and baked goods) I live with both hypothyroidism and arthritis and noticed if I eat too much bread or baked goods my joints get inflamed and walking is painful…. I also have had heartburn for many years and have been on stomach pill’s forever and nothing I have ever done diet or exercise wise has taken my heartburn away so I take my thyroid meds 4 hours away from my stomach pills and I have been fine.

[Charliekilosierra in reply to Batty1]

thanks batty sorry to hear your probs. Once I’ve done this private thyroid test I’m sure I’ll have a better understanding. It’s strange though it also gives me bruxism

[Batty1 in reply to Charliekilosierra]

Your grinding your teeth is probably because your stressed over the current health situation…good luck

[Phil865 in reply to Charliekilosierra]

Take care of your teeth. Years of acid reflux has practically destroyed mine. And I have always been diligent with taking good care of them.

[Phil865]

Glad you posted this because I have similar issues. I know my thyroid has caused many other problems because staying on levothyroxine has helped with both high blood pressure and high cholesterol. But I am also on Pantoprazole for acid reflux and none of the Dr's, or even pharmacists, have ever said not to take them together until recently. Nobody has said the levo would cause low acid either. I'm still learning too.

Concerning your breathing issue. When my silent reflux began to rear it's ugly head I had no idea it was acid because the only bad symptom was some minor heartburn and occasional but serious, breathing problems at night. I would wake up with intense burning and almost unable to breath at all. Your esophagus does not have feelings in it so the acid can go way up to your windpipe without even knowing. Just letting you know your breathing is probably also a symptom. Fortunately for you there is lot's of great information from these people right here.

Good luck.

[leylandi]

Re.: Kapuna’s post: “… hiatal hernia? It means the flap at the bottom of your esophagus (sic) is weak and lets acid and/or food to be regurgitated up the esophagus.” This is incorrect.

From Wikepedia (can also be found in numerous other sources): “A hiatal hernia or hiatus hernia is a type of hernia in which abdominal organs slip through the diaphragm into the middle compartment of the chest. “

What happens is that because of low stomach acid, food has not been digested in the stomach, has not cleared the stomach, and the stomach has expanded upwards into the chest. (If the oesophageal sphincter was weak, this would not occur: it’s the oesophageal sphincter which has held food back forcing the stomach to expand (stomach acid does escape through the oesophageal sphincter but this does not happen when the pH is low (low pH = more acidic). Unfortunately, medics find it difficult (or can’t be bothered) to distinguish between cause and effect, and often suggest hiatus hernia is the cause of reflux (that’s what they told my mother many years ago) whereas the oesophageal sphincter muscle is between the oesophagus and the hiatus hernia and actually stops food passing.

I first came across the suggestion that low stomach acid was the cause of acid reflux on this website (thank you!!!) and was initially very, very sceptical because it seemed very counter intuitive. However, upon a diagnosis of hypothyroidism I was also prescribed Omeprazole, and one night, around 3am I felt a warm sensation in my oesophagus: chyme (undigested food from the stomach). I then realised (i.e. that because food had not been properly digested, because stomach acid was too low – food normally passes on from the stomach in two or three hours and does not remain there overnight!) that what I had read on this website was correct and that it was low stomach acid which is responsible for reflux – how to confuse a GP: because reflux is age related, ask them why when people get older, and their bodies are less active they should be producing more stomach acid, and also whether they have ever used the Heidelberg Capsule test to establish stomach acidity.

I had been subject to acid reflux for as long as I can remember. I had to be very, very careful what I ate. I had then undiagnosed hypothyroidism (genetic: I believe my mother had it, my children were diagnosed with it in their teens, and, when I was younger, I only escaped diagnosis because I overdosed on coffee and nicotine). I used to consume several Gaviscon tablets daily (for reflux, now, I am Gaviscon free!!!) like sweets (the reflux was so severe that I was referred to the then UKs top gastroenterologist). However, since being diagnosed and then upping my thyroxine dosage (my GP has subsequently acquiesced), I don’t have any problems with reflux! Now I can eat what I want. I believe the reason why so many people on this website have so many problems with reflux is because they are undermedicated: GPs are content to under medicate (under prescribe) medication (because if there is a problem, it was the disease that caused it) whereas if they over prescribed, they might be seen to be at fault. So GPs should focus upon metabolic rate, a person’s pulse and ignore TSH readings.

[Charliekilosierra in reply to leylandi]

think I should get my acid up then with the enzyme pills rather than the lanzoprazole? Not had a lanzoprazole for a few days now but I’m finding I’ve phlegm in throat that won’t go and a tight chest. Docs are useless!

[Charliekilosierra in reply to leylandi]

apparently I can do a test with bicarbonate of soda in a glass of water to see if I have low acid I’ll try that

[diamondial in reply to Charliekilosierra]

I was going to suggest the bicarbonate of soda test. I did it for 4 consecutive days last autumn as I'd been suffering from very painful bloating and heartburn. It seemed to indicate I might have low stomach acid and so I started taking apple cider vinegar but I couldn't stand the flavour, so switched to taking Solgar Betaine Hydrochloride with Pepsin (I take one tablet twice a day with meals) instead and now have no symptoms.

[Ginjams]

I'm right there with Leylandi as a theory. Its all down to under medication. My digestion has been terrible, food not moving from my stomach and causing reflux and being sick in the early hours of the morning. Not being able to eat after 6pm which does seriously alter your social life and going to bed propped up on pillows. Since making the leap to T3 only it's all gone, I can eat late and lie down when I go to bed, no more pain, glugging gaviscon or ending up being sick in the middle of the night.Can't wait to see what the consultant says about this 😂 but should avoid the gastro referral that it has been suggested I need.

[Petrahorse]

I’ve recently been taking a natural food supplement to try to increase my stomach acid, as I too suffer from the symptoms you mention.

[Charliekilosierra in reply to Petrahorse]

which one? Sorry to hear that it’s horrible. Are you hypo?

[Charliekilosierra]

hi all. I’ve just done the bicarbonate soda test on an empty stomach after waking up and I haven’t belched once. This indicates low acid apparently! Thyroid test kit came yesterday so that can be done Monday morning before 9 and sent off. The enzymes should be here today too. Let’s go!