Acid reflux, I lost the battle

Digestive health
1

I have not taken my meds for reflux all year since being on them off and on for 2 years.

When I was on omeprazole it really did seem to improve, a bit. Then I decreased to 20mg and thought I was better.

I have been coughing up clear mucus and thought it was bronchitis and coming from my right lung, since I had burning and pressure around my right lower rib cage and up the right center of my back.

I gave up the fight and returned to my med and will make an appointment to see a new gastro, soon.

My last gastro doctor said I would be taking meds for the rest of my life. I resented that comment and felt IA could prove him wrong. I guess not.

All I want is to be out of agony. He can be right.

I don't know when I have had a good night sleep

Do you have any encouragement?

Have you had mucus and burning?

Any suggestions of what I can do to speed up the pr to heal my esophagus and minimize inflammation?

Has anyone after dealing with chronic acid reflux been able to get off or tapper off their med?

Through this experience I learned a lot about myself.

I need to give up the need to be right.

I need to choose a female care given, because I don't do well with the energy of the male doctor's usually. 

There are worse things that taking meds for reflux.

Just relax, be discomfort free and go with the flow.

Nothing back is happening, don't be afraid.

2

Hello dreaming,

I'm very interested in your story as I'm just starting the beginning of mine! My reflux started a couple of months ago and I'm refusing to take medication and rather attacking it from the angle of changing what  eating drinking etc. So far I know diary is a massive trigger for me, fatty foods and caffeine.

Just wondering if you have had this approach so you could come of your medication and did you have any triggers?

My gut instinct tells me I should not be eating any processed foods and I'm gradually changing my diet to a very old school outlook and it's improving my symtoms which are post nasal drip, sinus problems, pain under my left rib, difficulty swallowing and lots more! I did have a bad attack after eating deep fried foods a month ago so I'm more determined to change what I eat now!!

Love to hear what you've tried!

3

Sarah,

Your symptoms sound similar to my symptoms. Yes, I have sinus and post nasal symptoms too. Thinking back, I have had this for years.

I have started alternative treatments, but haven't been consistant until recently. By then I was full blown in discomfort.

What triggered me is I took antibiotics for the past mont 3X a week, given to me for bronchitis, but I know now that's the reflux, not an infection. I stop taking it Friday.

Since writing the post I have decided to take meds and aggressively do alternative at the same time plus avoid triggers.

These are the things I plan to choose from to do, as I take medication. Some of them I will daily, others will be done several times a week.

Coconut oil

Krill oil

Apple cider vinegar

Manuka honey 

Probiotic

Cabbage juice

Sodium bicarbonate 

Mastic gum

Licorice root

Aloe Vera

Glutamine powder

Digestive enzymes

Eat small meals

Exercise

Decrease stress

Avoid process foods, dairy, gluten, sugar and alcohol.

Being who I am, I see myself slowly reducing medication after a period of time being stable. Going so slow. If not off, at a minimal dosage until fully healed.

These changes were not implemented before stopping meds, I just stopped mess cold turkey. Big mistake.

I plan to heal, not just treat the symptoms.

What is your plan?

Any suggestions to assist me.

I am tried of not feeling welcomed in my body.

Since writing this post, I do feel better :-)

4

I've had the sinus problems for over a year now but the pain, swallowing and fatigue have only been recent but come in full force. 

I had my gall bladder removed 8 years ago and my body cannot store iron so I suffer with anaemia symtoms as well so sometimes it's been hard. After a recent blood test I know my iron levels are high to I'm only fighting this reflux now.

I'm going to start with the major but most basic things like you mentioned. Cutting out wheat, diary, gluten and processed sugars as this is a massive task in itself, especially with 3 children!! I introduced diary back into my diet and after a week all it caused was the worst symtoms ever!! Two weeks back to soya, coconut and almond milk I'm back to a manageable level where I'm having 3 bad days out of 7.

Now to eliminate the rest and I'm positive I'll see massive improvements. I'm hoping as much raw vegetables, fruits, fish, red meat (occasionally) and little and often will help smile

My mother had unbearable IBS symtoms for decades and was very I'll a lot of the time. After suffering a heart attack, this forces her to radically change her diet, very simular to the above and the change has been astronomical!! No more IBS at all after decades of medication! I think the warning sign for me was having my gall bladder removed and my body was showing signals of not being able to cope with the foods I was eating!

Please keep sharing your journey, think it' is going to be a long one but with research and support we can hopefully improve our situations!!!

Sarah x

5

Hi, I was diagnosed with Gastritis. I'm never sure if it's the same as reflux or just related. So many symptoms are the same. I've had this since November last year.

It's Dreadful!

the list of things you are trying match mine except for the honey mastic gum 

and krill oil

 

6

Sorry my post just stopped. I have taken all the ppi ending in zole. But they disagreed with me. I'm now taking ranitidine some days. I hate depending on drugs. The feeling of pressure under my ribs drive me mad. I juice every day which I find helps. I have juiced cabbage juice which is horrid but, when you feel so bad you will try anything. I hope you feel better soon x

7

Jay,

Has the cabbage juice helped?

Are there any side effects, like more burning from drinking it?

I haven't drank any yet. It's on my list of things to do.

Please share your experience.

I realize the natural way takes time.

All I have is time.

My first goal is to heal inflamed tissue.

Then restore balance in digestive tract.

This can be done.

Inch by inch anything is a cinch.

8

Well, probably all of us here are in bad shape still-that's why we are here, so most of us take meds.  But I have had friends that are off of meds now.  I know it's not for life for everyone, nut, perhaps you can cycle them on and off as needed.  I think it is very good to give your liver a break, as long as you don't cause harm to other parts, so perhaps you can take them as needed.  I had tapered off for a while, and then had the reflux come raging back, but I think it was mainly because of the h. pylori.  I'll have to see what happens now that I finished the anti-biotics.

Good luck--and definitely go with a doctor you can trust--but I have a female nurse practitioner and she's a bigger pr*ck than the male doctor, so it has to do with personality too.  I hate it when they say don't read things on the internet--as if they are the only ones allowed to have medical knowledge and want to keep us in ignorance.  It's my pet peeve.  They are the keepers of all knowledge, and we are too simple to start digging in to this stuff, how could us mere mortal non-doctors ever hope to understand all this complicated stuff.  It will just confuse and addle our small non medical professional brains.  Makes me very mad.  She said this to me, and I've written that office off completely now!

9

Yes I think the cabbage juice did work. I was in such pain I would have done anything. Have you read the reports on it?

i now juice it with pears. But mostly juice kale it's from the cabbage family but not as stinky. It did take about a week to start feeling a bit better. I'm only taking ranitidine now and again. But have aloe Vera juice and apple cider vinegar in my juices. I try to eat only clean foods. Keep me posted on how it goes  I didn't have h pilori just badly inflamed stomach lining. Heart burn and killer indigestion. Everything I ate set it off. That's why I juice gives my digestion a rest. x

10

Hi Dreaming,

Apparently you should

come off omeprazole , 

Very gradually reducing your 

Dose over weeks, and you do

Get rebound symptoms for a

Long time after. So maybe you 

Were suffering rebound symptoms.

I agree I don't want to stay on this drug

Long term as there are side effects.

At present I am being really strict ,

I'm following the book Dropping Acid, 

And only having alkaline foods .

I've also bought myself an excellent

Juicer to make green juices. I definitely 

Feel better than I did, I am not

symptom free, but it's only been a couple 

Of weeks, it's worth a try.

11

Stomach girl 

My grandmother used to say "Never let them know where you buy and sell". Therefore I will not be taking much about the Internet.

I am making an appointment today with a new gastro doctor, a female. Most women  are, some not, nurtering and sensitive.  However, now since women are in men's roles some of them have lost their feminine side. Some men are sensitive, but my last MD and I did not match.

When I decide to tapper off meds in future I will reduce strength first, then take 4 days a week, eliminating taking Mon, Wed, and Fri.

Slowly this time coming off. This could take months.

All the research says condition is caused by too little acid which promotes overgrowth of hpyloric which I had in 2012. My last doctor said I did not have it in 2013. He tested my stool which the previous doctor said was inaccurate.

Now, I am working on clearing hpyloric through fermented sauerkraut and probiotics. Even if I don't have hpyloric these foods are good for the body.

My desire is to correct rather than just remove uncomfortable symptoms.

On top of al this my stools have changed size, so a thorough exam is necessary.

Interesting, the antibiotic I just finished aren a suspect to my having this attack than I am in the mist of. It's a burning down my back side. The mucus is not coming out like it was on previous day. It was copious amounts, enough was me to have a cup to spit in.

I am Knowing, this will past.

12

Thanks Jayne,

I am encouraged to begin juicing cabbage.

Sometime people say they are juicing but are actually blending by using the nutri-bullet or vita mix.

I do have the nutri- bullet, vita mix and a champion juicers

Are you really extracting the pulp in your juicer or blending?

I can only eat small amounts. I feel full all the time. Juicing or blending will work well with me.

Right now, with all the burning, I don't want to do either. I know I have to eat something though

13

Sarah,

What medication are you taking?

I too eat vegetable, rare meat.

We can all help one another.

When we deal only

You are right about coming off slowly. 

I have taken on 1  omeprazole in months and that was this morning.

I also have rantidine which I will begin to take nightly.

The fact that this massive burning has occured after antibiotic tells me that I really need to beef up the pre and probiotics in diet.

I was working on my reflux but not very aggressively. It's amazing how pain can become a motivator for the best actions.

Now, working on my digestion is my focus.

Plus, I am sitting upper now.

I was laying around all day.

Can't do that now

14

Hi Dreaming, I'm taking 20mg of Omeprazole in the morning and

Gaviscon at night, My symptoms have been all to do with my throat,

constantly sore, constant thick white mucus that sits at the back of my throat

worsening after eating, also my throat feels like it's closing up inside, the

only thing I have heard about that really is successful in curing this

is the Linx surgery. I don't think settling for tablets all your life is good

enough !

15

I have recetly won the battle after a year of suffering with it. Try gaviscon to ease the symptoms, I have no time for ppis. They do not solve the root cause. 

I started taking gaviscon, eating a full pack (tablet form- 16 tabs) on a daily basis until I could scale back to half a packet. 

I am currently doing 2 things. Seeing a chiropractor and taking a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with a glass of water when reflux flares up. (Once every 3 days) I do not take the gaviscon anymore.

Through aligning my spine, and doing exercises to build muscles in the right places there is no pressure on my esophogus and nerves can communicate the right message. Your chiro will not profess to being able to fix you but mine is now documenting my progress but he said at the beginning that people have come to him with asthma, migranes etc before and as a by product of proper alignment it can allow the body to heal. 

I have seen the chiro 4 times in the lady two weeks and I finally know myself again. 

Please try this and ask me any questions you may have 

Cost of chiro: 

Mine was 60euros for 1st consultation and 40e for every time after that. I have to see him 8 times in all. 

You can't put a price on health. Try the first two sessions. I had 24 hours of freedom from reflux after the first alignment, 3 days after the 2nd. 

The apple cider vinegar helps to restore your pH balance. Best to eat something small with it. You will feel better an hour afterwards. 

My reflux was at the stage that I threw up an hour after eating anything, muscus and burning also. I took ppis for 6 months and had to take over 25 sick days. 

I know what it feels like to give up. 

Don't. 

Michael 

25 years old

From Dublin 

16

To all in this thread. If you have had an endoscopy and can not find h. Pilori or other disease related problems, please try my solution. 

It worked for me. 

17

Hello,

I speak as a partner of a sufferer. I know in the past when she has had painful blisters in her esophegas due to acid burn that the doctor has prescribed something which I'm told people with cancer of the throat and esophegas are also prescribed. It's expensive but it does numb the area. It's called antacid and oxetacaine , oral suspension and its manufactured by Rosemount pharmaceuticals. And yes, she does get mucus, bile, and a burning pain that goes on for hours. It's unbearable to watch and sometimes only morphine will combat it.

18

I have a juicer and Nutribullet. With the cabbage I juice. About a quater of a cabbage at a time. I drank it fresh. My burning has gone I am just left with this weird pressure where my bra fits and in my rib cage. 

I have started exercising that's helping too, I do yoga and I walk a lot. I didn't want to do anything when the pain was bad. I feel better with the exercise.

if the juice is too horrid for you juice a pear with it. I would have drunk anything to make the pain go away. Let me know how it goes x

19

Again we similar with symptoms.

No sore throat but mucus, mostly after eating that's clear, sometimes white foamy.

Today is good, not much mucus.

A new symptom appeared after drinking apple cider vinegar on right side. 

Pen like pain from lower rib cage toward my neck.

I said "good".

Felt like a tighten and good change is happening.

Now for ginger tea that suppose to be good.

This surgery, is it successful?

20

Hi Michael, I find what you suggest very interesting, I have been to a

chiropractor a while back and was told I have 2 areas that need sorting out, I would be interested to hear if your progress continues. Also I have 

been very concerned about continuing on the omeprazole because of

long term side effects. Thank you for your post, Sarah