I just want to share this, it might help somebody. After 7 years of reflux problem, just the silent type then more lately, heartburn too sometimes, I have found sonething to bring total relief. My biggest problem was chronic coughing and throat clearing. It was irritating to me and everyone around me and totally exhausting. I was prescribed Lanzoprazole 30mg pet day and a Beconase spray twice a day. No tests first. Did not really help. After coming to this forum I started experimenting. I found that flat diet coke relieved heartburn. Strange, it is acidic, the opposite of the meds! I stopped the meds and found a little relief, now convinced the meds made me worse! I then decided to take some probiotics. I bought acidophilus and am taking two chewable tablets per day as per instructions on the bottle. Have been taking for just FOUR days and COUGHING NO LONGER. It feels like a miracle. I just feel so calm and well. Amazing. I will go see doc and tell him to remove the other meds from my prescription. Will only be taking BP meds from now on. If you have not tried taking probiotics I urge you to try.
Definitely agree with the pro-biotics : it's all about rebalancing the gut. Interesting about
the flat diet coke - goes along with the theory that it's not TOO MUCH stomach acid causing all these problems - it's not enough stomach acid!
I got no releif with probiotocs tried several times. I guess it depends whats causing our reflux but i do agree the meds make you worse mibes got worse & worse the higher my dose. I started to try & get off them last year but i was on an insane dose thanks to a mess up. I was told to go up to 40mg twice a day for 2 weeks but the pharmacy gave me a script of 40mg tablets without telling me & I took 160mg instead :0( got down to 60mg but habe had a flare up and had to go back to 120mg although still getting little relief.
I swear it's their fault messing with the levels the body gets used to and so you need more when u get a flare.
Please what is the difference between silent Reflux Oesophagitis & Reflux Oesophagitis ?
Hi dyzee, well done for experimenting and finding something that works for you. It does make sense that you feel better drinking something acidic as heartburn/reflux etc can be caused by low stomach acid. Many people report the same thing after drinking something acidic. That's why apple cider vinegar works. It's a shame that doctors don't test for that to start with and just prescribe medication. I hope you continue to feel well.
Was told I had silent reflux, LPR as I never had any pain but for last six months was getting heartburn sometimes.
Thanks, agree. My doc (different surgery to my current one) just took a guess that I had too much acid production. As I just had cough and feeling of something always in my throat at the time, and no discomfort or heartburn, I was surprised by her diagnosis but trusted her.
Yes I had the same and my doctor said that there was no mucus in my throat and said I needed counselling! I then went back once I developed more symtoms like chronic belching and she prescribed me with PPIs. I have since discovered that I have low stomach acid and I'm trying to correct my problem now and clean up all the mess that it's caused. One thing can lead to so many things if it is not treated properly.
Thank you probiotics is something I haven't tried before. Will try this along with the DGL and Zinc Carnosine which I read , The last 2 got great reviews being effective on gut issues.
Have a good day.
Well done Dyezee. Note taken for reference should it be needed in the future. Milk thistle complex seemed to cure me.
My family suggested it was all in my head and would not believe I really had mucus problem. I have had the last seven years of my life totally blighted by this problem and have lived under a cloak of fatigue. The only time I felt 'good' was first thing in the morning before I got up from my bed. That was the only time my stomach felt truly empty and I felt calm and 'normal'. I never eat from 6pm until 6am and it takes the full 12 hours to truly feel 'empty'. Now that I have ditched the PPI meds and am taking probiotics I have that serene feeling ALL day long. I feel like all my Christmasses have come at once! No cough, no discomfort, no mucus, no belching or feeling like I want to. All this after just four days of taking probiotics. I just hope no permanent damage took place during those long years of coughing so hard that sometimes I was nearly sick and constantly had ulcers on my tongue and an irritated throat and or osephagus.
I found probiotics a couple of months ago. I am now SYMPTOM FREE!!! And one little hint as to why the coke helped you. The presence of acid in the stomach or esophagus closes the sphincter at the opening of the stomach...SO stopping the acid with those drugs only makes it worse. A friend of mine actually took hydrochloric acid to cure her problem. But, probiotics is what worked for me.
I was thinking of getting Milk Thistle if probiotics did not work. It lowers cholesterol which I need to do. Am going to consult doc first though as there may be a conflict as I take ace inhibitor and duretic for BP and I am borderline type 2 diabetic. Just a bit concerned it might not be good for my liver. Milk Thistle could be very good though so am going to ask.
Yep, everything you say makes sense. I cannot believe we had to discover this for ourselves. This forum that I have been following for about four months now has taught me so much about how doctors don't know enough. I am sure when I tell my current doc that I have cured my problem with probiotics he will smile, say good for you, and promptly forget all about it. For me though this is HUGE. I have got my life back. I can eat out again with my family and socialise again. I had started to withdraw from bring in company because of the chronic coughing and throat clearing. The problem almost cost me my marriage. I feel desperately sorry for anyone with this problem, it is miserable for everyone. I hope doctors take note!
I agree. I wish Doctors would take note. But drug companies would not make money this way. Not sure how this plays on the Doctors incentives. I'm sure it's cheaper and less side effects to try probiotics.
I think it's the phosphoric acid in the coca cola because it tricks the stomach into thinking "hey! It's too acid in here - hey down there produce less acids you dumb organs!"
Voila - stomach acid decreases!!!
I believe real lemon juice does the same but I haven't tried it.
But coca cola cured the most terrible acid pain caused by Calcium carbonate - it's poison for me!!!
Really interesting, l used to get terrible heartburn and indagestion, but later pain attacks diagnosed as gall bladder inflammation, after it was removed the symptoms went. But l was diagnosed with acid reflux by different consultant, and put on cimetidine, but l never felt heartburn on indagestion but wasnt sure if that was with taking cimetidine, then years later started with chronic nausea, fatigue, no appetite, lived off tiny plain snacks, lost weight, l know what you mean dyezee, it is like living under a cloud, trying to function and do what you need to daily with will power and great effort, as with going shopping, socialising near stops, in your own world, then get down with it when it goes on and on, months years. Anyway finally got scope and diagnosis gastritus, ibs, put on omprazole instead of cimet, also taking duiretic bendor hbp, he prescribed 2 omprazole twice a day, chemist thought it too much, suggested starting on 2 or 3, after 2-3weeks still felt bad, been experimenting with diet, lactose free etc, but had run out of omprazole and easter hols, and today is best day for a while, it is like coming back to life, doing things, just feeling better in yourself, l had bought probiotics, only taken 2-3 so far,
l saw gastro last week, he resented me asking questions, also said omp remove 95percent acid, also inferring its not normal to question things, we argued, in a civil way, he just touched a nerve, as l think sometimes some docs will tell you anything, l,d also mentioned achy throat and raw tongue as if hot, he just ignored it as not connected yet l,d read many post of others with same, it had taken them years to diagnose me severe intersticial cystitus, pain put down to gyny, then hormone, finally phycalogical, the gp at the time was hopeless but reluctant about referrals, and like most l trust him, so now more cynical, plus there is more knowledge through net and advice from others, so will be off omprazole for a few days, will take probiotics, might give the apple vinegar and coke a try. l didnt doubt the inflammation seen, but doubted about the acid, as l,d experienced that badly before gall bladder and not since. Seems to me some docs dont examine listen or thing enough, and are more text book responses, l know how you feel dyzee as those years have gone, but it does feel brilliant to feel well without nausea, and have some energy and motivation, get things done, it is a calmess or content after years frustration boredom anger and upset. Now more hope.
I have misery everyday,do your reflux make it hard to breathe at times???? I am taking nexium 40mg twice a day with no relief throat feel like t closing up stuffy nose sometimes I cann breathe thru my nose just strictly mouth breathing I don't have the classic heart burns just the fullness in my chest while and after eating my left arm sometimes hurt pains in my back when I get what I call a full attack in wen I can really hardly breathe light headed mess shaking can't real focus,oh jaw pain is constant after my attack I get this fatigue tiredness sleepy feeling while I am recovering from the attack,I had two stress test one back in June of 2014 and another in nov 2014 dr said my heart was good ,I am at my end of the rope I work in a physical environment and I dread cry before I go to work cause it's hard to work under these conditions sometimes walking a block or two gets me winded
Hi Dyezee
Thanks so much for taking the time to let us all know this miracle cure you've discovered. Constant coughing up phlegm or clearing my throat has driven me mad these past years and I didn't know it was connected with the acid problem. Would you mind telling me the brand of chewable acidopholous you are using and did you buy it in a store or online?
I learned long long ago that acid reflux is more often than not due to not enough acid in the stomach so I take vegan HCl (hydrochloric acid) that I get from the Finchley Clinic in London (online) if I remember to. This might be better for you than the flat coke which I'm sure has all kinds of chemicals in it. 😀
Acidophilus, Holland & Barretts own brand