Hi everyone, I've had the most horrendous GERD symptoms for over a year and have to go back for endoscopies every 6 months with my next one due in a few weeks. I've taken everything ending in 'zole' since November 2014 plus over the counter medications and herbal treatments. I've had advice from a nutrional expert and even been to see a Chinese medicine 'doctor' who advised me to take raw potato juice every morning for 3 days which is actually quite vile !! It didnt really work for me but it may just work for some !! I've always eaten healthily but have my triggger foods like most people with this problem - alcohol, coffee, pastry, fried food - the usual culprits. Anyway, moving on - a couple of weeks ago I started taking a super vitamin B complex and doing daily exercise including yoga and some weight bearing exercises. Since doing this I've noticed a big difference in my symptoms - I was a bit wary of taking the B vits in case it triggered the GERD but it has actually soothed it by about 75% so far. Also the exercise keeps me calm as stress is a huge factor for me in managing the condition. I know this won't work for everyone but if it can help some of you then its worth the post. I also researched online how vitamin B might help GERD and wasn't surprised to read that in group tests 95% of people taking it found their symptoms reduced compared to 65% of the group taking Omeprozole. I also swear by centaurium taken 5 minutes before eating to help with digestion.
If you have been on high dose PPI for a number of years, induced hypochlorhydria may deplete you vitamin B levels so supplementation can be beneficial.
Have your bloods checked for magnesium, iron, calcium, too in case they need supplementation.
Re Chinese medicine - a funny story:
About a year ago I was at a meeting where a renowned gastroenteroligist showed us a slide and asked us to say what we saw. It was the view down the oesophagus of the OG Junction where a sizeable pink lump with a protrusion could be seen. Some of those nurses present suggested a tumour while some of us suggested a polyp (albeit rather large). Apparently it was a mouse! The gentleman's Chinese doctor had suggested he swallowed a live mouse every day for a couple of weeks to "eat away" his Barrett's! And he had managed ac ouple previously!
Hi Deborah
Thanks for your input. Very interesting. I am thinking of getting Vit B supplement from Hollard & Barrett At the moment I am waiting for my blood results which include B12, so wonder if I should get my results before sarting Holland & Barrett B Complex & B12 Tablets. As I am going away for a week and will not get my results until I am away, I am wondering what to do. I don't fancy B12 injections at all as I have heard they are very painful. Would you wait for the results or start now?
Regards, Val.
Thanks for the heads up! I've taken omeprazole for 6yrs and still have daily symptoms. Recently, I've noticed quite a marked difference by introducing daily Pilate's moves (only 10 mins). I suffer from a hiatus hernia and I find that this helps stretch and strengthen the area.
I'm going to give the b vitamins a go. I also take a daily acidophilous to aid digestion and gut health. I avoid the usual things and yes, stress definitely is a huge trigger.
Good luck all!
P,S, I have also had every "zole" meds over the years with little or no help with my GERD and IBS, I find it very hard to exercise as I am quite disablled. Also take meds for COPD and Heart meds, My GP took me off Domperidone (anti-sickness pill) as it has come to light that it is dangerous for certain heart complaints and has put me on 3 x a day 5 mg Prochlorazinemaleat, a nother anti-sick pill, Side effects state can cause blot clot.and be aware of family history of stroke (my father and his mother both died of strokes) and I have had two, plus heart attack. Now I don;t know if I am on me head or my heels and am suffering severe diarrhea every morning.
LOL, that really made me 'laugh out loud' Barretts. I dont think I'll be trying mouse juice any time soon!
Yes, I've had my bloods checked but thanks for the suggestion. I also take a daily magnesium tablet and that seems to help with the pains that this nuisance causes.
I would start on them anyway as they are good for energy release and that 'feel good' feeling, certainly give me a boost ! I've heard that the B12 injections are painful but the doctor will advise if these are necessary depending on your blood test results. I'm not an expert on anything, just going off my own experience - I've taken vitamin B in the past before I started with GERD symptoms and have found that the super B complex works better than normal vitamin B, they've been great for me. Hope this helps and good luck with everything
you're welcome Tina, I love doing yoga and particularly Kundalini yoga as this tends to work on the organs and the breath which helps stress tremendously. If you go onto Youtube and type in Carolyn Cowan you'll get a lot of fantastic Kundalini vids that you can exercise along to. I totally recommend this teacher as she has a lot of anxiety/stress/depression work outs which really help reduce the symptoms of GERD.
I take acidopholus now and again and it does seem to help
So sorry to hear that its difficult for you to exercise Outhwaite and sorry to hear about your other conditions; any kind of exercise helps you feel better even if its gentle movement such as stretching. Deep breathing also helps but has to be done regularly. I hope you feel better soon, my heart goes out to you
Your story about the mouse is hysterical!!!
I am being tested for everything under the sun including all the things you mention and loads of B's, No results back yet so will have to wait until end of next week, although will phone GP while I am away to see if the results are back. I could certainly do with a big boost and will take Debora's advice and try some gentle exercise. Son is buying those Vit B Complex and B12 today, as I can't go out...to much diahrrea.
Will take your advice. Thanks a lot for all the advice.
Oh thanks for this info, ill pass this on to our son who is suffering badly at the moment with GERD
Sue
Hi Deborah
I started on the B12 supplements that contain Brewers Yeast whille I am on holiday, but had severe diarrhea every single day so couldn't really go out anywhere nice. I have been so ill down here for the whole week. Did a bit of walking with a walking stick instead of my mobility scooter, but everything came to an end as soon as I needed a toilet. I stopped taking them incase it was the Brewers Yeast that was upsetting my stomach. Am trying to find out from the internet if this may be the cause, as I have hardly eaten anything much while away from home. The vitamin part of the tablet would have helped me a lot, but as we are going to a musical concert tonight, once again I am frightened to eat anything before we go, plus I am going home early tomorrow morning by car on the motorway and don't want to have to stop off. What do you think about it being the Brewers Yeast that might be giving me diarrhea, as I cannot eat a lot of bread, so made this connection, but have no idea if I am right or not. Would appreciate anyone's advice on this.
Regards, Val.
Hi
Can I ask how the centaurium works because I have been thinking about it?
Hi Deborah, I have plenty of exercise this week as I have been staying with my youngest son who lives by the sea. To get to his apartment, there are two flights of stairs, plus a walk to the car etc. and also walked a quite a bit around the shops, although I have to use a walking stick. I have a small mobility scooter that fits into the boot of the car, but tried to walk where I could, Also doing the stretching and and deap breathing. The latter is very good for you when you suffer COPD and are near the sea, although according to a new "Consultant" (If she had managed to become a Consultant at her tender age, I would be amazed!!! as she told me I would have to have a general anethetic for my bladder. When I I mentioned that general anethetic was only given to people with severe COPD in a life or death situation, she asked me where I had got this information from?????? As I am 72 (age being another factor) she just shruged her shoulders and said "if that's the way you feel, then they can give you an epidural. As my GP had wanted me to have home oxygen, which is in my records, which she had "apparently" read, I lost all faith in her and the hospital concerned. How can you get to be a Consultant and not know these dangers is totally beyond me. Another so called Consultant told me that going by the sea was just the same as being in the highest pollution area in London, filled with diesel and petrol fumes, but hey! according to her, oxygen is the same everywhere (never mind the quality). Needless to say, I gave up on both of them. The first one when I had bladder problem sent two reports to the wrong doctor,in the Practice, both the same, saying she was referring me to Urology for an operation!!! I rest my case....she is a complete idiot and incompetant doctor, let alone a consultant with the many years they have to train to become a doctor and then go on to specialise.
I feel much better for my break, but guess it won't take long to get back to how I usually am, but will keep up with the exercises. Many thanks for your concern. Take care, regards, Val.
Hi there
(sorry not been on here for a few days)
I take between 10 and 15 drops 10 minutes before a meal and it helps to digest my food better. I copied this off a site for you to explain it better.
Centaurium has a bitter taste and owes this property to the group of compounds called bitter glycosides.
The taste of bitter foods stimulates the appetite and triggers the secretion of digestive juices in the stomach, which in turn improves the breakdown of food.
At the same time, the hormone gastrin is secreted by the walls of the stomach. This tightens the valve between the oesophagus and stomach, which is important in reducing the symptoms associated with a hiatus hernia, such as gastric reflux.
In the use of bitter herbs, the bitter taste is essential to their therapeutic action, so do not attempt to disguise the taste.
I'd definitely give it a go because I genuinely feel that it helps me. However, if you're not cutting back on trigger foods its not as effective.
good luck
HI Val
sorry for the delay, I've not been on here for a few days as I've been really busy. So sorry to hear about your problems on holiday., I can honestly say that I've never had any problems with my B vitamins but read somewhere that the cheaper type of vitamins contain ingredients that are not particularly good for you. I have a friend who is a nutritionist and she is great at giving advice regarding what you put into your body so I am careful when buying vitamins now. As I said previously I'm not an expert on anything but have done a lot of reading about nutrition and how it affects your body. I read a great book called Eat, Nourish, Glow by Amelia Freer and it helped me cut out all the bad stuff that was causing me problems. I knwo tis hard and its an awful thing to live with day to day, we jsut have to keep researching until we find things that help us x
You're welcome Sue, hope it helped
Thank you Deborah and everyone else on this subject for so much helpand guidance. My results were only a lack of Vitamin D. However, because I am now suffering with arthritis, my GP put me on Morphine patches (one per week). It made me so sick, that I had to take the patch off after 3 days. Then this week I made an unforgivable mistake! My meds are sorted into two boxes, one for my current medication in a blister pack and inhalers and one for replacements when I run out of anything. The GP put me on a new anti-sick pill, as the one I had been taking is being withdrawn as being unsuitable for anyone with certain heart conditions. Somehow or other my Clopedigeral (left over when I changed to the blister packs) got put in the wrong box (they are blood thinners) and I thought it was my new anti-sick pills so started taking 2 a day, plus the one in my blister pack, making it 3 a day. My trouble is that I have ARMD, also damage to my optic nerve after one of my strokes and also have a high colourblind problem. The pills for my blood are pale pink and my anti-sick pills are the same size, but white. I can't tell the differnce. It was this combination that got me mixing up the meds. I just have strips of my medication, not the boxes they came in. No wonder I have felt so ill this week, feeling faint, sick and massive headache! As Delboy says in "Only Fools and Horses".(UK TV)....What a Plonker!!! Now I have put everything in their original boxed and am quite worried about my blood thinness, so will not be taking any blood thinning meds (also on 75mg Aspirin) for a few days and hope things get back to normal.
Once again, I thank everyone for all the help given on this IBS and GERD forum.
Kind regards to everyone...Val.
This whole topic is fascinating because i never thought that B vitamins could help with GERD. I have been suffering with a several debilating symptoms and one of them is GERD. After reading this post and thread i started to put 2 and 2 together. Because when i was taking particular B vitamin complex , GERD reduced and i did not contribute it till now . I have to say that it really matters which one of those complexes to take , i went thru several supplement from different popular companies, they all made my gut problems flare. Then i tried neurorubine , pharmacists recomended it because it has been thru cilincal trials. This product actually helped and did not had those side effects.
Regarding injections of b vitamin, they are not that painful as one would expect, it is bearable.