Living With Acid Reflux (painful, lose weight, doctors, insurance)

[Callie_D]

Hey Pixie, what I learned about stomach acid drugs, especially acid pump inhibitors, is that over the long term, damage to your stomach and certain forms of stomach cancer could be possible. Think about it, stomach acid is there for a reason. It breaks down food and kills bacteria. If you keep taking these drugs, it's kind of like wearing down your immune system, because your stopping your body from doing what it's supposed to do naturally. Not to mention that when there's no stomach acid to break down your food, it goes through your intestines in whole chunks, which can lead to irritable bowel syndrome, and other sorts of lower digestive problems. If you are going to try the vinegar, DON"T use white vinegar-it's too strong. Use only apple cider vinegar, like I said 1 Tablespoon in an 8 ounce glass of water with your meals. Really chewing your food helps too, many of us are always in a hurry and scarf down our meals. Slow down-and eat smaller portions. I stop eating when the hungry feeling stops, so I end up eating around 4 or 5 small meals a day. I have also lost weight eating like that and stomach problems are gone. That bubble thing you were feeling is most likely gas pain from food not being properly digested. Hope this helps, feel free to pm me if you like- Callie

[zarroc]

I'm on onmepresole, works perfectly for me.

[Mvn2nc]

Originally Posted by pixieshmoo

That's the second time I've heard that recently...and with my paranoia, I don't need to be adding esophogeal cancer to my list of worries. What type of surgery is it? See, I always thought a hernia could be worked on (as in people who get hernias in their stomachs) but when I had the endoscopy, my doctor told me to hold my horses, take the medicine, try to eat a better diet and see what happens next, not to worry about "worst case" right now. So I went about my merry way, thinking "alright, I'll try to quit smoking and eat better"...neither of which I've done. Now I hear about it leading to cancer and it's not as simple or funny as I thought (but I do realize how common acid reflux/hiatal hernia is...surprisingly common). Anyway, what surgery did you have? How long was it? What about recooperation, heal time, etc.?

The name of the surgery is laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication.
Do a seach and you will find all about it.
My gastro. doctor sluffed off pills,pill,pills forever and a day.HE was not even knowlegable about this procedure but knew it was out there. When he casually mentioned that there was a procedure to stop GERD, i ran with it.
He did research for me a doctor in our area that had just been taught the procedure by a doctor down at UCLA.
Long story short, i advocated for myself to have this done.Three years or so with suffering with it at 36 was long enough.I figured pills were not going to do for the rest of my life.Plus the "C" word scared me and after reading on the internet that acid reflux causes this, i knew i needed to do this.
Sad, a good friend of mines friend died of eso****al cancer. Why? Because he suffered with GERD for so long.
I am not trying to scare you but if its chronic,pills cant get it under control then do your research in your area for a doctor that does the surgery.
I was in the hospital for i think three days.Not hardly any pain but more sore from the cuts all over my stomach from the laparospicy.
For a while your food quanity is limited to liquids, then a bit of soft food as it all gets stuck going down at first.Plus your stomach is essencially smaller.
It seems after reading about gastric bypass surgery, its similar to the small portions of food that you can get down.But as time goes on it loosens up.
I still have a hard time if i eat to fast, bread always gets stuck and i hiccup a lot! After 10 years, i can now burp.Could not before.Still dont think i can vomit.( sorry!!) Those are the side effects. No big deal

[HappyandMarried]

Try Ranitidine. It can be perscribed in 300 mg pills, or purchased over the counter at CVS in 50 mg pills. It works for me and the wife.

Papya enzyme is good also - but doesn't help with acid reflux that is as bad as mine. Only the Ranitidine worked.

[mm_mary73]

#1. While not all chest / epigastric (over the stomach) pain is cardiac, it is until it has been proven otherwise. #2. Women do not always have the same symptoms of a heart attack that men do - many times it is an upset queasy stomach with upper back pain. Point is you need to be examined at some point by your primary care provider.

[casandraypb]

you guys just take some vinegar . Acid reflux is too much acid in you stomach that come up. Right? Vinegar is an alakline right? well when you take like a 1/4 cup or maybe a little less or more it will settle the acids back to it's normal state. because we all have to have acid in our stomachs to break down the food. some people produce more acids with the help of what they are eating. Pretend like you stomach is the Bar b-q pit you put coals in the pit and lite it. Then put food on the pit. the grease falls down into the pit and start the fire . What do you do? put some vinegar water on it until it get back at bay . just take a little vinegar maybe 2 or 3 time aday or before you eat and see if it helps what do you have to loose acid reflux . I know it is nasty but so are other meds. My husband for years would not try this. well on day he had no choice because he ran out of his meds from walmart . he had to drink the you know what . What did he do the next day? drink some more of the you know what . I hope it will help you i really do

[southernlady5464]

I have Gastroesophageal reflux disease and have tried Prevacid, Nexium, Prilosec, and Protonix. The last two are the only ones that work and my prescription insurance company is making me jump thru hoops to get a new prescription. I just changed doctors due to a move and even tho they have been paying for me to use Protonix for 3 years now, they are baling AGAIN.

So until they get it thru their thick heads AGAIN, I deal with the WORST episodes with baking soda, the oldest cure there is. Liz

[IamInShape]

I have tried every medicine available for my heartburn/acid but nothing seemed to work until...............

I started chewing gum!!!!! Gum produces saliva--the extra saliva neutralizes the acid--problem solved. You might have a little more gas because you are swallowing more air when you chew gum but its better then acid coming up your throat.

[sherrenee]

I am 26 and I have acid reflux constantly every day. It does not matter what I eat, what I dont eat, how fast I eat, how slow I eat etc.

Last year I had surgery to remove a tumor from my stomach and ever since I have severe, constant acid reflux. The only thing I have found that works is 2-3 150mg Zantac about 4-6 times a day . I know that is a lot of Zantac way more than the recomended dosage, but which is worse taking more than I should and getting some relief or having constant servere acid reflux.

[Hawkeye48]

Originally Posted by christina0001

Oh yes, elevating your head when sleeping definitely helps! I still sleep w/ 2 pillows under my head. If I don't, I will wake up with a bit of burning in my chest sometimes.

I tried that and it didn't work too well, so I placed a phone book under both of the legs at the head of the bed and it works great.