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Natural supplements for bile/acid reflux

Posted , 6 users are following.

Leni75
Leni75

Has anyone tried a natural supplement called rhodiola rosea for bile/acid reflux? Hope it helps. Developed reflux after gallbladder surgery. 

2 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

  • Dixieb
    Dixieb Leni75

    Posted

    Not tried this as yet but will make enquiries.
  • Annie240
    Annie240 Leni75

    Posted

    Hello Leni75.  How long ago did you have your surgery, and how long have you been having the reflux?  I am having the same problem--for about 3 and a half months now--it started about 5 months after my gallbladder removal.  It's very difficult to live with.  I haven't tried the rhodiola rosea, but I would like to try it to see if it works.  I am going to my holistic doctor tomorrow and plan to ask him about it.
    • Leni75
      Leni75 Annie240

      Posted

      Hi Annie. I had my surgery over 9 months ago. I've been having reflux symptoms about a week after the surgery.  

      I used to have an  acidic taste in my mouth all the time, a lump sensation on my thoat, a very sore throat chest pain and frequent heartburn.

      A few months later my sore throat stopped and the chest pain which doctor said is esophageal spasm and heartburn seemed to almost gone But then 6 months after surgery I started having terrific nausea and chest pain and heartburn return  even worse. Now my chest /back pain are really hard to cope with and  I think I have an inflammation in my esophagus.. I tried many different things like magnesium cream For my back and chest to help me with pain.it seems to help a bit. Rhodiola didn't had an effect on me, I just felt calmer. I take sucralfate sometimes to coat the stomach. I have burning on and off in the stomach too. I know some teas might help too. I take hypericum and lemon balm tea. If you find out something from your doctor that might help please post it. I need  any advice I can get. Thank you.

  • Annie240
    Annie240 Leni75

    Posted

    I'm sorry to hear that.  I keep praying daily that God will heal me, and I believe that He eventually will.  I know how difficult this is--I will pray for your recovery, too.  What is hypericum?
  • Annie240
    Annie240 Leni75

    Posted

    Hi, Leni.  A couple of more questions.  For how long did you use the Rhodiola Rosea? Where do you get pains in hour back?
    • Leni75
      Leni75 Annie240

      Posted

      Hi Annie

      hypericum is an herb also known as St Johns wort. It can be used for nerve pain among other things. I'm trying this because I'm in so much discomfort and pain in my chest. 

      I only started using rhodiola last week so not that long. I get pain on my upper right back. I really hope we can feel better x

  • Annie240
    Annie240 Leni75

    Posted

    Hi, Leni. Your symptoms are so very similar to mine.  I suffer from chest pain, and I also have back pain in the upper right area, around the shoulder blade.  The back pain is more of a dull ache, though--not sharp.  Even severely limiting my diet has very little effect on my symptoms.  It is so frustrating that having gallbladder surgery could result in this--yet, the doctors don't tell you that this can happen--they should be required to.  Please let me know if the rhodiola rosea begins to help you.  Do you think that maybe your gallbladder wasn't supposed to come out, or were you in a position in which you were sure that's what needed to be done?  I'm beginning to wonder about mine, and that makes dealing with this that much worse.  I will continue to pray for both of us--as well as anyone else who may be experiencing this due to gallbladder removal.  Not being able to take anything to help with the pain or lessen the symptoms is horrible.
    • Leni75
      Leni75 Annie240

      Posted

      Annie, my gallbladder started to hurt at the end of my pregnancy. It took them 2 months to give me an accurate diagnosis. I had a baby in August and my GB came out in October in an emergency because I got pancreatitis. I've never felt so much pain in my entire life. They kept telling me in the emergencies that was due to having a baby until I collapsed with so much pain with pancreatitis. My GB was packed with lots of stones. I can only thank god I didn't had this during my pregnancy. I'm 39 and it's my 1 and only child. I'm supposed to be enjoying this time of my life but instead I'm always in pain and worried. 

      Have you seen any specialist yet  ? I understand you it's really hard to deal with this no meds  are helping. Do you think you have gastritis or esophagitis that can cause a lot of pain like ours. I would suggest for you to see a specialist if u can . Im still waiting to see someone. We need tests to see what's going on. Meantime try natural things like teas and massage. Keep in touch x

  • Annie240
    Annie240 Leni75

    Posted

    Leni, I had an endoscopy about a month ago.  It came out normal, which is puzzling to me since I feel burning in my stomach quite often and wake up feeling hoarse.  I'm going to ask the doctor if being on Carafate may have protected my stomach and esophagus, thus showing no gastritis.  Week before last, I had a 24-hour impedance test; I'm still waiting on results for that.  I had to come off of proton pump inhibitors which I had been on for a couple of years prior to my gallbladder surgery--I had mine removed in October, also.  I did okay for the first five months, but then I experienced much chest pain despite being on the proton pump inhibitor.  I came off of the medication when I read that they can actually cause the bile reflux to be worse, but, unfortunately, I have been experiencing my symptoms for 4 months now, with not even one full day of relief.  I don't eat any meat.  My diet consists of scrambled eggs, gluten-free breads and snacks, steamed white rice, vegetables, and water--but still I suffer from the symptoms.  I don't sleep well at night and am worried about how I'm going to cope with work when I go back in August--I'm a middle school teacher.  Getting through the last couple of months of the school year was very difficult.  I was hoping and praying that I would be better by the time school started again, but I'm still the same.  I really feel for you.  I don't know how you are handling having a new baby and enduring all of this.  I'm so sorry.  Have you lost a lot of weight?  I have.  I look anorexic.  I'm 53, by the way.  If anything works for me, I will let you know.  I will continue to keep you in my prayers daily.  God bless you.  I want for you to enjoy being with your baby.
    • Leni75
      Leni75 Annie240

      Posted

      Annie, I'm also taking carafate to protect the stomach/esophagus but still experience pain. I've been researching about bile reflux after GB surgery all this months in hope to find a effective treatment and for what I read ( and I've read thousands of websites) there's no much that can help. Changing diet doesn't help, bile binders might help with symptoms but can cause severe bloating and constipation and carafate only protects stomach but doesn't bind the bile. 

      Thats good you did the 24 h impedance test to rule out any other underlying problem that could be causing your reflux or making it worse. Bile and acid get mixed in the stomach and acid helps neutralise bile so PPIs will only make symptoms worse. That happenned to me. I always knew it wasn't just acid reflux but doctors always treat it as if it was and also send me to do a 24 h impedance test in January. It was normal, no acid reflux and LES valve working fine. It's much more common this type of reflux.

      One question did they saw bile in your stomach when did the Ercd?

      they said I had bile but normal. Since then pain is worse in my gullet. Maybe it's time for another check.

      All of this is having a serious impact in our lifes, we need all the support we can get. I've lost so much weight too but before pregnancy I was a bit overweight anyway. I just want to feel healthy again. Thank you so much for your lovely words and if I found out anything too that might help I'll post it.

  • Annie240
    Annie240 Leni75

    Posted

    Leni, I had an endoscopy, not the ERCD, but, no, there was no bile in my stomach.  There was bile in the small intestine, but the doctor said that that is normal.  Since your 24-hour impedance test came back normal, I bet mine will, too.  My doctor is on vacation this week, so I probably won't get the results until late next week.  Take care of yourself--and your baby.  I'll be thinking of you and sending prayers for healing for us to Jesus.
    • Leni75
      Leni75 Annie240

      Posted

      Dear Annie, That's interesting no bile in the stomach but maybe it's not the bile causing your reflux symptoms or at the time of the test the stomach was with no bile. You said you took PPIs for a couple of years prior surgery, does that mean you've had reflux symptoms before taking the GB out? 

      Please let me know about your latest test results when you find out.

      Are you taking something natural for your pain yet? I still drink some teas that help me to go though the pain, calm my head and nerves. You should try. 

      I really hope it can ease your pain. I'll be in touch.x

       

    • Annie240
      Annie240 Leni75

      Posted

      Leni, I've been wondering how you are doing.  I have been praying for you daily and hope that you are healed.  Please let me know how you are doing.
  • Annie240
    Annie240 Leni75

    Posted

    Hi, Leni.  I started having problems about 8 years ago with pain in the chest.  After an endoscopy, doctor said that I had signs of irritation in my esophagus, so he put me on Zantac.  I was on that for about 6 years, but it became less and less effective.  Had another endoscopy about 2 years ago, and the doctor said there were some signs of nonacidic reflux, so he put me on a PPI.  It helped but never totally got rid of pressure which would sometimes build up in my chest.  I'm beginning to think that all of my symptoms led back to my gallbladder and not acid reflux--because I would have pressure build up in my chest, chest pains, and very low, deep, prolonged belches.  The doctor did say that sometimes when they do the endoscopy there won't be any bile in the stomach, which doesn't necessarily mean that there isn't some coming up.  I'll probably get the results back from the impedance test late next week.  The problem is that when I had the test, I was not going through some of my worst symptoms--wouldn't you know that that would happen.  I drink white tea sometimes, but I have to be careful with tea.  I like raspberry tea, but I found that it was relaxing my muscles too much, which I think was leading to more reflux--not sure if there was a connection or not.  It's so difficult to know.  I will let you know when I get the results. I'm going to talk to my holistic doctor tomorrow to see if there's a natural supplement I can take to help with the chest pains when I get them--it's hard to tolerate the chest pain.  Take care.
    • AcidTrees
      AcidTrees Annie240

      Posted

      Hi Annie, you may know that raspberry tea is what pregnant women drink in order to have an easier birth, so i guess it must relax everything including the LES. Look forward to hearing what your holistic doctor says. Best wishes 
    • Annie240
      Annie240 AcidTrees

      Posted

      Hello Acid Trees.  Yes, I know it relaxes the muscles for birth, so I sort of figured it may be causing problems for me.  Do you have problems with bile reflux due to gallbladder removal?
    • AcidTrees
      AcidTrees Annie240

      Posted

      I havent had my gallbladder removed Annie.  Im generally researching round the subject as i have LPR and barretts and have my two yearly endoscopy early august followed by specialist appointment.

      I dont know enough about bile reflux and am trying to find out about it.

      Thanks for your reply smile

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