Acid reflux and GERD

Posted , 10 users are following.

I'd very much like to start a list of all the possible remedies for GERD that people have tried. I'd like to know what worked and didn't.

To get the ball going, I read some people swear by VSL-3. I'm not sure what that is yet and so I have no clue. It's probiotics I think. Maybe it's a brand or a type. Anyone try those and see any results? Probiotics did nothing for me.

3 likes, 32 replies

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  • Posted

    I found siberian pine nut oil to be helpful. All my heartburn symptoms have been decreased and i take only 1 tablet of somac a day. My reflux very minimal. I was taking 6 tablets of meds a day to manage heart burn that was day and night. I take the pine nut oil 3 x a day 5 ml 30 mins to 1 hr before eating. Diet also i changed it to almost vegan if you look at discussion inez has put at start all those supplements and food.
  • Posted

    Franz....

    that's really good news from roman queen...and well presented..usually folks once they feel good..vanish...she is disciplined...with what she eats..probably when and how much as well.....looking forward to next weeks results...hope its at least as good now...and better...

    To answer your question re VSL#03

    yes its probiotics..destiny.... the colon..not the stomach but?...here is the abstract from the US National Institutes of Health...http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15984978

  • Posted

    That's such a good idea ! Look forward to reading it, and then trying it, Thank you confused
  • Posted

    For many years I have suffered with gurd and I have tried both conventional and homoeopathic natural remedies I believe that that is a place for both but also there comes a time when only conventional medicine will work especially when symptoms become more severe I have taken many ppis such as Zantac denol denol tab Tagamet lanzoprazole imeprazole and many more. They work for me for many years but two years ago my symptoms got a lot worse and I got to the stage whereby nothing worked I tried digestive enzymes and many more so-called natural remedies

    it got to the stage where by I was in constant pain unable to sleep and also I was regurgitating every mouthful of food I was then referred to an upper GI consultant after many tests and over a period of a year I was offered a groundbreaking new procedure called LINX this is a less intrusive procedure than NISSEN which is very intrusive and not with great results. I could go on for hours talking about this but all I can say now is I am medication free for the first time in many years and electing to have LINX was the best decision I have ever made I can only speak for myself and repeat that there is A place for both conventional and unconventional medicines but for me I would always go for conventional as these are the ones that have worked for me. I have tried digestive enzymes and many more potions and though I don't agree with taking medicationon a long term basis when you are in severe pain you take what helps and ppis helped for many years 

    I hope that's what I have said helps others and I'm more than happy to answer any questions to those who think they need to go down this road 

  • Posted

    My LPR/Silent Reflux is moderate.  I am lucky in that I am able to control it (say 90%, not perfect) with diet changes, melatonin along with some other eating changes.  The H2 blockers did nothing for me and the PPIs made me feel ill.

    What worked for me:

    --eat at low acid food

    --smallish portion sizes

    --no carbonated beverages, chocolate (small bit though), fried foods (some --cheating)

    --drink chamomile tea no other teas, esp no black tea

    --sip alkaline water but not exclusively

    --if I detect some reflux I take a little baking soda in water or even a pinch on my tongue

    -- take 5 mg melatonin 2 hrs before bed

    --*****important:  no food for three hours before bed

    It took some time, over a year, to figure out what works for me.  I'm not 100% symptom free and do get some flareups, but this is all now very much under control.

    I found that we have to be willing to give up certain foods to be well such as citrus and tomato sauce  (the worst offenders) and stop eating in the evening.  Just anecdotally, I find if I have a salad as my evening meal, I feel great the next day.  I use just straight olive oil, salt and pepper as my dressing. I should do that more often!

    • Posted

      Some posters in the prostate group take melatonin  at night. They tend to be in America and Canada where you can buy it in Walmart etc.

      Here the Boots website says that  melatonin  is on prescription only.

      However if you Google  melatonin  it is avaiable to buy online. Are there prescription and non prescription versions as with PPI's? The Boots website advises not to take it for more than 13 weeks.

    • Posted

      Hi Susan,

      I think this is pretty much Ines and my wife's program. We did romaine and red oak leaf lettuce, carrots, olive/avocado oil and a tad of yamasa soy..no pepper. The melatonin at 3mg too but we cycled it one week on and one week off...(6mg is the therapudic) obtained cycling from UK PAL on an ALS forum and then confirmed with several others. 30 mintues usualy pre edtime..We are yet somewhere between 70 and 100%...we weened off of all supplements gradually..using mostly diet and very selective foods....wife has increased her exercise of uphill walks..we are 750 ft above sea level, so our road has quite a grade. 20 to 30 minutes.

      You and a scant few others are the only ones that grasp the program...Great stuff Susan...hope you reach 100% when the right time presents itself...Claudio

    • Posted

      Claudio, 

      I have a friend who has really bad LPR but won't do any of these things and especially refuses to give up his citrus.  His throat mucus is so bad he can barely talk.  Once you get used to what you need to do, it isn't hard nor is it miserable.

      What is the rationale for the week on then off the melatonin?

      Susan

    • Posted

      Derek,

      we obtain 3mg x 120 caps for $2.59 US from swanson vitamins. "on line" .hope you can do as well or better...long term use of most any supplement isn't a way to go...I'd suggest cycles...since everyone differs...? time on  " off...we did one week on and one week off for 5 months with some breaks of Off...sleep was not the target thus only 3mg (6mg is basic therapudic)...I suspect Boots suggestion is due to higher mg?..and there is debate about interractions with other meds, therefore suggest advising your dr when taking with other meds)....Claudio

      (seratonin reuptake meds)

    • Posted

      Hi Susan,

      so sorry to hear about your friend, my Niece just mentioned a similar situation with her former "almost husband" but not reflux..same mental

      state.

      cycling melatonin. I should go back to the details but this is what I seem to recall. The pineal gland produces melatonin, regulating CBT, core body heat, and the circadian timetable.....amoung others...the concept was not to "over" interfere with its production by supplementation...(once our system gets accustomed to some supplementals the system that regulates the production stops or slows down)...There were other reasons..just cannot recall. Here is a guess of one  OK?  once our body gets used to it, its no longer effective, therefore an increase in mg and or frequency would be required...Claudio

    • Posted

      Wikipedia has an interesting page on melatonin.

      Boots Pharmacy web site does not actually give the strenght of the tablets.

      It says:

      Taking a tablet or capsule of melatonin before bedtime may help you sleep earlier and for longer.  But we need more research on the effects of melatonin in older people, and whether it is safe to take this treatment if you're taking other medicines.

      Melatonin is a hormone. Hormones are chemicals your body makes to control some of the things it does. For example, hormones can tell your body how to use energy, or when to go to sleep.

      Melatonin controls your body clock. Normally, your body makes melatonin during the night to help you sleep, starting when it gets dark and stopping when it gets light. The melatonin used as a treatment for insomnia (poor-quality sleep) is a man-made version of this hormone.

      In the UK, doctors can prescribe a brand of melatonin called Circadin. It's recommended for people over the age of 55 You can't buy melatonin over the counter in the UK.

      In the US, melatonin can be sold to the public in health food shops and pharmacies. However, it isn't sold as a medicine but as a supplement, like vitamin tablets or cod liver oil. This means that, like all supplements, it may not be made to the same standards as medicines. So you can't be certain how good its quality is. If you're thinking of buying melatonin in the US, or over the internet, there are a few things to bear in mind. The exact ingredients can vary between different brands, so it can be hard to know what you're buying. Scientists have found impurities in the melatonin tablets sold by some companies. This means that some tablets contain things that aren't listed on the label. Tablets sold over the internet won't have gone through the safety checks that usually apply to drugs in the UK. It can be difficult to know which companies to trust.

      Two summaries of the research ( systematic reviews) showed that melatonin can help adults, including older people, to sleep better.  You can expect to get to sleep a few minutes sooner and to sleep slightly longer. 

      We don't know how safe melatonin is, or how safe it is to take regularly for a long time. There hasn't been enough research to say. We also don't know how much melatonin you need and when you should take the dose.

      The summaries we found didn't mention any side effects from melatonin. But some studies in children found that some of them who took melatonin: 

      Felt cold

      Lost their appetite

      Felt dizzy

      Felt in a low mood

      Had mild headaches.

      Some drugs can interfere with other medicines or stop them working. Or if you have another medical condition, some drugs may make it worse. You should check with your doctor before taking melatonin if you're already taking other medicines.

      Experts say you shouldn't take melatonin if you: Have epilepsy

      Take a medicine to stop your blood clotting (for example, warfarin).

    • Posted

      Claudio,

      Oh very good reasoning.  I used to be a veterinary technician and this was the reasoning for not giving predisone every day--so the body doesn't stop producing its own steroids.  Hmm.  I think I'll try cycling the melatonin also.  Thanks for the good idea.

      Susan

    • Posted

      Thanks susan,

      I'm awaiting a reply from my son in law..he has but one kidney, and its a 17 year old transplant..so you know his rejection med....recently for some unknown cause per his nephrologists it began rejection....this would have been several months ago, but for the past few months...its been improving (initially he was placed on the "URgent transplant list) and as of last week, its back to almost where it was pre rejection...I want to know his protocol..he is a bio medical engineer 40...I know he was taking pomegranate juice and nettle...but amount/frequency/duration?? plus meds...   He has two young ones and is super busy with his work and the two..so I must be patient.   Claudio

  • Posted

    Hi Derek,

    Pretty much what I recall. We have but a few reputable on line health supplement sites...The ALS forum evauated 2 that were acceptable in the US...And many of the forum members (world wide) past and present are every bit as on top of efficacy as the top "world" Scientists. They will most likely "lead the way" to stop the progression of this horrible disease. There are hundreds of melatonin scientific studies available at various national institutes of health. Boots like so many of our similar advisors always caution about "compoundings" of alternatives but don't do the same with "prescribed only medications".... ...Claudio

  • Posted

    Thank you all for the wonderful replies. I hadn't heard of siberian pine nut oil of melatonin. I'll look into those. You've create great avenues for me to look into.
    • Posted

      I had taken few years ago motility stimulants. These medications help for empty your stomach more quickly. 

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