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Feeling hopeless about acid reflux. What next?

Posted , 44 users are following.

VioletOblivia
VioletOblivia

Hi all,

I started getting heartburn back in January and it has slowly escalated into pretty much constant heartburn. I've already had an Endoscopy which came back clear. I've tried Omeprazole, Esomeprazole and Ranitidine. I'm currently on Lansoprazole which actually seems to be making things worse. I'm also trying DGL Liquorice tablets as well as Aloe Vera Juice and a homeopathic mixture of Nux Vomica and Coffea. I also take Peptac liquid 3 times a day and the doc has also put me on Domperidone. If anything, I seem to be getting worse. Surgery terrifies me but I'm at the point where I'm rapidly running out of options. What can I try next?

5 likes, 108 replies

108 Replies

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  • suzeq1972
    suzeq1972 VioletOblivia

    Posted

    Not a lot to add to all the wonderful advice that's been given on here already.

    I agree with everyone that the diet and the way we eat are the big things.  I considered myself to have a good diet, but looking back, I really didn't.  I never  cooked anything from scratch!

    I now cook a veg soup with carrots, swede, celery and leeks (not sure if they're high alkaline foods?) and have a bowl daily alongside other meals during the day. It's easy to digest, I have no reflux from it, and I get some veg inside me - everyone's a winner! 

    It's these little things that have really helped.  Also, I sometimes eat half a meal and come back for the second half about 20 mins later.  

    I know it's expensive, but the alkaline drops and water (saka ph 8.2) have also massively helped me.  I get mine off Amazon, but people have found high alkaline water in Lidl etc before.

    It has taken a long time to get my digestion back on track but I am slowly but surely getting back to 'normal' (ha, if such a thing exists!).  A few months ago I could hardly get out of bed and needed to have regular lie downs during the day! 

    So stick with it Violet and I'm sure you will start feeling the benefits.  One last piece of advice, make sure there isn't too much stress in your life and that you're making some time for yourself.

  • suzeq1972
    suzeq1972 VioletOblivia

    Posted

    Just thought of something else that helped me.  After eating, I stay seated for at least 30 mins.  On the occasions that I eat and then immediately jump up and start doing things, the reflux gets bad!  Also, don't lie down after eating (as tempting as it is if you energy is low!).  

     

    • daniela99184
      daniela99184 suzeq1972

      Posted

      Hi,

      You are right! I rest seated after my meal, I do not walk around or talk on the phone. I just sit quietly, very important.

      I am glad you are doing well and cooking alkaline food.

      Low sat, low fat as well. You get used to it.

      Take care,

       

    • lyla07570
      lyla07570 suzeq1972

      Posted

      You are right and definitely do not fall asleep right after eating.  The bloating and indigestion is a killer then.
  • annette93925
    annette93925 VioletOblivia

    Posted

    You may want to investigate low stomach acid. Often gerd and heartburn are treated by drugs whose purpose is to abate the heartburn and the stomach acid.

    However, what often causes gerd/heartburn is LOW stomach acid, which can be treated naturally, without drugs. It's at least worth investigating as I discovered it was my problem after being every kind of drug  to abate the heartburn.

  • cindy78592
    cindy78592 VioletOblivia

    Posted

    been in discomfort

    I want to thankyou for all of your helpful information I was feeling very alone in this situation so nice I can read about what others go through & what is helping them Now I don't feel so alone in my healing & I am taking alot of all of your advice

    • lyla07570
      lyla07570 cindy78592

      Posted

      The best thing to helpme was charcoal pills from health food store.
  • annette93925
    annette93925 VioletOblivia

    Posted

    Found this site the other day. Got a lot of information from the comments. Got Jamie Koufman's cookbook and the Refux Solution by Jorge Rodriquez from the library. Have been following their suggestions - eating high alkaline food, avoiding acidic food, not drinking with meals, chewing food carefully, mild exercise and walking after dinner. It has been two days but I feel a big difference. Thought I'd share this.
  • cindy78592
    cindy78592 VioletOblivia

    Posted

    Hi Violet

    I ordered Dr Koufmans book plus I even made an appointment to see her

    • ines6375
      ines6375 cindy78592

      Posted

      Hi Cindy,

      Please let me know how your appointment with Dr Koufman goes.

      I hesitate to go see her too. I read online that one appointment costs close to $1000.

  • cindy78592
    cindy78592 VioletOblivia

    Posted

    Hi Violet

    $1000.00 OMG They said in the office that all I have to pay is my copay they are going to call me back & let me know what my insurance is going to cover & they said they will do all the paper work for me Gee I hope it isnt a lot of money

  • cindy78592
    cindy78592 VioletOblivia

    Posted

    Violet do you live in NY that is where one of her offices is
    • ines6375
      ines6375 cindy78592

      Posted

      Hi Cindy,

      My name is ines, and I just called Dr Koufman's office in NYC.

      The secretary told me that one appointment is $950.

      They said that it would come from my out of network deductible first. If I had met my out of network deductible, they said that I would have to pay the difference between $950 and what the insurance reimburse.

      Maybe they are in network for your insurance that is why you might have to pay only the copay, I don't know.

      Anyway the $950 is without counting the tests and next appointments, I am bit scared to start this. Even though I would like to get help, this sounds too expensive.

    • catherine20908
      catherine20908 ines6375

      Posted

      i am new to this site, so please forgive me if you have answered these questions already.  Did you go see dr koufman? i have been referred. she is out of my network, but a few hours away, luckily. How did it go?

       

  • lyla07570
    lyla07570 VioletOblivia

    Posted

    Try Charcoal pills from health food store.  They really work and will help will you until you get the problem diagnosed and cared for.  I think I picked up a stomach virus about two years ago by eating out at restaurants.  It began with major heartburn in the upper part of my body.  I had to constantly roll over from side to side at night to get any sleep at all.  By this point it has moved mostly into my lower intertines. After eating and I feel the bloating and burping coming on I take four charcoal pills which heads off the problem.  The the lower bowel will get diarrhea at this point where before at first I was usually contipated. I went through a long period of eating only ice cream, milk and cream puffs which were easy to digest.  Somedays ice cream was all I could eat.  Now I am slowly adding things back like cheese noodles and other "coating foods."  I cannot digest any vegetables or soup.  Soup makes my stomach explode and I'll be up all night. My stomach burps, growls and shifts around in lower intestines. I figure it must be like a Noro virus, only it lasts years longer.  I have not gone in for any tests as I don't trust doctors.  I did have an ulcer test, negative. It took the doctors thirty years to diagnose my Lyme Disease for instance! I cannot depend on them. My tests always look like nothing is wrong when it is. or I am misdignosed with something I don't have and mis-medicated.
    • carmel83758
      carmel83758 lyla07570

      Posted

      I can see where you are coming from.If doctors have let you down or misdiagosed in the past you feel you can do a better job of working it out now, that makes sense. Are you any better now?
    • lyla07570
      lyla07570 carmel83758

      Posted

      I am getting better some days.  I found out that if I sleep alot, then I get better.  So that is what I am doing.  I did manage to finally cure my bladder constant infection condition I had for years and the cause was exactly what I had predicted.  Only recently have I been well enough to stop the antibiotics I'd been on and off for many years.  So now I can rule them out as a cause of my messed up stomach.  I did take top of the line refrigerated probiotics for years to conteract their affect. But now the probiotics don't seem to do any good or help with the stomach problems at all.  It is like no matter what I eat or even if I don't eat anything at all, it is the same darned bloating. I am zeroing in on the problem and will probably have a cure soon I hope. I meditate and alot of times things are revealed to me through this method.  I get an aha! experience. That's what I am waiting for with this stomach.  Meanwhile, I am still taking the charcoal pills which in the past have always crued any stomach ills I've had. They help cut down the bloat. They also rid the system of impurities.
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