How I cured my acid reflux, naturally.

Sorry I missed your post, I hope you have improved.  I have found that any drug can cause acid reflux issues.  Sometimes they cause the gastritis which is basically when the stomach lining gets inflamed and is thicker and send out nausea signals.  I have found that most people are dificient on many vitamins and minerals.  Some can help heal the stomach lining.  I recommend a natural vitamin E capsule 4 times a day.  Break the capsule between your teeth and slowly let it go down the throat and swallow.  It can heal sore damaged tissue.  Also do this with a vitamin D capsule, one per day for a week then one per week after that.  Magnesium can also heal, I buy 500mg multi source tablets, chew 1/2 and swallow with water each day.  When your stomach feels better you can add a multi mineral capsule each day with food.  Then a natural Multi B vitamin.

Let me know how you are doing. John.

Sorry I missed your post.  I don't think you will have any problems.  The gas likely either sneaked out or went through the lower sphincter.  But, remember, some people drink soda pop by the quart.  I have never heard of any digestive damage being done, just weight gais issues.  Maybe just slow down a bit.  Send me any update as to what you are doing right now.

Sorry no one replied, they have been doing work on this site and I think many notices were not sent out.  I am looking for your comment.

Hi Silvia, the drinks didn't work for me but hopefully they will for you. However I've been off the nexium 40mg twice a day for a month now. I stopped cold turkey after being on it for 6 months. If I eat frequently and stay away from trigger foods I do ok. You might want to slowly come off the nexium over s period of a month or so to avoid having issues if your symptoms are severe. Hope it goes well!!

I tried the carbo water - nearly killed me pain was awul. Never again.

No, that won't work.  That would just make you feel ill.

Hi Gwen:  What kind of pain did it cause?

Hi, cramping within 10 mins - lasted a few hours.

G.

It sounds like your lower sphincter is open all the time, allowing the carbonated water to get into the small intestine where it releases it's gas.  Have you ever taken a transit time test?  Do you feel like your food does not get digested and causes gas in the intestine?

No not taken a transit time test, don't think my doc would even know of it!  I do though through research.  No, I can eat ok and don't really have gas.  Food usually sits pretty well unless I eat something like a baked potato and eat the skin - that hurts.

Hi Jonathan

What exactly is a transit time test?

The lower part of my stomach burns sometimes, I have been diagnosed with gastritis whereas the upper part used to burn but now it's the lower part. I think the burning is actually gas sitting there because if I lay on it or massage the area the gas releases.

Could be that food is not being digested in the intestines?

Hi Mary:

Digestive transit test is rarely ordered by a doctor.  A person would have to request it.  Likely a specialist.  A person would swallow a series of capsules and note when each one was taken, then after a few days an xray is taken to see where they are at and if any have stalled out.  A more simple test would be to swallow a special capsule with black marker, a person can determine time from entering the stomach to exit time.  It would turn the stool black.

A good way to get your digestion balanced out is to add a lot of probiotic plain yogurt to your diet.  Especially first thing in the morning.  It may take a week to a few months but you will get some releif from many symptoms.  Notably gas reduction, cramping reduction, more normal bowel movements.

The digestive system is so complex, it's difficult to just treat one issue.  It usually means that there is a complete failure any you just notice certain symptoms.

Try the yogurt and let me know if it helps.  If you are lactose intolerant then make your own yogurt using lactose free milk, it's very easy.

Thanks Jonathan for that info. I'm already doing the probiotics but I don't think it's a good one. I do the yogurt but I don't stay with it, cause I am lactose intolerance.

The yogurt is critical to digestion recovery and normalizing.  Learn to make it yourself, use lactose free milk.  I buy probiotic capsules and add 2 of those plus a 1/4 cup of store bought yogurt.  Without enough beneficial bacteria in the large intestine, a person will never feel well.  This bacteria thrives on certain sugars such as lactose.  I don't of any other recourse except to do as I am doing, replenishing the good bacteria every day.  There are some people saying that foods such as fermented Sauerkraut can replenish the bacteria, but I don't see how.  Keep me updated. John

Here is a method of making lactose free yogurt at home using regular milk:

And you can also find lactose free yogurt at larger grocery stores.

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Looks like they deleted my comment.  You can make your own lactose free yogurt at home.  Just do a google search " make lactose free yogurt ".

You can also find lactose free yogurt in most large grocery stores.

Just seeing your reply, thanks!

I really need something about now because I've been having excessive saliva , don't know if it's due to acid reflux. Then anything I eat or drink as soon as it hits my stomach i get the nervousness and anxiety shaking. Don't know if it could be the inflammation or what. I was doing so much better until this week. I try to avoid taking my zantac/ dexilant because I don't want to be dependent on them. I've been taking natural alternatives...may have to continue meds. I get really scare when i read the horrible side effects. My herbalist told me to try to get off them...

Forgot to add the belching and burping has been over the roof! Something that I very seldom did before with gerd/gastritis.

Anything that causes gastritis can cause many other issues.  The stomach can trigger the excess saliva.  Try adding natural softgel Vitamin E and D.  Break the vitamin E capsule between your teeth and slowly swallow it.  Take the E 4 times a day.  Take the D, same method, once per day, for a week then one per week after that.  You also need to have a probiotic yogurt smoothy with some organic fruit and vegatables like carrots every morning first thing.  Then wait 20 minutes before any food.  No red meat, only chicken or mild fish.  No eggs.  No other dairy, except yogurt for a while.

You can beat this, just keep adding nutritional foods to your diet. 

I'm already taking vitamin d because i had a deficiency in it. I take vitamin e also but not everyday but i haven't been breaking it.

The only thing I'm trying to gain back some of the weight that I've lost. I can't afford to lose anymore. Are the protein shakes ok?

Have you ever experience heart palpitations with the acid reflux/gastritis?

One other question, why not eggs? I've been eating boil eggs frequently.

If you look up acid blocking drugs like nexium or omeprazole you'll find many side effects, because it prevents absorbtion of vitamins and minerals and protein.  You basically are starving even though you eat food.  The heart is damaged because protein is not broken down.  There is a very good reason why there is acid in your stomach.  Without it, we starve nutritionally.  This why I promote the carbonated water treatment.  The idea is to heal the major culprit, the esophageal sphincter.  Then a person can work on the other issues one at a time.

I found that eggs always caused me problems when I was taking acid blockers.  They really need the acid to break them down.  I would suggest adding powdered protein to you yogurt smoothie to get some protein.  Lack of potassium can cause heart damage also.  Perhaps you can find a liquid vitamin/ mineral supplement.  Maybe you will absorb that. 

Also, the manufactured protein shakes are full of sugar and carbs, I can't recommend any of them.

Would the carbonated water burn or irritate the stomach? I take a powder form vitamin isotonix multi vitamin.

So Jonathan what you're saying is that the gastritis is coming from the esophageal sphincter?

Ok I went ahead and took a zantac and excessive saliva decreased along with now being able to eat without the tremor in stomach. Also, heart palpis stopped. I am totally confused. I really want to not depend on meds BUT....

What natural stuff do you use or take? Thanks

There are supplements you can take that help your body absorb all the good stuff i would look into it. Maybe if your on the medication and taking those it wil cancel eachother out.

Yes I do take supplements and eat herbal foods, but even with the supplements I have to be careful because of the inflamed stomach. Certain things cause it to irritate and Lord knows I do not want to start it up again. I just got out of a severe flare. I think some of my symptons are also an overlap of my perimenopause. So I have to treat it also.

Things I take are aloe vera juice, slippery elm, marshmallow , chllorphyll, vitamin e, vitamin d, DGL licorice, isotonix multivitamin, isotonix opc3 - antioxidant, herbal foods ( to nourish, balance and cleanse) (My chiropractor put me on some of these) it worked wonders until I ran out...which where I am now.

I see. Did you get checked for a vitamin D deficiency?

Yes I had a deficiency in vitamin d

Jnathan, how do you know if you are taking too much probiotic?  How much is too much?  I have an organic probiotic yoghurt before bed and stopped using a capsule probiotic from the health shop as it was hurting me.  I am going to order one with a reputable name (can't say obvs - don't know why others forums allow it) but two capsules sounds a lot, mine says one a day.  Do you go over what they say onn the instructions.  Also I have started the small yogurt drinks which have 6.5 billion different strains - is this drink plus the pot of bio live yoghurt not enough.  Bit worried I may over egg the probiotics.  Thanks......G

The probiotic issue is very complex.  From what I have read, there is, or should be,  a low population of beneficial bacteria in the small intestine, but billions upon billions in the colon.  When we try to mess with it is when it can get unbalanced. Such as, if the capsule opens up in the small intestine, it could cause bloating. I also tried the capsules and either got no relief or felt bloated.  My uncle has been dealing with similar issues and told me 'yogurt yogurt yogurt.  So I switched to only natural yogurt and felt better very quickly.  Mainly with bloating and nausea.  I do buy probiotics in capsules but I only use them when I'm making my yogurt.  I add a small culture from a store bought yogurt then I add 2 capsules of probiotics.  I have read that diversity is the key.  Healthy people usually have a very diversified colony wheras people with digestive issues usually have much fewer diversity.  Also, digestive acids can kill it off before it gets through.  So, I have my tall glass of yogurt smoothie first thing in the morning.  Then, water, then I can eat about 30 minutes later. 

Yes get that sounds like sense.

Mary - I have had this saliva prob also - too much acid is the cause.

I take Zantac and have been told by a reliable source that it is safe and can be taken for decades unlike PPI  - don't suffer.  If diet alone is not cutting it - take them. 

Gwen i was taking the zantac and it works fine. But i ran out for a couple of days. Trying to save money i bought the store brand and it doesnt seem to work as well. Do you know if the saliva will ever stop or only if I'm taking zantac? I've never had this problem before, I'm thinking it's from taking the dexilant last week and the week before but I can count the time I took it. I've heard that you can have a acid rebound when you stop taking ppis.

Do you have a hiatal hernia?

Hi Mary - yes it willl stop if you lower your acid level.  I can still get it whilst I am on Zantac if I have upset my stomach in some way, but it does not go on and on like before.  I call it my firemen helping me out lol.

OTC Zantac are nowhere near as good as script ones.

Yes you defo will get acid rebound from PPI's that is why I won't take them - even though my gastro precribed them after endoscopy.  He can keep the awful things  I know people have been on them for years and if you have to then so be it (Barretts for example - I would take them then).

Yes I have hiatal hernia along with GERD and Esophagitis - all really good fun !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have read a lot about Kefir and found it today in my Supermarket, I had a glass a couple of hours ago and the cramping pain and discomfort have disappeared for the first time in weeks - we just have to keep trying out things. 

Before the Zantac I was actually spitting out the saliva into a cup and got quite alarmed at how much I was filling it.  And don't get me started about talking to people who wore glasses!

Get back on them hun.

G.