Reflux

Posted , 7 users are following.

Recently had a couple of bad cases of reflux within an hour of going to bed,my throte was burning it felt as though I wanted to be sick and had a terrible taste in the mouth, I had to sit up for at least an hour before things subsided.after taking advice and not eating for a least 3 hours before retiring seems to have done the trick, but there is nothing worse than going to bed when your hungry and not feeling tired.

ive read somewhere that raising the bed at an angle could reduce the risk, anyone any ideas on hoe I could manage that/what to use ?

1 like, 21 replies

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  • Posted

    Easiest method is to put two bricks under the legs of each bed.
  • Posted

    I have a wedge pillow which has improved symptoms for me but you could try bricks under the legs of the bed. I wouldn't suggest propping up with pillows though as this puts more pressure on the stomach.
    • Posted

      Thank you for your suggestions, seems a wee bit strange having bricks under the bed wonder if there was any other way
    • Posted

      Hi Tinkerbell32,

      I recently posted on your discussion that you started ~ 9 months ago, and wondered if med's/dietary changes had improved your symptoms, particularly the breathlessness?

    • Posted

      Hi

      Sorry, appears i may have missed your comment. Without jinxing my current health, i would say my symptoms have improved a great deal. I don't think it's one factor that has helped, but more a combination of things such as Nexium (twice a day at first now down to 1 tablet a day), wedge pillow which i researched first and bought from the internet, cut out all caffeine including dark chocolate, alcohol and spicy and fatty foods and eating smaller portions. I am now able to have chocolate, caffeine and alcohol but in small quantities. Bearing in mind i first started getting the breathlessness in September 2013 and have just got to this stage over 12 mths later, it's been very hard. When i start getting the breathless feeling, i now try not to over breathe, i.e yawning or sighing to get the breath back in as i find the more i do this the more breathless i feel. It slowly clears after a while, usually when i wake up in the morning.

      Have you tried any dietary/lifestyle changes? How severe are your symptoms?

    • Posted

      Hi Tinkerbell32,

      Thanks for replying (wasn't sure if you still read the other post, apologies).  My breathlessness symptom was severe enough for my work colleagues to call an ambulance during an "episode" in the office, and I've been into A&E in two further occasions through self admittance.  I've had more bouts than this, but have rodent out at home as they mostly occur through the night, although those during the day were always after a cup of strong (caffeinated) coffee.  I've been on omeprazole (20mg twice a day) and Gaviscon Advance for 5 weeks now.  It was an A&E Doc rather than my own GP surgery who suggested in lieu of the other tests being OK that it may be acid reflux. I've got a follow up laryngoscopy in 3 weeks to check my vocal chords which are damaged due to reflux (ENT's diagnosis, and he recommended y med's on a 2 month trial), which has resulted in a prolonged voice hoarseness for 4 months now.  I have had most of the symptoms that you mentioned in your original post. 

      I've gone completely cold turkey on known bad actors - caffeine, spicy food, etc, and generally am making a conscious effort to eat healthier (and less acid forming foods).  Otherwise I considered myself generally healthy and fit - 6' 2" male, 14 1/2 stone.  A general observation is that there appears to be a lot of conflicting information online as to what foods will help and hinder our situation and it depends on the context of how the food info is being presented (either what pH the food is naturally undigested, and secondly what effect is has when it's digested, as even then I've seen foods at each end of the scale depending where I look); there doesn't appear to be an "acid reflux bible", so this far I've tried to focus on what I think are the obvious do's and do not's. 

      I think the sleeping wedge is the next step having experimented with pillows for a few weeks to replicate the incline (the cost of the wedges is OTT in my opinion, so being stubborn thought it would be worth a go). 

      I guess I'm just hoping that there's light at the end of the tunnel. Cheers. 

    • Posted

      I have unscrewed the legs off one end of the bed - but it obviously depends how long they are - mine are only short - the bed's legs that is. 
    • Posted

      I found that I used to slide down the bed.
  • Posted

    Try wooden blocks, 6 inches is the raised height you need. You have to elevate the bed so that from your waist upwards it's on a slight rise, this helps to stop the acid from coming back up the osphecus. 3 hours is re commended as this is the time it takes the food to leave the stomach.

    Caffeine should be reduced and any acid or citrus eliminate if possiblethey aggravate the gut. Hope this helps.

  • Posted

    Try wooden blocks, 6 inches is the raised height you need. You have to elevate the bed so that from your waist upwards it's on a slight rise, this helps to stop the acid from coming back up the osphecus. 3 hours before going to bed is the recommended time as this is the time it takes thefood to leave the stomach.

    Caffeine should be reduced and any acid or citrus eliminate if possiblethey aggravate the gut. Hope this helps.

    • Posted

      Janet thank you for your advice, it has helped me understand and reduce the reflux problem I've had,
  • Posted

    all good posted advice Kes...

    Agree to disagree…I’m with you with the feeling of sleepless hunger pangs, but consider the consequences ”?

    Your “smart”… took good advice…food usually digests from 1 to 3 hours but could be longer...subject to food content.

    When the goat really gets me, I take a half glass of water…usually does the trick,

    There are other good natural hunger suppressants.

    We use “rice pillows”…..with head and part of the shoulder elevated…others have suggesed to block up the bed a tad.,or a wedge pillow...all work.

    For long term quality of life…try your best to prevent pressure at your valve that's at the junction between throat to stomach…Lower esophageal sphincter (LES).

    Like all smooth and skeletal muscles, weakens with age and long term pressure.

    An overfull stomach...….even if you raise your leg…the stomach muscles “contract”…and pushes stomach content UP….much the same too if you “bend down” content may even burst thru the LES

    You learned that "position" can create "havoc"....

    You mentioned “bad taste”? undigested food tastes terrible, and we never know the content..besides undigested food…could have bad stuff like ..pepsin/bile/hcl that are erosive to soft tissue and even “bacteria” can be a component of this reflux.…

    By making absolutely certain you food is well digested before bedtime, keeping your head and a shoulder slightly elevated…great “insurance” too.

    wish you well…claudio

    • Posted

      Claudio thank you for your input,not eating before retiring has other benefits, I've lost 4 lbs in weight since Friday. Being Overweight is a major  reason for having reflux I believe ?

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