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Reflux

Posted , 5 users are following.

hilary07569
hilary07569

How do I go about testing my stomach acid and trying different supplements? I have followed all the medical advice and avoid all triggers but the reflux goes on. The rabeprazole worked brilliantly and I felt like I had my life back- but then at 5am this morning it came back again. Should I persevere with it? I have had an endoscopy and my oesophagus is inflamed in several places. Am getting very depressed now, can't go on like this.

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • GI_GIRL
    GI_GIRL hilary07569

    Posted

    Hilary by any chance have u noticed a white coating on your tongue or white

    patches on the back of your throat that would be thrush but it can still be esophagitis but that is fungal u need

    anti fungal if u see anything like that.

  • ted41159
    ted41159 hilary07569

    Posted

    Hilary like me you could buy some test strips which you can use to test your urine and saliva. Mine showed a lot of acid but when I informed my doctor she was quite dismissive of the results.
  • wknight
    wknight hilary07569

    Posted

    How long have you been taking the medication?

    It doesn't always worked so if it has been working stick with it. You probably had something that set you off. I find my PPI works about 98% of the time, when it doesn't work I increase the dose, that is with my GP's approval, 1 extra tablet usually does it.

    When I first started taking the meds I found it took about a month before I really started to feel the benefit. If your oesophagus is inflamed it takes time to heal. Remember how long a cut on your finger takes to repair, well you insides are no different.

  • GI_GIRL
    GI_GIRL hilary07569

    Posted

    Do not waste your time testing the PH in your stomach.

    Your body’s acid/alkaline level is not the same as the acid content of your stomach, so do not make this assumption!

    Now, here’s where it gets complicated; Different internal parts or systems of your body have vastly different PH level requirements. In other words, it isn't like your whole body from head to toe should be at a specific PH level.

    Different parts of your body have different purposes and the processes that go on in these different places require differing PH levels to get the job done.

    You know when the stomach is digesting food it is a highly acidic place, usually in the 1 to 3 range on the PH scale. This is similar in acidity to battery acid!

    As the food mix leaves the stomach and enters the small intestine it becomes alkaline. The small intestine has a PH of 7 to 9, which is neutral to alkaline. It needs to be alkaline to neutralize the mix from the stomach.

    The PH level of the blood is the most critical of all. To put it simply, it must remain in the very narrow PH range of 7.3 to 7.4 or you die! Don’t worry though, because it is so important the body has ways of maintaining this range. In maintaining blood PH your body must deal with what you are putting into it.

  • wknight
    wknight hilary07569

    Posted

    Ask yourself this question, how does the medical profession test the acid levels in your stomach?  Answer, by placing something inside you. They also have to monitor you over a period of time because it varies. If they could use your saliva and urine they would do it because its so much cheaper.

    I would stick with the medication and give it chance to work. Remember that your dr may have to increase the dose. I started out on 15mg a day Lanzoprazole but now use 30mg to maintain myself sympton free, you may need a higher dose but you need to discuss that with your dr but they usually need about 8 weeks to determine whether your current dose is suitable

    hope this helps

    • GI_GIRL
      GI_GIRL wknight

      Posted

      What you are saying is correct. She was aking about stomach PH. Ph monitoring is testing the ph in the esophagus. They use to insert a small catheter in your nose and pull it out and measure the ph acid. Now they use something called a bravo but you have to have an upper endoscopy and a portable capsule is inserted thru the endoscope and attached to part of the stomach or near the esophagus u keep a

      tract u keep a diary and u are suppose to eat all the wrong foods to see when u have symptoms. All it does is tell you if your symptoms are being caused by GERD and if u are taking 1 PPI all it tells you is u need to change treatment which would be a different PPI or what foods to avoid. GERD is easy to diagnose by symptoms. The BRAVO is rather easy but is it worth the cost and what they are looking for is GERD. GERD stands for gastro esophageal reflux disease but u pretty much know when you are having reflux the burning chest pain discomfort.

      An EGD in itself can telk u if u havr a stricture in your esophagus it also can view whether the GEJunction is functioning which is the flap that keeps stomach contents from refluxing into the esophagus. An EGD alliws the dr to see if a patient has ulcers esophagitis Celiac disease or hpylori by grabbing a piece of tissue with a biopsy forcep that is inserted into the endoscopy scope.I have seen drs aspirate stomach contents for ph during the egd (upper endoscopy) but it isnt a common occurrence. I only worked with 1 GI dr who tests stomach contents for ph in my 20 years of working in endoscopy He did not check stomac ph very often .I agree with you she should continue taking her medication perhaps add H2 blocker raise the head of her bed and cut down on apples which can cause major reflux especially if u eat one before you go to bed, Thanks

  • GI_GIRL
    GI_GIRL hilary07569

    Posted

    I am out if here u guys are a joy to

    converse with not. Adios I am out of here

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