Reflux with low stomach acid? I really need some advice please

I've acid reflux for over two years.  I read in "Natural News" that taking alkaline (eg sodium bicarbonate(baking powder) or digestion tablets was not helpful because the stomach needs the acid to do its digesting job.  I still take them sometimes though especially at night when it is worst. 

I have't taken any prescribed drugs so I can't comment on that.  Because of issues I have heard about with drugs eg PPIs I take two capsules a day of Zinc Carnosine which adds to the stomach lining and sometimes I take DGL which is a form of licorice in a chewable tablet and does the same thing.

I came across a useful exercise on a website which I believe I'm not allowed to mention on here (I'm very new).

I do it every morning and it kind of stops the stomach creeping up to your throat at the diaphragm:

Take a quarter glass of warm water first thing on getting out of bed.  This adds weight to your stomach.  Stand straight and lift both arms folded at the elbow to your chest.  Stand on tiptoe then drop heavily to the floor.  Do it 10 times.  Then stand in the same position and blow through your lips 3 times do it 10 times.  The video was helpful.

 

I also have low stomach acid which no doctor bothered to determine...I had an endoscopy showing that the LES (lid) to the stomach does not close properly + I have a hiatus hernia. They put me on PPIs right away. I requested to have surgery to correct these problems, but no German doctor would give me the necessary transfer to the clinic to have it done! For months I thought I would die from all the pain of reflux...inflammation and burning from my stomach up my throat into my mouth-teeth-gums-tongue, sinusitis and burning eyes...everything was red & raw. Constant feeling that I was having heart attacks, lump in my throat till I couldn't swallow. I could hardly eat, could not sleep and literally thought I was going to die every day. The doctors kept telling me they didn't see anything and gave me absolutely nothing for my pain. The end of last year I read online about "low stomach acid" - also did the test - same as you. I went off the PPIs right away and within days, my symptoms were less...of course, the damage to my throat etc was already done. I also have back pain and lots of tension in my head...still have burning mouth syndrome and my eyes burn like crazy. Drops don't help much. I tried Betaine HCL to try to help my low acid reflux, which oes help many - you could try it, but I couldn't get the dosage figured out and felt worse every day. Quit that as well. I am on the diet - no fried food, no sugar or coffein, high protein and little carbohydrates, no cokes...I hate it and through all of this, I have lost over 10 kg. I tried all of the home remedies including apple cider vinegar, sour pickles, mustard and did pretty well for awhile. I had to have surgery for female problems and after all the medications for that, the reflux is back in full force. I am totally worn out, under-weight and getting more depressed every day. Finally, I found an alternative medical practioner (Naturopath?) and, although I have to pay for this myself, she is trying to help me build up my system and gives me all kinds of drops for reflux + all of my pain and suffering; does different treatments and tested stool and for allergies...which none of the normal doctors bothered to do. I pray she will be able to get me back on my feet. The test Delphinium described is to try to relieve a hiatus hernia - to try to get it to slide back down and close. I tried that too, but it didn't work for me.

You could have a Heidelberg test done to measure your stomach acid and have it confirmed! Also, if the Betaine Hcl doesn't help you, you could try D-Limonene. It is a natural product from orange peels, puts a coating layer on top of the stomach acid to prevent it from coming up the esophagus. I wish you all the best and that you don't have to suffer as I have been!

60 now and have taken GERD meds since 1996. Friday my Doctor told me she wants me to get off this medicine. Because it wipes out the stomach acids and then your food nutrients are not absorbed. I believe this may be true because I came down with Anemia which happened slow and not recognized until 2016.  My Doctor has prescribed Digestive Enzymes for me. Waiting for them to arrive.  I believe protein pump inhibitors caused my Anemia.  I always felt my food was not giving me strength.

Thank you all for your replies. It does sound as if we have to go through a process of elimination and also discovering what works for our own systems. I don't like taking omeprazole especially continuously for years but I'm nervous to stop it even though I'm not sure it really helps. I wondered about the low acid because one of the worse symptoms I have is this lurching feeling in my stomach that feels like an ectopic heartbeat. It often stops me in my tracks and makes me cough and feel anxious. Some days it happens a lot and other days not much. If it is low acid though, why do I get reflux symptoms such as chest and back pain and horrible taste in my mouth plus a very sore throat! I'm so fed up with it and trying to work out what is going on. Good luck everyone though and thanks again for the advice, I will try anything at this point.