# GERD/Acid reflux



## _Simon_ (Aug 24, 2022)

Hi all! I've had a few phases of intensely bad acid reflux (even as a baby I was hospitalised it was that bad), got it a few years back which lasted many months. Went away, and I feel like it has reemerged quite badly again now.

Just wondering if there are any other sufferers of this and what they've found to be helpful to them. I'm really looking for more natural solutions. I am in desperation trying esomeprazole 20mg tablets daily, and just reached two weeks on it. Has helped only marginally.

Actually @Argus I remember you mentioned diaphragmatic breathing in the other thread. I actually did a deep breathing focused meditation the other day and man it helped massively!

I'm smashing down plenty of ginger in herbal tea, antacids and bicarbonate of soda only when needed... I have found that I feel immensely better after eating food. If I go too long without food it really gets nasty!

And of course, stress/anxiety is a MASSIVE driver, so I'm addressing this as best as I can.

Any tips or helpful things you've come across?


----------



## MetalBoar (Aug 24, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> Hi all! I've had a few phases of intensely bad acid reflux (even as a baby I was hospitalised it was that bad), got it a few years back which lasted many months. Went away, and I feel like it has reemerged quite badly again now.
> 
> Just wondering if there are any other sufferers of this and what they've found to be helpful to them. I'm really looking for more natural solutions. I am in desperation trying esomeprazole 20mg tablets daily, and just reached two weeks on it. Has helped only marginally.
> 
> ...


I used to have terrible problems with acid reflux.  I don't know if it'll be helpful for you at all, but when I became a vegan it just went away.  I don't think it was specifically being a vegetarian that fixed it for me (I'm not a vegetarian now and I don't often have troubles with it), but I changed my diet completely when I went vegan - very little processed food, no ketchup, no carbonated soft drinks, no alcohol, no chips (British or American version of the chip) no refined sugar, etc.  I've since found that ketchup, carbonated soft drinks and alcohol are triggers for me for sure, and refined flour probably exacerbates it if I eat a lot.  I can do a little booze, but I need to take regular breaks with zero alcohol.  Carbonated soft drinks are terrible for me when it comes to acid reflux, but I don't miss them and they're terrible for me regardless so good riddance.  In general the more I cook at home and eat "real food" the less trouble I have.   

I don't know what your diet is like now but you might experiment with doing a pretty restricted set of minimally processed foods and see if it helps and then, if it does, add things back in until you can kind of map out where the trouble lies.


----------



## Rich Parsons (Aug 24, 2022)

Hi _Simon_, 

My dad has this. 
I know positional triggers are a thing. 
If you lay down even after a while after eating or drinking a lot. 
And Sleeping, one side triggers more than another. 

So yes the meditative breathing is back straight and breathing from the diaphragm, which I think is how one might also need to sit like even when chilling / relaxing. 
No leaning back , or slouching. 

Sorry it is second hand information from me. And not much at all as it is something we just never discussed a lot about.


----------



## Tony Dismukes (Aug 24, 2022)

I've had bad reflux for about 10-15 years now. Apparently, the valve which is supposed to keep acid down in the stomach is completely shot. Things which help me:

Esomeprazole 2x day, once in the morning, once in the evening. (This is double the amount recommended on the bottle, but it's what my doctor prescribed.) Any time I run out, I feel a significant increase in symptoms within 24 hours.

I can't eat right before going to bed at night, at least not anything substantial.

I need to not eat for at least a couple of hours before jiu-jitsu practice. (I can handle eating before other forms of training, but not before a workout where people are trying to fold me like a pretzel or pin me down with all their weight on me.)

Sinus drainage from allergies aggravates my reflux and I'm allergic to everything which grows in the state of Kentucky, so I stay loaded up on allergy meds.

Diet makes a difference. I don't have a perfect diet, but I try not to overdo anything with a high inflammatory index. I also eat a lot of yogurt, which seems to help. I have to stay moderate in caffeine consumption. I can handle one cup of coffee in the morning and some tea during the day, but anything beyond that will cause problems. I've discovered that I can't drink Gatorade while I'm working out. I can have it an hour beforehand or I can have it after a workout, but if I drink it during a workout it seems to provoke reflux. During workouts it's water only. You may need to experiment to see what foods act as triggers for you.

Hope that helps.


----------



## Xue Sheng (Aug 24, 2022)

Simon

I have had a few bouts of Acid Reflux, went to the ER a few times. My acid reflux symptoms mimic heart attack symptoms. Discovered a quick way for me to calm it down was drinking a shot of Apple Cider Vinegar. Hard to drink but I felt the cooling as it went down, however it did not work everytime. Another drink I made that helped was glass of water (not ice water) tablespoon of ginger juice and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. 

Other than that I did a lot of reading about GERD and changed my diet drastically. Looked at a lot of food triggers and eliminated them. Basically my diet got rather boring and rather healthy and it took a bit of time, but the acid reflux went away. After a few bouts my diet is permanently changed to mostly vegetarian. I still eat chicken and some fish, but I avoid fried and really avoid deep fried. I still get little flare ups every now and then, but I just look at what I've been eating and it generally get them under control rather quickly.

I hate taking medication so if I can fix it naturally, I will


----------



## Tony Dismukes (Aug 24, 2022)

Tony Dismukes said:


> Sinus drainage from allergies aggravates my reflux and I'm allergic to everything which grows in the state of Kentucky, so I stay loaded up on allergy meds.


I just wanted to expand on this in case it's useful for anybody else...

For years I suffered from what appeared to be (and sometimes were) frequent mild-to-severe respiratory infections. I didn't even realize I had reflux.  Eventually I got a doc who figured out that the problem was an interaction between allergies/asthma and GERD. Basically the allergies would cause sinus drainage, which would provoke low-level reflux. The reflux would creep up (especially during the night) and the acid would cause irritation in my upper respiratory tract, making it feel like I was coming down with a cold. This could end up creating a vicious cycle and sometimes lead to actual infections as the irritated tissues became more susceptible to whatever germs were floating around. Once I started treating both the allergies and the reflux, my rate of upper respiratory infections dropped by 80-90%.

Over the years, the reflux has gotten worse, so that it's apparent for what it is if I don't take care of it properly, but in the early stages it appeared to be something entirely different.


----------



## Monkey Turned Wolf (Aug 24, 2022)

Tea and antacids work for me. I also can't eat anything after 8pm or so (well I can, it just will suck when I lie down for bed), and that's with me normally lying down for bed around midnight. Also need to make sure I don't eat an hour before I do a workout, if that workout is involving benchwork, situps, pushups or grappling.

There are definitely times it gets worse-normally when I'm stressed out. When I notice that happening I take a look to see what's stressing me out, and start meditating more often.

I also know certain foods trigger it. I still eat those foods, but have antacid ready and make sure that none of the other things (working out/late at night/stressing) are present-I'm at the point where it's not too bad with just the food but if you add the extra triggers it gets bad. If you are worse than me, it's worth keeping a food journal to see what you ate the days it gets bad and change your diet accordingly.


----------



## Xue Sheng (Aug 24, 2022)

Monkey Turned Wolf said:


> Tea and antacids work for me. I also can't eat anything after 8pm or so (well I can, it just will suck when I lie down for bed), and that's with me normally lying down for bed around midnight. Also need to make sure I don't eat an hour before I do a workout, if that workout is involving benchwork, situps, pushups or grappling.
> 
> There are definitely times it gets worse-normally when I'm stressed out. When I notice that happening I take a look to see what's stressing me out, and start meditating more often.



I remember years ago, when my Grandmother was having acid reflux issues they elevated the head of her bed by a few inches and that helped her acid reflux issues when she was trying to sleep.

They put a coupe books underneath the feet of the headboard


----------



## Monkey Turned Wolf (Aug 24, 2022)

Xue Sheng said:


> I remember years ago, when my Grandmother was having acid reflux issues they elevated the head of her bed by a few inches and that helped her acid reflux issues when she was trying to sleep.
> 
> They put a coupe books underneath the feet of the headboard


I've got separate neck issues. If my neck falls asleep not in a specific way, it'll hurt me for the next couple of days.


----------



## Xue Sheng (Aug 24, 2022)

Monkey Turned Wolf said:


> I've got separate neck issues. If my neck falls asleep not in a specific way, it'll hurt me for the next couple of days.



her mattress and pillows never changed, and still felt flat, it just increase the angle of the entire bed a few degrees, downward from head to foot.


----------



## Monkey Turned Wolf (Aug 24, 2022)

Xue Sheng said:


> her mattress and pillows never changed, and still felt flat, it just increase the angle of the entire bed a few degrees, downward from head to foot.


I might give it a try. If it hurts my neck I'll be blaming you


----------



## Xue Sheng (Aug 24, 2022)

Monkey Turned Wolf said:


> I might give it a try. If it hurts my neck I'll be blaming you



I deny all culpability 

something like this


----------



## Gerry Seymour (Aug 24, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> Hi all! I've had a few phases of intensely bad acid reflux (even as a baby I was hospitalised it was that bad), got it a few years back which lasted many months. Went away, and I feel like it has reemerged quite badly again now.
> 
> Just wondering if there are any other sufferers of this and what they've found to be helpful to them. I'm really looking for more natural solutions. I am in desperation trying esomeprazole 20mg tablets daily, and just reached two weeks on it. Has helped only marginally.
> 
> ...


I suffer a very mild version when I'm under stress, but it can occur any time when I go too long between substantial meals. There are times I can get away with a quick food bar to fuel me mid-day, but other times that'll lead me to some pretty uncomfortable (clearly not as bad as yours) GERD.

Since you already mentioned a similar effect, maybe looking for more substantial (volume-wise) foods to eat when you know you're dealing with an episode of this. For me, adding a salad to an otherwise low-volume meal can go a long way to avoiding the problem.

Man, I hope you find something that helps.


----------



## Gerry Seymour (Aug 24, 2022)

MetalBoar said:


> I used to have terrible problems with acid reflux.  I don't know if it'll be helpful for you at all, but when I became a vegan it just went away.  I don't think it was specifically being a vegetarian that fixed it for me (I'm not a vegetarian now and I don't often have troubles with it), but I changed my diet completely when I went vegan - very little processed food, no ketchup, no carbonated soft drinks, no alcohol, no chips (British or American version of the chip) no refined sugar, etc.  I've since found that ketchup, carbonated soft drinks and alcohol are triggers for me for sure, and refined flour probably exacerbates it if I eat a lot.  I can do a little booze, but I need to take regular breaks with zero alcohol.  Carbonated soft drinks are terrible for me when it comes to acid reflux, but I don't miss them and they're terrible for me regardless so good riddance.  In general the more I cook at home and eat "real food" the less trouble I have.
> 
> I don't know what your diet is like now but you might experiment with doing a pretty restricted set of minimally processed foods and see if it helps and then, if it does, add things back in until you can kind of map out where the trouble lies.


I do know that mine is often made worse or more likely by alcohol. Coffee is questionable - I do well if I have a strong latte or au lait, but not as well with just coffee with cream, on my worst days. Certainly acidic foods (like ketchup) seem likely to make it worse, as probably are carbonated drinks (I rarely drink them, so don't have experience to gauge this).

Eliminating specifically questionable foods for a while - especially during an attack - seems like a simple and prudent effort.


----------



## Gerry Seymour (Aug 24, 2022)

Tony Dismukes said:


> I just wanted to expand on this in case it's useful for anybody else...
> 
> For years I suffered from what appeared to be (and sometimes were) frequent mild-to-severe respiratory infections. I didn't even realize I had reflux.  Eventually I got a doc who figured out that the problem was an interaction between allergies/asthma and GERD. Basically the allergies would cause sinus drainage, which would provoke low-level reflux. The reflux would creep up (especially during the night) and the acid would cause irritation in my upper respiratory tract, making it feel like I was coming down with a cold. This could end up creating a vicious cycle and sometimes lead to actual infections as the irritated tissues became more susceptible to whatever germs were floating around. Once I started treating both the allergies and the reflux, my rate of upper respiratory infections dropped by 80-90%.
> 
> Over the years, the reflux has gotten worse, so that it's apparent for what it is if I don't take care of it properly, but in the early stages it appeared to be something entirely different.


My memory sucks, but as I read this, I suspect I've gone through part of that cycle twice in the last couple of years, when I was sure I was going to come down with a bad cold, but it never happened.


----------



## Rich Parsons (Aug 24, 2022)

Xue Sheng said:


> I deny all culpability
> 
> something like this



I have seen this done with old Leather type or just regular hard back books. Maybe an old encyclopedia at a garage sale or somewhere else. 
Ask the local recycled / used book stores if they get them, make an offer to them to keep the next 4 to 8 books like that that come in. 
Check goodwill and other places for the older books . 

Yes it hurt posting this, with my love and care for books, Yet I also realize some books just are not of a value to some or many.


----------



## Xue Sheng (Aug 24, 2022)

Rich Parsons said:


> I have seen this done with old Leather type or just regular hard back books. Maybe an old encyclopedia at a garage sale or somewhere else.
> Ask the local recycled / used book stores if they get them, make an offer to them to keep the next 4 to 8 books like that that come in.
> Check goodwill and other places for the older books .
> 
> Yes it hurt posting this, with my love and care for books, Yet I also realize some books just are not of a value to some or many.



Could also make some wooden blocks


----------



## Steve (Aug 24, 2022)

Xue Sheng said:


> Could also make some wooden blocks


Seems like this would be a little safer than books if you router an indentation to hold the legs of the bed in place.  I can just imagine a bed sliding off of books or any other flat surface over time.


----------



## Wing Woo Gar (Aug 24, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> Hi all! I've had a few phases of intensely bad acid reflux (even as a baby I was hospitalised it was that bad), got it a few years back which lasted many months. Went away, and I feel like it has reemerged quite badly again now.
> 
> Just wondering if there are any other sufferers of this and what they've found to be helpful to them. I'm really looking for more natural solutions. I am in desperation trying esomeprazole 20mg tablets daily, and just reached two weeks on it. Has helped only marginally.
> 
> ...


Have you been checked for a hiatal hernia? Tested for H.pylori?


----------



## Xue Sheng (Aug 24, 2022)

Steve said:


> Seems like this would be a little safer than books if you router an indentation to hold the legs of the bed in place.  I can just imagine a bed sliding off of books or any other flat surface over time.



Books worked for my Grandmother, but wooden blocks would very likely be better


----------



## Rich Parsons (Aug 24, 2022)

Xue Sheng said:


> Books worked for my Grandmother, but wooden blocks would very likely be better


My thought for books was a test run and then a more permanent solution could be implemented.


----------



## Xue Sheng (Aug 24, 2022)

Rich Parsons said:


> My thought for books was a test run and then a more permanent solution could be implemented.



Just found out that they also make them



			https://www.amazon.com/Slipstick-CB676-Breathing-GorillaPads-Elevates/dp/B08CL4MD29
		










						Bed and Chair Risers- One Pair- 6-inch - Walmart.com
					

Arrives by Tue, Jan 3 Buy Bed and Chair Risers- One Pair- 6-inch at Walmart.com



					www.walmart.com


----------



## Wing Woo Gar (Aug 24, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> Hi all! I've had a few phases of intensely bad acid reflux (even as a baby I was hospitalised it was that bad), got it a few years back which lasted many months. Went away, and I feel like it has reemerged quite badly again now.
> 
> Just wondering if there are any other sufferers of this and what they've found to be helpful to them. I'm really looking for more natural solutions. I am in desperation trying esomeprazole 20mg tablets daily, and just reached two weeks on it. Has helped only marginally.
> 
> ...


Hi Simon, please get checked for hiatal hernia and H.pylori, if indeed you do have H.pylori it’s an easy fix. If you have a serious defect as in diaphragmatic hernia, your physician may refer you to a general surgeon or better yet a gastroenterologist. That physician may deem your situation serious enough to warrant a procedure known as laparoscopic nissen fundoplication. This is a procedure that has some risks associated with both the actual operation and after the fact. I urge you to check and double check that physician out thoroughly including his/her surgical outcomes. I would try to stick with an actual gastroenterologist. You can look this up but if you have specific questions about hot this procedure is performed I am happy to help. I have assisted in too many to count, and although I am not an MD I can tell you that certainly not all of them were of a nature that was severe enough to warrant surgical intervention. Many people complain of a whole separate bunch of issues arising from having had the procedure. Do your due diligence and be your own advocate. Good luck I hope you find resolution for this issue.


----------



## Steve (Aug 24, 2022)

Xue Sheng said:


> Just found out that they also make them
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've actually seen these in Bed Bath and Beyond.  They're not very expensive.


----------



## _Simon_ (Aug 24, 2022)

Firstly, you're awesome everyone, thanks so much, incredibly helpful replies!

Yeah I often see common themes when it comes to triggers... I honestly think mine is more stress related, as it's been a rather intense emotional time... I've been pretty good for the last couple of weeks though and perhaps my body is playing catchup with feeling the effects of it.

Will reply individually 👍🏻


----------



## _Simon_ (Aug 24, 2022)

MetalBoar said:


> I used to have terrible problems with acid reflux.  I don't know if it'll be helpful for you at all, but when I became a vegan it just went away.  I don't think it was specifically being a vegetarian that fixed it for me (I'm not a vegetarian now and I don't often have troubles with it), but I changed my diet completely when I went vegan - very little processed food, no ketchup, no carbonated soft drinks, no alcohol, no chips (British or American version of the chip) no refined sugar, etc.  I've since found that ketchup, carbonated soft drinks and alcohol are triggers for me for sure, and refined flour probably exacerbates it if I eat a lot.  I can do a little booze, but I need to take regular breaks with zero alcohol.  Carbonated soft drinks are terrible for me when it comes to acid reflux, but I don't miss them and they're terrible for me regardless so good riddance.  In general the more I cook at home and eat "real food" the less trouble I have.
> 
> I don't know what your diet is like now but you might experiment with doing a pretty restricted set of minimally processed foods and see if it helps and then, if it does, add things back in until you can kind of map out where the trouble lies.


That's rather interesting... yeah for some it seems completely diet-related.. it's bizarre as I eat really well, and literally nothing had changed in my diet recently that could have triggered it. I don't drink alcohol, rarely if ever drink carbonated beverages...

And YES what is it with ketchup?? Mine is always triggered when I have ketchup too!! It's not often I have it though, but there's something about ketchup! Tomato seems fine though for me.

Thanks mate appreciate your input, I'll look into my diet anyway for sure


----------



## _Simon_ (Aug 24, 2022)

Rich Parsons said:


> Hi _Simon_,
> 
> My dad has this.
> I know positional triggers are a thing.
> ...


Thanks for that. Yeah I read up on that, laying down after eating is a no no, and I'm trying to sleep only on my left side, at the moment anyway. Nah that's great appreciate it!


----------



## JowGaWolf (Aug 24, 2022)

Tony Dismukes said:


> I can't eat right before going to bed at night, at least not anything substantial.


Sleeping on your left side may help to keep it at bay depending on how much you eat.  From what I read and understand, by sleeping on your left side you are positioning the stomach in a way that it won't come back up.  Drinking half a cup of whole milk helps me but medical people say that it agrevates acid reflux. I guess I'm weird like that.   Being overweight causes problems for me.  I've lost a bit of weight but I'll know for sure once I lose about 30 lbs.


----------



## JowGaWolf (Aug 24, 2022)

I'm starting to see a pattern.  Martial Artist get Acid Reflux or is it Old Men get Acid Reflux lol.  I've never seen such a high percentage of people in one thread lol.


----------



## _Simon_ (Aug 24, 2022)

Tony Dismukes said:


> I've had bad reflux for about 10-15 years now. Apparently, the valve which is supposed to keep acid down in the stomach is completely shot. Things which help me:
> 
> Esomeprazole 2x day, once in the morning, once in the evening. (This is double the amount recommended on the bottle, but it's what my doctor prescribed.) Any time I run out, I feel a significant increase in symptoms within 24 hours.
> 
> ...



Geez that sounds like a real bugger... yeah have been on Esomeprazole for 2 weeks now but only the morning. Finished the pack so going to see how I go without it the next little bit.

Didn't realize allergies could play a part! I get pretty bad hayfever so I'll keep that in mind.

Yeah I'm pretty big on coffee haha, more of a passion than just something I drink. I don't drink crazy amounts though, but have cut down slightly just in the meantime to see if it helps.

It's funny, food seems to really help me haha. I can't figure out any trigger foods, but if I eat I feel 1000 times better, bizarre. Maybe I should become like a cow and just graze through the day haha.

Thanks Tony


----------



## _Simon_ (Aug 24, 2022)

Xue Sheng said:


> Simon
> 
> I have had a few bouts of Acid Reflux, went to the ER a few times. My acid reflux symptoms mimic heart attack symptoms. Discovered a quick way for me to calm it down was drinking a shot of Apple Cider Vinegar. Hard to drink but I felt the cooling as it went down, however it did not work everytime. Another drink I made that helped was glass of water (not ice water) tablespoon of ginger juice and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
> 
> ...


Ah that's very helpful, thanks Xue.

Yeah I got frightened a few times as I have had pain in the left side of the chest, but very much all the other symptoms show it's reflux... I will get it checked out though if needed.

Ginger juice and ACV, awesome. Yeah I've been getting into ginger, used to have ACV all the time, will get some more methinks!


----------



## _Simon_ (Aug 24, 2022)

Monkey Turned Wolf said:


> Tea and antacids work for me. I also can't eat anything after 8pm or so (well I can, it just will suck when I lie down for bed), and that's with me normally lying down for bed around midnight. Also need to make sure I don't eat an hour before I do a workout, if that workout is involving benchwork, situps, pushups or grappling.
> 
> There are definitely times it gets worse-normally when I'm stressed out. When I notice that happening I take a look to see what's stressing me out, and start meditating more often.
> 
> I also know certain foods trigger it. I still eat those foods, but have antacid ready and make sure that none of the other things (working out/late at night/stressing) are present-I'm at the point where it's not too bad with just the food but if you add the extra triggers it gets bad. If you are worse than me, it's worth keeping a food journal to see what you ate the days it gets bad and change your diet accordingly.


Yeah definitely, am trying to be more mindful of what's occurring. The stress on my body seems more related to existential crises haha, so very general and vague, but if I get too lost in conceptual thinking and trying to "figure it all out" I get overwhelmed. So definitely a pattern I need to look into.

You know, training and music seem to be some of the only things that help me in that regard, gets me out of my head and reminds me of something important in life... so I've been focusing on these alot. Cheers 👍🏻


----------



## _Simon_ (Aug 24, 2022)

Gerry Seymour said:


> I suffer a very mild version when I'm under stress, but it can occur any time when I go too long between substantial meals. There are times I can get away with a quick food bar to fuel me mid-day, but other times that'll lead me to some pretty uncomfortable (clearly not as bad as yours) GERD.
> 
> Since you already mentioned a similar effect, maybe looking for more substantial (volume-wise) foods to eat when you know you're dealing with an episode of this. For me, adding a salad to an otherwise low-volume meal can go a long way to avoiding the problem.
> 
> Man, I hope you find something that helps.


Cheers Gerry! Will definitely look into this. I already eat an insane amount haha, but yeah will do thanks!


----------



## _Simon_ (Aug 24, 2022)

Wing Woo Gar said:


> Have you been checked for a hiatal hernia? Tested for H.pylori?





Wing Woo Gar said:


> Hi Simon, please get checked for hiatal hernia and H.pylori, if indeed you do have H.pylori it’s an easy fix. If you have a serious defect as in diaphragmatic hernia, your physician may refer you to a general surgeon or better yet a gastroenterologist. That physician may deem your situation serious enough to warrant a procedure known as laparoscopic nissen fundoplication. This is a procedure that has some risks associated with both the actual operation and after the fact. I urge you to check and double check that physician out thoroughly including his/her surgical outcomes. I would try to stick with an actual gastroenterologist. You can look this up but if you have specific questions about hot this procedure is performed I am happy to help. I have assisted in too many to count, and although I am not an MD I can tell you that certainly not all of them were of a nature that was severe enough to warrant surgical intervention. Many people complain of a whole separate bunch of issues arising from having had the procedure. Do your due diligence and be your own advocate. Good luck I hope you find resolution for this issue.



I remember last time I had a bad bout of reflux I got tested for H. Pylori and it was negative, but something I'll consider getting looked at. Thanks a lot for that info, it's something I will keep in mind for sure if things don't settle 👍🏻


----------



## Argus (Aug 25, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> Hi all! I've had a few phases of intensely bad acid reflux (even as a baby I was hospitalised it was that bad), got it a few years back which lasted many months. Went away, and I feel like it has reemerged quite badly again now.
> 
> Just wondering if there are any other sufferers of this and what they've found to be helpful to them. I'm really looking for more natural solutions. I am in desperation trying esomeprazole 20mg tablets daily, and just reached two weeks on it. Has helped only marginally.
> 
> ...


Hey, I just noticed this thread.

First off, awesome thread! I also am eager to hear everyone's input because I'm still struggling to get over my GERD this time around.

Secondly, I'm really glad my suggestion helped! I think doing this on a regular basis for maybe 15-20 minutes a day will help speed up recovery.

In my own case, I have completely changed my diet. Acidic food and drinks are especially triggering for me. A beer or two can give me symptoms for weeks and set me back months in terms of healing, I've discovered. Coffee is also really bad, which is really, really hard for me to give up. I keep making the mistake of thinking that I'm better, and then starting back up coffee for a week (just one cup every day or every other day) and find myself back where I started after 2 weeks, all of my progress gone.

So, it seems that coffee has to go for me :/ Alcohol I can give up, but coffee is tough.

Soft drinks/Soda, Spicey food (especially indian food/curry, which I love), big meals, and to a much lesser extent, fried foods, are all triggers as well. Basically, you have to live an extremely boring life for a year or two. Probably two years, if you really want to be sure. I just haven't had the discipline to make it that long (yet), I guess.

Be extremely careful with premade or bottled drinks such as tea in America, too. While it's much better where I live now (Japan), in America, I found that bottled tea that you buy in stores contained enough citric acid (as a preservative) to really trigger my symptoms. Here in Japan, I experienced the same thing with a few select products, such as a protein drink I was buying, but on whole, there seems to be far less preservatives / citric acid in many products, which is great.

Obviously, tomatos, lemons, oranges, and most citric juices are all off the table as they do really trigger my symptoms.

The last time this occurred to me, I stopped drinking alcohol, eating spicy food and switched to a low acid coffee and my symptoms disappeared after about a year of being good. I had no problem for a number of years after that. This time, it's been way tougher, and I've been struggling for more than 2 years now.

Covid and mask wearing seems to make it all way worse, as far as breathing goes. I'm starting to wonder if shallow / incorrect breathing might not actually be the cause of this all in some way... maybe the muscle in question doesn't get "exercise" when we breath shallow? I don't know, just speculating wildly here. I just know that breathing deeply into the abdomin and exhaling fully really helps.


----------



## Argus (Aug 25, 2022)

Note: I drink my coffee black.
Maybe those who like to dilute it with a lot of milk may find it affects them less.


----------



## Rich Parsons (Aug 25, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> That's rather interesting... yeah for some it seems completely diet-related.. it's bizarre as I eat really well, and literally nothing had changed in my diet recently that could have triggered it. I don't drink alcohol, rarely if ever drink carbonated beverages...
> 
> And YES what is it with ketchup?? Mine is always triggered when I have ketchup too!! It's not often I have it though, but there's something about ketchup! Tomato seems fine though for me.
> 
> Thanks mate appreciate your input, I'll look into my diet anyway for sure



If tomato is fine and ketchup is bad, then look at what you eat with the ketchup or the sugar in the ketchup


----------



## _Simon_ (Aug 25, 2022)

Argus said:


> Hey, I just noticed this thread.
> 
> First off, awesome thread! I also am eager to hear everyone's input because I'm still struggling to get over my GERD this time around.
> 
> ...


Sorry to hear it's been back in full force... and giving up coffee yeeeah that's hard.. but glad you're looking into it all and figuring out what works for you. It's definitely a process...

Yeah breathing and specifically relaxation of the abdominal muscles. I have a chronic pelvic tension condition, and alot of knots and tension all throughout the abdomen/obliques. I'm pretty sure this is a big factor for me regarding reflux (and stress creates/exacerbates the tension), so the breathing stuff is really helping to relieve tension and soften everything. If there's excessive tension there can be restriction, and can definitely cause internal issues as I've experienced over the years. And I'm really doubling down on stretching and massage stuff too.


----------



## _Simon_ (Aug 25, 2022)

Very bizarre, we had fish and chips for dinner tonight, so I was fully expecting a rough night. Greasy, fatty, deep fried food. It's been about 4 hours since we ate, and I feel absolutely 100% fine haha. No difference whatsoever! So am relieved about that, but makes me further feel that diet isn't the biggest contributor for me personally.


----------



## Gerry Seymour (Aug 25, 2022)

Argus said:


> Note: I drink my coffee black.
> Maybe those who like to dilute it with a lot of milk may find it affects them less.


I do find the more fat (via cream) is in my coffee, the less of a problem it creates.


----------



## Steve (Aug 25, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> Very bizarre, we had fish and chips for dinner tonight, so I was fully expecting a rough night. Greasy, fatty, deep fried food. It's been about 4 hours since we ate, and I feel absolutely 100% fine haha. No difference whatsoever! So am relieved about that, but makes me further feel that diet isn't the biggest contributor for me personally.


Stress can be a big one.  Do you think that might be part of it?


----------



## Xue Sheng (Aug 25, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> Very bizarre, we had fish and chips for dinner tonight, so I was fully expecting a rough night. Greasy, fatty, deep fried food. It's been about 4 hours since we ate, and I feel absolutely 100% fine haha. No difference whatsoever! So am relieved about that, but makes me further feel that diet isn't the biggest contributor for me personally.



There can be different triggers, overeating just about anything is a good one, but there are others 


alcohol, particularly red wine
black pepper, garlic, raw onions, and other spicy foods
chocolate
citrus fruits and products, such as lemons, oranges and orange juice
coffee and caffeinated drinks, including tea and soda
peppermint
tomatoes
And there are others. When I'm having issues cinnamon is a huge trigger for me. Cold drinks were bad too. Also could not drink coffee or tea no matter caffeinated or decaffeinated. As I got better I found I could drink decaf coffee.... finally got back to tea, but it took time

I looked at a lot of web info and purchased a book or two when it was bad and they wanted to medicate me. Different people, different times, different triggers.


----------



## Xue Sheng (Aug 25, 2022)

Steve said:


> Stress can be a big one.  Do you think that might be part of it?



Who wouldn't be stressed with 6 foot hopping rats bouncing around in your yard


----------



## Monkey Turned Wolf (Aug 25, 2022)

Xue Sheng said:


> There can be different triggers, overeating just about anything is a good one, but there are others
> 
> 
> alcohol, particularly red wine
> ...


Red wine is the worst for me. Doesn't matter what else I do, I have a glass and the acid reflux is happening. Luckily, doesn't happen with mead.

My wife's family is Italian, and they never understand when I refuse to drink wine/sangria at events. They just can't comprehend it when I explain why, and forget by the next event.


----------



## Xue Sheng (Aug 25, 2022)

Monkey Turned Wolf said:


> Red wine is the worst for me. Doesn't matter what else I do, I have a glass and the acid reflux is happening. Luckily, doesn't happen with mead.
> 
> My wife's family is Italian, and they never understand when I refuse to drink wine/sangria at events. They just can't comprehend it when I explain why, and forget by the next event.



My first wife's family was Italian so I feel your pain. But it was not because of GERD then, it was because I would get some sort of reaction from Wine, I't turn red, feel incredibly warm, lose all my energy and fall asleep. And that could be after a couple sips....


----------



## hoshin1600 (Aug 25, 2022)

I'm not a doctor or a gastrowhateveritscalled, but I think a major factor has to do with each individuals gut bacteria make up. If I have pasta sauce ( gravy for you Italians) I'm done for.  I also find for myself it's not the precise food but the amount of sugar in the food.  Thus eating vegetables is both a balance for the PH and your body is not reacting to the processed cane sugar. alcohol and spice kills the gut biome triggering the acid build up.  I keep a healthy gut and try my best to stay away from processed sugar and I'm good.
There is nothing worse than waking up at night with a mouth full of stomach acid bile.


----------



## Steve (Aug 25, 2022)

Xue Sheng said:


> There can be different triggers, overeating just about anything is a good one, but there are others
> 
> 
> alcohol, particularly red wine
> ...


I enjoy overeating pretty much all of these.  Add red meat and sausage to that list and I'm completely hosed!


----------



## Xue Sheng (Aug 25, 2022)

Steve said:


> I enjoy overeating pretty much all of these.  Add red meat and sausage to that list and I'm completely hosed!



Braggart


----------



## _Simon_ (Aug 26, 2022)

Steve said:


> Stress can be a big one.  Do you think that might be part of it?


Oh 100%, yeah I mentioned earlier I think that may be the main driver, but wondering how to holistically address it and see what some interlocking variables may be... reflux is so widespread huh, I honestly feel stress is a driver for a great deal of things. Stress->inflammation->conditions->symptoms


----------



## _Simon_ (Aug 26, 2022)

Steve said:


> Stress can be a big one.  Do you think that might be part of it?


Also reflux runs riiiight through my whole family. And anxiety does too. Go figure!


----------



## Monkey Turned Wolf (Aug 26, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> Oh 100%, yeah I mentioned earlier I think that may be the main driver, but wondering how to holistically address it and see what some interlocking variables may be... reflux is so widespread huh, I honestly feel stress is a driver for a great deal of things. Stress->inflammation->conditions->symptoms


If stress is the main driver for you, honestly a combination of yoga, tai chi, meditation and therapy may be good. I personally hate yoga, and therapy doesn't work too well for me as a therapist, but meditation and tai chi did wonders for my stress, which improved a lot of physical issues I had.


----------



## _Simon_ (Aug 26, 2022)

Monkey Turned Wolf said:


> If stress is the main driver for you, honestly a combination of yoga, tai chi, meditation and therapy may be good. I personally hate yoga, and therapy doesn't work too well for me as a therapist, but meditation and tai chi did wonders for my stress, which improved a lot of physical issues I had.


That's an awesome recommendation, and very observant of you haha. Those fit me to a tee. I've definitely exploring karate in a more "taichi" style, as in slowing down everything and being very mindful of everything. Exploring movement deeply.. and been meditating more too. All have been super helpful, but I will seek therapy if needed for sure. Thanks for that


----------



## _Simon_ (Sep 3, 2022)

Thought I had a handle on it, incorporated alot of different things which seemed to really help, but it's back really quite bad now... have booked in to the doctors, been quite frightening. See how we go


----------



## Xue Sheng (Sep 3, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> Thought I had a handle on it, incorporated alot of different things which seemed to really help, but it's back really quite bad now... have booked in to the doctors, been quite frightening. See how we go



Sounds like it is time to see the MD, I hope all goes well, or at least you get answers that help

I have been having minor flare ups this past week, but I know what caused it and that it is time for me to be a little more careful for awhile


----------



## Steve (Sep 3, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> Thought I had a handle on it, incorporated alot of different things which seemed to really help, but it's back really quite bad now... have booked in to the doctors, been quite frightening. See how we go


Hope all goes well.


----------



## Wing Woo Gar (Sep 3, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> Thought I had a handle on it, incorporated alot of different things which seemed to really help, but it's back really quite bad now... have booked in to the doctors, been quite frightening. See how we go


Wishing you well Simon. Good luck bro.


----------



## JowGaWolf (Sep 3, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> ave booked in to the doctors, been quite frightening.


When things get to this point, it's usually not what we first think is going on.  Hopefully it's a easy and inexpensive fix.


----------



## _Simon_ (Sep 3, 2022)

Thanks so much all, much appreciated.


----------



## Argus (Sep 3, 2022)

Xue Sheng said:


> There can be different triggers, overeating just about anything is a good one, but there are others
> 
> 
> alcohol, particularly red wine
> ...



Oddly, tea doesn't affect me much, whilst coffee really affects me. I've since substituted coffee for tea...
Makes me wonder if I should try decaf coffee though. My theory is that acid is the bigger trigger for me, and tea is less acidic than coffee, whilst caffeine is largely irrelevant, but I could be wrong.
I don't know what the decaffeination process involves, though. Perhaps it makes the coffee less acidic.


----------



## _Simon_ (Sep 4, 2022)

Argus said:


> Oddly, tea doesn't affect me much, whilst coffee really affects me. I've since substituted coffee for tea...
> Makes me wonder if I should try decaf coffee though. My theory is that acid is the bigger trigger for me, and tea is less acidic than coffee, whilst caffeine is largely irrelevant, but I could be wrong.
> I don't know what the decaffeination process involves, though. Perhaps it makes the coffee less acidic.


I'm not 100% sure whether it's the particular caffeine content that affects those with reflux, but I have heard people having success with decaf, so it's worth a shot.

Also I've heard of a pinch (not sure the exact amount) of bicarb in your coffee helps people so definitely look into that, you may not have to give up coffee. (Bicarb in water is a good temporary fix for reflux that I use as it's very alkaline, so this makes sense)


----------



## Xue Sheng (Sep 4, 2022)

Argus said:


> Oddly, tea doesn't affect me much, whilst coffee really affects me. I've since substituted coffee for tea...
> Makes me wonder if I should try decaf coffee though. My theory is that acid is the bigger trigger for me, and tea is less acidic than coffee, whilst caffeine is largely irrelevant, but I could be wrong.
> I don't know what the decaffeination process involves, though. Perhaps it makes the coffee less acidic.



Caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee, no difference for me, both cause reflux. It was the trigger I was talking about, decaf coffee. However, I too can drink tea. But I am more of a tea drinker than coffee drinker

But not everyones triggers are exactly the same


----------



## _Simon_ (Sep 9, 2022)

So went to the docs, and he definitely thought reflux was occurring, but was concerned about both sides under the ribs hurting, so sent me away to get ultrasounds and blood test. Thought maybe something potentially with the gall bladder was up, which can influence reflux.

Got results back today, blood tests all clear, no vitamin deficiency, no sign of diabetes, all levels pretty normal, except strangely my cholesterol was a bit on the higher side. That really threw me quite a bit! But anyway. Ultrasound results all clear too. Liver, kidneys, aorta all looking good, gall bladder good too and no sign of any stones. So in conclusion most likely reflux! He got me started on a stronger tablet on Monday and I do feel an improvement. Still getting some pain and discomfort but still a noticeable improvement.

So there ya go. Still, the cholesterol result has thrown me haha. How could that even be.. but all in all a good result and nothing life-threatening or severe.


----------



## Gerry Seymour (Sep 9, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> So went to the docs, and he definitely thought reflux was occurring, but was concerned about both sides under the ribs hurting, so sent me away to get ultrasounds and blood test. Thought maybe something potentially with the gall bladder was up, which can influence reflux.
> 
> Got results back today, blood tests all clear, no vitamin deficiency, no sign of diabetes, all levels pretty normal, except strangely my cholesterol was a bit on the higher side. That really threw me quite a bit! But anyway. Ultrasound results all clear too. Liver, kidneys, aorta all looking good, gall bladder good too and no sign of any stones. So in conclusion most likely reflux! He got me started on a stronger tablet on Monday and I do feel an improvement. Still getting some pain and discomfort but still a noticeable improvement.
> 
> So there ya go. Still, the cholesterol result has thrown me haha. How could that even be.. but all in all a good result and nothing life-threatening or severe.


Glad nothing more serious turned up - hopefully the new meds help. Remember the pain may just take a while to come down - that tissue is probably pretty irritated. 

Out of curiosity, which cholesterol was high?


----------



## _Simon_ (Sep 9, 2022)

Gerry Seymour said:


> Glad nothing more serious turned up - hopefully the new meds help. Remember the pain may just take a while to come down - that tissue is probably pretty irritated.
> 
> Out of curiosity, which cholesterol was high?


Thanks man.

You know I really wish I'd asked! He just said the general level, but if my HDL level is higher that ain't a bad thing at all! I eat really well so it's rather puzzling, but other factors contribute to cholesterol levels too I guess.


----------



## Gerry Seymour (Sep 9, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> Thanks man.
> 
> You know I really wish I'd asked! He just said the general level, but if my HDL level is higher that ain't a bad thing at all! I eat really well so it's rather puzzling, but other factors contribute to cholesterol levels too I guess.


Yeah, and it helps you figure out what needs changing. My LDL went up when my activity level went down during Covid closures. Haven't had it tested again yet, but I suspect the new job fixed that.


----------



## Gyakuto (Sep 24, 2022)

How terribly unpleasant, I’m sorry to hear you’re suffering. 

I sometimes suffer acid reflux when I have a bit of stress and find Omeperazole works really well. I also take Gaviscon regularly through the day whether when I’m acutely suffering or not and this seems to keep it under control. I also gulp a water to wash the ‘acid foam’ that’s been refluxed into the lower part of my oesophagus. Amongst the most potent stimulators of gastric acid are milk and alcohol (just like the song!) so avoid those.

Also, avoid chilli-eating contests 😉


----------



## Jimmythebull (Sep 24, 2022)

Haven't read the whole thread but I have this too. I had heartburn a lot but the tell tale signs are also your teeth. My dentist noticed it & I had a stomach check up in Hospital with the camera. Was causing damage & I was given medication. The valve or muscle doesn't close properly. There's an operation for it too if needed. The normal advice is lose weight & diet but I've never been overweight.


----------



## Jimmythebull (Sep 24, 2022)

Might be an option


----------



## _Simon_ (Sep 24, 2022)

Gyakuto said:


> How terribly unpleasant, I’m sorry to hear you’re suffering.
> 
> I sometimes suffer acid reflux when I have a bit of stress and find Omeperazole works really well. I also take Gaviscon regularly through the day whether when I’m acutely suffering or not and this seems to keep it under control. I also gulp a water to wash the ‘acid foam’ that’s been refluxed into the lower part of my oesophagus. Amongst the most potent stimulators of gastric acid are milk and alcohol (just like the song!) so avoid those.
> 
> Also, avoid chilli-eating contests 😉


Thanks heaps. Have been on the meds for a few weeks now, I am MILES better. It's helped sooo much. Just worried what'll happen when I finish them. I preferably don't want to be reliant on them.. but see how we go.


----------



## Gyakuto (Sep 24, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> Thanks heaps. Have been on the meds for a few weeks now, I am MILES better. It's helped sooo much. Just worried what'll happen when I finish them. I preferably don't want to be reliant on them.. but see how we go.


If you have a chronic condition, it may well require you to take them long term… but what’s the problem with that? Many people take pills everyday to stay, otherwise, in tip-top condition. I take so many pills, I rattle when I walk! And the alternative to have chronic reflux/oesophagitis, like developing Barrett’s oesophagus, is best avoided (_don’t_ look it up).

Have you had a gastroscopy to see what’s going on? Do you have a hiatus hernia or history of it in your family? These are the sorts of thing your physician should have asked you.

Best of luck and keep on top of it🙏🏽


----------



## Jimmythebull (Sep 24, 2022)

Gyakuto said:


> If you have a chronic condition, it may well require you to take them long term… but what’s the problem with that? Many people take pills everyday to stay, otherwise, in tip-top condition. I take so many pills, I rattle when I walk! And the alternative to have chronic reflux/oesophagitis, like developing Barrett’s oesophagus, is best avoided (_don’t_ look it up).
> 
> Have you had a gastroscopy to see what’s going on? Do you have a hiatus hernia or history of it in your family? These are the sorts of thing your physician should have asked you.
> 
> Best of luck and keep on top of it🙏🏽


if it´s serious he can get an OP to sort it. seen a few methods on the web.


----------



## _Simon_ (Sep 24, 2022)

Gyakuto said:


> If you have a chronic condition, it may well require you to take them long term… but what’s the problem with that? Many people take pills everyday to stay, otherwise, in tip-top condition. I take so many pills, I rattle when I walk! And the alternative to have chronic reflux/oesophagitis, like developing Barrett’s oesophagus, is best avoided (_don’t_ look it up).
> 
> Have you had a gastroscopy to see what’s going on? Do you have a hiatus hernia or history of it in your family? These are the sorts of thing your physician should have asked you.
> 
> Best of luck and keep on top of it🙏🏽


Yeah for sure, I see what you're saying. I guess I like to address the root issue and not just take things to maintain symptoms of something deeper. Had a gastroscopy years ago and nothing unusual apart from reflux, haven't had one recently. I mentioned to the doc I'd heard of this hiatal hernia, but all the ultrasounds were clear so assuming nothing there. No history of it within family that I know of, just history of reflux though! But I'll keep what you said in mind for sure.

Thank you!


----------



## Bill Mattocks (Sep 27, 2022)

_Simon_ said:


> Hi all! I've had a few phases of intensely bad acid reflux (even as a baby I was hospitalised it was that bad), got it a few years back which lasted many months. Went away, and I feel like it has reemerged quite badly again now.
> 
> Just wondering if there are any other sufferers of this and what they've found to be helpful to them. I'm really looking for more natural solutions. I am in desperation trying esomeprazole 20mg tablets daily, and just reached two weeks on it. Has helped only marginally.
> 
> ...


I take prescription Omeprazole before bedtime, and if I feel I'm probably going to have an issue in my sleep, I chew a Tums as well.  Seems to help.


----------

