Acid Reflux (GERD)

[Issy]

Does anyone here have issues with acid reflux?
I have had problems on and off for at least the past five years with GERD, but it has become more of an issue for me just within the past year and a half.
I was wondering if there is some connection between it and MC.

[mbeezie]

A recent study done at UT Southwestern showed a relationship with inflammatory mediators/food intolerance and GERD. You may have a food intolerance you are not aware of. Just like with MC, the traditional diets given by doctors may not be helpful because it may not capture your particular intolerance. Try to keep a food log to see if you can track a pattern. For me, any sort of soy triggers bad GERD and I never saw that restriction on any diet list.

Mary Beth

[Mars]

Yes, I have GERD and have suffered with it for about ...............forever................

I was taking Nexium but have recently changed to Prevecid. Neither is very good with MC since side effects include loose stool/stomach cramps/pain.

Hugs,
Mars

[tex]

I have the problem if I eat the wrong type of food at night, (something that doesn't digest properly or promptly), or I eat too late, or too much, and then I lay on my right side, (which elevates part of the stomach above the lower esophageal sphincter, and thereby provides an ideal setup for an accident waiting to happen.

Tex

[ant]

Yes,

I had for years (before Dx MC). Especially when eating late at night and then laying down (same as Tex). Particularly after diary (e.g cheese or cream). I was Dx with hiatus hernia years ago. Since the diet I have not had reflux.

All Best, Ant

[Stanz]

My youngest daughter had horrible problems with what she thought was acid reflux, spent an enormous amt. of $ on OTC meds. She even found a doctor who recommended she have some sort of surgical procedure to "correct" it - at which time Mom stepped in. I had been encouraging her to try the simple test of taking a Tbsp. of apple cider vinegar. The symptoms of too much alkaline are the same as too much acid. If you do not react to the vinegar negatively, then you do not have too much acid - you are too alkaline.

She finally agreed to do it and had an immediate end to her "acid reflux". She takes a tsp. of vinegar every morning and has had no problems now for over 7 years. It's worth a shot, IMO.

[Pat]

If I eat dairy I get reflux.

Pat

[Issy]

Thanks for all the comments guys......I appreciate all the advice.

Lately my problems with reflux have become more frequent and painful. I have been tested with ultrasound for several things (by GI) and had my heart checked.....and that is ok.

I have learned over the years to not eat lots of foods.....spicy, chocolate, and now I am giving up dairy too.

I think I am probably too acid..... because of my LC I don't eat as many veggies as I used to. I had heard that taking apple cider vinegar is the fastest way to become more alkaline.

I want to try it, but am afraid it will cause massive heartburn.


Stanz....what did you mean by reacting negatively?

Issy

[Stanz]

Issy,

Reacting negatively would mean that whatever symptoms you are having would get worse by taking vinegar. There is endless information on this on the internet and the reality is that most people with what they believe are the symptoms of acid reflux are just too scared to try it because they are already miserable, but a large number of people find they are alkaline and you can bet that your doctors would never recommend this test - don't even get me started on why.

When my daughter finally tried it she felt better immediately and this was after over a YEAR of me asking her to try it. She lives in LA and I live in Portland and she will be here next Monday w/her new baby. When she is here I am determined to get her tested via Enterolab for the full spectrum of tests. Her older sister hasn't been tested, but has all the symptoms of pre-MC and has been on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, with great success for over a year. She is a med school student and had been encouraging me for a LONG time to go GF, which I finally did 3 mos. before my colonoscopy and dx w/MC (both types) and my subsequent genetic tests from Enterolab of gluten sensitivity.

Being the youngest of 10 kids (7 living) I am the only child in my family to be tested, although the family history of digestive illness goes back at least 3 generations. My older daughters son has many indicators of GS, her daughter instinctively avoids foods that contain gluten. If my younger daughter, who has had Acid reflux, joint issues, depression, etc., tests positive for GS, then MAYBE my family will take it seriously. It truly blows one's mind that they can overlook the massive evidence w/in their own families of bowel problems, schizophrenia, etc. just because they cannot imagine giving up grains.

I guess I was there with them at some point, but having been GF now for 7 months, the very thought of eating anything w/gluten is just beyond imagining and I am a caterer. I handle breads all day, I bake cookies and rolls and muffins for my job. I am not tempted.

[tex]

Connie is quite correct, of course. When a patient goes to a doctor, complaining of heartburn, acid indigestion, or reflux, most doctors automatically reach for the prescription pad, and they write out a prescription for an antacid, PPI, etc. I'm not sure if it's a placebo effect, or what is going on, but apparently many patients seem to feel that it helps, (at least for a while), though it rarely seems to completely resolve the problem. The reality is, though, those doctors usually have it bass-ackwards, unless they actually test the pH levels present in the patient's stomach. Most patients do not have too much acid, rather, they have too little.

Indigestion, or heartburn, is usually a result of incomplete digestion, which is due to inadequate stomach acidity, (not too much acidity). Additionally, research shows that the robustness of the "seal" provided by the Lower Esophageal Sphincter, (LES), depends on the pH of the acid behind it. IOW, when the pH is lower, (that is, the stomach is more acidic), the LES holds more tightly, and as the pH increases, (IOW, as the stomach becomes less acidic), the LES tends to relax it's clamping pressure, thus allowing the possibility of an increased risk of reflux.

Sure, if reflux occurs, acid at a pH of 3 or 4 will burn the esophagus, and the assumption will be that the stomach is too acidic. However, in most cases, if the pH is maintained at a level of 1, or slightly over, (which is extremely acidic), or as close to it as possible, the LES will never open sufficiently to allow any reflux to occur, under normal conditions. The stomach is designed to operate with extremely low pH levels, and so is the LES. When antacids enter the picture, all bets are off, because the stomach just tries to create more acid, to counteract those "foreign" chemicals, and digestion suffers, in the process. Of course, the PPIs directly affect the capability of the stomach to produce sufficient acid, so they really throw a monkey wrench into the works. (Plus, they are a known trigger for MC, for many people).

Tex

[Stanz]

Yeah, what Tex said. You really should have been a doctor. I wasn't kidding when I said that my daughter actually had a doctor who wanted to do surgery to fix this. Truly astonishing how little care some doctors actually have for their patients.

[Issy]

Connie and Tex,
Thanks a million for all the information about ACV. I thought that perhaps the fact that I don't eat much veggies and fruits (as I should due to LC) that my body had become too acidic.
I didn't know that being too alkaline can cause it as well. I recall reading that most people have too much acid in their blood due to eating a high protein and carb diet.

Connie I did a quick search on ACV and read on one site that you should add the ACV it too water and drink it.....is that what your daughter did?
Also, does your daughter use a particular brand? I have in my pantry a bottle of Heinz ACV and it has 5% acidity. Is that too low?

Tex, you are a walking encyclopedia! Thank you very much for the info about LES. I never fail to learn something new on this forum.

For the past few months I have been taking a PPI (OTC Prevacid 24) without complete success, so now I'm taking Prevacid24 plus an anti-spasm med, and Zantac.
I don't want to do this indefinitely, but when an attack comes on I have no choice but to take these products......I think I would even walk on hot coals if it would give me relief.

I know what it's like to have LC pain, but this GERD is just about as bad as it gets. Sometimes the pain is so bad it feels like I'm having a heart attack (I've never had one) or least what I would think it feels like to have one.

I have had my heart, gallbladder, liver, kidney, pancreas ultrasound and everything is fine, but my GI wants to do an Endoscopy (which I already had done 3 years ago with no sign of damage) and if I don't have to go through that again I would rather not.

***Just a little note too all females who read this: persistent indigestion can also be a symptom of ovarian cancer. So any female who has problems with indigestion, bloating and flatulence don't put off getting your ovaries ultrasound. I am having that done next week.

In the meantime I am going to try the ACV and hopefully it will help. I will let you know

Well guys, thanks again for taking the time to share your knowledge,

Issy
PS.......Tex.....make sure you are getting plenty of rest!

[Issy]

Mary Beth, Ant, Mars, Pat,

Thanks to you too......I should have proof-read before I sent my previous post......I sincerely appreciate all your replies and didn't mean to leave anyone's name off the last reply I wrote.

Issy

[Stanz]

Issy,

Yes, my daughter adds it to a glass of water. After some experimentation her favorite is Trader Joe's Organic Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar. but if you don't have a TJ's near you, I imagine any ACV would be just fine.

As a caterer you might well imagine that I hear daily about people's food issues. GERD/Acid Reflux is a major issue for a lot of people, we live in a stressful world. I have advised numerous people over the years about this and while I don't imagine that all of them actually emailed me about their results with ACV, I can say that I have NEVER gotten an email saying it didn't work, but have gotten lots of emails that it did and I always ask them to let me know.

I shudder to think of the $ spent on Prevacid and Zantac that my daughter and others spent needlessly. She had actually scheduled the surgery to "fix her stomach" because she was desperate and had the insurance before I insisted she self-test. Frikkin' doctors.

Please let us know if this helps.

Connie/Stanz

[tex]

You really should have been a doctor.

No way. I'd be depressed all the time. Doctors are criticized mercilessly, here.

Frikkin' doctors

Tex