What damage are you referring to? If it's the clamping strength of the LES, that should recover, but it does take a long time (months). Be sure to never sleep (or lie, for that matter) on your right side, because that places part of the stomach above the LES, which will allow reflux if the LES is not tightly clinched.Martha wrote:I have read once the damage is done it's not reversible....
It sounds as though your upper GI tract is in very good physical condition.
When taking antacids remember that the higher the pH of the stomach contents (IOW, the less acidic), the lower the clinching strength of the LES. The lower the pH (the more acidic), the tighter the LES clinches, to prevent reflux. The bottom line is that it takes strong gastric acid to ensure maximum LES clinching strength. Another way of looking at this is to consider that the more acidic the stomach contents, the harder the LES is programed to work, to prevent reflux.
Physicians prescribe PPIs, H2 blockers, and other antacids to treat reflux, but the reality is that using those treatments weakens the clinching strength of the LES, thus increasing the chances of reflux. Their theory of course is that if the pH is high enough, then reflux will not cause any significant damage to the mucosal tissue of the esophagus. But that just prolongs/worsens the likelihood that reflux will occur.
The trick is to do all the things that help to minimize the risk of reflux, and as soon as possible slowly wean off the antacids, to allow the LES to build up it's strength.
That's wonderful news that you're not actually allergic to shellfish or soy (hopefully the blood tests are reliable). I agree that should be an interesting challenge. I hope it goes well, and it verifies that the test results were correct.
Tex
