Question: Dieting & weight loss while having GERD

samanthajade124

So I know there are a few other posts regarding dieting and weight loss while having GERD. I’m 22 and I have had it for the last 7 years. I took literally every over the counter antacid I could get my hands on (safely of course), and none of them worked. Then I was put on Nexium. I was told not to expect instant relief that it took a few months to work. I was on it for 2 years and it barely did anything for me. My doctor said I would eventually need to have a surgery to detach the esophagus from the stomach and wrap the esophagus around the top portion of the new stomach to create a new valve that functions properly and blocks out the acid from coming back up. That's a lot of money that I don't have, and is a last resort for me.

I know a lot of people say “Oh you just need to lose the weight and there’s a good chance it will go away.” This is not the case as it started when I was 150-160lbs (my goal weight). Yes, maybe losing my weight will take some pressure off the area and reduce it slightly. But it will not eliminate the problem. Currently, I go through a full bottle of tums every week just to take the edge off. (talk about a calcium overload)

There are a lot of triggers that cause the stomach acid to go haywire… but I seem to be in the 1-2% of GERD sufferers who are affected by a LOT more than just the “common” ones. Foods that "normally" make GERD act up include: some meats, fatty foods, oily foods, and sweets, fruits, vegetables, juice, Liquor, wine, coffee, tea, grains, and dairy.

I’ve had issues with almost EVERY food at least a few times. It seems there are no “safe” foods for me. I’m taking a risk with everything I eat. They say poultry, bananas, oatmeal, yogurt, fish, vegetables, etc are supposed to be great for people like us because of the pH levels. To be honest….those things actually seem to make me sick more often than other foods. I don’t know why.

I’ve been eating smaller meals for the last few years after I found out having a full stomach is never good for people with GERD, and it seems to have reduced it a bit. I'd say I only get sick 1-2 times per day as it was anywhere from 4-6 times a day at the worst point. But you’re not supposed to have coffee, tea, sugary drinks, and anything carbonated. Not really an issue for me since I enjoy drinking water. I guess another thing that’s been suggested to help is not drinking anything 1-2 hours before or after eating…. But since I’m eating every 2 hours during the workday that is absolutely NOT possible.


Does anyone else have issues with this? If you have any suggestions it would be much appreciated.

TimeForMe99

If you currently have weight to lose it can help. As little as 20 pounds can take off the pressure from your stomach. I'm sure you already avoid tight clothing. Mint, including the flavoring in minty Tums can cause reflux as it relaxes the stomach opening.

Have you had an endoscopy? It's possible you are suffering from a hiatal hernia or other issue that can be resolved surgically.

My GERD was caused by a hiatal hernia I earned after carrying my daughter. At one time I found that a vegetarian diet kept the GERD under control. Then we tried some new meds and it's largely resolved. Still can't drink coffee though.

I'm sure your doctor has told you that you are at risk for developing Barret's Esophagus, a pre-cancerouse condition, if the GERD continues. While surgery is expensive and time-consuming it can also be lifesaving. There are also some new treatments that involve removing some of the stomach lining with a laser to reduce the acid production. This is performed as an out-patient but you do need to be very careful with diet afterwards.

CoachReddy

PPIs are the one of the worst treatments to any condition medical science has come up with. I know that sounds inflammatory, but consider this logic for a second.

Doctors assume that reflux is caused by TOO MUCH acid in your stomach, so they turn it off with PPIs.

What? The PPIs don't seem to be working very well? Here's why.

PPI's lower the amount of acid in your stomach. Due to the less acidic environment in the stomach, the LES doesn't know to close correctly, because it's designed to close when the pH of the stomach drops to a certain level. If the stomach pH doesn't get low enough, it doesn't close, and you get reflux.

Even worse, your food stops getting broken down in the stomach, so it goes to the small intestines in particles too big to be easily assimilated, so you end up not just suffering from reflux, but also becoming malnourished, which can EXACERBATE symptoms. The real reason for reflux? TOO LITTLE stomach acid.

PPI's will never cure you of GERD. The only thing that will is restoring your proper stomach function. How do you do that? Well this book written by Dr. Jonathan Wright breaks it all down. It's simple, and it's much cheaper, less dangerous, and more effective than invasive surgery. Just supplement with HCl, digestive enzymes and probiotics - all of which will help regulate and fix your stomach.

Do NOT consider surgery until you've tried to treat it naturally. I promise you, read this book and it will save your life.

http://www.amazon.com/Why-Stomach-Acid-Good-You/dp/0871319314

How do I know? Because it completely saved mine. I was dealing with LPR, a version of GERD where the reflux reaches all the way to the throat and larynx. Did PPIs for over a year to no improvement. Read this book, adopted the methods he describes, and within two months my voice was back to normal and I can now eat whatever I want. I still take digestive enzymes with meals, but I'll take that any day of the week over PPIs and dealing with the horrible effects of reflux.