Heartburn/Acid Reflux?

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bcmlam1001
bcmlam1001 Posts: 118 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone else have this problem? I am on the lowest end of my weight range and know it isn't related to being overweight. I had it as a child really bad and now in the past year it has came back and it's worse than it EVER was! I get it so bad that it feels like briars just sitting in my chest scratching my insides out, it wakes me up at night, makes me short of breath and seems to affect my asthma also. I tried OTC pepsid and it worked then my husband suggested prilosec (spelling?) the kind you take for 14 days at a time. It didn't help at all and the bottle said it can take 4 days to get into your system and work, well after 4 days there was only a little over a week left on them and after a week I just went back to my regular OTC pepsids and upped it to the 20mg instead of 10mg that I had before. I have tried cutting out different foods and playing around with it just to see if it is certain things that cause it. It's gotten to where at times I can't tell if it is my asthma or the reflux and sometimes I feel like i get pressure in my chest when I am eating and feel like everything is trying to come up instead of going down. It is frustrating and I really am trying to avoid going to the doctor because it is such an annoying process. I am about at my wits end with it because it is daily. It even makes me hoarse and scratchy in the voice. Does anyone else deal with this? And have you found anything out that has helped you? If you have please let me know...any advice is welcome!!! Oh, and I have even wondered if it is food allergies? I have psorisis and eczema also and need to be allergy tested my dermatologist had told me before.
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Replies

  • lorcart
    lorcart Posts: 406 Member
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    I would highly suggest seeing a doctor about it if it's that bad.
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
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    I have reflux, no reason for it, I just have it and also had some of the symptoms you do. I however went to a doctor and take a prescription that helps. It's your choice to see a doctor but untreated reflux can have some pretty serious consequences to your health. Good luck!
  • LowcarbNY
    LowcarbNY Posts: 546 Member
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    I have heartburn all the time when I'm not Low Carb. When I am Low Carb I don't have heartburn.
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
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    i've been dealing with something similar non-stop for over a year now. hoarseness still hasn't gone away.

    you probably don't have regular reflux. you most likely have either GERD (gastroesophageal reflux) or LPR (laryngealpharyngeal reflux)

    I have LPR. Basically it's acid vapors that get into your larynx and burn it to the point that it gets swollen and red and makes you hoarse. This can cause a plethora of other problems like lump in throat, post nasal drip, burning, tight sensation in the throat.

    Everyone gets acid reflux to a certain degree, it just happens more often or more significantly in some people than others. When an instance of LPR takes place and burns the larynx, it makes it more susceptible and vulnerable to the regular amounts of reflux that every normal person has, thus creating a viscous cycle.

    I'd be glad to give you more information, but it's important you get to an ENT who specializes in Otolaryngology ASAP. But the other tricky thing... most ENT's will just prescribe more PPI's like prilosec... and those have been proven to be useless to treat LPR.

    If it's GERD (which sounds more likely because of the pain in your chest), you may have better luck. Unfortunately that will take an ENT visit AND a GI visit to compare notes.
  • cuterbee
    cuterbee Posts: 545
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    Go see your doctor; untreated reflux is very bad for you!

    I used to have reflux. I don't have it now; I followed my doctor's advice:*

    I quit drinking soft drinks.
    I quit eating chocolate.
    I quit taking in caffeine after 4 pm.

    I think the major help for this was quitting soft drinks (if I have one now, it's 8 oz or less and it's before 1pm...I've maybe had one in the past month). Quitting chocolate also made a difference, though I can sometimes have things with a little chocolate flavoring to them as long as I keep my portions small and don't have it too often.

    *She says I'm the second person she's had in her 10 year practice who actually followed her advice.
  • BonaFideUK
    BonaFideUK Posts: 313 Member
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    I have it. I went to the doctor and had it examined with a telescopic camera, painful. Anyway, mine is quite minor and I control it with OTC antacid tablets. Just keep them in my pocket and if I ever get heart burn I take one. Easy way to control it for me. My advice is just to go to the doctor and get the severity of your GERD examined. If it goes untreated it can lead to throat cancer.
  • bcmlam1001
    bcmlam1001 Posts: 118 Member
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    I only drink diet coke about once a week (if that) water the other 99.999% of the time, I rarely eat chocolate because it is not my favorite, and I have cut my coffee consumption back to one little 6oz cup when I get to work just to give me a pep and get me going. I have tried alot of other things to (including low carb and low sugar). I even read online that the gassy vapors that rise are also breathed into the lungs causing asthmatic symptoms just like the burn the larynx. I wake up in the mornings hoarse for no apparent reason, other than I assume from the reflux at night. I am going to give it another month or so then more than likely see a doctor, I just dread doing that. But is is VERY frustrating

    Edit: At times I can get a COLD COLD COLD glass of water and drink it and it will feel better for a little while as the cold coats everything then it comes back when my body temps warm it up then the heat comes back :sad:
  • angelbabyskies
    angelbabyskies Posts: 17
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    I had similar issues except I was also very nauseous all the time. I went to the doctor and first was treated for acid reflux and it didn't help the pain at all. Then I tested positive for H. Pylori & now I feel better after 2 weeks of treatment. So, basically, your probably going to have to see a doctor if nothing seems to work. Cutting out coffee really helped me. Good luck.
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
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    I only drink diet coke about once a week (if that) water the other 99.999% of the time, I rarely eat chocolate because it is not my favorite, and I have cut my coffee consumption back to one little 6oz cup when I get to work just to give me a pep and get me going. I have tried alot of other things to (including low carb and low sugar). I even read online that the gassy vapors that rise are also breathed into the lungs causing asthmatic symptoms just like the burn the larynx. I wake up in the mornings hoarse for no apparent reason, other than I assume from the reflux at night. I am going to give it another month or so then more than likely see a doctor, I just dread doing that. But is is VERY frustrating

    Edit: At times I can get a COLD COLD COLD glass of water and drink it and it will feel better for a little while as the cold coats everything then it comes back when my body temps warm it up then the heat comes back :sad:

    if you're waking up with it, that means you're refluxing at night. you may need to put some books under the frame of your bed to prop your head up (anywhere from 4 to 12 inches) and sleeping on your left side will help too because it's harder for the stomach contents to come back up the esophagus that way.

    generally the cause of all this is a loosening of the Lower Esophageal Sphincter and/or the Upper Esophageal Sphincter. Certain foods cause it to relax, like coffee, chocolate, mint and fried foods. Acidic foods lower the pH level in your stomach making reflux events more likely.

    Check out the book "Dropping Acid" by Dr. Jamie Kaufman, the leading expert in LPR. It's a low-acid diet that has been proven to lower symptoms in a large number of her patients. She's the best doctor in the industry on this condition.
  • bcmlam1001
    bcmlam1001 Posts: 118 Member
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    I only drink diet coke about once a week (if that) water the other 99.999% of the time, I rarely eat chocolate because it is not my favorite, and I have cut my coffee consumption back to one little 6oz cup when I get to work just to give me a pep and get me going. I have tried alot of other things to (including low carb and low sugar). I even read online that the gassy vapors that rise are also breathed into the lungs causing asthmatic symptoms just like the burn the larynx. I wake up in the mornings hoarse for no apparent reason, other than I assume from the reflux at night. I am going to give it another month or so then more than likely see a doctor, I just dread doing that. But is is VERY frustrating

    Edit: At times I can get a COLD COLD COLD glass of water and drink it and it will feel better for a little while as the cold coats everything then it comes back when my body temps warm it up then the heat comes back :sad:

    if you're waking up with it, that means you're refluxing at night. you may need to put some books under the frame of your bed to prop your head up (anywhere from 4 to 12 inches) and sleeping on your left side will help too because it's harder for the stomach contents to come back up the esophagus that way.

    generally the cause of all this is a loosening of the Lower Esophageal Sphincter and/or the Upper Esophageal Sphincter. Certain foods cause it to relax, like coffee, chocolate, mint and fried foods. Acidic foods lower the pH level in your stomach making reflux events more likely.

    Check out the book "Dropping Acid" by Dr. Jamie Kaufman, the leading expert in LPR. It's a low-acid diet that has been proven to lower symptoms in a large number of her patients. She's the best doctor in the industry on this condition.


    I will check that out! Thanks. I have tried propping on pillows but might have to try the bed thing as crazy as someone might think I am but I am at the point to do anything! I just ate a bowl of cereal since that is very light at 530 last night for dinner and so was completely digested by bedtime and I slept better than I have in a while along with taking adid meds. But I can't have cereal everynight you know? Or at least I don't want to.
  • ilivepaleo
    ilivepaleo Posts: 7
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    Put all wheat products out of your diet. Read a book called "Wheat Belly" by Dr. William Davis. Doctor Davis addresses this problem and how putting wheat out will solve it.
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
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    I only drink diet coke about once a week (if that) water the other 99.999% of the time, I rarely eat chocolate because it is not my favorite, and I have cut my coffee consumption back to one little 6oz cup when I get to work just to give me a pep and get me going. I have tried alot of other things to (including low carb and low sugar). I even read online that the gassy vapors that rise are also breathed into the lungs causing asthmatic symptoms just like the burn the larynx. I wake up in the mornings hoarse for no apparent reason, other than I assume from the reflux at night. I am going to give it another month or so then more than likely see a doctor, I just dread doing that. But is is VERY frustrating

    Edit: At times I can get a COLD COLD COLD glass of water and drink it and it will feel better for a little while as the cold coats everything then it comes back when my body temps warm it up then the heat comes back :sad:

    if you're waking up with it, that means you're refluxing at night. you may need to put some books under the frame of your bed to prop your head up (anywhere from 4 to 12 inches) and sleeping on your left side will help too because it's harder for the stomach contents to come back up the esophagus that way.

    generally the cause of all this is a loosening of the Lower Esophageal Sphincter and/or the Upper Esophageal Sphincter. Certain foods cause it to relax, like coffee, chocolate, mint and fried foods. Acidic foods lower the pH level in your stomach making reflux events more likely.

    Check out the book "Dropping Acid" by Dr. Jamie Kaufman, the leading expert in LPR. It's a low-acid diet that has been proven to lower symptoms in a large number of her patients. She's the best doctor in the industry on this condition.


    I will check that out! Thanks. I have tried propping on pillows but might have to try the bed thing as crazy as someone might think I am but I am at the point to do anything! I just ate a bowl of cereal since that is very light at 530 last night for dinner and so was completely digested by bedtime and I slept better than I have in a while along with taking adid meds. But I can't have cereal everynight you know? Or at least I don't want to.

    Yeah, i hear ya. As long as you stop eating 3 or 4 hours before bed you should have fewer symptoms as well. Adding pillows can actually make the issue worse, because it creates a weird angle in your body that - for some reason, I'm not a doctor - increases the odds of a reflux episode. That's why they suggest raising the bed from the bottom, so your body stays aligned.

    GOOD LUCK! Let us know how things progress.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,306 Member
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    for me and my husband it is always linked to our diet. When we eat healthy it goes away. It must be something tied to how you're eating.
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
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    for me and my husband it is always linked to our diet. When we eat healthy it goes away. It must be something tied to how you're eating.

    in a lot of people, yes, but not always. i've been fighting this for over a year, and i last week I was having it really bad, and I said "you know what, screw this, I'm not going to let this run my life"

    On thursday I stopped doing my morning regimen of gargling, neti pot, steaming, taking meds, eating incredibly meticulous all the time, generally freaking out about it constantly.

    That evening I went out with a friend to see a band play, drank, ate bad food late at night, did all the things you're NOT supposed to do while having this condition... what happened? Nothing. In fact, since that moment when I decided to stop letting it control me, my symptoms have dropped dramatically.

    So while YES - for many people changing your diet CAN help, PPI's CAN help, antacids CAN help. But if they don't. If those things don't make a noticeable difference, then your next culprit is probably stress. Meditation, Alexander technique, learning not to overconsider anything. All of these things can help. Oddly enough. The human body is so incredibly psycho-physical. Everything is intertwined between mind and body. It's pretty incredible.
  • bcmlam1001
    bcmlam1001 Posts: 118 Member
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    for me and my husband it is always linked to our diet. When we eat healthy it goes away. It must be something tied to how you're eating.

    in a lot of people, yes, but not always. i've been fighting this for over a year, and i last week I was having it really bad, and I said "you know what, screw this, I'm not going to let this run my life"

    On thursday I stopped doing my morning regimen of gargling, neti pot, steaming, taking meds, eating incredibly meticulous all the time, generally freaking out about it constantly.

    That evening I went out with a friend to see a band play, drank, ate bad food late at night, did all the things you're NOT supposed to do while having this condition... what happened? Nothing. In fact, since that moment when I decided to stop letting it control me, my symptoms have dropped dramatically.

    So while YES - for many people changing your diet CAN help, PPI's CAN help, antacids CAN help. But if they don't. If those things don't make a noticeable difference, then your next culprit is probably stress. Meditation, Alexander technique, learning not to overconsider anything. All of these things can help. Oddly enough. The human body is so incredibly psycho-physical. Everything is intertwined between mind and body. It's pretty incredible.


    I am going to concur with you on this one! You won't believe how I FREAK OUT all the time about it. I wake up in the night, and with what I assume is the acids and everything else backing up in my esophagus, it will feel like my heart is fluttering. This tends to set off anxiety, sweating feet and hands, heart racing, and it it takes me an hour to go back to sleep. The odd thing is with me to that when I get out and about and I am doing something that takes my mind off from it, it will be a few hours and I will realize I haven't even noticed it. So YES, I think it ups my stress levels and makes it worse! Thanks SOOOO much for all your understanding on this topic. Along with everyone else's suggesting to of course. I actually took a 20mg and 10mg reflux tablet before bed last night it was so bad but once it kicked in it felt alot better and I had dinner at 530 again last night and I had 1 chicken strip and rice and gravy, but once again I believe the eating early helped. It gets so bad at times that I just have to tell myself, "well if I die, I die and it's my time to go and there is nothign I can do about it" my anxiety get thats bad over it! Geez it's amazing how such issues can freak you out and make you a basket case! But I am going to stop letting it rule and run me to! Thanks!
  • wmphimu
    wmphimu Posts: 77 Member
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    I have this problem too. Talk to your doctor - there is a lot of research out there about acid reflux and asthma being related. My asthma specialist says that she almost always treats patients for both - that they are not really sure if asthma causes reflux or the other way around, but they are connected. I always get a flare up of one when the other flares. Like, I had bronchitis last month and the reflux was miserable. I take maintenance meds for both - Singulair and Nexium - and on a day to day basis, that keeps both under control.
  • lindseym18
    lindseym18 Posts: 48
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    I also have acid reflux along with terrible migraines as a side effect. I would definitely recommend seeing a doctor for professional help, as these are just my two cents and what works for me. I cannot guarantee that it will work for you, but this is what I have found. Every day, I take a prescription (generic omeprazole), twice a day. I take it 30 minutes before breakfast, and 30 minutes before dinner. I believe the brand name for my prescription is nexium, but I could be mistaken. That definitely has helped me, along with drinking tons of water and trying to avoid spicy/acidic foods. Yes, I still eat them but not an excessive amount. That part is not very difficult for me, with my diet. I also have found sleeping on my back definitely helps. When I sleep on my side, I notice my acid reflux is much worse that next day. Best of luck to you! And definitely go see a doctor, as they can help you much more than I am able to.
  • caughey1
    caughey1 Posts: 18
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    my son has this as well started when he was little it got so bad that he was vomiting.He is now in his late twenties and he has found that if he has any dairy products it comes back and he is always really sick. So now he doesn't have any dairy products.
    When he was younger I took him to the doctor and he was given losec and it worked you really need to see a Doctor.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    I went to a doctor about mine back in 2003. I was told that mine was caused by my diet. Mostly for me it was probably fats and certain types of yeast and sugar carbs that caused it (think Krispy Kreme donuts, which are all the above). It is what set me off and caused my problems. I reduced the fats in my diet, don't eat certain types of yeast foods very often, and never mix them with beer. My beer consumption is generally when I am not eating because the yeast reacts with high-fat, high carb foods, and I'm a mess afterwards.

    But digestive problems are different for everyone. Some are triggered by meats, some by glutens, some by fats. You really should see a doctor and find out what is causing yours.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    for me and my husband it is always linked to our diet. When we eat healthy it goes away. It must be something tied to how you're eating.

    This is me ... totally. My heartburn will go away when I eat right & my weight is down. I have to chose .... caffiene OR chocolate ... not both. Not eating before bed, and not eating high fat foods has helped.

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