Anyone with Gastritis, GERD, hiatus hernia, reflux?

I just typed out a long answer and only one line posted....ugh!!

Take the Nexium 30min-1hour before dinner and see if this helps. Timing is everything with this class of medications. Gastroparesis is when the stomach becomes sluggish and does not process the food so it sits in the stomach longer causing all of the above symptoms you mentioned. Typically associated with diabetics, however I see it in otherwise healthy people as well without any certain reason. There is a test your doctor can send you for (Gastric emptying study) which can rule this out.

I can only address part of your issue. I have GERD and a hiatal hernia. I treat GERD with prilosec (currently one every 3 days is enough but I used to take one daily) The hiatal hernia is the biggest issue for me. I need to eat frequent small meals, make sure I drink plenty of water (aids digestion and the weight helps keep the stomach from sliding up through the hiatus), make sure I eat small portions of hard to digest foods (like the cruciferous veggies), and make sure I don't wear clothes that fit tightly around the waist while eating (no wearing my favorite jeans when going out to eat).

I still get regular attacks from the hernia and need to talk to my doctor about it. The pain is incredible and has many of the same symptoms as a heart attack. All I can do is lay on the bed in a fetal position taking very shallow breaths until either the food digests enough for the stomach to slide back down or I vomit up the food that is sitting in the hernia. It has sometimes taken as much as 5 hours before I feel somewhat comfortable.

My partner suffered from the same symptoms as you with a very similar diagnosis and found that cutting out garlic and onion helped him greatly. I guess everyone has different triggers but it was remarkable how much his symptoms improved once he eliminated these foods. I hope you find what works for you and start to feel better.

I drink an instant coffee that has had the acid removed: "Kava, acid neutralized". It's tasty enough compared to no coffee. Coffee is my biggest trigger now with my recent flare-up, too But the Kava works!

For my diet, I drink a lot more milk and soymilk. Smoothies are good. Bananas are less acidic than lots of fruit. Apples are fine. It's the citrus fruits that get me.

Sweet potatoes are great. If you like things like kale, cabbage and broccoli, they are great acid-wise. Tomatoes were my favorites and they do hurt, which figures, lol (but now that's getting better, too, after several weeks of higher meds).

I have no problems with low-fat cheese, either. I'm actually lactose intolerant, too, but I just chew a lactase tablet and I'm good to go there

The heavier I got, the more I struggled with GERD. Eventually I went for an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to confirm what I already knew. GERD. The Dr told me to keep taking Nexium (I had been on it about 6 months by then) and take it for the rest of my life.

Problem was, the Dr didn't take into account a genetic mutation I have (which became evident when I developed DVT in 2009) and it turns out that Nexium + that genetic mutation = all sorts of difficulties.

I went from a reasonably energetic, fairly optimistic person who loved walks to the beach and cycling ... to an unexplainably exhausted couch potato who was beginning to fight with depression. I also gained the last several kg to reach my peak weight in that time.

I couldn't figure it out ... until I started researching Nexium. But Nexium is not easy to get off. If you're reading this and thinking, "Oh well then, I'll just quit Nexium" ... don't. Do your research, talk to your Dr, and if it is recommended, go into the weening off process very, very carefully. But most importantly, your situation is likely different from mine, so this might not apply to you. However, if you've got any misgivings about Nexium, the best idea is to go to your Dr and have a good chat about it. Let me just emphasise that for anyone who might think I'm glibly telling you to go off Nexium ... if you are concerned about it, talk to your Dr about your options before you do anything.

Interestingly, as I lost weight, my GERD has diminished to a point where I'm rarely bothered by it. But I still have to do things like chewing my food very well, eating slowly, eating small portions, and sipping my beverages. I also can't do things like eat a meal and immediately upon finishing it, lean over and tie my shoe. That's a good way to get my meal back!

SLLRunner wrote: »

[*] Drink Ginger tea every day (mmmmm, good!)

Oh yes, I meant to say something about this too ... I started drinking ginger tea about a year ago, and it is lovely! Any time my stomach feels a bit unsettled or burning or whatever, I'll have a cup of ginger tea and things seem to calm down a bit. Plus it tastes good. I'm not a huge fan of black tea (too bitter for me), but the kind of ginger tea I get (a lemon ginger) is really nice.

Machka9 wrote: »

Interestingly, as I lost weight, my GERD has diminished to a point where I'm rarely bothered by it. But I still have to do things like chewing my food very well, eating slowly, eating small portions, and sipping my beverages. I also can't do things like eat a meal and immediately upon finishing it, lean over and tie my shoe. That's a good way to get my meal back!

Unfortunately, I did not suffer from severe Acid Reflux when I was heavier, but more so after I've become a healthy weight.

Something I forgot is that I now take a probiotic every day.

Don't forget to avoid overly fatty and greasy foods. This will also aggravate GERD symptoms. Take your Nexium at least 1 hour before you eat not when you're eating or as you are sitting down to eat. Eating smaller meals will help especially with you having the hiatal hernia.

Acidic foods in general should be avoided (not just tomatoes, but sour fruits, too vinegary things, etc.). The closer you are to a neutral pH for your food, the more comfortable you will feel after eating it. So any veggies except tomato is acceptable, but some fruit that may be really sour is to be avoided.

For instant relief, you can grab Tums to help while your Nexium is kicking in. Hope this info helps! Good luck!