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Acid reflux tips
k1ngkev1n1
Posts: 11 Member
I love hot sauce, spices, acidic fruits etc... So what are some tips to deal with acid reflux/ gerd? I have started to eat a lot healthier but a lot of times I add hot sauce for a kick to meals. Is that generally ok. ?
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Replies
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Weight loss has really helped my reflux/gerd, but the best thing is Omeprazole. I used to be triggered by spicy foods, tomato-based products, soda, etc., but I no longer have to limit any of those things because of medication.0
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DH uses Prilosec but that bothers his stomach too.0
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I think it probably depends on the person and if your esophagus is currently irritated. Before I came to MFP, I was having regular reflux issues, and like you, the things I liked best were things I wasn't supposed to have! Once the active irritation calmed down, I found it was more important for me not to eat within a few hours of bedtime than to avoid certain foods (though when the tomato harvest in the summer came around, I always ended up with problems). Now that I've lost a considerable amount of weight, it pretty much isn't an issue. I can basically eat what I want (though I'm not overeating anymore, which probably makes a difference), and can even having an evening snack now and then if I want.0
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MostlyWater wrote: »DH uses Prilosec but that bothers his stomach too.
That's omeprazole. I feel for your DH. It's been my savior. I'm on a daily double dose (underlying medical condition) and don't know what I would do without it. Eat bland food, I guess.0 -
amyrebeccah wrote: »k1ngkev1n1 wrote: »I love hot sauce, spices, acidic fruits etc... So what are some tips to deal with acid reflux/ gerd? I have started to eat a lot healthier but a lot of times I add hot sauce for a kick to meals. Is that generally ok. ?
Different things for different people, some people react more to fat, some to acid, some to spice. Meal timing can matter as well, so you may tolerate all the GERD triggers better for lunch, say, and have a smaller blander dinner. Have you been to a doctor?
This^
My list of trigger foods may look different from yours.
Low acid fruits: bananas, raspberries, melon, pears, Fuji & Gala apples
Barbeque sauce and ketchup - I have a horrible time. I can't imagine I would do too well with hot sauce. Garlicy, or oniony tomato sauce isn't the best. If I have pizza, I dab off as much fat as possible.
I have a modest amount of fat in my meals.
The only sodas that work for me are A&W Rootbeer and 7UP (to a lesser extent).
I keep chocolate to a minimum.
Keep a log to try to narrow things down a bit. Wear loose clothing. Don't eat a few hours before bed. Raise the head of your bed if possible.0 -
amyrebeccah wrote: »k1ngkev1n1 wrote: »I love hot sauce, spices, acidic fruits etc... So what are some tips to deal with acid reflux/ gerd? I have started to eat a lot healthier but a lot of times I add hot sauce for a kick to meals. Is that generally ok. ?
Different things for different people, some people react more to fat, some to acid, some to spice. Meal timing can matter as well, so you may tolerate all the GERD triggers better for lunch, say, and have a smaller blander dinner. Have you been to a doctor?
I have been once a while ago recommended no fried foods and gave me a antacid prescription.0 -
tincanonastring wrote: »Weight loss has really helped my reflux/gerd, but the best thing is Omeprazole. I used to be triggered by spicy foods, tomato-based products, soda, etc., but I no longer have to limit any of those things because of medication.
So you have to take that medication for life now?0 -
amyrebeccah wrote: »k1ngkev1n1 wrote: »I love hot sauce, spices, acidic fruits etc... So what are some tips to deal with acid reflux/ gerd? I have started to eat a lot healthier but a lot of times I add hot sauce for a kick to meals. Is that generally ok. ?
Different things for different people, some people react more to fat, some to acid, some to spice. Meal timing can matter as well, so you may tolerate all the GERD triggers better for lunch, say, and have a smaller blander dinner. Have you been to a doctor?
That's what I try to do- have my tomato-based sauces, chili, whatever for lunch instead of closer to bedtime. Also, in regards to @tincanonastring 's comment about Omeprazole. I took that for a long time and it helped somewhat, but eventually (I believe) I felt like it was creating other issues. That's actually what brought me to MFP! I was irritated with the Prilosec commercials that basically were saying, "Why change the way you eat when you can just take a pill?" For me, I'd rather change the way I eat and avoid the meds.0 -
I think it probably depends on the person and if your esophagus is currently irritated. Before I came to MFP, I was having regular reflux issues, and like you, the things I liked best were things I wasn't supposed to have! Once the active irritation calmed down, I found it was more important for me not to eat within a few hours of bedtime than to avoid certain foods (though when the tomato harvest in the summer came around, I always ended up with problems). Now that I've lost a considerable amount of weight, it pretty much isn't an issue. I can basically eat what I want (though I'm not overeating anymore, which probably makes a difference), and can even having an evening snack now and then if I want.
How much time before bed for your last meal/snack do you think is good? 3 hrs?0 -
k1ngkev1n1 wrote: »tincanonastring wrote: »Weight loss has really helped my reflux/gerd, but the best thing is Omeprazole. I used to be triggered by spicy foods, tomato-based products, soda, etc., but I no longer have to limit any of those things because of medication.
So you have to take that medication for life now?
Unless they come up with a better one! I have systemic mastocytosis, which is a chronic condition. A symptom of masto is reflux, so I'm basically stuck with it.I was irritated with the Prilosec commercials that basically were saying, "Why change the way you eat when you can just take a pill?" For me, I'd rather change the way I eat and avoid the meds.
Lol. I'm the exact opposite. I'd rather take the pill than change what I eat.
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tincanonastring wrote: »MostlyWater wrote: »DH uses Prilosec but that bothers his stomach too.
That's omeprazole. I feel for your DH. It's been my savior. I'm on a daily double dose (underlying medical condition) and don't know what I would do without it. Eat bland food, I guess.
I didn't see this before my last comment. Obviously some may have medical conditions that absolutely require meds or may want to be able to eat how they want.0 -
k1ngkev1n1 wrote: »I think it probably depends on the person and if your esophagus is currently irritated. Before I came to MFP, I was having regular reflux issues, and like you, the things I liked best were things I wasn't supposed to have! Once the active irritation calmed down, I found it was more important for me not to eat within a few hours of bedtime than to avoid certain foods (though when the tomato harvest in the summer came around, I always ended up with problems). Now that I've lost a considerable amount of weight, it pretty much isn't an issue. I can basically eat what I want (though I'm not overeating anymore, which probably makes a difference), and can even having an evening snack now and then if I want.
How much time before bed for your last meal/snack do you think is good? 3 hrs?
Yeah, I basically avoided anything after 7 or so and went to bed about 10:30.0 -
amyrebeccah wrote: »k1ngkev1n1 wrote: »I love hot sauce, spices, acidic fruits etc... So what are some tips to deal with acid reflux/ gerd? I have started to eat a lot healthier but a lot of times I add hot sauce for a kick to meals. Is that generally ok. ?
Different things for different people, some people react more to fat, some to acid, some to spice. Meal timing can matter as well, so you may tolerate all the GERD triggers better for lunch, say, and have a smaller blander dinner. Have you been to a doctor?
This^
My list of trigger foods may look different from yours.
Low acid fruits: bananas, raspberries, melon, pears, Fuji & Gala apples
Barbeque sauce and ketchup - I have a horrible time. I can't imagine I would do too well with hot sauce. Garlicy, or oniony tomato sauce isn't the best. If I have pizza, I dab off as much fat as possible.
I have a modest amount of fat in my meals.
The only sodas that work for me are A&W Rootbeer and 7UP (to a lesser extent).
I keep chocolate to a minimum.
Keep a log to try to narrow things down a bit. Wear loose clothing. Don't eat a few hours before bed. Raise the head of your bed if possible.
I absolutely hate wearing anything close to around my neck feels like it will make me throw up. Neck ties are a severe no go for me. I have also started eating smaller meals0 -
k1ngkev1n1 wrote: »amyrebeccah wrote: »k1ngkev1n1 wrote: »I love hot sauce, spices, acidic fruits etc... So what are some tips to deal with acid reflux/ gerd? I have started to eat a lot healthier but a lot of times I add hot sauce for a kick to meals. Is that generally ok. ?
Different things for different people, some people react more to fat, some to acid, some to spice. Meal timing can matter as well, so you may tolerate all the GERD triggers better for lunch, say, and have a smaller blander dinner. Have you been to a doctor?
This^
My list of trigger foods may look different from yours.
Low acid fruits: bananas, raspberries, melon, pears, Fuji & Gala apples
Barbeque sauce and ketchup - I have a horrible time. I can't imagine I would do too well with hot sauce. Garlicy, or oniony tomato sauce isn't the best. If I have pizza, I dab off as much fat as possible.
I have a modest amount of fat in my meals.
The only sodas that work for me are A&W Rootbeer and 7UP (to a lesser extent).
I keep chocolate to a minimum.
Keep a log to try to narrow things down a bit. Wear loose clothing. Don't eat a few hours before bed. Raise the head of your bed if possible.
I absolutely hate wearing anything close to around my neck feels like it will make me throw up. Neck ties are a severe no go for me. I have also started eating smaller meals
Yeah, after dinner I often felt like I had something wrapped around my chest/neck. Obviously you want to be sure that reflux/gerd is the issue and there isn't something else going on, but losing weight was the single most effective thing I did that helped, and it didn't take all that much (20 lbs?) to experience some relief.0 -
tincanonastring wrote: »
Lol. I'm the exact opposite. I'd rather take the pill than change what I eat.
I'm sure you're not alone!
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k1ngkev1n1 wrote: »amyrebeccah wrote: »k1ngkev1n1 wrote: »I love hot sauce, spices, acidic fruits etc... So what are some tips to deal with acid reflux/ gerd? I have started to eat a lot healthier but a lot of times I add hot sauce for a kick to meals. Is that generally ok. ?
Different things for different people, some people react more to fat, some to acid, some to spice. Meal timing can matter as well, so you may tolerate all the GERD triggers better for lunch, say, and have a smaller blander dinner. Have you been to a doctor?
This^
My list of trigger foods may look different from yours.
Low acid fruits: bananas, raspberries, melon, pears, Fuji & Gala apples
Barbeque sauce and ketchup - I have a horrible time. I can't imagine I would do too well with hot sauce. Garlicy, or oniony tomato sauce isn't the best. If I have pizza, I dab off as much fat as possible.
I have a modest amount of fat in my meals.
The only sodas that work for me are A&W Rootbeer and 7UP (to a lesser extent).
I keep chocolate to a minimum.
Keep a log to try to narrow things down a bit. Wear loose clothing. Don't eat a few hours before bed. Raise the head of your bed if possible.
I absolutely hate wearing anything close to around my neck feels like it will make me throw up. Neck ties are a severe no go for me. I have also started eating smaller meals
Yeah, after dinner I often felt like I had something wrapped around my chest/neck. Obviously you want to be sure that reflux/gerd is the issue and there isn't something else going on, but losing weight was the single most effective thing I did that helped, and it didn't take all that much (20 lbs?) to experience some relief.
Down 10lbs looking to loose another 20 to 25 get to 185ish.-1 -
More than two cups of coffee a day will give me reflux so if you drink a lot you might try cutting back.0
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I took Prilosec for almost two years as I was recovering from ulcerative colitis, an ulcer and reflux caused by the previous conditions. This was 7-8 years ago. Unfortunately, I was one of the casualties of Prilosec and suffered from reduced bone density which I found out about AFTER I broke my kneecap in several places. The doctors told me that it can make your bones brittle if you use it long term and that I should have taken XYZ meds (can't remember) to counteract that side effect.
I said screw it, concentrated on healing my knee and then started losing weight and changing my eating habits. I started taking a teaspoon of coconut oil a little before eating and it helped me quite a bit.0 -
Please do NOT use Prilosec, especially long term. I am a RN and the doctor I work w also talks about the long term side effects of the med. Apple cider vinegar works amazing for acid reflux. 1 tbs w glass water take 1-3x day.0
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alyssamiramon wrote: »Please do NOT use Prilosec, especially long term. I am a RN and the doctor I work w also talks about the long term side effects of the med. Apple cider vinegar works amazing for acid reflux. 1 tbs w glass water take 1-3x day.
Please don't give medical advice on a website, especially when it contradicts what people have been prescribed by their own doctors. I'm going to trust my hematologist and GP more than a random stranger in the internet, but not everyone will do so and you could cause someone major issues.0 -
any vinegar will help, it's like pouring water into a toilet bowl.
baking soda can help with heartburn too, but is often not enough for people with gerd/reflux.
diet can help, and losing weight too
I've been on many things to help but on Pantoprazole to help with an underlying condition. It works most of the time.0 -
I have GERD, I notice when I eat smaller meals it helps a lot. Cutting pop, and anything too acidic has helped as well.0
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tincanonastring wrote: »alyssamiramon wrote: »Please do NOT use Prilosec, especially long term. I am a RN and the doctor I work w also talks about the long term side effects of the med. Apple cider vinegar works amazing for acid reflux. 1 tbs w glass water take 1-3x day.
Please don't give medical advice on a website, especially when it contradicts what people have been prescribed by their own doctors. I'm going to trust my hematologist and GP more than a random stranger in the internet, but not everyone will do so and you could cause someone major issues.
They just had a ton of studies of the horrible effects on your kidneys while on these meds, a ton of people who use these long term going into kidney failure and such. I stopped taking mine because of it. My PCP even brought it up.0 -
tincanonastring wrote: »alyssamiramon wrote: »Please do NOT use Prilosec, especially long term. I am a RN and the doctor I work w also talks about the long term side effects of the med. Apple cider vinegar works amazing for acid reflux. 1 tbs w glass water take 1-3x day.
Please don't give medical advice on a website, especially when it contradicts what people have been prescribed by their own doctors. I'm going to trust my hematologist and GP more than a random stranger in the internet, but not everyone will do so and you could cause someone major issues.
They just had a ton of studies of the horrible effects on your kidneys while on these meds, a ton of people who use these long term going into kidney failure and such. I stopped taking mine because of it. My PCP even brought it up.
Could you point to those tons studies? I've not seen anything of the sort, but I haven't looked into it within the last 6 months or so.
From what I have read and discussed with my doctors, there is some concern over decreased bone density, but a causal relationship has not been established. Some studies have indicated increased bone density may actually be a side effect, so further research is needed. I already have osteoporosis unrelated to the omeprazole, so I'm on treatment for it and we are monitoring my status.
There could also be absorption issues, so I stagger my omeprazole doses to not interfere with my calcium supplements and anti-histamines.
Discussing side effects of medication is one thing. Advocating that people under doctor's care forego their medication in favor of alternative treatments like ACV is dangerous and an RN should know better.0 -
In my opinion, all these medications do is treat the symptom, which is the heartburn/acid reflux. What I personally think is more important is getting to the root of what is causing the symptoms. For some people it can be GERD, for others perhaps a reaction or intolerance to a certain food. It could be a symptom of something bigger, like an Autoimmune Disease like Celiac. Some people find an elimination diet to be helpful to see if it is food related. Personally, I would recommend seeing a doctor and starting from there if you haven't already. Once I was diagnosed with Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance and eliminated all foods that contain gluten from my diet, my heartburn symptoms all but disappeared.0
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amyrebeccah wrote: »tincanonastring wrote: »tincanonastring wrote: »alyssamiramon wrote: »Please do NOT use Prilosec, especially long term. I am a RN and the doctor I work w also talks about the long term side effects of the med. Apple cider vinegar works amazing for acid reflux. 1 tbs w glass water take 1-3x day.
Please don't give medical advice on a website, especially when it contradicts what people have been prescribed by their own doctors. I'm going to trust my hematologist and GP more than a random stranger in the internet, but not everyone will do so and you could cause someone major issues.
They just had a ton of studies of the horrible effects on your kidneys while on these meds, a ton of people who use these long term going into kidney failure and such. I stopped taking mine because of it. My PCP even brought it up.
Could you point to those tons studies? I've not seen anything of the sort, but I haven't looked into it within the last 6 months or so.
From what I have read and discussed with my doctors, there is some concern over decreased bone density, but a causal relationship has not been established. Some studies have indicated increased bone density may actually be a side effect, so further research is needed. I already have osteoporosis unrelated to the omeprazole, so I'm on treatment for it and we are monitoring my status.
There could also be absorption issues, so I stagger my omeprazole doses to not interfere with my calcium supplements and anti-histamines.
Discussing side effects of medication is one thing. Advocating that people under doctor's care forego their medication in favor of alternative treatments like ACV is dangerous and an RN should know better.
This article links to several-at this point a link has not been conclusively proven but there is a high concern about correlation..
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/01/14/heartburn-drugs-tied-to-kidney-problems/
Here's the abstract to the big study.
http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2481157
Gracias! I have my annual coming up and will discuss the CKD study with my doctors, especially considering I'm at a 2x daily dosage. The other studies linked are older and not about CKD. I've reviewed those issues with my medical team and we have agreed that the risks are minimal in my case.
I'm already on H2 blockers, though, and they don't control the reflux as well as the PPIs. I'm guessing I'm going to have to continue with the PPI and start monitoring kidney function.0 -
amyrebeccah wrote: »k1ngkev1n1 wrote: »tincanonastring wrote: »Weight loss has really helped my reflux/gerd, but the best thing is Omeprazole. I used to be triggered by spicy foods, tomato-based products, soda, etc., but I no longer have to limit any of those things because of medication.
So you have to take that medication for life now?
I wasn't the person who posted the comment, but I was told by my doctor (who I think misdiagnosed me--I think I have GERD but that it's not my major GI problem--but that's another issue) that with diet changes, it's neither necessary nor desirable to be on it for life. Also, there are certain concerns about long-term use.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/02/16/indigestion-drugs-containing-ppis-linked-to-dementia_n_9241962.html
Edit: and seeing @tincanonastring 's reply, of course underlying medical conditions may necessitate it.
Isn't Omeprazole a short-term solution? I read about the possibility of Dementia too. That would be enough for me to develop my palate for bland food.0 -
Informed consent. All medications etc should carry their own - consider this - instruction. How many times have I been told, you need this medication and not told of its potential for issues or given antibiotic but not told I should also take care of my gut bacteria because the ones easily wiped out are often the most beneficial. Worst is the way contraception is dished out, never mentioning the possibility for dis-regulation of related hormones! If we are not aware of the potential issues how can we give "informed consent"?0
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Yes, Omeprazole is for short term use. I was advised by a specialist on this. It does tend to cause bone density problems.0
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k1ngkev1n1 wrote: »tincanonastring wrote: »Weight loss has really helped my reflux/gerd, but the best thing is Omeprazole. I used to be triggered by spicy foods, tomato-based products, soda, etc., but I no longer have to limit any of those things because of medication.
So you have to take that medication for life now?
For me it's all about weight. I have been on prescription Nexium for a long time, got under 200 lbs and the reflux disappeared. Years later back up over 200 and the reflux is back every bit as bad as it used to be and back on Nexium. Heading back down now, looking forward to not having to pay for this medication.0
This discussion has been closed.
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