Re: Need some advice on acid reflux remedies...

CatsyCline · ‎07-24-2013

@AliJoi5 - tutto bene, grazie ! years and years ago i took classes at risd and friends and i went to Angelos often. i loved the enamel top tables there . also spent a lot of years in the Boston area ("Medfid" ;-) ).

pupwhipped · ‎03-11-2010

@AliJoi5, just wondering how things have settled out for you. I know you from the jewelry forum....your collection is so beautiful! Anyway, I was just searching the forums for tips and tricks on GERD. I, unfortunately, have been on PPI's for far toooooo long. I have got to find a way to get off of them...or possibly have the sphincter surgery deal, I suppose. For some reason, my gastro doc is not a fan of this surgery.

Would love to know how you are doing with your issues and what your gastro appointment revealed. Hope things are better for you. I've appreciated reading this thread and getting some ideas and such.

Best to you, AliJoi5!

pup

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@AliJoi5 wrote:
Hello all,

This is my first visit to the wellness forum here, but I'm a long-time poster to the Q boards. Apologies if this is ground that has been covered, but for those of you who have some tried and true methods of combating acid reflux, I'm in desperate need of your advice.

Just a little background info... I have suffered from AR for a few years now, but I don't experience any other GI issues.

I'm sure I have GERD, but I've never been tested. Since a gluttonous Christmas (surprise, surprise), I have begun experiencing discomfort in my esophagus (burning and constriction). I am not overweight, and I'm now avoiding all triggering foods, drinks, etc. and replacing them with foods that help with AR. I don't smoke. I'm not on any medications. I live on Tums. I am trying to avoid PPIs if I can. I take a multi-vitamin, complex B, and purified fish oil (omega 3,6,9). I finally made an appointment with a gastro doc, but I'm a month out.

I have read that taking an aloe vera supplement or ginger supplement, and a probiotic supplement (flora capsules) can really turn things around. But there is so much info and so many products out there, my head is spinning. The consensus on aloe vera seems to be overwhelmingly positive. With ginger, some say it helps and others say it worsens their symptoms. I would like to try combining either aloe vera with a probiotic or ginger with a probiotic. Any recommendations on which combo is most effective? Or do I not need flora at all if I am not experiencing any other GI issues? I'm looking at Andrew Lessman's products right now.

Sorry for the "book." Any advice or suggestions anyone is willing to share, would be greatly appreciated.

Signed,
Combusting As We Speak

@AliJoi5

Sorry, but I think you're making a HUGE mistake here .... you are looking for "remedies" yet have never even been diagnosed!

What if it isn't GERD, but a blockage of some sort? Why are you avoiding seeing a doctor? This could much more serious than you realize! Have you at least mentioned this to you PCP? You say this has been going on for "a few years". How often do you see your doctor, anyway?

Yes, sometimes tests can be uncomfortable, but you owe it to yourself (and your family) to find out what's REALLY going on inside your body!

If this is actually something that should be "caught early", spending years doing nothing could result in the outcome being devastating.

Please get yourself to a doctor ... stat.

pupwhipped · ‎03-11-2010

You might want to read this entire thread before you respond here. Just to give you a synopsis, Ali started this thread back on 1/6. She was asking for some help/tips/ideas to get her through till she could see her gastroenterologist. The earliest appointment she could get was a month or so out from her original post.

By now she has obviously seen the appropriate doctors. I was just asking to get an update on what she found out. Hopefully she is doing and feeling much better.

AliJoi5 · ‎03-10-2010

Thanks so much for checking in with me (and for your response to the previous post), @pupwhipped!! I regret not logging in sooner to chat! I did go and see the gastro, who does not believe I have GERD or any other esophageal issues. He gave me a list of foods and drinks to avoid and, of course, did want to begin me on a PPI for now because of the discomfort from my acid issues. But I resisted, and I'm glad I did. After taking everyone's advice here and changing my diet, I can report that my symptoms have improved tremendously. But I also attribute this to one other major factor... aloe vera. Wow! I tried a whole host of other natural remedies (ginger exacerbated my symptoms and baking soda made me seriously nauseous). But these aloe vera capsules are little miracle workers! I take 200mg twice a day (with breakfast and dinner). And you could even take a third with lunch, if necessary. They are available in 400mg as well. Not cheap, but totally worth it! I'm almost afraid to jinx it by typing this, but I am completely off antacids. Can you beleieve that?! Never have I been able to go to sleep without my Tums (usually 3 or 4 of the extra strength). Ridiculous. I hope you find relief as well, pup! Maybe you could taper off the PPIs and continue making some diet changes? Best of luck to you as well, and thanks again for checking in with me!!