Points to Remember:
If you have an concerns about the medication you are on, whether it is working properly or effectively, or additional symptoms occur, you should discuss this with your doctor. It is especially important to talk to your doctor if you are thinking about surgery. And while what we eat is often the trigger for acid reflux, there may be other things we do that increase the risk of reflux, and changing how or when we do these may help in eliminating symptoms. Nighttime heartburn is a common problem, and a few preventative steps may help stop the reflux. Also, what we do before, during, and after a meal can contribute to acid reflux, even when we watch what we eat. Meal planning helps with this. Other lifestyle modifications are also helpful.
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ashley i feel for you i understand what your going through have you ever had a upper gi or lower gi you need to see a gasto doctor and have them run some test on your no one should ever have to live with the pain we live with every day first stay away from caffine and fat foods pop is really bad i quit drinking pop and drink alot of water hope this can help you
Ashley, I have been to a GI specialist and hope you have too, if not make an appt ASAP. Also, don’t eat 3-4 hours before bed, elevate your bed at the top a few inches, stay away from alchocol,greasy and spicy foods especially in the evening. Hope this helps.
Dear Ashley,
Since you have acid reflux disease, you should read all you can online about how to manage your disease. After I went to a gastroenterologist and he did many tests — endoscopic exam, pH monitoring and a biopsy — and because they were within normal limits even though I was still in pain, I was fortunate to find information on the web which helped (after getting the run around from doctors for over 10 years). First I ordered a booklet online entitled, “The Reflux Remedy Report” which offered many cures which you can find at the grocery store. That is a lot cheaper and healthier than taking Prevacid, Nexium, Ranitidine, Protonix, etc. Next, I came across a health researcher online who had stomach problems for many years (like I did), and who finally found the answer thru her research and wrote about it in her booklet which you can order online, too, entitled, “Great Taste No Pain.” This booklet isn’t really a diet, but teaches you how to eat the right kinds of foods. She writes that if you combine the right kinds of foods, and eat more alkaline rather than acidic, you won’t suffer from acid reflux disease and/or many other digestive difficulties.
This past year I also started going to a hollistic clinic which housed chiropractors and M.D.’s and they told me that they would rather have me follow the advise I found online (Reflux Remedy Report and Great Taste No Pain) than continue taking the proton pump inhibitors, etc. prescribed by my doctors. The hollistic clinic also have me taking a probiotic, digestive enzymes and fish oil while the chiropractors found abnormalities in my spine which may have been contributing to my reflux diagnosis.
So now I believe I can manage my reflux disease. I don’t go to work every day in pain and irritable; I don’t have to cancel events because I’m in pain; I am not spending money on expensive, worthless medicine; and if I do slip (by eating the wrong way), I know how to get rid of that terrible pain (sore throat, stomach pain, heartburn)in 15 minutes!
My reflux went on so long and was so severe, a new clinic that I started going to even started discussing surgery and then the gastroenterologist they referred me to, just increased the doseage of the medication he prescribed rather than talking to me about diet and nutrition, etc. Sadly, that went on for years and from what I understand, doctors are only required to take one class in nutrition in medical school, so that is why they are all into treating their patients with medication and surgery rather than a hollistic approach (healthy eating).
I hope this information helps you.