heartburn

ah heartburn, how I loathe you!
fwiw I've been suffering from severe and chronic nausea and heartburn since November and just got dx with a massive case of h pylori bacteria.
I underwent surgery, chemo and radiation this past summer and fall, so we assume my immune system couldn't fight the bacteria and they colonized my belly.

first of all---eew.
there I said it.

second, this stuff is dangerous and I sure don't need another cancer!
normal western medicine treatment is massive antibiotics, but this bacteria is becoming anti biotic resistant, so that's no good.
at all.
my doctor is treating me with a two week regimen of full dose pepto bismal four times a day. it's enough to make me throw up, and the side effects mean I cant leave the camper, but I think i'm getting better already.
eight more days to go and I intend to come away from my dr apt with a clean bill of health.

This is my story, believe it or not. I was diagnosed with acid reflux in 2002 . Immedietly i was put on proton pump inhibitors, (prevacid, prilosec, etc) i got relief from all the symtoms . NOw fast forward to a couple years ago. I had been trying on my own to get off the medication using natural homepathic remedies. Some helped
but i wasnt able to quit taking the prevacid.

I heard a radio show with a clinical nutrionist speaking and he gave the advice of acid relux is not a condition of your stomach producing too much acid as all the MDs and pharmaceutical companies want you to believe, but too little acid is being produced . This didnt make sense to me or any one i talked to about it. the nutritionists reasoning behind this is as we get older we produce less acid not more and our food isnt being digested well . This food thats not being properly digested is rotting and creating a lactic acid condition which will reflux into the esophagus.

After listening to this for a yr . or 2 i finally decided to try his method . I started on the hydrocloric acid supplements and the digestive enzymes and i have had no problems since . To me this was a miracle as i did not want to be on these drugs for life. There are side effects with their use. These supplements can be bought at most any health food store .

If you have acid relux, try this you wont be sorry.

Keep in mind that the OTC Prevacid is half the strength of the prescription Prevacid.

I never really had cronic heartburn then sudenly it happened. After 2 scopes I was diagnosed with a hiatel hernea & Barretts esophagus which is a precancerous condition. Was on Rx prevacid till the generic came out. No take generic. Not as good. Cannot eat raw onions and if I stay on the prevacid all is good. Mine was caused by the valve or whatever it is that was no blocking it from coing up into y esophogus.

On another note on a coment about a heart attack. My brother has had 3. Last 2 were widowmakers. Little known symptom is pain in the middle of the back between the shoulder blades. I asked my cardio dr about it and he said " yes thats a typical symptom" WHY isn't it made public. Ever hear that in a commercial or anywhere else for that matter? I had never heard it and neither had my brother. He competes in weightlifting comp. & thought he had pulled a muscle. The first one he had the pain for 3 days before going to the hosp. He now has 45% function and still lifts with 12 stents. Dr told him to make sure he exhales when lifting to reduce pressure in the stents. He is now 68 and still lifts. He holds the Ill, In state records for his age & wgt. In Fla on his 66th Bday he set a natl' record on his first bench lift @ 297.5 lbs. He was gonna go 305 then 315 if needed. SO take care of yourself but you can still live a full life. I am so proud of him. Sorry for such a long post just wanted to encourage some of you.

I've had a severe problem with reflux for years. Simple things like peanut butter will cause it. Things like chocolate and onions do not bother me. I just ate a bunch of potato chips and washed it down with Pepsi. I know from experience that that will not bother me. Between knowing what I can eat and Prevacid I haven't had a problem for several months. I haven't had to jack the head of my bed up for a few years.
When I do have a problem I'll wake up chocking and gasping for air. Very scary. My esophagus will burn for days. Usually I can tell earlier in the day if I'm going to have a problem and just sleep in my recliner.
Because I have no drug plan and the VA does not have Prevacid I buy it in Mexico. I can buy a years supply there for $60.

The elevated bed, big pillow thing didn't work well for me. I take Prilosec ,for acid reflux.
I don't know your weight etc but that is a big instigator many times. It is mine. When I lost all this weight before, it went away as did some other problems. Crowding the diaphram, with a fuller stomach and going to bed that way can cause coughing, and burping up stomach acid etc.
I'm fighting real hard to lose the weight now. Warm weather comes along and I will shed some of it anyway.

those symptoms scream for an electrocardiogram. Play safe.

GoldwingCapeCod wrote:
P.s. Have lost a lot of weight and now do not need the Bipap or the BP Medication or the diabetes meds.

That's great.. good job!

I suffered from heartburn for many many years. Had a giant bottle of tums beside the bed and ate them like candy. Tried other medications as well.

Was diagnosed with sleep apnea and began using a bi pap machine for the apnea. To my surprise, the heartburn went away almost immediately.

As an aside, there is something called Barrett's Syndrome which is the result of gurd ( reflux) and very often leads to lower esophageal syncter cancer.

Don't just live with your heartburn...

P.s. Have lost a lot of weight and now do not need the Bipap or the BP Medication or the diabetes meds.

Diet and exercise do help...

Mike s

Pawz4me wrote:
Despite what many have erroneously posted, it's not only junk food that can cause heartburn or reflux. I could eat all the junk food in the world and it wouldn't bother me.

Of course, but the first, and by far the easiest place to start is by examining your diet and lifestyle. I'm sure eating a Big Mac one hour before going to be would not be a good idea.

I might back pedal on the 'easiest', since taking a pill and continuing any sort of exacerbating behavior would be easier than changing that behavior.