Heartburn

[PawPrint53]

I suffered from acid reflux and was on a proton pump inhibitor for years before discovering the nasty side effect of osteoporosis, which I now have. Definitely avoid them! I was morbidly obese at that point and hoped that losing 100 lbs. would help, but it didn't. I quit gluten and the pain stopped. I now take apple cider vinegar tablets to counteract what I believe may be low stomach acid. I did experience some bad heartburn this summer, however, and realized that I'd been eating a lot of homemade salsa with homegrown jalapenos, onions and tomatoes. Stopped that and things got much better. Getting the acid balance correct in your digestive system seems to be a delicate dance.

As someone else mentioned, if your wife still has her ovaries, please be sure to have a doctor check things out. I do hope she can get some relief soon--acid reflux is a painful problem.

[Billy]

I realize that this is an older thread, but if someone is still following it and has ulcers or painful digestion, this is what worked for me. Whenever I have a flare up I use this again.

1T of apple cider vinegar
1tsp of bicarbonate of soda
8 oz of water mix and drink before meals. Take some cayenne capsules with this odd concoction or 1/4 tsp powdered cayenne.

I did this for 2 weeks to 1 month for an ulcer created by some medicines I needed to take and this cleared up the ulcer and my digestive issue.

Best,
Akaisha

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy I realize that this is an older thread

Geez, I know the world's speeding up, but 5 days ago isn't that old.

Thanks for the input...my lady has made a note of it.

[Ally]

I'm making a note of it, too. When the meds don't work and I don't want to take Prilosec ( makes me gain weight instantly), I use a 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in water a couple of times a day. It works, but the sodium probably isn't great over a long period of time.

[Billy]

Quote:

Geez, I know the world's speeding up, but 5 days ago isn't that old.

Oh gosh, how embarrassing! I think I might have looked at something else and thought it was the date the post began...! Nothing like making a fool of myself in front of everyone.

But the concoction works -there's something with the vinegar and the acid, the vitamin C with the cayenne and the soothing that the bicarbonate of soda does. I took this for a couple of weeks, then skipped a week, then started again.

To swallow loose cayenne, (I was in Guatemala and they did not have capsules of cayenne) I mixed it with some honey. That kept the cayenne "contained" so I didn't accidently breathe it in or begin to cough.

Hey, good luck. It is NO fun having digestive issues or pain.

Akaisha

[MichaelB]

The apple cider vinegar will cure lots of ailments, according to DW, and even a bit of seltzer helps the digestive process. The combination, along with cayenne, looks like it could help. Another home remedy to keep in mind. Thanks!

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy Oh gosh, how embarrassing! I think I might have looked at something else and thought it was the date the post began...! Nothing like making a fool of myself in front of everyone.

I don't think you made a fool of yourself, and we appreciate your suggestion...thanks for the input.

(P.S. If I was embarrassed every time I (thought I) made a fool of myself, I'd never leave the house......and I'm not sure I'd be safe there either. )

[eytonxav]

I may be wrong, but thought I remember reading that care must be taken to not have apple cider vinegar make contact with your teeth, as it will eat away at the enamel.

[Cato]

There may be confusion about the mechanism of heartburn - heartburn implies acid in the oesophagus which burns the alkaline mucosa (hence the term heartburn) and the problem is not excessive acid but an incompetent LES (lower esophageal sphincter). PPI's do not stop you from refluxing but reduce the stomach acid and consequently the symptoms.

Weak/poor closure of the LES is a normal age-related phenomenon (the connective tissue around the LES suffers the same fate as connective tissue elswhere). The LES must be in the abdomen (intra-abdominal pressure helps to close it whereas when it moves into the chest - hiatal hernia - the normal negative intrathoracic pressure tends to open it). Fatty foods and alcohol weaken the tone of the LES muscle, and increased abdominal fat or any other reason for increased intra abdominal pressure pushes the IES into the chest.

Hence the general advice to lose weight, avoid large meals at night, avoid fatty/spicy food and alcohol.

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cato Hence the general advice to lose weight, avoid large meals at night, avoid fatty/spicy food and alcohol.

At 103 lbs my wife doesn't have a whole lot of leeway on the 'losing weight' front.......she never eats large meals, and, other than the occasional glass of wine, rarely touches alcohol.......plus, it would appear that she already has low stomach acid.........quite a quandry...but we continue to investigate.....thanks for the input.

[Livefree]

2 years ago I developed Gerd that would wake me up every night with pain. Doctor put me on 2 Prilosecs a day for about a month until it stopped. I did some research and found that Papaya Enzyme helps the digestive system.

I found a product called Papaya Complete at the vitamin store..I take 2 every night when I get home, and I've never had a problem since.

[Billy]

Great information about the LES, Cato. Thanks.

Quote:

I did some research and found that Papaya Enzyme helps the digestive system.

I hear good things about papaya enzyme too. We live in the tropics and eat papaya all the time. My understanding is that the fruit closest to the outside skin is where that enzyme is strongest. If you scrape the fruit along that area, you will be getting a sweet dose of that enzyme and it will aid digestion.

I do have one more suggestion for heartburn/GERD/Hiatal hernia – To be honest, I had great resistance to trying it because I “didn’t believe” in homeopathic remedies. But I have to tell you this works so well, I now travel with the stuff and I buy it online in the States when I am there.
It’s called Reflux-Away made by NaturalCare. I will type in the info to order it, but the moderators may take it down, I dunno. It’s item #41760, found on www.enaturalcare.com 1.800.475.9811. If they take it down, just message me and I'll give you the info.

I take less than the dosage on the bottle – just a capsule upon onset of symptoms and another capsule as needed.

Up to you – everyone is different, but like I say, this works so well that I travel with the stuff. Since I live out of my backpack and carry everything with me, that’s a statement!

Again, good luck. It really is no fun to hurt.

Akaisha p.s. thanks everyone for being kind about my earlier goof!

[Cato]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo2 At 103 lbs my wife doesn't have a whole lot of leeway on the 'losing weight' front.......she never eats large meals, and, other than the occasional glass of wine, rarely touches alcohol.......plus, it would appear that she already has low stomach acid.........quite a quandry...but we continue to investigate.....thanks for the input.

Semantics, I know, can be irritating. However, when discussing medical symptoms or signs, clarity can be important.

I take it that you have looked up Achlorhydria/Hypochlorhydria?

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cato Semantics, I know, can be irritating. However, when discussing medical symptoms or signs, clarity can be important.

Exactly, and perhaps especially, when one thinks that all the correct steps are being taken prior to contracting 'a condition' one doesn't want to be included in the group that is doing all the wrong things, and for whom a few behavioral changes might be a relatively simple solution.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cato I take it that you have looked up Achlorhydria/Hypochlorhydria?

From what we've determined from her taking an online baking soda based test it appears to be the latter.

[Nemo2]

Bought some Papaya pills this afternoon, she'll start taking them at dinner......already taking a Magnesium supplement, and when we return from a week in Huatulco, Mexico, in mid-January we'll embark on a gluten free diet*, (I'll just go along, since it's easier than preparing separate meals).

*From what we've read, this does not appear to be a gluten related problem but we're attempting to follow the Sherlock Holmes approach, ("Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable must be the truth") with the hope that it's valid in this instance.

[MovingtotheCove]

Gaviscon....simple OTC treatment that has been a wonder for me.

[banister]

I have gastroparesis, and only in the past year found that wheat plays a role there. My dad (67) has had heartburn and problems being unable to burp all his life. I suggested to him that maybe there's a genetic element, and that he should try gluten elimination diet for a month and then reintroduce it. Sure enough, whenever he eats gluten, he has a problem. He also has issues with certain oils.

Your wife's issue might not be gluten, but it's certainly straightforward enough (if not easy) to try.

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MovingtotheCove Gaviscon....simple OTC treatment that has been a wonder for me.

As with other medications, (which she is attempting to avoid in toto), I believe this is aimed at high, rather than low, stomach acid, and, as PawPrint53 indicated above, it's not without its potential and undesirable side effects:

Gaviscon Side Effects | eHow.com

Quote:

Musculoskeletal side effects may become severe for those using Gaviscon. Symptoms include softening of the bones (osteomalacia), which may be due to the amount of aluminum in the bones, malaise, bone pain and muscle pain and weakness. With the weakening of bones and muscles comes the possibility of tears and fractures. Osteomalacia, states Drugs.com, is usually found in those with chronic renal failure. If aluminum continues to be deposited into joints, arthritis may also occur.

[Ally]

I may have to rethink Gaviscon.