Acid Reflux...

So, this winter was fairly stressful. Had a kid on the way, displaced from home for 2 months, super stressful work year due to 70% of my job now being tedious data and record making/keeping.

Early in the new year... started getting some acid reflux.. several times a week. A few tums here and there would fix it.. Snacking on cereal during a mid night baby feeding session in mid march, and I thought I was choking as I couldn't swallow. Acid reflux was getting progressively worse, and starting to affect the esophagus.
Cut out caffeine, as that seems to be a trigger... I now cry daily missing coffee, but even green tea is a trigger.

Took pepcid daily for 2 weeks, which tamed the symptoms, but still had issues with caffeine. I did some reading online, and seems a huge consensus is that 85% of the time, AR is due to LOW stomach acid, and causes the Lower esophagul sphincter to not close properly. Vegetarian diets can contribute to this.. because don't need much acid to digest non' meat proteins.. . I think the daily carbonated sparkling water didn't help either? anyway.. so

I went wihtout meds for a few weeks and did a daily baking soda test. Mixed a little baking soda with water first thing in the morning. The baking soda reacts with stomach acid, causing a burp in average 2 or 3 minutes if acid levels are normal. I had no burps.

I have scheduled appt with doctor.. but no availability until late May.. as no real improvement after the 2 week pepcid trial.. I bought a kit of supplements to heal esophagus and increase stomach acid...but i'm hesitant to use it until I get to see my Dr..

Most days are ok with no meds if i avoid caffeine... but... heres the kicker... cycling turns a good day into a heartburny tums popping day...

I thought maybe it was gerd... but if it is.. I think it's mild, and hopefully reversible. No issues laying down at night or anything like many gerd sufferes describe... I think my system is just out of wack...

So.. anyone have experience?

 

I've had acid reflux for over 20 years. I tried about everything I could (short of changing my diet ) and the only thing that worked was OTC omeprazole. I was never diagnosed until about a year or so ago. Not sure why I put it off for so long. Guess what I was prescribed? Omeprazole. At least now I don't have to pay for it.

I'm not a doctor but it wouldn't hurt to pick up a 14-day supply of Omeprazole and see if it helps. Surprisingly, acid reflux is very common.

 

I used to get it pretty bad....cut out sodas and it went away.

still get it from time to time, but it is food specific. Pizza sauce, spicy foods, foods with too much corn syrup.


As I cut these kinds of foods out, it’s not a problem.

 

Sorry to hear this.

One odd anecdote. The weez got AR through heredity and suffered with it occasionally. It got scary during one episode.

She says she’s never felt it since we rode the Divide. We rode almost every day for 60+ days. It was a physical test like we’ve never had before or since. I bonked super hard twice, once at 30 days and after the end, and I swear it has changed my GI function somewhat permanently. I have to manage it a little more closely now or I can slide toward that condition.

But the weez felt it differently. It was like a reset for her that has stuck with her now several years later. Why?? The one thing we did was drink a lot of milk. Every time we could. Regular whole milk and chocolate milk.

This anecdote seems unlikely to directly help you, but if nothing else show that improvement could come through minimally invasive means or some kind of unsuspecting change or event. Of course since we all ride bikes, hers is a great story.

I hope you can reel it in and keep sane. I’ll say that life without dosing on stimulant every day is a positive thing. Caffeine actually works when you need it if you aren’t on it every day.

Best wishes for optimal health!

 

Hmmm, I have had similar experiences before... when I was backpacking in Cambodia and had a severe case of food poisoning. I survived off pepto for several weeks after due to a lot of AR. I'm thinking what I have right now might be similar... and hoping that with some proper gut treatment I can restore function... maybe just need the chance to rebuild the right cultures in there...

Thankfully the occasional beer hasn't aggravated the symptoms thus far.....

Have needed a kick in the ass to cut out soda again after slipping though...

 

@Derkderkall hope you find resolution soon. Maybe try the Whole30 diet program? Essentially you eliminate all bad foods for 30 days. Eating only foods your body is designed for. After 30 days you re-introduce the foods you removed one at a time. And, see what kind of affect they have on you(your body). Maybe this way you could pin point what is causing your AR. And kick it to the curb.

 

I get acid reflux from time to time which keeps me awake. I take Omeprazole too for a short period-like 10 days and it goes away. If I eat Pizza or spicy Mexican food I'll drink a glass of milk before bed. When AR gets me it also helps to eat dinner earlier.

 

I was diagnosed with gerd several years ago. Omeprazole worked for and I took it for a long time. But that stuff and other anti-acid meds are bad for you so take them for short periods of time only (10-14 days).

I did a barium swallow way back when which shows that I have a hiatal hernia. That's what's causing my condition. However, the wrong foods (all the good stuff) is also a contributor. I would have HORRIBLE acid reflux episodes at night a few years back. I'd have to sit up the rest of the night. My esophagus would feel raw for 2-3 days after that. I bought stands to raise the head of my bed so that my body was at a slight angle when I laid down. That played a big part in ending the condition, and that's exactly what my doctor said it would do. I also had an Endoscopy done to see if there was any scar tissue in my esophagus or an ulcer in my stomach. Both were negative.

I still have acid stomach from time to time. For me, it comes on if I do not eat a meal when I should or with stress. Tums fixes it, though. I haven't had to take Omeprazole in a few years now, Thank God.

Hope you find some relief Derek!

 

This is me as well....if I don't do Mexican or pizza/pasta sauce after 7 pm, it's almost non-existent. I also ALWAYS get mine at night when I wake up to roll over after I've fallen asleep

 

I feel for you. Really, I do. I love my jalapeño-laden sandwiches & burritos, along with hot sauce and spicy anything.

I even put them on omelettes. And the habanero-jack cheese is awesome.

Best of luck on your fix.

 

Club omeprazole here, checking in. Have to take daily twice a day. Hereditary condition, my mom and her mom the same. The AR caused a esophageal stricture that caused swallowing problems and immense pain and discomfort. I had to go in for an endoscopy were they stretch the esophagus stricture out a few times. Since I've been on the daily meds I haven't had this for about 5 years. I've heard the meds long time that's not a good situation, but neither was the pain I was feeling!
Thanks, mom.

 

Yes! Sleeping on my right side is good. Sleeping in my left side causes an issue

 

IF ( intermittent fasting) may help too. Possibly even some raw or organic whole fat milk.

 

I stopped drinking sodas and stopped eating meat, dairy, animal product and processed food 95+% of the time and my indigestion, sinus issues and swelling went away along with 50 pounds of my fatness

hopefully i'll turn that into 100% of the time but i'm human and i love ice cream, sushi and bacon lol

now if only i could cure my asthma so i can breath better on the trails then i'd be super happy.

 

Dec. 2011, was diagnosed as having barrett's esophagus. Took omeprazole for one year but have not used it since then. Instead, have abstained from any carbonated or alcoholic beverages, coffee, raw onions and ibuprofen. Mild peppers are a good thing and use coffee berries in moderation. I also do not sleep laying flat. Organic plant based diet.

 

After reading this thread, I can only say I'm sorry you're burning up. I have never had a problem with digesting foods unless it's onions; but we're talking big amounts like a basket of onion rings. Genetics is probably the biggest factor... but I can also add I drink milk by the gallon. Skim milk - all day every day. It is my recovery drink after a ride.

 

Wow. I feel fortunate reading this thread and all the struggles described within. I am now going to cross my fingers and thank my parents for a system that seems to rarely have issues with anything I shove into my face.

Best wishes for a speedy and complete remedy, @Derkderkall It sounds frustrating, painful, disruptive and limiting.

 

It's crazy how the body reacts to stressful times. I have NEVER had any kind of AR or food reactions. That is until I drank from a questionable water source about a decade ago. It led to the worst case of gut rot, explosive , rapid fever/sweats, hallucinations and more. I was on a super strong med for 10 days and lost around 20lbs (that was good).

Since then, if I eat cold chicken or cold ham I get AR within minutes. Cold pizza, cold salami, cold veggie, a morning scoop of ice cream - nothing. Warm chicken or ham and I'm fine. It hits me so hard than I now carry Pepto everywhere. I usually puke within 5 minutes and then everything is A-OK. Getting older is sooooo fun.

 

New guy here, very interesting medical thread as seem to have similar condition but not quite same. At work this week, having some cold grilled salmon and cold noodles for lunch, then it hit. Food stuck in esophagus, could not swallow at all but breathing normal, stricture of food in throat lasted almost half hour. Had same event multiple times a few years now, usually with some type of fish (tuna, salmon, sushi) and also nuts and rice. Get painful food stricture in throat, but no acid reflux ever and never any heartburn type condition. Thinking its some type of adult onset food allergies causing esophagus to clamp down??

 

Perhaps you are dehydrated. Drinks lots of water every day. And chew your food well.

 

That's the way mine presents... I never really had actual acid reflux or heartburn that I felt. Apparently my stomach valve is a little bit misformed, either congenital or possibly damaged from the AR. That lets a little bit of acid up into the esophagus which creates scar tissue. That leads to the stricture and the food getting jammed. For me it was 100% of the time steak, and strangely enough hummus and pita chips. It could get stuck anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 hours. I was stubborn at first thinking it was no big deal, but it could get miserable and I'd be crying and drooling because I couldn't swallow any saliva. Absolutely miserable :-( As I mentioned, I had to get a procedure done a couple times prior to getting put on meds. Ever since those, I have been 98% fine. Long story short, what's your describing is what I experienced. The blockage by itself without a accompanying heartburn. Go see your doc!

 

Do you have asthma by chance?

 

From my internet sleuthing, low level stomach acid tricks the stomach into leaving the lower esophageal sphincter open even when it is full of digesting food, leading to reflux as the contents slosh back up...

One thing I didn't mention is that for a long period of time, if I did a cardio or hiit workout within a few hours after eating, I would get reflux. Maybe because my valve doesn't know it should close....

Night time no problem,
Laying down no problem...

 

Not really a joking matter, but all this talk reminds me of one of my favorite books "A Confederacy of Dunces" where a stomach valve figures prominently:

https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/confederacy-of-dunces/analysis/the-valve

The only book I have ever read where I had to stop at times because I was laughing so hard I could no longer read the type

 

Not to make light of your (our) situation, but I'm not sure which sphincter not closing when it should is a bigger concern, the upper or the lower.

 

Don't sweat the doc visit, he'll probably just tell you to take Omeprozole as mine did. Dr. Google provided much better info and tips frankly. I have unconventional AR as I don't feel anything but it triggers an involuntary cough when I talk...had it ever since a 3 day stint in the hospital. One pill a day didn't work for me, so I'm on twice a day of Esomeprozale OTC, Costco generic cheapest) and that seems to do the trick. I find chewing gum while riding helps a bit as well and try to sleep on your left side if you can. No laying down for 3 hours after you eat. I tried apple cider vinegar under the theory of not enough acid and that wasn't the case for me and made things worse. Good luck.

 

Interesting thread indeed. I used to buy club store bottles of Tums.
What ended up helping me was kimchi. Cooking all my own food helped too. Who knows what restaurants and supplies put in foods these days. Uncooked sauerkraut works too but kimchi worked better and I liked it, spices and all. They help build your digestion bacteria since they are natural probiotics. I use ginger in more of my cooking now and that is also good for the stomach. Research foods good for digestion before you get stuck on pills. I've had to take a Tums once in the last two months.

One trigger may be excess sugars in foods.

 

Like he said

 

Ya I agree. After re-reading the original post and realizing it's not just AR but swallowing issue I take back my comment about the doc...I was thinking it was just ordinary AR. Good luck and keep us updated.

 

I've been swallowing well since that flare up...
Mostly because I've been keeping it under control