Acid reflux

Thanks for helpful tips. I also have reflux and hiatus hernia and take prescription zantac (double strength).

Definitely cakes and biscuits make the cough worse, anything with sugar in and citrus. I'm very happy to eat little and often, but what do I eat for a small snackor a treat? Even nuts make me cough!

Yes starbird, life gets tricky as we get older. I cannot drink wine of any sort now??. I treated myself to a glass of white with dinner while on holiday recently. I wish I hadn't as the reflux and associated pain was horrendous. I have a husband with an iron constitution, he can eat anything, so making meals has become more difficult. As with others, I try to eat before 7pm, and always have Rennies on the bedside table.

I swear I can sometimes feel the heartburn starting at the sight of rich food.

I find that if I go anywhere and have rich food it can cause me problems for quite a while afterwards - whatever I eat. Some fruits and veg are fine but citrus tends to be a no no -unless a small very sweet nectarine type fruit.
I find the same with the bread - we have a bio baker not far from the house - makes the most delicious raisin bread, but he is only open a few hours a week - he goes to local markets - but his bread causes me far less trouble than a normal baguette.
I have Gaviscon everywhere!

Fascinating about 'real bread' I will try that for my acid reflux- I have hiatus hernia and prescribed omeprazole which works well but is not recommended for long term use anymore so I eat gaviscon almost every day instead and have given up coffee almost entirel. Coffee, Wine, chocolate and dairy make mine bad and I can wake up in the night being sick with no warning. Propping myself up on 2 pillows helps whilst sucking a gaviscon!

Why not try making your own bread?
It's a bit of a chore but worth the effort.

My husband was told, among other things, not to eat after 8.00pm, to sleep propped up and to chew chewing gum after every meal. There were lots of things to avoid but I've forgotten them because he ignored most of the advice.

Sour dough bread is said to be good for the digestion. Try Marks and Sparks's. Absolutely delicious!

I have found that I need to drink a lot, far more than I would by choice. Ideally the water is warm or tepid. If the pain or discomfort starts try a pint! of warm water. It does really help, and eventually the inevitable bladder problem becomes less!

I am amazed by the number of us who have this . I have Gastro oesophageal reflux disease / hiatus hernia and it is awful . Lanzoprazole doesn`t do much for me but I am in the process of trying anything and everything to get some relief . I have read that you should prop your bed up (head end) with blocks about 6" , I have found cyclizene helpful for the constant nausea but the Gp isn't keen on prescribing it often so I use Gaviscon , buscopan and sometimes colperimine which takes the edge off . Many foods upset me , ,citrus fruit , spicy food , fatty food , , fizzy drinks, coffee , alcohol , or even going too long with an empty stomach . I take medication in the middle of a meal or it really irritates . It is a miserable condition to cope with, sometimes I feel really panicky when my swallowing is affected and I have to sleep sitting up on the sofa .

Does anyone find the mixture carrying the drugs you are prescribed upset your stomach? I take a couple which are quite large and in a chalky sort of carrier and often get reflux after taking.

The Zantac I take are tiny and cause no trouble, but other tablets, especially herbal ones, are a no no. It seems what I thought was a healthy diet is making it worse - peppermint tea, citrus fruit, carbonate water (which seems to take the bad taste in my mouth away) etc.
Toothpaste makes me cough so brushing at bed time is not a good idea.
Not looking forward to my endoscopy due at end of the month! Has anyone had one - should I opt for a sedation which means having to hang around afterwards for it to wear off?

Always opt for sedation from what I have heard. I had the sedation, and I must admit I was terrified. I had been told it would make me very relaxed. The last thing I can remember was saying "oh! This seems to be quite strong sedation!" then I woke up and it was done. Perfect for a coward like me!

Yes, do have the sedation. My experience was similar to MissAdventure's. I felt fine afterwards but you do have to wait around for a while. I was given something to eat and had a chat with the Consultant. Then you need to have someone accompany you home.

I have been taking prescription meds for years: Lansaprazole, Rinitidine, Gaviscon. I was told that I would need surgery at some point to repair the gap at the bottom of my gullett that allows the acid to travel upwards. The meds are not helping any more and the pain at times is crippling. I also have an irritating cough and hoarseness. I'm seeing my gastroenterologist next month regarding the operation. I would say, if anyone is experiencing acid reflux- don't self medicate. Your GP should be aware and you need a proper diagnosis. Hope this helps

Had endoscopy last year. Just had the numbing spray at back of throat. Don't like anaesthetics. The staff were lovely one held my hand all the time! It was uncomfortable but not painful.

Thanks - I am reluctant to be sedated as I don't want to ask anyone to take me home.

I was hoping that rescue remedy would keep me calm, but now I am not sure.

? ?, so bad for me but I love them. Try ginger, you can grate fresh, or buy the purée, or just drink some ginger beer or ale, it really works. You can get supplements from the health shop, but I find I can find some way of including it natural in my diet. If you're having anything acidic like spaghetti and tomato sauce add a small pinch of sugar or tsp of honey to cut the acid. It works well for nursing mums as well, I small piece of ginger every day really helps against colic

Definitely worth reducing abdominal fat as this is going to squash your stomach and push acid back up your oesophagus.

Definitely, eat your last meal before 7pm. I seem to have resolved my problem totally this way. I also have iatal hernia. Used to take Gaviscon but no longer feel the need.

ps: but what is the best remedy for the irritating tickly cough I DO get?

I sip water and suck strepsils to prevent coughing when I go out - I belong to a theatre group and am terrified of having one of my bad coughing fits that end up with me burping or bringing up my last meal! I don't eat until I get home!

Sorry to bring up an old thread but I so need advice .

Every night for several months I am woken by wind so uncomfortable it seems to crush against my spine and ribs and I get very hot, this lasts about an hour to hour and half, I then cool down. Sleep for about another hour and wake with a racking cough. Have had a chest X-ray , all clear, I am so very tired, sleep most afternoons for about two hours. I also have an ulcer and IBS, from these I developed an eating disorder.

Any advice please, I would be so grateful, I am now thinking of sleeping on the sofa , the problems come when in bed

I would be so grateful, I have lost more weight, size 8 is now lose , I eat little so the weight loss is my fault

Annie x

Oh, Annie, that sounds dreadful. So sorry to hear of your ill health and I hope someone will be along soon with useful advice.

I think you really need to take any foods that you think are really giving you problems right out of your diet and then gradually reintroduce them to see what happens.

My little DGS2 about 2.5yrs now, has had reflux problems since he was weaned.
He developed a lot of allergies. Pulses of all sorts, no baked beans, peas etc and nuts of all sorts and , few more odd foodstuffs .
On one occasion his reflux issues caused him to be bluelighted to A &E at night as he seemed to be having difficulties breathing because of the reflux.

He was also frequently being sick every where after eating.
I saw one of these episodes. His dad got the piriton into him while I held him down and he was making croupy noises and crying while I held him and he eventually almed down and went to sleep. (with me prodding him every so often. )

After a number of other investigations at the children's hospital DD was advised to take him off all dairy products and DD says this has really made a huge difference. (He actually tolerates soya milk and oat milk which is fortified) but cannot take the nut milks .

He is so much better now but will be monitored.
No icecreams for anyone in the family now though, it would not have been fair on the wee chap.