Acid reflux

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.

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

? ?, 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

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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?

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.

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 .

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!

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

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.

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

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!

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!

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

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.

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!

Me too shysal this has been just the kick up the arse derrière I needed. I'll be back in more of a routine anyway wth school runs starting next week.

Thank you everybody for your help. I will go back onto the low carb and only eat artisan bread when I fall off the wagon. I will also change my eating pattern and lose weight. I have been eating a lot of plums recently, don't think they are helping.
This has been the trigger I have needed to make me sort out my eating habits.

I wasn't saying fruits per se cause acid reflux WW but more fruit juicess especially orange. Like you I can't drink orange juice but I do find, oddly enough, a slice of lime or lemon in a glass of ginger tea stops my acid reflux immediately.

I rarely have any these days as I know my triggers and being low carb definitely helps. Actually Nfk that's very true about 'real' bread. I'm mainly low carb for DH's sake so occasionally I allow us a 'treat' and as I'd made homemade tuna pâté I bought a tiny artisan loaf to eat with it. Nothing!

So your point about raising agents is very interesting.

Helicobacter pylori! Ruddy auto correct!

Having never suffered from indigestion of any sort, I started with acid reflux a couple of years back. The cause was very quickly diagnosed as helicopter pylori and just as quickly successfully treated by triple therapy, which involves taking a very high dosage of antibiotics and a protein pump inhibitor over the course of a week.

Unfortunately the symptoms came back over a year later. I was reluctant to have to take so many antibiotics again, so am very grateful that a dear friend advised trying a high dosage acidophilus capsule, which I bought from Holland & Barrett and which contains the same probiotics, in much higher quantities, as the yoghurt drinks I was guzzling. I can only say that these worked like a charm for me. I took them just once a day for a week and the symptoms went. I now just take them for a day or two if I feel any signs of indigestion coming on, which happens very rarely.

I hope this helps.