Acid reflux /Heartburn….. help!

NanaAng14

I took Rennie's for a long time ,then upgraded to Gaviscon, then to Guardium.
Doctor told me to lose a little weight and see the difference . My goodness !
I tried losing a bit and after about 1/2 a stone ,I've never had heartburn since.

You have a point! I was 10kg overweight at the time I had reflux problems. Have been down to normal weight for a while so maybe it also helped.

My friend's mother swears by Kefir. She dilutes it with water and has just half a glass. She had painful GERD and frequent UTIs before the daily Kefir, but now has a 'new life' - so it must be worth a trial.

If you're into kefir, you may know you can actually buy kefir 'grains' online - I've bought mine from a great company called chuckling goat - which you just pop in milk, leave for about 18 - 24 hrs, strain off the creamy kefir and then put the grains into fresh milk and start all over again. You can add fruit and a couple of strips of thin orange peel (without the pith) added to stored kefir in the fridge is delicious. If dairy's a problem they work fine with plant milks and it's so much cheaper as the grains initially cost around £5 but you use the same ones every day and they multiply very quickly, so much so that you end up freezing them or giving them away.
Lots more info online, I particularly like one called cultured food life. Hope you give it a try.

I’ve heard of GERD in relation to acid reflux but not GORD

Large glass of kefir every morning has cured it for me. Been having that for 2 years now. Lots of healthy gut bacteria is what does it

Apparently our stomach acid production starts to decline as we age and we need to be producing more acid not less as the food we eat doesn't get processed as it should leading to various gastric disorders. As Omeprazole and other PPI (proton pump inhibitors) medications actually suppress stomach acid production they are increasingly being viewed as not the right fit for acid reflux/GERD. Plus, the side effects can be pretty unpleasant - in my case severe restless legs which stopped when I stopped taking Omeprazole.
I found the most effective thing is a capful of apple cider vinegar in a tumbler of water. I take it every morning and haven't suffered since.
Maybe it's worth a go Shinamae. It doesn't suit everyone as the taste is very tart for a couple of seconds but the benefits outweigh that for me.

I found drinking orange juice in the evening tended to bring it on in the night so I stopped. Seemed to work ok.

I took Rennie's for a long time ,then upgraded to Gaviscon, then to Guardium.
Doctor told me to lose a little weight and see the difference . My goodness !
I tried losing a bit and after about 1/2 a stone ,I've never had heartburn since.

giulia
quote:

Yes, I was told by the specialist to raise the head of the bed by 78 inches.

I should think you must be standing up in bed Ha Ha!

PinkCosmos

My BIL had bad reflux the other week and I suggested peppermint tea as I always thought that peppermint settled your stomach. Later I did a bit of Googling - dangerous I know - and it said don't take peppermint for reflux. It was in an article about GERD

Here is a line from one of the articles, 'Unfortunately, peppermint also relaxes the sphincter between the oesophagus and stomach (the lower oesophageal sphincter), so it can cause gastroesophageal reflux and heartburn. It can worsen reflux symptoms in people with hiatal hernia and — not surprisingly — those with gastro oesophageal reflux disease (GERD)'.

Here is the link

www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/By-the-way-doctor-What-can-you-tell-me-about-peppermint-oil

It did read other articles that suggested ginger though.

I occasionally get reflux at night so I sleep with a few pillows behind me so that I am half sitting up rather than lying flat, which seems to make it worse.

I did read that about peppermint as well but I’m going to continue taking the peppermint and the kifer as it does seem to be working at the moment. I suppose it depends on each individuals physiology how our body reacts to certain things. I did have to take a couple of Rennies at work yesterday but I prefer doing it this way to taking the “ozoles”

My BIL had bad reflux the other week and I suggested peppermint tea as I always thought that peppermint settled your stomach. Later I did a bit of Googling - dangerous I know - and it said don't take peppermint for reflux. It was in an article about GERD

Here is a line from one of the articles, 'Unfortunately, peppermint also relaxes the sphincter between the oesophagus and stomach (the lower oesophageal sphincter), so it can cause gastroesophageal reflux and heartburn. It can worsen reflux symptoms in people with hiatal hernia and — not surprisingly — those with gastro oesophageal reflux disease (GERD)'.

Here is the link

www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/By-the-way-doctor-What-can-you-tell-me-about-peppermint-oil

It did read other articles that suggested ginger though.

I occasionally get reflux at night so I sleep with a few pillows behind me so that I am half sitting up rather than lying flat, which seems to make it worse.

Caleo

GORD.

Small frequent meals . Try to give up coffee. Eat very lightly after 7PM
Raise top of your bed on 7-8 inch high blocks .Breeze blocks will do unless bed is very heavy.

Give up sweet biscuits and cakes.

Yes, I was told by the specialist to raise the head of the bed by 78 inches.

I was then told by another one to raise the FOOT of my bed by 7-8 inches (to relieve varicose veins!

How do I sleep? Like a banana? And what about my poor husband who shares the bed with me?! Ha Ha!

GORD.

Small frequent meals . Try to give up coffee. Eat very lightly after 7PM
Raise top of your bed on 7-8 inch high blocks .Breeze blocks will do unless bed is very heavy.

Give up sweet biscuits and cakes.

I get a lot of acid reflux, according to what I've been eating, pastry, chocolate, tomatoes, crusty bread rolls, ( I'm a glutton for punishment) so for me :Maalox Plus Antacid Suspension combines two antacids that neutralise stomach acid to relieve heartburn and indigestion (dyspepsia) it's better than anything else for me.

I'm told that peppermint tea is a great help. I shall try it, and the peppermint capsules, as I suffer quite badly at times from acid reflux.

Shinamae

Still taking the kefir and peppermint and I do have a pack of Rennies at work just in case but it really seems to be going okay. Did I say I don’t like the taste of that kefir…?..but if it’s doing the job I will persist

Here in Italy we can buy fruit flavoured kefir but it's probably not as beneficial as the plain one. You could look for it and try.

Shinamae

Still taking the kefir and peppermint and I do have a pack of Rennies at work just in case but it really seems to be going okay. Did I say I don’t like the taste of that kefir…?..but if it’s doing the job I will persist

Good girl! Thinking of you.

Still taking the kefir and peppermint and I do have a pack of Rennies at work just in case but it really seems to be going okay. Did I say I don’t like the taste of that kefir…?..but if it’s doing the job I will persist

BBbevan

I had this dreadfully. Since going low carb it has gone.

That is my husband’s experience too. He was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes four years ago, didn’t want to go on medication and, after a lot of research we both started a low carb diet. His blood readings were normal within two months and he was able to stop taking Omeprazole which he had been taking for a long time.

For a couple of days now I have been taking a slug of kifer in the morning and evening and also 2 peppermint capsules at the same time. Probably early days but so far so good…??

giulia

I used to be on Gaviscon. Had severe night problems.

Now make sure I have dinner before seven p.m. and take kefir, which is a natural probiotic drink (a history as old as the hills). Look it up on the Internet. Can be found in any supermarket and you can make your own, as with yogurt.
I take a couple of gulps at night before going to bed. Another two - if I remember - first thing in the morning. It is better taken at a distance from meals.

Have not suffered for years and any medicine is a thing of the past.

Because I work 2 pm to 8 pm I don’t usually eat till about 9 pm and that can’t be helped. I have bought some kefir (tastes terrible) and will follow your recommendation and take a couple of swigs a bit before I go to bed tonight. I do take a probiotic in the morning well it’s actually a shot but better than nothing….

I used to be on Gaviscon. Had severe night problems.

Now make sure I have dinner before seven p.m. and take kefir, which is a natural probiotic drink (a history as old as the hills). Look it up on the Internet. Can be found in any supermarket and you can make your own, as with yogurt.
I take a couple of gulps at night before going to bed. Another two - if I remember - first thing in the morning. It is better taken at a distance from meals.

Have not suffered for years and any medicine is a thing of the past.

This is interesting I have also nearly got rid of reflux and indigestion since cutting out wheat. Just a thought.

Sorry I thought I quoted Lizzie’s post, Gaviscon Advance liquid formula, the GP can prescribe or you can buy OTC.

Agree with Lizzie the peppermint flavour is the best flavour!