Acid reflux - what did you do to get rid of it once and for all

Bassoues

I discovered quite by accident that as soon as i was more than about one kg over my happy weight I had terrible reflux whatever I ate or didn't eat! No strategies seemed to help until I decided to lose a kilo and hey presto...no more reflux. I dont need scales

Now that sounds reassuring! Only one kg making such a difference too!!! That's not much at all.

I weigh in stones myself - and I figure I'm about 20 lbs probably over my correct weight (I should be 8 stone 7lbs - but think I'm probably somewhere around 10stone 2lb).. A weight that no-one ever seems to regard as overweight these days - but it certainly is....

Jane43

DH went on a low carb diet after he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, he had suffered with acid reflux and was on omeprazole but the acid reflux problem disappeared when he changed his diet. Like Farmor15 bread and pastry were the worst culprits and he has eliminated pastry from his diet and cut down on bread.

I very very rarely have anything with pastry in it. Now bread, on the other hand, errrrm....I wonder if there's an easy type of bread that wouldnt be "risky" (different grains or something?).

Since I've moved here we've acquired several artisan bakers (yay!) and that's the bread I get now.

I wonder what it is in bread that has been the problem to your husband? I have gathered generally that bread never used to be a problem to people way way back (ie until they came along with the Chorleywood process or whatever it was called and everyone started buying what I call "rubber bread". Thinks - with one of the bread shops I could make advance orders for my bread - and be sure I was getting spelt then if that would help? Fortunately this area is moving slowly in the direction of people growing all sorts of unusual bread flours now....did my little bit by giving a smallholding friend of mine a book I knew she'd like about all sorts of unusual flours - from seed to plate etc - so hoping for even more at some point...

I discovered quite by accident that as soon as i was more than about one kg over my happy weight I had terrible reflux whatever I ate or didn't eat! No strategies seemed to help until I decided to lose a kilo and hey presto...no more reflux. I dont need scales

Caleo

CariadAgain

NB; and I know I'm still 3 sizes too big (ie 3 sizes bigger than 1970s' size 14) and so I'm edging my way into dieting that back off.

Cariad, I had pictured you as a spritely slim creature!

Lol - I used to be. Sounds like you're seeing my minds eye picture of what I used to look like/am determined to get back to again at some point (darn well have to as well - as the vast majority of my wardrobe is in my proper size and not my current size).

Elegran - I'm moving in the direction of having my main meal at lunchtime. I was brought up with breakfast, dinner, tea and swopped it myself to breakfast, lunch, dinner (as that made sense too in a lot of ways whilst I was still working).

But now I'm retired it does make sense to have the heavier meal at lunchtime now - especially given energy can feel a bit short of an afternoon (which I suspect might be from reflux disturbing my sleep). I then feel I've done okay not to have that much in the evening if I've already got in a main meal.

Omazaprole tablets, one daily, but see the GP .

DH went on a low carb diet after he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, he had suffered with acid reflux and was on omeprazole but the acid reflux problem disappeared when he changed his diet. Like Farmor15 bread and pastry were the worst culprits and he has eliminated pastry from his diet and cut down on bread.

Gerd at nightime is often silent gerd, the acid gently makes its way up the oesophagus. Be aware that this acid is as strong as battery acid and can awake you several times during the night

Personally I control my gerd by having my last small meal by 2.30 pm
Any dark chocolate after breakfast, I have a strip of 90+ % black chocolate every single day

Best of all is my putnam bed wedge, I am very comfortable at night now. I put my wool mattress protector and my linen fitted sheet over the lot and the slope is gentle and gradual. My sleep is noticeabley better, demonstrated to me by my garmin, which I wear at night

I have had gerd potential for over 30 years and deal with it without medications

I'm not sure that you can get rid of acid reflux "once and for all". Good advice from others here about diet and getting cause investigated.

I had reflux for years and was referred by GP for gastroscopy, which found I had hiatus hernia. No cure for that, apart from surgery, which is only done in severe cases. At least I knew it was not something more serious and I now control it with watching what and when I eat - bread and pastry are the worst culprits for me and taking Rennies for instant relief and famotidine (prescribed) to prevent episodes for a few hours.

I was initially prescribed Lanzoprazole which seemed like a miracle cure at first until I developed side effects.

I can only reiterate what everyone else has says. Indigestion can be a symptom and/or a cause of other more serious health problems including cancer.

If you have persistent indigetion then your first stop is youGP's surgery. If and when they give you the all clear for other causes you can try to see whether changes in your diet, eating pattern will help, but first and foremost, stat with your GP

Please see a Doctor, it might not be Gastic?

If I were you I would go to see a doctor. Your acid reflux may be the result of a hiatus hernia. Try eliminating trigger foods such as citrus, tomatoes, onions. There are lots of GERD/GORD diet advice online.
Until I was diagnosed with gallstones I had awful reflux problems. My GP prescribed Lansoprazole 15mg daily and I now have no acid reflux.
I'm going to try and come off them now that my gallbladder has been removed, but it will be a long process.
Good luck with everything.

You need to see the GP for a referral to Gastroenterology.

CariadAgain

NB; and I know I'm still 3 sizes too big (ie 3 sizes bigger than 1970s' size 14) and so I'm edging my way into dieting that back off.

Cariad, I had pictured you as a spritely slim creature!

Sleep on your left side. Have the top of your bed put up on 7 inch high blocks. There are sound anatomical reasons for both strategies.

As for medications, ask the doctor. I personally also like Rennies as well as Gaviscon or similar.

Tackle night first. If you get your sleep you feel much better for it.

There is diet advice that it is better for you in general to have no food for 14-15 hours at a stretch, and confine meals to the other 9 or 10 hours. I stopped eating anything after about 6 pm, except a couple of dry crackers if was hungry in the evening, with a glass of water to wash them down. I didn't drink anything milky after 6 either, just water or weak tea (Earl Grey decaff) without milk or sugar Beside my bed I kept a packet of Rennies, if it still threatened I sucked one of those slowly. I used two pillows instead of one, so that gravity helped.

By 8 am I was ready for my breakfast! Porridge the Scottish way (made with water and a little salt, no sugar, milk or other Sassenach additions, with a splash of evaporated milk on it in the bowl to soften the taste (traditionally it should be single cream or top-of-the-bottle, but I don't like cream, particularly at that time in the morning) Toast, butter and marmalade with home-made bread (fewer additives) and decaff coffee.

I stayed with the decaff through midmorning coffee.

Midday is my preferred time for a main meal (probably very plebeian of me, but that was how I was brought up) It gives time for digestion before lying down at night. I didn't try to limit how much I ate then, but I tried to be conscious of how my choice of ingredients affected my digestion through the day - though that was less a problem than at night. Very strong flavours and spiciness, and too much tomato, were not good.

Teatime was a light meal.

Through the day the crackers and a bit of cheese filled up any hungry holes

I now very seldom get a problem, usually after overdoing the rich food that someone else has lovingly prepared.

My eating pattern is still about the same - there is a saying that you should breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and sup like a pauper.

NB; and I know I'm still 3 sizes too big (ie 3 sizes bigger than 1970s' size 14) and so I'm edging my way into dieting that back off.

Septimia

I gave up wine, tomatoes and orange juice except in small quantities - and certainly none of them close to bed time. These were the things that I found triggered it most. Are there any food that you find make it worse?

Wine.

I've basically had to give up alcohol (though I've never had large amounts anyway - except in Lockdown).

I try a weeny size bottle every few weeks to see if my body is still reacting to it - and it is still.

So I've basically given up booze for the duration.

As the previous posters have suggested, you need to see a doctor.
I'm aware from some of your past comments that you don't like to use the conventional route. However, if it goes untreated reflux will create serious health issues for you.

I gave up wine, tomatoes and orange juice except in small quantities - and certainly none of them close to bed time. These were the things that I found triggered it most. Are there any food that you find make it worse?

Agree it could be a number of things
My hisanand had this it got progressively worse so that he couldn’t eat out etc in the evenings now has had an op but it got neglected
I’d recommend checking it out sooner than later with GP

Lathyrus3

Better go and get this checked out by a doctor is what I think.

Exactly so

Better go and get this checked out by a doctor is what I think.