GERD. Anyone know of it?

[Divasu]

I'm posting this question on behalf of a friend. She's in bad shape and the doctors believe she has GERD. The first tests she had done (upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, upper GI series) came back negative, but her doctor called her a couple of weeks later and said both were positive.

 

She was prescribed Xanax, but said it's not working. She was also prescribed Pepcid AC and Zantac), changed her diet, etc. She is considering going to a Chiropractor next.

 

She has already dropped 15 pounds, vomits constantly, can't keep anything in her stomach and is severely depressed.

 

Does anyone know of it/or have any recommendations?

[Anela]

She sounds like me, only I haven't lost weight, despite the vomiting. I haven't had tests done, so I don't know if I have that, but I read a book by Elizabeth lipski, I think it was, all about digestive illnesses. She could try reading that, as a start.

[Divasu]

Thanks Anela. I'll look into the book for her.

 

PS.

You should get some tests done make sure you're okay.

[FitChick]

I might have that myself. Taking DGL (deglycerized licorice) tablets and avoiding animal foods, spices, coffee is supposed to help. I have been very inconsistent with that so some days I feel okay and others worse. Eat smaller meals and have snacks instead of stuffing yourself.

 

I tried taking one of those acid reducing meds but then I couldn't digest my food properly and felt worse. Sometimes I take an extra calcium tablet which neutralizes acid and can't hurt you. What she should not do is take digestive enzymes that have protease, which digests protein. Your stomach is protein and it's raw and inflamed so she will get worse. A chiropractor or health food store should know the type she needs. I think drinking aloe vera juice is supposed to help but haven't googled it.

 

I was hoping to find a gastroenterologist who uses a pill camera -- like swallowing a gigantic vitamin -- that travels through your body photographing your insides. I don't want a tube stuck down my throat for fear of gagging.

[Divasu]

I might have that myself. Taking DGL (deglycerized licorice) tablets and avoiding animal foods, spices, coffee is supposed to help. I have been very inconsistent with that so some days I feel okay and others worse. Eat smaller meals and have snacks instead of stuffing yourself.

 

I tried taking one of those acid reducing meds but then I couldn't digest my food properly and felt worse. Sometimes I take an extra calcium tablet which neutralizes acid and can't hurt you. What she should not do is take digestive enzymes that have protease, which digests protein. Your stomach is protein and it's raw and inflamed so she will get worse. A chiropractor or health food store should know the type she needs. I think drinking aloe vera juice is supposed to help but haven't googled it.

 

I was hoping to find a gastroenterologist who uses a pill camera -- like swallowing a gigantic vitamin -- that travels through your body photographing your insides. I don't want a tube stuck down my throat for fear of gagging.

 

Eeesssh, you too?

 

Yup, everything you said is what we've heard too. Something also about a taking a probiotic. Thing is, she has changed everything in her diet and has cut out all the "not good" stuff but it hasn't seemed to help. Her diet has always been relatively good before food-wise, but she did drink a lot of coffee and wine which she has since cut out completely.

 

She's been in the hospital three times and is still vomiting a lot and it's gotten to a point where she is afraid to leave her house because it can hit her at any time.

 

If I were you, I wouldn't let it "sit". Rather, go get it checked out...

[Anela]

I've been living with this for longer than she has, and I'm okay (sort of), but I know the fear of leaving the house. I have to get an eye exam, and I'm afraid of eating anything before I go.

 

Chia seeds have helped a bit. I grind them up and add them to cereal. My aunt mentioned this "real water" to me that's balanced to a certain PH level\; I recently found out that my body is dangerously acidic. I take a probiotic in the morning, and at first I thought it was helping - it seemed to help for the first three days and I felt *great*, only for it to stop working.

 

A juice that also seemed to help was:

one cucumber

a fistful of kale

a fistful of romaine lettuce

one green apple

half a lemon, without peel

two/three stalks of celery

one broccoli stem

 

I haven't had this for a while, but it helped when I drank it slowly on an empty stomach.

 

Other things have been happening, and I can't afford to see a doctor. I have no insurance either, so that doesn't help. But if it keeps up then I will need to see someone - it's been too long.

Edited March 24, 2013 by Anela

[FitChick]

If you are too acidic, switching to a vegan diet will make you alkaline. Try it for a week to see if you feel better. I need to do this myself but I can't give up my Greek yogurt!

[Anela]

If you are too acidic, switching to a vegan diet will make you alkaline. Try it for a week to see if you feel better. I need to do this myself but I can't give up my Greek yogurt!

 

I'm trying, but I like milk in my tea, and I love cheese, and cheesecake, and I take my probiotics in a few spoonfuls of yogurt!

 

I've been posting recipes from Kimberly Snyder's website, as I try them. Avocados don't seem to agree with me, which would be fine (since I don't like them), if she didn't base several recipes around them.

 

This is where I envy my sister her willpower: she did this years ago (became a vegan). I was sick a little while ago, so I lost the battle today, but at least I'm not throwing everything up now. I was really worried when my stomach would no longer tolerate my tea, or even water (one reason for my cutting back on exercise, since I was afraid I wouldn't be able to rehydrate).

[Divasu]

Wow well this is a lot of information to take in. I am in the belief that you can't properly treat something, without a proper diagnosis. Her results came back sketchy and I've thrown the idea at her to maybe get a second opinion.

 

I'm also trying to get her to go to Yoga with me, I'm sure what she's going through must be stressful. Anela I hope you feel better, seems like you have things under control though . Thanks for all the helpful advice.

[Divasu]

Helps?

 

I'm bumping this thread for some food ideas.

 

I am having my friends over for dinner - my friend who has GERD and some others who can eat regular food so I will be making a few different meals.

 

I know a few members posted about food products in general, but any ideas on an actual meal that I can prepare that won't irritate?

[Anela]

Helps?

 

I'm bumping this thread for some food ideas.

 

I am having my friends over for dinner - my friend who has GERD and some others who can eat regular food so I will be making a few different meals.

 

I know a few members posted about food products in general, but any ideas on an actual meal that I can prepare that won't irritate?

 

I've been making food by Kimberly Snyder. She has recipes online, but I can't remember all of them. I liked her Israeli Chopped Salad. I liked her raw tacos made from walnuts and spices, but I don't know if you would go for those.

[Anela]

Oh, recipe for the salad:

 

1 large zucchini

1 large cucumber - both chopped into bite-size pieces

one white onion, chopped

3 large tomatoes, chopped

1 1/2 cups parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons chopped mint

2 tablespoons lemon juice mixed with 4 tablespoons olive oil

 

With the onion, it as either one cup or one whole onion. You should be able to google the recipe and find it.

[FitChick]

If she is stressed, I wonder if she is gulping her food and swallowing a lot of air as well as not chewing enough. It might be an interesting experiment if she only had pureed soups and smoothies for a day or two and see what happens.

[Feelin Frisky]

Prescription acid reducers like Prilosec are a "therapy" that take a relatively long time to work. But they do work if she just takes her med every day, avoids eating any time after dinner and eats well--not a lot of fried food or acid. People also may have sensitivity to caffeine that changes over time. There was a period where I was having esophageal spasms which I was experiencing about heart level. I was afraid it was a heart prolapse but it turned out to be too much coffee-drinking at the time causing an esophagus spasm. I had to give up the java for a long time. I still mostly have tea with milk but occasionally I'll have a nice rich coffee without the spasms coming back. I never drink black coffee. Espresso once in a blue moon. Xanax is no cure and can cause an anxiety trap called withdrawal.

[Divasu]

Oh, recipe for the salad:

 

1 large zucchini

1 large cucumber - both chopped into bite-size pieces

one white onion, chopped

3 large tomatoes, chopped

1 1/2 cups parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons chopped mint

2 tablespoons lemon juice mixed with 4 tablespoons olive oil

 

With the onion, it as either one cup or one whole onion. You should be able to google the recipe and find it.

 

Thank you Anela. I have added it to the dinner list.

 

If she is stressed, I wonder if she is gulping her food and swallowing a lot of air as well as not chewing enough. It might be an interesting experiment if she only had pureed soups and smoothies for a day or two and see what happens.

 

She was told by doctors that her esophagus is very damaged from years ago (having constant bronchitis and sinus infections and post nasal drip). They believe that has attributed to her increased sensitivity. She lost a lot of weight and she was already around 100 lbs to begin with. But good news is, she is doing MUCH better and it now seems to be under control and her mood overall is much, much better.

 

Prescription acid reducers like Prilosec are a "therapy" that take a relatively long time to work. But they do work if she just takes her med every day, avoids eating any time after dinner and eats well--not a lot of fried food or acid. People also may have sensitivity to caffeine that changes over time. There was a period where I was having esophageal spasms which I was experiencing about heart level. I was afraid it was a heart prolapse but it turned out to be too much coffee-drinking at the time causing an esophagus spasm. I had to give up the java for a long time. I still mostly have tea with milk but occasionally I'll have a nice rich coffee without the spasms coming back. I never drink black coffee. Espresso once in a blue moon. Xanax is no cure and can cause an anxiety trap called withdrawal.

 

They prescribed the Prilosec, it did not help her initially. But I guess you're right, it takes time for it to work. She no longer drinks coffee. Mostly water. Thank you, and I agree with about the Xanax!

[Divasu]

Fasting and changing what you eat and drink is the key. Medication will work but however long you will have a new set of problems.

 

 

 

Start with water, drinking non fluorinated water. No bottled water because it usually leeches plastic. I personally use a water filter called clearly filtered that doesn't leech plastic in the water.

 

 

Fast 18 hours then eat within 8 hour windows. it will be hard at first but this will help BIG time at least it did for me.

 

Avoid fried foods, highly salty foods. Vegetables make it worse so she might want to avoid it.

 

 

Chew food well at least 50 times per mouthful. This will great enhance digestion.

 

Limit meat because meat is difficult to digest and highly acidic.

 

Try to stay away from process foods especially foods with msg, nitrates, sulphites etc. These chemicals can make it worse.

 

Go and get some sun don't sit on your butt all day.

 

Do light exercises like walking it doesn't have to intense.

 

Avoid carbonated beverages especially sodas.

 

 

Fasting helped a great deal with avoiding drinking straight tap water or bottled water. Also chewing well really helped me.

 

Try avoiding watching tv it just stress you out for some reason.

 

 

 

Chewing Well: The Salivary Glands - Your Chew Guide

 

Thanks for this. I will share it with her when I see her.

[Anela]

I forgot a few things. Coconut oil, best to take with food because it helps with digestion. Be sure to take it low dosage and work you way up to 4 tablespoon. One teaspoon then increase gradually. Most brands I have tried is low quality the best brand that worked for me is dr Bronner's coconut oil. I haven't tried the whole kernel one yet so I suggest you try both and see.

 

 

If you want to eat nuts get them raw and soak them at room temperature for at least 24 hours this will greatly help with digestion and nutrient absorption.

 

Seeds you might want to stay, you should see how you react to them when you eat them. Seeds need to be soaked but it's more work than nuts. It needs to raw too in order for prevent digestion problems.

 

 

I know it's a long list but it does work for me.

 

I've been taking coconut oil with bee pollen (one capsule in the spoon, which I've also found out helps with digestion). It helps, but doesn't always help 100% of the time.

 

My day generally goes:

acidophilus and spirulina mixed into Activia yogurt, as soon as I wake up.

wait a while, shower and have my tea with milk and sugar.

Take bee pollen in coconut oil.

Make and drink green smoothie - drink it slowly. Adding an avocado really helped to make me feel full.

Later on, I will eat something, and it will usually settle.

 

This is my new routine, so far. A purple cabbage mixture helped last weekend, but I haven't made more, so I need to try it again. Eating it before ice cream, last Saturday, helped me to digest the ice cream.

[Divasu]

I forgot a few things. Coconut oil, best to take with food because it helps with digestion. Be sure to take it low dosage and work you way up to 4 tablespoon. One teaspoon then increase gradually. Most brands I have tried is low quality the best brand that worked for me is dr Bronner's coconut oil. I haven't tried the whole kernel one yet so I suggest you try both and see.

 

 

If you want to eat nuts get them raw and soak them at room temperature for at least 24 hours this will greatly help with digestion and nutrient absorption.

 

Seeds you might want to stay, you should see how you react to them when you eat them. Seeds need to be soaked but it's more work than nuts. It needs to raw too in order for prevent digestion problems.

 

 

I know it's a long list but it does work for me.

 

Thanks for this! I ended up making her a strip steak (organic) with Blackberry glaze and crimini mushrooms and steamed squash with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

 

She loved it and no acid reflex

 

Anela, I made your salad you mentioned but my poopy cat jumped up on the table and knocked the bowl over onto the floor .

[JakeFrye]

Prilosec worked for me. Permanently. Though the first week it seemed to do nothing by week 4(I think) I never had it again.

[seren]

GERD, just the word makes my teeth itch, one of the myriad of symptoms of my Lupus and very scary until diagnosed. The pain feels like a heart attack, mine comes on if I have been sat for too long, eat tomato or onions and at times takes the skin off the inside of my mouth with the acid coming up. Constant acid reflux can scar the esophagus and hurts like hell, when I feel the pain begin (I know what to expect) I either take a huge gulp of Gaviscon or race to the fridge for milk. I know drinking milk isn't the long term answer, but it gives immediate relief and stops the pain in its tracks.

 

I take osmeparole and it helps, but for those oh no it's staring moments, milk everytime. I had the camera down my throat thing, it wasn't as bad as expected, my voice is now constantly hoarse, but my vocal cords are still OK, just a bit battered by the acid reflux. Trial and error regrds the diet, I still eat the odd Indian takeaway and have no problems, but on other days just about anything other than toast sets it off. Hope she gets a diagnosis and treatment soon.