Heartburn Support - Sick and Tired of it

Author

Sick and Tired of it

maroon141@gmail.com

2006-04-11, 1:08 am

I was put on protonix about 5+ years ago after some ulcers developed on
my voice box (can't spell the name for it!). Been battling reflux ever
since I was a kid (42 years old now).

About a week ago I finally got tired of the Protonix. It wasn't
helping much anymore and I was tired of the side effects (gas).

Been reading alot lately about reflux. From ginger to vinegar. From
other meds to surgery.

Here's the bottom line...I'm sick and tired of reading about the
lifestyle changes to help curb reflux. I like to drink coffee. I like
to have a few drinks or wine with my meal. I like a thick cut of
steak.

What is out there that can help me? I'm tired of the full feeling, the
need to burp often, the wet burps and that terrible acid taste in my
mouth from time to time. From what I have read, I don't know if
surgery is a good option here. My doc wants me to go in for an exam of
my stomach area to see what's going on there.

Just about ready to swig down some vinegar to see if that helps.
Thanks for the chance to rant!!

Bill Poston

2006-04-11, 11:12 am

On 10 Apr 2006 21:54:11 -0700, "maroon141@gmail.com"
<maroon141@gmail.com> wrote:

>I was put on protonix about 5+ years ago after some ulcers developed on
>my voice box (can't spell the name for it!). Been battling reflux ever
>since I was a kid (42 years old now).
>

Hi,

It's always good to rant but it doesn't help.

Wait a few more months or years until you get serious about finding
relief from your GERD. Then you will learn that some people just can't
have it all, the wine, the coffee, the steak, etc.

When you get serious there are plenty of lifestyle changes you can
make to make your life much better. Of course you will probably have
to do without the wine, the coffee, the steak, etc.

Sometimes, life has to be a compromise. After you have decided to make
the necessary lifestyle changes you can have the occasional wine,
coffee or steak but not all and not all the time.

Here are a couple of web sites that can help:

http://www.reutershealth.com/wellconnected/doc85.html

http://www.gicare.com/pated/ecdgs39.htm

Hope this helps.

My experience is the vinegar won't help. The Ginger Root Juice will
help. Raising the head of the bed frame ((don't use a wedge, doesn't
help as much and can cause more problems)). And, eating several
smaller meals rather than three big ones will help. And, not lying
down after eating for three or more hours will help.

Good luck.

Bill Poston

To reply correct [at] and [dot]

Howard McCollister

2006-04-11, 11:12 am

<maroon141@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1144731250.957515.213860@i39g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>I was put on protonix about 5+ years ago after some ulcers developed on
> my voice box (can't spell the name for it!). Been battling reflux ever
> since I was a kid (42 years old now).
>
> About a week ago I finally got tired of the Protonix. It wasn't
> helping much anymore and I was tired of the side effects (gas).
>
> Been reading alot lately about reflux. From ginger to vinegar. From
> other meds to surgery.
>
> Here's the bottom line...I'm sick and tired of reading about the
> lifestyle changes to help curb reflux. I like to drink coffee. I like
> to have a few drinks or wine with my meal. I like a thick cut of
> steak.
>
> What is out there that can help me? I'm tired of the full feeling, the
> need to burp often, the wet burps and that terrible acid taste in my
> mouth from time to time. From what I have read, I don't know if
> surgery is a good option here. My doc wants me to go in for an exam of
> my stomach area to see what's going on there.
>
> Just about ready to swig down some vinegar to see if that helps.
> Thanks for the chance to rant!!
>

If lifestyle changes and/or medication aren't controlling your GERD to your
satisfaction, or if the EGD your doctor has recommended shows evidence of
damage to your esophagus (erosive esophagitis, stricture, Barrett's
esophagus), then anti-reflux surgery is about the only option you have left.
Current state of the art would be either a laparoscopic Nissen
fundoplication or a Stretta procedure. The latter option has a relatively
low success rate (~70%), but is relatively simple. Not all GERD patients are
suitable candidates for Stretta, however. Nissen fundoplication is very
effective, with ~90% success rate, but you'll have to investigate the
potential side effects to determine if it's something you want to do.

HMc

maroon141

2006-04-12, 1:06 am

Last night was tough. Stomach finally settled down, but it woke me up
at 5am this morning. I read the reply regarding the vinegar treatment.
I went ahead and gave it a shot anyway. Holy smokes! Somebody filled
my stomach with gas and threw a match in!!!

I grabbed some tums and a couple of Zantac. I'm just tired of the all
the gas the Protonix has been giving me. I had 1 cup of coffee this
morning (usually have 6 or 7 everyday). Haven't had any chew today
either. Damn it! They got a drug for every other ailment known to
mankind...why isn't there one for reflux that works well and lets me
live the way I want to.

So what's the best drug going right now for reflux / GERD? Is it a
PPI, H2 Blocker or something else. What kind of side effects can a
person expect? I promised my wife that I would make an appointment
tomorrow with my doc to have the EGD done.

Howard McCollister

2006-04-12, 1:06 am

"maroon141" <maroon141@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1144815702.868759.193830@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> Last night was tough. Stomach finally settled down, but it woke me up
> at 5am this morning. I read the reply regarding the vinegar treatment.
> I went ahead and gave it a shot anyway. Holy smokes! Somebody filled
> my stomach with gas and threw a match in!!!
>
> I grabbed some tums and a couple of Zantac. I'm just tired of the all
> the gas the Protonix has been giving me. I had 1 cup of coffee this
> morning (usually have 6 or 7 everyday). Haven't had any chew today
> either. Damn it! They got a drug for every other ailment known to
> mankind...why isn't there one for reflux that works well and lets me
> live the way I want to.
>
> So what's the best drug going right now for reflux / GERD? Is it a
> PPI, H2 Blocker or something else. What kind of side effects can a
> person expect? I promised my wife that I would make an appointment
> tomorrow with my doc to have the EGD done.
>

The gas you are having is substantially more likely to be a result of air
that you swallow in order to try clear your lower esophagus of refluxed
stomach contents than a side effect of the Protonix or any other PPI.

HMc

maroon141

2006-04-12, 1:06 am

That was a quick reply! Thanks for the feedback. Makes sense, though
the flatulence I have had for a long time is becoming less and less,
though I've only stopped taking the Protonix for just over a week. I
am guessing that it (the Protonix) should be out of my system by now.

I've been doing some research and found some very high marks for you.
I am honored to get feedback from you. I have a question. Are there
any good gas-ed docs in the Owatonna area? If you are wondering, yes,
my primary clinic is part of the Mayo Health System (MHS). This might
not be the best place to post that sort of advice. My email is
maroon141 at g mail dot com (no spaces, replace the appropriate words
with symbols)

jmc

2006-04-12, 1:09 pm

Suddenly, without warning, Howard McCollister exclaimed (4/12/2006 5:41 AM):

>
> The gas you are having is substantially more likely to be a result of air
> that you swallow in order to try clear your lower esophagus of refluxed
> stomach contents than a side effect of the Protonix or any other PPI.
>
> HMc
>
>
>
I'll second this. I've been having major reflux problems myself, and
swallowing tremendous amounts of air, trying to NOT cough, mostly. That
comes back mostly as belches though, or a particularly gross sounding
sort of cough/belch that's terribly embarrassing.

That said, how much carbs do you eat? Bread, rice, pasta, sweets? Too
much carbs causes me to have a tremendous amount of gas and flatulence.
I follow a much lower carb diet now and as long as I don't backslide,
the gas problems go away. Another possibility is a food intolerance -
right now, chicken also causes me to bloat.

jmc

Grant

2006-04-12, 6:06 pm

maroon141@gmail.com wrote:
> I was put on protonix about 5+ years ago after some ulcers developed on
> my voice box (can't spell the name for it!). Been battling reflux ever
> since I was a kid (42 years old now).
>
> About a week ago I finally got tired of the Protonix. It wasn't
> helping much anymore and I was tired of the side effects (gas).
>
> Been reading alot lately about reflux. From ginger to vinegar. From
> other meds to surgery.
>
> Here's the bottom line...I'm sick and tired of reading about the
> lifestyle changes to help curb reflux. I like to drink coffee. I like
> to have a few drinks or wine with my meal. I like a thick cut of
> steak.
>
> What is out there that can help me? I'm tired of the full feeling, the
> need to burp often, the wet burps and that terrible acid taste in my
> mouth from time to time. From what I have read, I don't know if
> surgery is a good option here. My doc wants me to go in for an exam of
> my stomach area to see what's going on there.
>
> Just about ready to swig down some vinegar to see if that helps.
> Thanks for the chance to rant!!

I've been battling GERD for 20 years (I'm now 48). Even with Nexium, I
finally had to come to the realization that I just can't drink:
Coffee, Tea
Sodas
Fruit juices
Alcohol
or eat chocolate in large quantities. I don't smoke--but if you do it
can be another problem factor in hearburn.

I also can't eat anything within 4 hours of going to bed. But on the
positive side, I can still eat spicy food occasionally and every once
in a while I can have a glass of wine with dinner.

It took a long time for me to get to the point of giving up these
foods, but in the end the choice was between constant pain or these
foods. I've now been without any symptoms for nearly a year and it has
been wonderful. I'm considering going off the Nexium at this point to
see if I can get along without it (but I'm afraid of a rebound effect).

I suggest you try the diet modifications for a month or two and you
will probably see a big difference.

Howard McCollister

2006-04-13, 1:06 am

"maroon141" <maroon141@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1144817962.027696.246640@z34g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> That was a quick reply! Thanks for the feedback. Makes sense, though
> the flatulence I have had for a long time is becoming less and less,
> though I've only stopped taking the Protonix for just over a week. I
> am guessing that it (the Protonix) should be out of my system by now.
>
> I've been doing some research and found some very high marks for you.
> I am honored to get feedback from you. I have a question. Are there
> any good gas-ed docs in the Owatonna area? If you are wondering, yes,
> my primary clinic is part of the Mayo Health System (MHS). This might
> not be the best place to post that sort of advice. My email is
> maroon141 at g mail dot com (no spaces, replace the appropriate words
> with symbols)
>

I'm not very familiar with MHS clinics (I'm more familiar with Cabela's

) although I know a lot of people in Rochester at the WFMC. I can make
some calls for you, but first I have to know what a "gas-ed" doctor is...

HMc

Pete

2006-04-13, 1:06 am

Grant wrote:
> maroon141@gmail.com wrote:
>
> I've been battling GERD for 20 years (I'm now 48). Even with Nexium,
> I finally had to come to the realization that I just can't drink:
> Coffee, Tea
> Sodas
> Fruit juices
> Alcohol
> or eat chocolate in large quantities. I don't smoke--but if you do it
> can be another problem factor in hearburn.
>
> I also can't eat anything within 4 hours of going to bed. But on the
> positive side, I can still eat spicy food occasionally and every once
> in a while I can have a glass of wine with dinner.
>
> It took a long time for me to get to the point of giving up these
> foods, but in the end the choice was between constant pain or these
> foods. I've now been without any symptoms for nearly a year and it
> has been wonderful. I'm considering going off the Nexium at this
> point to see if I can get along without it (but I'm afraid of a
> rebound effect).

Try stopping the nexium and staying on your diet. If you get worse (because
the nexium was helping you in addition to your diet), you should know soon
(within one to three days). If I stop my PPI's, my heartburn will start
within one day (two at the most). If you get worse after stopping the
nexium, start the nexium back up immediately. But I agree with your logic,
ie, you should definitely try stopping the nexium, since you may not need it
at all, and might be taking it unnecessarily, if you have got things to a
manageable point with diet alone...Pete

>
> I suggest you try the diet modifications for a month or two and you
> will probably see a big difference.

Vanny

2006-04-13, 11:09 am

Hi Grant,

Like yourself I only function with the dietary modifications and made myself
really sick over Xmas with only a drop of white wine and a couple of
truffles.

I have tried to stop protonix a couple of times, but within 24 hours the
GERD symptoms were severe. I agree with Pete it would be worth a try to stop
the Nexium, but do it when you are going to spend a day at home preferably
at the beginning of a weekend so that you have time to right yourself before
Monday.

V.

"Grant" <Grant_196@hotmail.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:1144881539.623064.137180@i39g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

maroon141@gmail.com wrote:
> I was put on protonix about 5+ years ago after some ulcers developed on
> my voice box (can't spell the name for it!). Been battling reflux ever
> since I was a kid (42 years old now).
>
> About a week ago I finally got tired of the Protonix. It wasn't
> helping much anymore and I was tired of the side effects (gas).
>
> Been reading alot lately about reflux. From ginger to vinegar. From
> other meds to surgery.
>
> Here's the bottom line...I'm sick and tired of reading about the
> lifestyle changes to help curb reflux. I like to drink coffee. I like
> to have a few drinks or wine with my meal. I like a thick cut of
> steak.
>
> What is out there that can help me? I'm tired of the full feeling, the
> need to burp often, the wet burps and that terrible acid taste in my
> mouth from time to time. From what I have read, I don't know if
> surgery is a good option here. My doc wants me to go in for an exam of
> my stomach area to see what's going on there.
>
> Just about ready to swig down some vinegar to see if that helps.
> Thanks for the chance to rant!!

I've been battling GERD for 20 years (I'm now 48). Even with Nexium, I
finally had to come to the realization that I just can't drink:
Coffee, Tea
Sodas
Fruit juices
Alcohol
or eat chocolate in large quantities. I don't smoke--but if you do it
can be another problem factor in hearburn.

I also can't eat anything within 4 hours of going to bed. But on the
positive side, I can still eat spicy food occasionally and every once
in a while I can have a glass of wine with dinner.

It took a long time for me to get to the point of giving up these
foods, but in the end the choice was between constant pain or these
foods. I've now been without any symptoms for nearly a year and it has
been wonderful. I'm considering going off the Nexium at this point to
see if I can get along without it (but I'm afraid of a rebound effect).

I suggest you try the diet modifications for a month or two and you
will probably see a big difference.

maroon141

2006-04-14, 6:08 pm

Hmc...without spell check, I didn't want to try to spell
gastroendiologist??? Can't be right, but it's gotta be close. What I
am looking for are the doctors that specialize in the
esophogaus/stomach. All we have here (besides Cabela's) are internal
medicine docs. Didn't know if you knew any of them or not. Sort of
like my field, lots of people say they can do it and get by, only a few
can really do a good job.

Here is a sidenote....I quit coffee and chew. I also quit taking fish
oil (my family doc says it's a waste of time and the fatty acids it
contains made me wonder). My GERD is way more manageable than it has
been in a long time. I also am eating less, but a little more often.
Never could eat anything before bedtime...that would just about kill
me.

This morning I had a good breakfast but only about 3/4 a cup of coffee.
I was a little refluxy this morning, but drank plenty of water to keep
it at bay. This afternoon has been good. Oh, I also am eating yogurt
again. I used to eat it everyday, but stopped for some reason. The
enzymes in there are good for me.

Kinda funny....I started to recall some of my childhood days. Way back
when I was in 7th or 8th grade, I took up drinking coffee. I can
remember my stomach was on fire back then so I drank more coffee,
thinking it would soothe my stomach. Huh....hopefully just a few
changes will work to my benefit and I won't need any more toxins in my
body or get the surgery. I just figure that taking drugs to stop your
stomach from making acids just ain't good for your overall digestion.
Then again, I'm just a schmuck...whadda I know.

Thanks for your time!!!!

Howard McCollister

2006-04-15, 11:10 am

"maroon141" <maroon141@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1145054312.809808.222030@j33g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Hmc...without spell check, I didn't want to try to spell
> gastroendiologist??? Can't be right, but it's gotta be close. What I
> am looking for are the doctors that specialize in the
> esophogaus/stomach. All we have here (besides Cabela's) are internal
> medicine docs. Didn't know if you knew any of them or not. Sort of
> like my field, lots of people say they can do it and get by, only a few
> can really do a good job.
>

OK, I'll have to check, but I don't know of any gastroenterologists in your
immediate area - your options AFAIK right now are the Mother Ship in
Rochester or up in the Twin Cities. Let me do some investigating.

HMc

mdindestin@hotmail.com

2006-04-17, 11:08 am

I'm new to all this, but I also drink about 6 cups of coffer per day
and am going to try eliminating it from my diet. I suspect it's
contrubuting substantially to both our problems.

The more I read, the more I'm thinking I have gallstones. I never have
acid come up my esophagus into my throat.