Is there anything I can do?

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Lesley
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Is there anything I can do?

Post by Lesley »

Heartburn! Everything hurts to swallow. Even water.

Tex, I read your post on heartburn and am going to stick to it, but without PPIs this is really bad. I have really bad GERD. I even had surgery to correct it./ Worked WONDERFULLY till I got a bug, and was trying to throw up for hours. I eventually passed out after I managed to. Since then the heartburn has returned - big time. :cry:

I KNOW the PPIs cause the MC. I KNOW I have to stop them. How do I stop the heartburn without them?

I have made some chicken soup and am making rice (I don't seem to have problems with it) and will stick to that for a while to eliminate what causes the bad D or C. But I am suffering from the other end right now.

Any ideas?
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Post by Polly »

Hi Lesley,

I know this is simplistic, but have you tried bicarbonate? The calcium bicarbonate from freeda vtamins online is free from all major sensitivities. You are probably already sleeping on your left side. Which foods have you eliminated so far? I know some here had relief from GERD once they had eliminated certain foods (particularly gluten) for a while.

Hope you feel better soon.

Hugs,

Polly
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tex
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Post by tex »

Hi Leslie,

I don't have any better recommendation than Polly's suggestion of bicarbonate. Some sources on the web recommend apple cider vinegar to treat heartburn:

http://heartburn.about.com/od/medsotcho ... inegar.htm

While others say that it doesn't work:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/checku ... rn_cu.html

PPI's temd to cause heartburn and GERD symptoms to become worse when they are discontinued, so it can take at least a few weeks to get past that effect.

Tex
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It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Lesley
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Post by Lesley »

I have calcium bicarbonate, and am taking it, along with vit D drops, and potassium powder as recommended by Gabes.

I have gone GF and DF. Today I started an elimination diet with one egg and a piece of Udi's bread toast, apple sauce, home made chicken soup and rice, with which I don't think I have issues. However, if things don't settle down, I will cut that out too and see if it helps.

Tex, I really HAVE to get rid of the PPIs, so I went cold turkey. At the worst of it I chewed a couple of tums. They helped a bit. What IS helping is chewing gum, I think because it stimulates saliva production and washes the acid back down. Also, it helps with dry mouth.
Oh, I just noticed that they recommend gum chewing in the apple cider vinegar article.

I am hoping going GF and DF and using this diet will help things settle down. I need a day of feeling better, and a night of sleep!

Thank you!
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Post by sarkin »

Lesley,

I have been a crazy water drinker for years - long before MC. Since my MC 'crash' I have woken up a few times with such a dry mouth - and I wonder now about Sjogren's syndrome, as a possible 'missed' condition for folks like us. My intense need for water drinking has reduced, in my 7-ish months GF.

I truly hope you get some relief. GERD has been a relatively minor symptom for me - but even a tiny bit of it is pretty frightful. Wishing you a good night's sleep and a rapid recovery,

Sara
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Post by JLH »

I use magnesium spray. I'm too chicken to try to figure out the right amount of magnesium to take orally and not get D.
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Post by sarkin »

I'm with you, Joan - some day, I'll be interested in supplemental magnesium that I actually swallow... but for now, the topical version is my preferred path...

And Lesley, I'll just say it again - hope you're feeling better already,

Sara
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Post by draperygoddess »

Lesley,

Oh, honey. As if you weren't dealing with enough! I don't have any suggestions to add, but I wanted to tell you I'm sorry you're having such a rough time of it. Thinking of you and hoping you feel better soon!

(By the way, my middle child was diagnosed with acid reflux at 9 (!!) and every time she had an attack, she would throw up. If you are anything like as miserable as she was, I am so sorry.)
Cynthia

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Post by Lesley »

I am following Gabes' advice and having Potssium powder, Calcium Carbonate and vitamin D drops. Also taking Glutamine on the advice of a nutritionist. NO PPIs. Cold turkey!

I am starting to wean off the Effexor. Poured a little out of the capsule today. I will do it day by day until it's all gone, and then start on the Nortryptilin.

I hope it's not as painful as the prednisone.

Your poor kid. It's really miserable. Maybe Gabes' advice will help her, though I wouldn't know for a child as young as yours.

Have her chew gum. Trident is gluten free (Tex's rec.). It really helps! I have never, ever chewed gum. My dad would never let us, and I dislike the same thing as he did, seeing people chew with their mouths open. However, it is helping me, so I guess it's "medicinal".

Sara - I have been on water restrictions for years, because my sodium and chloride drop super low, and I feel terrible, so I sucked on hard candy. Otherwise I couldn't talk because my mouth was so dry.
Now I have to break myself of the sugar habit. Not easy. The gum helps. Problem is it sticks to my teeth.
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Post by Gabes-Apg »

Cynthia,
i mix calcium carbonate in with Apple puree. you might be able to 'hide' some calcium in her meals.
Gabes Ryan

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