# Crohn's and GERD sufferers Support Group



## RenGen

For those who suffer with both Crohn's Disease and GERD.


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## Stevi (:

I am not diagnosed with Crohn's, but I do have gerd... What are your issues with it? My doctor wants to do a procedure on me because I pretty much have no lower esophageal sphincter. thats what it is... http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/fundoplication-surgery-for-gastroesophageal-reflux-disease-gerd  I am currently getting more tests done..i think i have Crohns.


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## RenGen

My issues with GERD are reflux, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, burping, regurgitation, Barrett's Esophagus, and a Hiatal Hernia.  

What procedure might you have done?

I want to have a surgery for GERD, but due to the recent diagnosis with Crohn's, a GI doctor that I saw said a planned GI surgery could complicate things more, due to my GI issues.  I also have Gastroparesis and Gastritis.


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## Stevi (:

he wants to take my stomach and wrap it around my esophagus... I have chronic gastritis and some sort of esophagitis. I didnt know nausea was related to gerd.. i deal with that all the time. I heard hernia is bad but i know theres people here who have it...My surgery is also pending because i need more results working on a pill cam appointment.. I regurgitate, get heart burn have chest pains belch its not fun but you get used to it! :/


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## RenGen

The Nissen Fundoplication surgery.  I know of that one.  I hope you can have all the tests and have the surgery done.  

My nausea could be related to Crohn's, GERD, Gastroparesis, or Gastritis.  So I include it when I mention my GERD symptoms.  Very hard to tell them all apart.  

Oh it's so hard to get used to GERD problems.  :-(


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## Stevi (:

I complained of heartburn on a regular basis since i was five... Honestly i think my gerd because i have no esophageal sphincter and i really think it was a birth defect...just didn't get an endoscopy til now and im 20. All i do is eat rolaids and stay away from the greasy  and spicy foods... I know i should do more for it but i haven't found a heartburn med that works as good as Rolaids yet. As for the gastritis I have no clue how to tell what pain its causing me I honestly didnt expect to have it.


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## Stevi (:

The things im having trouble getting used to is my persistent diarrhea for 4 months and my abdominal pain and my failure to digest my food right... oh and extreme bloating and discomfort after every meal...is that possibly gastritis?


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## RenGen

It could be.  I'm not sure what my Gastritis symptoms are, since I have so many GI problems.  

I have a Facebook group for GERD.  If you're on Facebook, you're welcome to join.  The link is:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/461651960520331/


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## nogutsnoglory

I have Gerd and it was being somewhat controlled by nexium but now I'm searching for a solution again.


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## Stevi (:

I hope you find it :/ I dont want to be on constant medication for my gerd so i just avoid grease and spice and when i have symptoms i eat rolaids and drink almond milk... it just soothes the esophagus really. i have tried zantac and omeprazole, but they dont feel like they help... i still end up wanting rolaids and drinking milk


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## RenGen

nogutsnoglory said:


> I have Gerd and it was being somewhat controlled by nexium but now I'm searching for a solution again.


There are many PPI's.  I'm on a very high dose of generic Aciphex.  80 MG/day.  It seems to be the only PPI that helps me.


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## BellaVita

I have GERD too, and take Omeprazole 20mg x2 a day.


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## Droopy Drawers

RenGen said:


> There are many PPI's.  I'm on a very high dose of generic Aciphex.  80 MG/day.  It seems to be the only PPI that helps me.



Ditto the generic Aciphex for me
I have taken every ppi on the market & even the Aciphex is failing me lately
I need to ask the Gastro about increasing my dose, but have to steel myself for the battle with the insurance company


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## RenGen

Droopy Drawers said:


> Ditto the generic Aciphex for me
> I have taken every ppi on the market & even the Aciphex is failing me lately
> I need to ask the Gastro about increasing my dose, but have to steel myself for the battle with the insurance company


It took my insurance a LONG time for them to cover the high dose of Aciphex!  And I mean a LONG time... like four months!  But they finally covered it.  I hope you find relief.


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## RenGen

BellaVita said:


> I have GERD too, and take Omeprazole 20mg x2 a day.


Does that medication help you?


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## carrollco

I have chronic gerd, hiatal hernia, and gastritis.  I had duodenitis,  and lastly illeitis. The illeitis and duodenitis have improved w/Remicade as has Crohn's.  I have tried going without Prilosec, but the gastritis returns. Fruit sets it off. Grape juice for sure.


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## Droopy Drawers

Grape & cherry juice both kill me


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## carrollco

I love grape juice. *sigh*


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## nogutsnoglory

So I bought the new Nexium OTC which is half the dose of the prescription I took but it is helping me. 

What I don't get is why it's a 14 day course, if I can take prescription strength daily why can I only take the OTC for 2 weeks?


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## LodgeLady

Since my gall bladder was removed my GERD got a lot worse. Upped my Protonix to 40 mg x 2/day and that has taken care of the problem.


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## FrozenGirl

Gerd was actually diagnosed for me before my UC. Not too bad now but if I eat spicy food I have to prepare for not being able to lay down all night.


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## ce1210

I take 40 mg of omeprazole a day and it helps my heartburn tremendously. I have been trying to go down to 20 mg and every time I do I end up eating rolaids at some point during the day...


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## ce1210

Stevi (: said:


> I hope you find it :/ I dont want to be on constant medication for my gerd so i just avoid grease and spice and when i have symptoms i eat rolaids and drink almond milk... it just soothes the esophagus really. i have tried zantac and omeprazole, but they dont feel like they help... i still end up wanting rolaids and drinking milk


omeprazole didnt work for me completely until I started taking 40 mg and it took it like a week to REALLY kick in so maybe that could help, also i know this is odd, but almond milk gives me awful rebound heartburn lol...


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## Ann Morgan

Okay, so GERD has some connection to Ulcerative Colitis ?  I have had Acid Reflux for many years now. I was on Aciphex quite a few years ago, then on Nexium ( which was expensive) and I even took the over-the-counter Prilosec.  Several years ago my health insurance plan quit covering all of the acid reflux/gerd prescription medications !  So for an entire year I took over-the-counter Prilosec ( which is only supposed to be taken for 14 days in a row ).  I have now been taking Pantoprazole/Protonics 40mg once a day for a very long time and I am doing very well on this dose and this medication. I have had to totally eliminate alcohol from my life because it gives me the nastiest acid reflux attack ( terrible ). I try to avoid things like tomato sauces. On occasion if I find I need a little extra help with the gerd symptoms, I will just take one Extra Strength Gaviscon tablet. Gaviscon works way better than just Tums or Rolaids. I have not had an acid reflux attack in a very, very long time. But why, if I am getting a generic for Protonics, is it still expensive ?  I don't get that part.


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## LodgeLady

Ann Morgan said:


> Okay, so GERD has some connection to Ulcerative Colitis ?  I have had Acid Reflux for many years now. I was on Aciphex quite a few years ago, then on Nexium ( which was expensive) and I even took the over-the-counter Prilosec.  Several years ago my health insurance plan quit covering all of the acid reflux/gerd prescription medications !  So for an entire year I took over-the-counter Prilosec ( which is only supposed to be taken for 14 days in a row ).  I have now been taking Pantoprazole/Protonics 40mg once a day for a very long time and I am doing very well on this dose and this medication. I have had to totally eliminate alcohol from my life because it gives me the nastiest acid reflux attack ( terrible ). I try to avoid things like tomato sauces. On occasion if I find I need a little extra help with the gerd symptoms, I will just take one Extra Strength Gaviscon tablet. Gaviscon works way better than just Tums or Rolaids. I have not had an acid reflux attack in a very, very long time. But why, if I am getting a generic for Protonics, is it still expensive ?  I don't get that part.


I too am on Protonix (generic). I had to increase my dose from 40mg/once a day to 40mg/twice a day. I had my gallbladder removed and it really did a number on my reflux. Why don't you try and up your dose?


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## UnXmas

I figured I should join this group. I don't think a doctor has ever said to me that I have "GERD", but it's pretty much taken for granted. I definitely have every symptom of it, except burping, and my endoscopies always show evidence of inflammation caused by reflux. I taste food coming back up, I get heartburn pain, and it feels like food gets stuck in my chest. I am diagnosed with gastroparesis too, and I think the symptoms overlaps a lot. The atypical thing about my GERD, though, is that it comes on randomly. It is more likely to come on in the evening, but some evenings it's not bad at all. The only food to consistently provoke it is potatoes - especially mashed potatoes. Other than that, it's random. And no medications seem to help at all.


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## UnXmas

I also have a question: have any of you unintentionally lost weight because of GERD? Does it interfere with your ability to eat enough, or put you off eating to the extent that you've lost weight?

I'm having a gastric emptying study soon, and wondering if this will assess GERD as well as gastroparesis. Something causes me to feel way too full on little amounts of food.


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## Ann Morgan

UnXmas: I have had acid reflux for several years and I take a prescription drug called Protonics ( Pantoprazole ). It really works for me. I couldn't live without it. Several years ago I would get horrible acid reflux attacks. I take one pill each morning. If I DO eat something like tomato sauce or something like that, I also may take one Extra Strength Gaviscon tablet. The Gaviscon is way better than any other over the counter anti-acid I have tried. My neighbor here at my apartment complex is having an endoscopy soon. She said she has GERD. She sounds like she has almost lost her voice !  I never had a voice like hers when I was suffering with the acid reflux before taking prescription medication. I don't know why her voice is like that. It just doesn't seem normal for her to almost completely lose her voice ?


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## Ann Morgan

Oh, yeah, I forgot that I also took Nexium a while back, that is a prescription medication, but it got too expensive. I also took Prilosec at one time , that is over the counter. And in the very beginning I took another prescription drug but I cannot remember the name of it.


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## Ann Morgan

nogutsnoglory said:


> So I bought the new Nexium OTC which is half the dose of the prescription I took but it is helping me.
> 
> What I don't get is why it's a 14 day course, if I can take prescription strength daily why can I only take the OTC for 2 weeks?


I used to wonder the same thing !  On television they advertise these over the counter reflux medicines but I don't think people read the small print on the bottom of the screen where it says to only use it for 14 days in a row.  A few years back my insurance company quit covering the acid reflux medications for a year and so I had to take over the counter during that time. I think I took Prilosec. Even though it was over the counter, I did not think the Prilosec was cheap at all. I now take Protonics ( Pantoprazole ) prescription.


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## aideen33

I have GERD, probably due in part to pyloric stenosis. I also have asthma so super important to control it. 

Here is my issue and hope someone can advise

Doc put me on nexium which does work to control the acid, however it seems to be contributing to the already problematic D from my Crohns. Have any of you had this issue and is it better for you on a different medication?
:sign0085:


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## Kitch

Hi....new to this forum.....I have crohns and rhuematoid arthritis ....some of my meds for rhuematoid work for crohns like methotrexate and sulfasalazine. I tried cimzia but it gave me a very very sore neck and didn't really help my Rhuematoid ......I think I'm in a crohns flare......having a colonoscopy next wk....I have a very tender burning feeling on my rib cage, wondered if anyone else experienced this.


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## Kitch

Hi....new to this forum.....I have crohns and rhuematoid arthritis ....some of my meds for rhuematoid work for crohns like methotrexate and sulfasalazine. I tried cimzia but it gave me a very very sore neck and didn't really help my Rhuematoid ......I think I'm in a crohns flare......having a colonoscopy next wk....I have a very tender burning feeling on my rib cage, wondered if anyone else experienced this.


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## DougUte

I also have GERD. I take 40mg Omeprazole  which mashed me forget about it so it must be working. Just thought I should join this group.


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## deborah123johnston

ive been doing gaps diet for ten months and havnt seen much improvement yet...my practitioner told me not to take my imuran as this will stop healing...my doctor told me he wont send for me again if i dont take the imuran...i feel confused.anyone ever been in this situation and what did you do.....


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## Ann Morgan

I have had acid reflux for several years now. I had my gallbladder out in 1995 ( does this have anything to do with acid reflux ). I take Pantaprozole 40mg each morning. It really does work for me and I don't think I could live without it. If I occasionally eat something with a lot of acid in it ( spaghetti sauce ) then I will also take one Extra Strength Gaviscon. With some foods that I occasionally eat I will end up burping up the food all day long. I have not had a bad acid reflux attack since I starting taking prescription medication for it.


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## Ann Morgan

Hey, it is me AGAIN !  Okay, is acid reflux and Gerd the same thing ?  I have been taking pantoprazole for my Gerd for quite a while, but I think in the beginning I took something else.

I saw something that unxmas wrote in August and I was just going to say that I have to eat smaller meals through out the day, I have to eat small amounts of food at one sitting and I have to chew my food really well before I swallow it. I also prefer that my food just be around room temperature. I don' t like to eat really hot food or really cold food. And I absolutely cannot have a hot dinner, then eat some cold ice cream. 
 That is all for now.


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## aideen33

As I understand it, and i might be wrong, GERD is the term for the chronic experiencing of acid reflux. 
my dx is GERD at this point, i stick to nothing too spicy or acidic, small meals,  temperature can get to me.... I tried nexium but it tended to worsen the diarrhea (the LAST thing i need), and my primary has me on omeprazole (or was and about to start again)


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## Ann Morgan

Bummer, I cannot drink alcoholic beverages at all because of my acid reflux. I was not a big drinker before I had to quit drinking, but it sure would be nice to have a cocktail every once in a while.  : - )


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## nogutsnoglory

I was just thinking part of my problem is I lay down most of the day and I eat and lay down. I have chronic fatigue so I am not working and mainly couch ridden. I don't know how to combat this. I am trying to stay upright after eating but it's hard for me to stay propped up and my incline pillow hurts.


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## UnXmas

I've never found lying down makes a difference to my reflux. I know the law of gravity says it should, but my body doesn't seem to follow laws like that.

What kind of couch do you have, nogutsnoglory? I have a very wide armchair that I nap in during the day, and lie on my side sort of curled up in it, but propped up on one of the arms so I'm much closer to being upright than if I were lying in bed. Sorry I can't think of a better way to describe what I mean. I guess proper adjustable recliners are expensive, but maybe you could find a second-hand one?

One thing that helped me when I couldn't get comfy in a hospital bed was one of those neck pillows that are designed mainly for use on aeroplanes and coaches. I could raise the head of hospital bed to a sitting position, and had ordinary pillows behind my back, but I just couldn't get my head comfy for some reason and the neck pillow gave more support when I was sitting up. I'm not sure if they have a proper name, but I just googled "neck pillow" and that brought up results of what I'm thinking of.


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## nogutsnoglory

A neck pillow is a good idea, a new couch is not feasible at the moment.


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## malissaamillia

GERD is the only thing they all agree on with me, and that i've got a hiatal hernia of about 4cm. Chronic gastritis was diagnosed by my gp but no diagnosis on IBD yet. Trying Sulfasalazine now since 5 weeks. I've gotten the first tests for fundoplication surgery 27th of November but haven't heard back. 24 hour pH monitoring was awful, my body kept trying to swallow the probe down or I felt like having to trow up. They said that it is very unusual for somebody to still feel it after 30min. I'm also having second thoughts about the surgery.

Omeprazole and Pantoprazole didn't do anything for me, Rabeprazole helps with the heartburn but worsens the amount flowing back. For now I'm not taking anything, but looking at the long-term complications that will not be an option much longer. I've never noticed a difference when lying down, but it gets worse with exercise. Does anybody have experience with osteopathy?


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## Aos

Last week I was diagnosed with dysphagia due to GERD.   I hate life right now.  So painful and I've lost 15lbs in 2 weeks b/c I find I can eat so little.  I have horrid coughing fits at night and spit up a bunch of saliva b/c it all gets stuck in my esophagus and either goes down all at once, creating a huge pain in my chest or just has to be coughed back up.  I'm on Remicade and Imuran for Crohn's and now OMe something (proton pump inhibitor) for the GERD, been on that one for a week and have had no positive change.  I'm have had a chronic sore throat as well (9 weeks) other than that, I really never thought I had any sign of GERD.    Wish my body would give me a break.


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## FrozenGirl

Well I was diagnosed with GERD, took pantoprazole for 4 months then I seemed fine and my prescription from my PCP ran out. My GI never talked about it so I stopped taking it and was good for about 8 months. Now it seems to be returning. Not as bad as it was before but I feel like it may get worse. Guess I am going to talk to my GI and see what the new plan is. Sigh.


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## Aos

Frozen Girl, can you tell me what GERD feel like?  I am just not sure they are right about me, but what do I know.


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## FrozenGirl

There was a couple things for me. One was actual reflux, like acid coming up and into my mouth (tastes gross). Another was sometime I felt like if I didn't keep my teeth clenched I was just going to have reflux and throw up. The last one is hard to describe. I had this feeling of discomfort in my stomach when I was lying down, eventually to the point where I had to sleep sitting up. Not a burning but just a weird uncomfortable feeling.


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## DougUte

I have been taking omeprazole 40 mg 2 times daily for years. I have been experiencing dark stools. Saw my GI and he scheduled an upper GI scope. The scope uncovered a healing ulcer in my stomach. This could have been the source of the blood, or it could come from the friable area at my crohn's surgery site. It is hard for me to tell the difference between crohn's pain and the Gerd. My GI put me on Carafate. I hope it helps.


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## Aos

Thanks both of you! that is helpful


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## UnXmas

The symptoms that GERD causes me are:

Food coming back up into my mouth soon after swallowing it, though I often go days without this happening.

Severe heartburn, to the point where I have to stop what I'm doing and wait for the pain to pass. The pain only lasts a few minutes at a time, often while I'm eating but noir always, and, as with the reflux, sometimes I go days without it.

The feeling that something's stuck in my throat while I'm eating, though for me it's food that gets stuck, not saliva. And it's a bit different from what you describe, Aos, as it doesn't necessarily come back up or cause pain when swallowed.

Although I have easophagitis from GERD, I don't feel like I have a sore throat. I do have a very minor cough all the time though.

I've never noticed any connection between what I eat and GERD symptoms and I've tested many of the foods that often do worsen it. The symptoms almost always occur late afternoon or evening. Sitting up rather than lying down is meant to help, but, again, I've never found this. The heartburn is worse and more frequent when I'm on prednisone. 

I've tried many different meds for heartburn and reflux but they don't help. But there are many meds for GERD, so it's worth persevering and trying different ones if the ones you've tried so far haven't helped. Have you tried anything for the soreness (as opposed to the reflux and heartburn)? Lozenges or cough syrup?

Let me know if you'd like a list of the foods that can cause problems with GERD too, as although they make no odds to me, many people do find adjusting their diet helpful. Best thing to do is drink milk! It's very good for indigestion and heartburn, and sometimes will ease symptoms right away.

I also have gastroparesis and gastritis from bile reflux, and  I think the symptoms overlap sometimes, so I can't be exactly sure what just the GERD would feel like, but I have had GERD confirmed as a diagnosis by endoscopy with biopsies.


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## cheryl888

Hi I wanted to join in....I was just recently diagnosed with both Crohn's and GERD/pre-Barrett's Esophagus (I have metaplasia of the esophagus but they said it's not Barret's yet).  I had a colonoscopy and endoscopy to check for Crohn's and finding the esophagus issue was just a 'bonus' haha.  I've been put on omeprazole 20mg in the am and then zantac (can't remember dose) at night.


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## nogutsnoglory

Generic Nexium approved by FDA http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0KZ29V20150126?irpc=932


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## nogutsnoglory

High dose nexium is doing nothing for me. I know all the gerd meds are basically the same. Is there anything otc I should try and if it helps get the dr to put in prescription strength? Prilosec has helped a bit in the past maybe I should try it again.


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## UnXmas

For some reason my heartburn is absolutely awful right now. The last couple of nights I've had to sleep sitting up. This morning the pain woke me up about 5:00am. Now it's almost 9:30pm and I'm about to go to bed and the pain has just started again.


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## Ann Morgan

I have acid reflux. I take Pantoprazole each day, I think it is 40 mg. And if I eat something that is a bit acidic I will take one Extra Strength Gaviscon tablet ( it is chewable and must be taken with a glass of water ).  This combination has been working for me for quite a while. But I don't drink alcohol. And I don't like to eat/drink really COLD things or really HOT things ( temperature ).  I like my food and drink closer to room temperature for some reason. I cannot eat anything spicy. And I eat tomato sauce rarely. When I was first diagnosed I was prescribed another medication in the beginning. Then I was prescribed Nexium. Then I took over the counter acid reflux medication when my Health Insurance Company quit covering those types of medications ( for one year ). And now I am on the Pantoprazole. I have had two different Primary Care Physicians along the way. My PCP is the one that prescribes my Pantoprazole. Thanks for listening. Have a good week.


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## Ann Morgan

nogutsnoglory said:


> I was just thinking part of my problem is I lay down most of the day and I eat and lay down. I have chronic fatigue so I am not working and mainly couch ridden. I don't know how to combat this. I am trying to stay upright after eating but it's hard for me to stay propped up and my incline pillow hurts.


I have been sleeping in a recliner for 8 years due to my shoulder arthritis and my hip arthritis. I cannot lay on my side at all, due to the pain. I sleep slightly inclined in my recliner, but never flat all the way down in the recliner. This has just become a way of life for me. I cannot travel any longer because I cannot sleep in a bed. I have traveled four times within the past few years, but have had a recliner available for me to sleep in. Also, cannot step over a tub to take a shower and I need just a shower stall. Ugh, getting old and I am only 54. I am also at a high risk for fracture if I fall, due to my terrible DEXA scan results.


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## ce1210

nogutsnoglory said:


> High dose nexium is doing nothing for me. I know all the gerd meds are basically the same. Is there anything otc I should try and if it helps get the dr to put in prescription strength? Prilosec has helped a bit in the past maybe I should try it again.


Try organic unpasteurized apple cider vinegar and baking soda...I used to take 60 mg of omeprazole a day and still have heartburn occasionally. I started using acv/baking soda (2tbl spoons acv/ 1/2 tsp of baking soda) twice a day and I have been able to get down to 1 omeprazole a day and plan to try to stop that. Vaporizing cannabis oil seems to quell acid reflux for me as well. But I was amazed how much the acv/baking soda has helped.


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## nogutsnoglory

I tried ACV in the past without success but can try again. Baking soda is nasty but it does work quickly to quell the burning which is nice. I was told to try manuka honey before meals. I also have DGL which I'm trying again. I keep asking dr for new prescriptions to try other PPI's


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## ce1210

nogutsnoglory said:


> I tried ACV in the past without success but can try again. Baking soda is nasty but it does work quickly to quell the burning which is nice. I was told to try manuka honey before meals. I also have DGL which I'm trying again. I keep asking dr for new prescriptions to try other PPI's


I had tried acv alone and it almost seemed to make things worse but it seemed like mixing with baking soda changed everything... I've looked into manuka honey but I can decide if I believe the hype and it's sooooo expensive for the real stuff...


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## ce1210

And from what my doc told me ab ppi's is they are all essentially the same drug or all slight variations of the same substance and that some people seem to do better with different ones so try em all till one works and if none of em work your left with home remedies, diet change, surgery (if something anatomical is causing the GERD). Prilosec seems to do better for me than any of the new ones and it's cheapest (4 me at least).


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## JenS

I have Gerd too. I've noticed when I stay on Prevacid for more than a few weeks, my iron deficiency anemia gets worse (my blood counts drop). Anyone else?


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## Ann Morgan

I just got diagnosed with c-diff and I guess PPI's can help cause c-diff ?  PPI's, I believe, are medications like the one I have been taking every morning for a long while....Pantoprazole ( Protonics) ( for my acid reflux).


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## JenS

Ann Morgan said:


> I just got diagnosed with c-diff and I guess PPI's can help cause c-diff ?  PPI's, I believe, are medications like the one I have been taking every morning for a long while....Pantoprazole ( Protonics) ( for my acid reflux).



Yikes!! Take care!


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## FrozenGirl

PPIs (like pantoprazol) can help contibute to C diff because they lower the amount of acid in the stomach making it easier for C Diff to flourish I believe. It's definitely a trade off based on what you are will to risk and how bad the reflux is.


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## nogutsnoglory

I take plenty of probiotics with my Prevacid to ensure I don't get c-diff.


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## Ann Morgan

Ann Morgan said:


> I have had acid reflux for several years now. I had my gallbladder out in 1995 ( does this have anything to do with acid reflux ). I take Pantaprozole 40mg each morning. It really does work for me and I don't think I could live without it. If I occasionally eat something with a lot of acid in it ( spaghetti sauce ) then I will also take one Extra Strength Gaviscon. With some foods that I occasionally eat I will end up burping up the food all day long. I have not had a bad acid reflux attack since I starting taking prescription medication for it.


Okay, I am "quoting" myself..............but the other day I had a terrible uncomfortable acid reflux attack. :eek2:  Acid all the way up to my throat, but not into my mouth. My throat hurt afterwards. I have not experienced this for years. I was recently on Vancomycin and am off it now. And I now take a Probiotic every day. Could either of these things cause an acid reflux attack ?  I was also diagnosed with C-diff a month ago. I don't want another attack like that ! Over the last week or two I have experienced heartburn/indigestion and I don't normally get that every week, just once in a "blue moon" as they say. I have been taking my Extra Strength Gaviscon a little more often lately. 
Thanks for listening.


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## Ann Morgan

JenS said:


> Yikes!! Take care!


Okay, so some people I meet in person or people that I write to online act like this C-diff is a big deal ( and I have done some online reading about it ).

And some people I meet in person or people that I write to online act like it is NOT a big deal.

I know this is a GERD sufferers Support Group, but I thought I would just mention it. I will go over to the C-diff Support Group now.

:ysmile:


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## Ann Morgan

nogutsnoglory said:


> I take plenty of probiotics with my Prevacid to ensure I don't get c-diff.


I just started taking one Culturelle probiotic capsule each day.  I was eating Plain Greek Yogurt in my daily smoothie before that.  I have temporarily stopped making my smoothies and I will eventually do back to drinking one each day.    anda-wave-t:


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## LodgeLady

Just a FYI you can be refluxing and not even know it. My reflux is so bad I have to take 40 mg Protonix twice a day and sometimes that's not enough.  Mine was under control until I had my gallbladder removed. Upped to 40/twice day and that was fine until I started another flare. I'm on LDN now and I'm finding the night dose interferes with taking my nightly Protonix. So I'm going to try taking Carafate at night instead of the Protonix to see if that settles things down. I'm hoping after my system gets used to the LDN my reflux will get better.


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## Ann Morgan

LodgeLady said:


> Just a FYI you can be refluxing and not even know it. My reflux is so bad I have to take 40 mg Protonix twice a day and sometimes that's not enough.  Mine was under control until I had my gallbladder removed. Upped to 40/twice day and that was fine until I started another flare. I'm on LDN now and I'm finding the night dose interferes with taking my nightly Protonix. So I'm going to try taking Carafate at night instead of the Protonix to see if that settles things down. I'm hoping after my system gets used to the LDN my reflux will get better.


Thanks for your help. I take 40 mg of Pantoprazole each morning ( generic for Protonix ? ).  I have been taking prescription acid reflux medication for some time now. My old PCP gave me something, I cannot remember the name. Then I took over-the-counter stuff at one time. I had my gallbladder removed in 1995.  The last endoscopy I had, I think, was in 2009 ?


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## FrozenGirl

LodgeLady said:


> Just a FYI you can be refluxing and not even know it. My reflux is so bad I have to take 40 mg Protonix twice a day and sometimes that's not enough.  Mine was under control until I had my gallbladder removed. Upped to 40/twice day and that was fine until I started another flare. I'm on LDN now and I'm finding the night dose interferes with taking my nightly Protonix. So I'm going to try taking Carafate at night instead of the Protonix to see if that settles things down. I'm hoping after my system gets used to the LDN my reflux will get better.


Yep. I didn't realize it was reflux until I had an upper GI barium study showing severe reflux. I though it was just a super uncomfortable stomach feeling. It was only later I started having actual reflux of acid into my mouth.


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## nogutsnoglory

After trying nearly every other PPI and antacid I'm now giving Aciphex a go. A friend said it's the only one that worked for her. I like that I have tablets and don't need to wait 30 min to eat. Well see how this goes.


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## LodgeLady

nogutsnoglory said:


> After trying nearly every other PPI and antacid I'm now giving Aciphex a go. A friend said it's the only one that worked for her. I like that I have tablets and don't need to wait 30 min to eat. Well see how this goes.


Thanks! I am going to bring this up next week at my GI appt. Maybe all I need is a med change.


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## Ann Morgan

I have had Aciphex, Prilosec, and Pantoprazole...with a bit of Extra Strength Gaviscon.


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## nogutsnoglory

How's gaviscon? That's basically like mylanta right?


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## Ann Morgan

I use the Gaviscon chewable. I just chew one tablet and swallow with at least 8 ounces of water. If  I decide I want to eat something like pizza or spaghetti and meatballs ( stuff with tomato sauce) I will take one Gaviscon chewable tablet before or after eating that kind of food. Actually on the label it says you can take 2-4 chewable tablets at one time ! I have never needed to take more than one. Gaviscon tablets are nothing like Tums. The Gaviscon tablets have a different consistency and taste.  I rarely eat pizza because grease is a trigger for me to have diarrhea. And IF I eat spaghetti and meatballs I never get the meat sauce because the fat in the meat makes me have diarrhea. Long answer.....sorry!  Boring, today I ate Rice and then some crackers and cheese later on. I really want McDonalds or Taco Bell !!!!!


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## Ann Morgan

ce1210 said:


> Try organic unpasteurized apple cider vinegar and baking soda...I used to take 60 mg of omeprazole a day and still have heartburn occasionally. I started using acv/baking soda (2tbl spoons acv/ 1/2 tsp of baking soda) twice a day and I have been able to get down to 1 omeprazole a day and plan to try to stop that. Vaporizing cannabis oil seems to quell acid reflux for me as well. But I was amazed how much the acv/baking soda has helped.


I don't take any home remedies for any of my health conditions, but I have always heard good things about apple cider vinegar. But isn't an unpasteurized product dangerous because it has not been pasteurized ?  I think I tried drinking apple cider vinegar 20 years ago when I was a vegetarian. I wish I was as dedicated and motivated now as I was then. Back then I lost a lot of weight, rode my bike every weekend, walked every morning and was a vegetarian. That was the best I had ever felt in my life. Unfortunately just a few short years later I started having the diarrhea. Bummer. :ymad:


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## UnXmas

Can you not still be vegetarian if that's what you would like to do? I know there are many fruits and vegetables that can give people with Crohn's - or UC in your case - problems. And I know I've seen you post that that's the case for you, but there must be some things you can tolerate which aren't meat.


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## Ann Morgan

Having more acid reflux lately. Don't know if it is poor food choices, eating too much st one time, ?? I normally have to eat a little bit at a time throughout the day. I would rather have my food room temperature, nothing ever real cold or real hot. I don't refrigerate my bottled water. And I don't mind my one cup of morning coffee to be somewhat room temperature either.  Right now....bloated. Today....took Extra Strength Gaviscon again. Good Night for now.


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## JoFowler

I take Tecta 40mg/once a dayfor mine and boy, did I ever find out just how much I depend on it!   My husband changed jobs and therefore insurance companies.  I thought my card was coming in a couple of days and I ran out of Tecta, so I figured I'd be fine taking Ranitidine 150 in the interim- I was so wrong!  I had searing heartburn the minute I swallowed a bite of food.  It was awful!


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## jpaige7

I have both crohns and GERD and have been suffering for over 6  years. I finally had surgery to remove my colon but found out there is still active crohns disease in my stomach and small intestine. And my GERD is just getting worse even with all the meds. any advise to settle it down a bit? It gets very very painful and frustrating at night time.


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## Ann Morgan

I am taking one Extra Strength Gaviscon every day and I have never had to do that on a regular basis. I had C-diff in April, I don't know if that has anything to do with it ? I already take Pantoprazole each morning.


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## Ann Morgan

Oh, I DID start taking Culturelle probiotics once a day in April.


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## Ann Morgan

Should I ask for an endoscopy ?  I have a new Gastroenterologist and I don't think he would recommend one for me. My last endoscopy in 2009?  I am not sure if I like this new doctor ? My favorite Gastroenterologist is no longer on my Insurance plan !!!!!


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## Ann Morgan

LodgeLady said:


> Just a FYI you can be refluxing and not even know it. My reflux is so bad I have to take 40 mg Protonix twice a day and sometimes that's not enough.  Mine was under control until I had my gallbladder removed. Upped to 40/twice day and that was fine until I started another flare. I'm on LDN now and I'm finding the night dose interferes with taking my nightly Protonix. So I'm going to try taking Carafate at night instead of the Protonix to see if that settles things down. I'm hoping after my system gets used to the LDN my reflux will get better.


Yeah, everything seems to get worse after everyone gets their gallbladder removed !   And doctors act like we don't need our gallbladder ?   Well, it must be there for SOME REASON !    Where is all of that Bile going ?  I still have never figured it out. I had my gallbladder out in 1995, a Laparascopic Cholestectomy......I don't know how common those were back in 1995 but gallbladder surgeries used to be major surgeries where they really cut you open. Now they just make three incisions and use a camera.  
How often are we supposed to get an endoscopy to check out to make sure we don't have scaring and all of that ?


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## Ann Morgan

Does everyone who has their gallbladder removed have GERD/Acid Reflux ?   Is GERD and Acid Reflux the same ?   I had my gallbladder taken out in 1995.   So if my gallbladder has a purpose in my body and it is gone now, what happens to all of that bile ? Well, this may be off topic, I don't know.   Thanks for listening.


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## a_woman

I was diagnosed with GERD and a hiatal hernia approximately 10 years ago. Vomiting in the morning for 20 years, nausea, and acid reflex became the norm.

Recently, I was diagnosed with gallstones as well as a fatty liver and started taking milk thistle to try to save my gallbladder from being removed. 

Milk thistle is clinically proven to reverse liver damage, which may help with gallbladder attacks as the 2 organs are connected. 

It helped with my excruciating gallstone pain/attacks. I believe this all has to do with the liver. An unhealthy liver causes a huge list of health problems, fatigue, digestive problems etc. 70% of North Americans have fatty liver. Milk thistle has shown to reverse liver damage at a rate of 20% per month. It has even shown to reverse cirrhosis. 

I would suggest you try milk thistle as it did help me. I bought the more expensive stuff at a health food store, about $30 but you can get it cheaper from a drugstore. 

For those asking what your gallbladder does, it stores the bile. Without it, the bile is dumped directly into your colon and may cause major digestive disorders. It also unfortunately increases your risk for colon cancer as bile is not supposed to directly be dumped non-stop into your colon. 

If you are experiencing gallbladder problems, try to save your gallbladder if you can. Detoxing the liver is the only way to try to clean it up. I don't know that liver flushes work as I haven't tried them but you can support your liver and gallbladder by using milk thistle and digestive enzymes. If you've already removed your gallbladder these can still help you, especially if you are still suffering phantom gallbladder pain and digestion issues. These issues can manifest as weight gain or even weight loss depending on if you are still able to eat. It also leads to malnutrition in some cases as your body doesn't use the bile efficiently anymore which causes you to improperly digest food and gain nutrients that you need.

A low fat diet will help and if you are missing your gallbladder or are experiencing gallbladder attacks, milk thistle and digestive enzymes will change your life.


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## Ann Morgan

a_woman

Yeah, grease/fat is a "trigger" for me and makes me have bad diarrhea. I cannot eat fried fast food.  Some pre-made pasta salads are coated in oily salad dressing.  And some restaurants have bread on the table that is supposed to be dipped in olive oil before you eat it. 

I just became a vegan, so I am sure that I will be eating a lot less fat/grease now.  I have been reading my labels very carefully. I have a lot more to learn. But I will need more supplements now, I am sure.  I am going to see a Nutritionist soon.

Thank goodness that I had my gallbladder taken out as a Laparascopic Cholestectomy.  Just three little incisions and I felt fine the next day ( except for lifting ).     Thanks for listening.


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## a_woman

Hi Ann Morgan,

Going vegan will probably help you, although I am not convinced this is a long term solution. I know a lot of people say you can still get proper protein from sources outside of fish and meat but I'm not convinced of this. Everything in moderation as no one has figured out the perfect diet yet otherwise we would all be healthy if we just followed 1 diet. Freud once treated alcoholism with cocaine. Boy, was he ever wrong...lol...

Have you tried apple cider vinegar? A couple tablespoons of the stuff daily can eliminate acid reflux and GERD completely as well as balance your PH level, turning your body from acidic to alkaline. When your body is alkaline, most of these symptoms will cease. ACV is completely safe to drink. The best ACV and the only one I would recommend is BRAGG's. It's not too expensive and works the best. It has the 'mother' in it which are all the nutrients so make sure you shake the bottle well to stir it all up before you consume it. I highly recommend you try milk thistle daily as well as you might find your triggers go away as well as your body is better equipped to digest fat. Digestive enzymes would help as well.


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## GreenwichUK

I'm a little confused about ACV as it is acidic - are there any published papers about how this can have the opposite effect and increase alkalinity?


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## a_woman

For comparison; water is neutral at a pH of 7.0, tomato juice is acidic at 4.1, distilled white vinegar is more acidic at 2.4, while lemon juice is 2.2, Apple cider vinegar however, stands out in that it tends to be less acidic, with a pH between 4.25 and 5. The stomach is extremely acidic with a pH around 2. 

With regular and continued use, this wonderful liquid helps restore and balance the body's pH, taking it from acidic to neutral in a short amount of time. Normally, it would be hard to believe that such an acidic substance could normalize, or lower our pH so easily. As far as I know, this only applies to vinegar, as our digestive system will naturally convert it to an alkaline based substance.

Over the years I have read a lot about ACV. If you google ACV I am sure you will see a lot of studies. I once read that when ACV is burned down (don't ask me how they burn vinegar lol) that it is the only vinegar that will leave ashes. 

ACV has been clinically proven to do a lot from lowering cholesterol to balancing blood sugar to clinically proven weight loss. 

You can purchase pH level test strips, although they are only effective if you dip them in your urine as your saliva has a different pH level altogether and will skew results. Now, I'm not a doctor so I'm only explaining what I've read over the last 10 years. It is true in fact that acidic environments breed constant problems and changing the environment to alkaline will cause many issues to go away. 

When I bought the test strips many years ago along with several family members and tested acidic, 1 month on ACV resulted in alkaline testing. 

I felt better, I lost weight, my acid reflux went away, my nausea stabilized throughout the day only occurring in the mornings for several mins and strangely enough my menstrual cramps eliminated. 

I would give it a try, if you're suffering. It's not going to harm you, other than it's pretty foul tasting which you eventually get used to. You can mix it with water and honey at first to dilute the awful taste.

You could say it's a placebo affect, but I hardly believe in anything and saw results. Hope this partially answers your question.


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## Ann Morgan

I saw a video about factory farming ( pigs, chickens, cows and dairy farming ).  After that I decided to become a vegan. I am sure  that I will have to take supplements. I will talk to my doctors and my nutritionist. Have a good week.


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## Christi

Hi i have gerd for a few years now but were only diagnosed in 2015


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## Ann Morgan

I take Pantoprazole for my Acid Reflux. And also sometimes Extra Strength Gaviscon. I can no longer drink alcohol because of the reflux. I must cut out other foods too. Food is boring with no flavor. Thanks for listening.


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## ronroush7

Ann Morgan said:


> I take Pantoprazole for my Acid Reflux. And also sometimes Extra Strength Gaviscon. I can no longer drink alcohol because of the reflux. I must cut out other foods too. Food is boring with no flavor. Thanks for listening.


I sometimes take Gaviscom when my stomach doesn't feel right but don't feel like it does much for me.


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## southwow

nogutsnoglory said:


> I have Gerd and it was being somewhat controlled by nexium but now I'm searching for a solution again.


nogutsnoglory, my Gerd didn't start until I'd gained a lot of weight (before my crohn's diagnosis) and was still trying to figure out why my body no longer tolerated healthy foods and I was completely exercise intolerant.  

I'm now over the 300 lb mark, but fighting it.  Once you start to gain, it seems like even the smell of something you like makes you gain 10 lbs.  

Luckily for me, a lot of weight didn't show as I was 6'2" and weighed 175 or so at the beginning.  However, I was still very much a fat guy at the point GERD came into the picture, lol.  I distinctly remember GERD starting after i had reached 240 lbs (a gain of 75lbs or so).  After that, things got much worse and OTC remedies/meds didn't work at the normal dose.

I've tried things for the last 10 years, but the only thing that works consistently for me is just not eating beyond 4-5 hours before I go to sleep and staying on prescription protonics 40mg (or taking 2x 20mg omeprazole daily... which is much cheaper).

Something that worked inconsistently for me when I once decided to give up carbs completely for 8 weeks out of desparation to lose weight was losing weight.  

Naturally, I dropped quite a bit extremely quickly (around 80 lbs).  Before my crohn's went 'on' at the age of 30, I ate few complex carbs and definitely no simple carbs.  As soon as I started eating again, possibly with the re-introduction of dairy foods, things returned to their previous state and the GERD came back with a vengence (took days for meds to get it under control).

So, my list of things that works consists completely of:
1.) either:
   a.) Don't eat
   or
   b.) Stop eating very early and take meds twice daily
AND:
2.) NEVER miss your GERD meds by more than 1 hour, unless you want your anus to feel like you drank battery acid for 3 straight meals.


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## teeny5

I take Prilosec at least 45 min prior to eating every morning (1hrs prior is ideal).  If I am having a bad day with it I take one again in the evening also before eating or like 2hrs after eating. The pharmacist said it doesn't work correctly if you take it with food and if I already have acid reflux going on it won't stop it.


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## Furrydogmom

I've been hearing that it's bad to be on PPIs for a long time. What is a "long time"?


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## zHassanz

Furrydogmom said:


> I've been hearing that it's bad to be on PPIs for a long time. What is a "long time"?


I have been on PPIs for over 3 years now, and my doctor said that it's not harmful to be on them for even longer than that. 

All my blood tests come in as normal, so I'm not sure of what people mean by being long on PPIs is harmful, or maybe it varies from one person to another.


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## teeny5

I have been on them for several years. My dr said preventing the damage in the esophagus is essential and since I don't have any side effects it is fine. I only take it once a day now.


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## Lynda Lynda

I have been taking PPI's for years too. Recently had colonoscopy / endoscopy. It said  "esophageal mucosa appeared grossly normal" so I assume that means I have no damage to my esophagus due to years of suffering from acid reflux ? I'm having a terrible heartburn reflux attack right now. Recently endoscopy showed gastritis in my stomach. I am calling my doctors office on Monday, these attacks are getting more severe. My CT Scan is April 21st and my follow-up appointment on May 19. 

Sending you my support.:heart:


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## ronroush7

Lynda, I hope you get relief soon.


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## Lynda Lynda

Ok. Feel terrible today and waiting for my doctor to call me back. Severe heartburn and acid reflux for the past 5 hours, my chest feels like it's burning. It has been years and years since this happened. Now I am SO nauseated I am gonna throw up. I took a Protonics and 4 chewable Extra strength Gaviscon today. Only good thing......I have not had a BM all day long ( wierd ), but stomach bloated up like a giant balloon ! I live alone so I have to go to the grocery store tonight or tomorrow  ( sigh. ) I had been using Safeway Grocery delivery for years but recently canceled them to to poor service ( actually poor EVERYTHING. )  Now I have to get off my ass and actually go to the grocery store. Also because I am sick those screaming kids right outside my front door are severly irritating mr and now I am the Grouchy Old Lady I suppose.


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## Lynda Lynda

Ok. I want to delete that post.  

It sounds sad and pathetic.


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## Lynda Lynda




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## Lynda Lynda

Do most people get a colonoscopy AND endoscopy at the same time ?   I do.  Maybe because I have the acid reflux. My most recent endoscopy showed gastritis. 
Will 6mp pill and Humira help the gastritis ?


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## TxGrizzlyBear

Lynda Lynda said:


> Do most people get a colonoscopy AND endoscopy at the same time ?   I do.  Maybe because I have the acid reflux. My most recent endoscopy showed gastritis.
> Will 6mp pill and Humira help the gastritis ?


Last time I got my scopes done, I told the doc that I wanted to make sure he did the upper first because i didn't want to wake up with a crappy outlook on life!  LOL  At least he understood I was joking.

I have always had both done also .. not by choice, just doc always wants to look at both ends.

Jay


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## Lynda Lynda

Jay, thanks for the laugh


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## pohaku

I use to take nexium everyday. I started eating 1/4 cup or so of kim chee every night. I take a nexium maybe once a month, maybe. Kim chee is fantastic


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