Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Katie999]

Please can anyone share their stories about acid reflux/gerd?

I’m 47 and have been suffering for some time.  Have been to the doctors and they just prescribed Omerprazole for 4 weeks which didn’t make a difference.

Every time I eat or drink something I get like internal hiccups.  It’s driving me mad.
Also get very bloated in the afternoons and very windy 

[Taz2]

If you buy nexium capsules over the counter these contain esomeprazole which is slightly different to omeprazole and might work for you.  Were you on 20mg omeprazole and when were you taking it?

Taz x

[Ayesha]

Hi Katie,
It can take over a month for omeprazole to take effect, take it for another month and hopefully you will find an improvement.
You are at the age when you have to think about what you are eating, for me it was fats, cheese and milk which I had to give up. It's all about experimenting now but will say if you see no improvement obviously go back to your GP.

[CLKD]

As oestrogen levels drop muscles may become lax which allows the shutting off reflex when we swallow to become loose, allowing food/gastric juices to come back up. YUK.  I've had indigestion since a child, controlled with Milk of Magnesia tablets/milk. 

As I aged I noticed more reflux, so chew 'rennies' in the early hours.  Due to a reflux related irritating clearing-of-throat my GP prescribe Omeprazolol.

[CLKD]

there are several threads relating to reflux so you aren't alone.  Hiatus hernia is common too.

[Angelasurrey]

I’m 43 and get severe reflux  . Find out if any of the meds affect absorption of other key vitamins.
Mine is worse in luteal phase. x

[jenna_kay]

Hi Katie, I suffered with GERD for a long time which is caused by inflammation. I researched for months, changed to a Mediterranean diet & was recommended, by a wonderful Redditor that I needed to "cool things down" so more research. I heard nothing but good things about Turmeric capsules! I was on a prescription which wasn't helping at all, so, bought a bottle of 500mg Turmeric capsules, started taking them about every few hours, up to 8/day. Eventually healed my GERD. I still take them here & there rather than Gaviscon but they are the only real long-term relief I've ever found. It's inexpensive, around $15 CAD for a bottle of 90 capsules from Walmart. Hope this helps!

[Katie999]

Thanks for responding ladies.  Have been reading some of the other similar threads and it does seem to be a common thing.  I finally went back to the doctors this week.  Back on omerprazole for 8 weeks and a referral for an endoscopy! 😩😩😩 absolutely dreading that and will be scared to death when the time comes.

[Flossieteacake]

Thanks for responding ladies.  Have been reading some of the other similar threads and it does seem to be a common thing.  I finally went back to the doctors this week.  Back on omerprazole for 8 weeks and a referral for an endoscopy! 😩😩😩 absolutely dreading that and will be scared to death when the time comes.

I hope the omerprazole helps. With the endoscopy perhaps you should tell them you are nervous and would like sedation.

[Ayesha]

There are not many of us get to nearly 50 and not have to have an endoscopy, so try not to worry!

As it's your first time I would recommend you be sedated. My sister had her first recently and was surprised at how well it went, her gallstones play her up rotten sometimes 
 

[Harmony]

You're not really meant to take omeprazole for more  than a few months, though I know lots of doctors prescribe it for years. Suppressing the production of stomach acid comes with its own problems long term, as it's so important for good digestion. There are some great videos on YouTube for how to address it with diet and supplements.. Apple cider vinegar (with 'the mother', which is where most of the benefits are found) is one of the things that's recommended that I've found helpful. I buy it online from Natures Best, it's a good brand (Ostlers), and tastes a bit better than others I've tried. I dilute 2 tsp in a small glass of water with some lemon juice, and add some stevia as otherwise it's very sharp and pretty unpleasant. It's a beneficial thing to take generally.

I had a bronchoscopy under sedation a few years ago, so similar to an endoscopy, and was dreading it too. It was so much better than I expected, the anaesthetic throat spray was the worst part, funnily enough, and other than that it was absolutely fine. I didn't feel the tube go down, and the next thing I knew I was waking up and it was all over. I'm a great enthusiast of sedation now!

[Katie999]

You're not really meant to take omeprazole for more  than a few months, though I know lots of doctors prescribe it for years. Suppressing the production of stomach acid comes with its own problems long term, as it's so important for good digestion. There are some great videos on YouTube for how to address it with diet and supplements.. Apple cider vinegar (with 'the mother', which is where most of the benefits are found) is one of the things that's recommended that I've found helpful. I buy it online from Natures Best, it's a good brand (Ostlers), and tastes a bit better than others I've tried. I dilute 2 tsp in a small glass of water with some lemon juice, and add some stevia as otherwise it's very sharp and pretty unpleasant. It's a beneficial thing to take generally.

I had a bronchoscopy under sedation a few years ago, so similar to an endoscopy, and was dreading it too. It was so much better than I expected, the anaesthetic throat spray was the worst part, funnily enough, and other than that it was absolutely fine. I didn't feel the tube go down, and the next thing I knew I was waking up and it was all over. I'm a great enthusiast of sedation now!

I’ve read that  when I’ve been on it before I can’t say it made a difference.  Giving it another go in sheer desperation.  I’ve read up on the Apple cider vinegar and did try it for a week but didn’t notice any difference.  Maybe gave up too soon.  Also have tried aloe Vera juice and still taking that with the omerprazole.

I may be completed deluded but I hope not to have to resort to sedation purely because it says you can’t drive for 24 hours.  Depending when it is, I hope to be in work the next day.  I work for an agency so don’t get paid when I’m not in so can’t afford two days without any pay.

[CrispyChick]

Look into zinc l carnosine as a natural healer. There are some studies.

[Ayesha]

A lot of people don't bother with sedation and have the throat spray instead.
The sedation feeling is only temporary and after a sleep when you get home, you will be fine the following day to carry on with your life.

[Ayesha]

You're not really meant to take omeprazole for more  than a few months, though I know lots of doctors prescribe it for years. Suppressing the production of stomach acid comes with its own problems long term, as it's so important for good digestion. There are some great videos on YouTube for how to address it with diet and supplements.

For those of us on it for the long haul it's vitally important to do research on supplements that will compensate for any side effects of taking PPI's.
Important to me are Zinc-15mg, Probiotics, B12, VitD-3. Calcium is important but as I am unable to take it, zinc also helps bone strength.