Probiotics cause acid reflux!

DANIE, I've been taking DGL.  I,like Rose, have lots of mechanical problems that DGL can't seem to fix.  But thanks.

I had such awful reflux last night that I was choking and my chest killed.  I couldn't sleep. I'm pissed.  THIS iswhat is giving me stress.  I'm upset that my GI told me that I have an anxiety disorder.  Because I SO do not.   I went to a therapist, as she told me to go to go.  The therapist said that she is WRONG and that the disease is what is giving me stress, not the other way around.

I came in to her stressed about my condition.  I thought I could trust her.  I was wrong.

I'm with you both! I didn't start having severe anxiety issues till the acid reflux started.

Friendly, I suggest you stop taking everything for a while and eat very bland food.

Sorry, I just feel for you. You suffer so badly, i can't even imagine.

Kathie Lee,

  I understand your reluctance to be dependent on medication....but, please dont be in a rush to push them aside.

  I have been living with Reflux for about 3 years now..and heartburn probably most of my life...after having severe pain between my shoulder blades and the lump in my throat feeling that would not go away, I finally saw a physician.  She put me on the usual dose of ppi and sent me on my way...After a recall visit, in which i was feeling better, but still not great, she told me to start weening myself off of the medication.

  Well, that was the biggest mistake I could have made...Not only did my reflux get worse, but I lost my swallowing reflux!  I can not tell you how that scared the heck out of me.  I imagined all sorts of terrible things...I went back to the Dr's office, and I saw a nurse practitioner, who was so kind to me and so reassuring...She sent me for upper gi xrays and the Dr at the hosptial who performed the procedure was nice enough to let me know what he found right there, so that I didnt have to wait and worry for the results.  I have full reflux...including my upper valve and lower valve, and a hiatal hernia.  My valves that connect my esophagus to my stomach and to my throat are either destroyed from the acid from all these years, or are just lazy muscles that do not work properly...There is no "natural" means to fix this...and it doesnt matter if I eat spicey food or blan food, or even water....Since my valves do not work properly, everything comes up!

  I have been taking 2 doses of protonix a day now.  One in the am, and one before dinner...Am I cured?...No...I will be living with this condition the rest of my life...but, I can say I am controlling it with the help of these pills.  I have my life back again.  My nurse practitioner has told me that I MUST TAKE THESE PILLS...and after wht happened when I tried to stop taking them, I will never try any natural remedy alone again.  Of course I do not like being dependent on medication, but it is better than the alternative.  Dont mess around with this condition!!

  Good Luck!

Hi KathyLee,

  No, I have never had botox.  I am not sure what brought this on for me, except that I have had heartburn since I can remember, but never to this extreme.  I would choke, and feel like i was drowning  on my own acid at night!..Now I do not get the usual heartburn sensation as much as I used to.  That is because the protonix is inhibiting the acid production in my stomach, so that I do not produce as much acid as I used to.

  I still have the lump in my throat feeling at times...Sometimes worse than others.  I am not sure if there is any one thing that triggers it, or not.  I burp alot!...and sometimes i have flare ups, where i burp quite a bit, and the lump in my throat feels huge!...but other times, my symptoms are quite a bit less noticeable to me now.

  I do know that there are different degrees to this condition.  Some people are lucky enough to only have a flare up once in their lifetime and it disappears...Others have mild symptoms and then there are those less fortunate, like myself, who has this as a chronic condition and I must learn to live with it and treat it.

  I do know it took me about 4-6 months of taking the protonix 40 mg twice a day before I started to feel better.  It takes awhile, because all the tissues have to heal up.  At this time, I was very very careful  as to what I ate, and restricted my diet quite a bit, because I did not want to irritate my soft tissues anymore than they were already irritated....Now, I pretty much eat waht I want...This condition is not fun....My advice to you is to read these forums, read as much as you can about it, and restrict your diet to only blan foods, no caffeine, no carbonated beverages....sleep on your left side at night, and see your doctor.  Give yourself time to heal...and take charge of your medical care.  Doctors do not always know alot about this....

Hi again Kathielee,

  I am 48.  I have read that premenopause can bring this on ...along with another huge list of ailiments!!

So who knows??

  Like any other drug, there are side affects to this drug...Any acid inhibiting drug reduces the way your body absorbs vitamin E, so it is a good idea to take a sublingual vitamin e supplement (one that absorbs under your tongue) a few times a week....Also, it can inhibit how your body absorbs calcium so I take calcium supplements as well, although at our age, it is a good idea to do that anyhow.

  Like any other drug, I am sure there are hosts of terrible side affects that can occur.  I try not to focus on them, because I know that this is something I need and hopefully the benefits outweigh the cons.

  Personally, I have not had any side affects as of yet from this drug, and I have been on it for 3 years now. (twice a day for the last year.)

  Hopefully your problem will not be as severe as mine....Have you seen a doctor yet?...Hopefully with watching your diet for a few months, yours will clear up to the point where you will not need to be on meds for a long period of time....but if you do, try not to worry about the long term affects because it is better than having the acid destroy your soft tissue and lineing in your throat and esophagus, which can lead to some very serious diseases.

  I hope I have helped answer some of your questions...I know when I was first having these symptoms and first diagnosed i was terrified, and this condition controlled my life.  These threads really helped me not to be so afraid, and gave me some very good suggestions...Just know, there is a light at the end of the tunnel...I have a severe case of this, and it is under control.  It just takes time to heal.

~Rose

Thanks, Rose. I have seen a doctor and had a host of tests, resulting in this diagnosis. Like you were, this is very troubling, overwhelming and scary. I guess it could be worse. I am seeing a nutrition specialist next week and have asked my doctor for a referral to a gastroenterologist. Maybe it is premenopause and if so, it stinks! I'd rather have my regular periods back!

Hi all - new here. I post in the Crohn's forum usually, but I was curious about what is happening here since I was diagnosed with GERDS several years before I got the Crohn's diagnosis. First, the initiator of this post is a little off - the acid from B. bifidum happens in the colon, not the stomach. The pearls are encapsulated to preserve them from air and stomach acid, both of which tend to destroy the bacteria. The bacteria don't inhabit the stomach.
Next point - someone posted about being B12 deficient. That is a common problem for people with Crohn's. I would suggest that anyone showing up with that problem get a colonoscopy.
Next, you should be warned that PPI's have been shown to cause allergic reactions to food proteins: http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/content/full/19/6/656
It should be possible to take something to acidify your stomach at mealtimes so as to allow your protease etc. to function properly. Apple cider vinegar is often recommended by naturopaths. It should not stay in the stomach after eating, so it should not cause excess acidity. I took it myself before I knew of the protease problem and it never gave me trouble (I was taking Ranididine at the time).
Last, I quit taking the Ranididine after about a year and after a period of adjustment, I now control my reflux by avoiding foods that cause trouble. I am not quite sure that taking the Ranididine did not start my Crohn's. If it is true that PPI's cause allergic reactions to food proteins, that could be a trigger for Crohn's. In any event, both the reflux and the Crohn's are in remission - if you ask, due to diet and supplement use, but all kinds of Authorities disagree with that idea.

Good evening Everyone,

Great discussion in this thread and I am glad everyone is willing to speak up. My GERD is mild most of the time and I take a PPI once daily.  I did take it twice a day for awhile but I had a bad flare and am now back down to one a day.

My biggest culprit is ice cream and to much Diet Coke.  I find that if I exercise and watch the foods I eat I do pretty well.

I alread have a dx of Anxiety and Depression so I just kick the anxiety to the curb and use my meds as ordered.  I do advocate for myself and I would encourage each of you to do that as you are the one that knows your body the best.

Take care all.

Kitt

Pharmacist Jo

Welcome to HealingWell.  I edited out the numerous authors that were listed regarding the info that you posted.  Stating that your info was reference material from Wikipedia was good enough.

Thank you for taking the time to research the topic.

If you would email me please I have some info to share with you.

Again Welcome

Kitt

daddiesgirl,


Hello and welcome to HealingWell. You have posted to an old thread and Rose has not been online since August of 2008.



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Daddies girl,
I was coughing from acid going into my lungs, too. I had acid reflux surgery last month and I don't cough anymore. I feel great. The meds were not enough to help me. I feel cured.

Joy

Hi Danie,

I posted in another forum regardling DGL. I cut off taking NEXIUM completely today and just taking DGL.
DId you take Probiotics with it?
Did you take any OTC antiacids when you had problems with your heartburn and reflux?

I am taking it because I have been just off of antibiotics for a month now. Please let me know if you were taking these two minerals together.

THank you so much.