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Water causing horrible flare ups?

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Posted 5/29/2011 2:16 AM (GMT 0)
I've been on omeprezole for a few weeks now, 2x a day. Was doing much better, until I had a coffee... and the following day a small bowl of strawberry ice cream. It started a flare up. It was dying down a lot today. But when I poured a glass of water, it wasnt long after that when my throat protested and went into severe choke-mode. I am super uncomfortable and Im wondering if I am the only one this has happened to? To be honest this is the first time I have really had more than a sip of water (I take it with my med) since my diagnosis even (I dont like it, I know I should.)
Posted 5/29/2011 4:22 AM (GMT 0)
try to avoid dairy products, caffeine, fatty foods and chilie they flare up your symptoms, at least for me they do....Keep reading and try some natural remedies like digestive enzymes or DLG (licorice) or slippery elm....Avoid eating so late...n get a bed wedge
Posted 5/29/2011 4:24 AM (GMT 0)
hwp

when i drink any significant amount of water with a meal i seem to more than double my risk of reflux

ive noticed that it takes my stomach about 2 hours to begin to pass a small meal along past the pyloric sphincter

i know this sounds crazy but sometimes i think i can fell when this is happening... i burp a bunch and feel some pressure.

its only after i feel like the last meal is well on its way down to my intestines that i try to drink at least 2 cups of water

and then i wait for at least an hour before eating or food and water tend to bubble up to the back of my throat

yeah water can be a problem

my suggestion is sip small amounts , a little at a time between meals, as much as you can...remember , hydration is really important!

best wishes
mock turtle
Posted 5/29/2011 1:08 PM (GMT 0)
mock turtle, thank you so much. I am glad to know I am not alone with this problem (but at the same time, I dont wish it on anyone. )

Last night it was really humid so I poured a big glass of cold poland springs water, and I was enjoying it, and then I had such a pain in my throat. Water is supposed to be the best thing for people. Feeling a bit better this morning. I guess if I am going to have water I will do what you suggested. Although the pain I experienced is right up there with chocolate and coffee. I dont know if I'll be able to bring myself to have it for a while. I wonder if drinking it at room temperature would make any difference.
Posted 5/29/2011 2:29 PM (GMT 0)
Hi HWP,

It is so interesting that there are so many variations of how GERD affects people. Water has actually always been one of my go-to extinguishers to put out the fire. If I had no Maalox or Tums, I'd take a swig of water and it would soothe things and stop the burn. Actually Tums wouldn't work until I took a swig of water with it. I have always been a huge water drinker and it has never hurt...only helped.

Go figure. Sorry your suffering. Hope things get better soon.
Denise
Posted 5/29/2011 3:27 PM (GMT 0)
hwp

im so sorry for not saying it. but yes you got it right, water temperature is important!! i put a glass of water in the microwave and try to bring it up to a temperature where it doesnt seem warm nor cold...
Posted 5/30/2011 8:55 PM (GMT 0)
A drink of water is one of my worst things, if not THE worst thing, whether hot, warm or cold. I have joked to my OH about my near biblical capacity to turn water into neat acid!! I am ok drinking water with a meal but at other times I just feel it is creeping back up my throat. I'm sure my bladder condition would be better if my stomach would tolerate liquids! Bizarrely, my stomach problems started just 2 weeks after I had cut out all tea and coffee for my bladder and was drinking hot water instead. I just can't win!
Posted 5/30/2011 10:21 PM (GMT 0)
HWP:

Water is also a huge trigger for me. I love to drink it but I will have moments when it will trigger a really bad episode. Small sips is really the best.
Posted 5/30/2011 10:28 PM (GMT 0)
I'm right there with all of you water is awful for me it gives me volcanic reflux and I feel like I drowning/choking--help!!! Like mockturtle though the timing of drinking is crucial for me. I can only drink liquids before a meal or 2 hours after a meal. I find that if I drink an alkalizing liquid before I eat (about 20 minutes before) it also helps the GERD not be so bad. Then after I eat no liquids or the reflux is worse. If my throat is totally burning, I suck on slippery elm lozenges and/or drink an once of aloe juice.
Oh yeah, the alkalizing things that I drink are either coconut water, Capra Mineral whey (just mix 1/2 a tsp with your water), or ginger tea--I know that's not alkalizing but it helps me digest and the faster I digest the less reflux I get.
I'm starting a new thread now. I just got the Stretta done and want to let everyone know how it goes. Come check it out!
God bless all of us refluxers!
Posted 5/31/2011 1:20 AM (GMT 0)

mudmagnetmum said...
I just can't win!

Believe me, I know how you feel. I think we all have those days where we think the same thing. Thank you all for the responses. The room temperature water seems to be ok, but, I'm still leery of it. I am going to just drink small sips as suggested. Thanks everyone.
Posted 5/31/2011 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
Before the surgery water was one of the worst things that affected my reflux too. I hated it because I'm a big water drinker especially at night after a busy day. It's almost as if it made the acid spread out more and ease up my esophagus easier..I'm not sure how to explain it. It made me not want to drink and often times I could tell I was dehydrated. One thing I noticed that helped me get liquids was warm herbal tea..chamomile to be exact, helped reflux and with a little honey is great to get your liquids and you can't overdo chamomile.
Posted 6/1/2011 1:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi HWP,

I was thinking of your water problem and another possibility came to mind. Have you ever considered esophageal spasms caused by the cold water?

Check out this link and see if it sounds like anything you've experienced:
www.mayoclinic.com/health/esophageal-spasms/DS00763

Just a thought.
Hope you're doing better.
Denise
Posted 6/1/2011 6:10 PM (GMT 0)
I can turn hot, warm or cold water into acid pretty quickly. All tea, even camomile also turns into acid that climbs up my throat. I can tolerate coffee or hot chocolate made with soya milk far better than a simple glass of water!! Keeping hydrated during hot weather is very difficult. My current year long "episode" of gastritis and reflux started when I gave up tea and coffee and began drinking water for my bladder problem! Go figure!
Posted 6/2/2011 2:55 AM (GMT 0)
Hi mudmagnet,

Go figure. I'm sorry to hear that water, etc. causes you so many problems. I don't see any reason water should create a problem with reflux. Could it be that your stomach simply gets more full, and since your LES isn't working properly it makes it more likely that the acid (though diluted) will migrate to the esophagus and cause heartburn?

Does the water bother you whenever you drink it, or is it worse certain times?


Denise
Posted 6/2/2011 7:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Denise,
It's OK with a meal so long as I don't drink too much, but without food any drink is likely to creep back up my throat (or at least give the sensation that it is - luckily I don't get anything coming back to my mouth). It's as if I need the food to hold the liquid down. Just water on it's own is guaranteed to cause heartburn and burning sensation up my throat, whereas a milky (soya) coffee will stay down just fine!

My guess is that if there is nothing else in my stomach, the water mixes with the acid and other secretions and then sloshes around?!

MMM
Posted 6/5/2011 10:23 AM (GMT 0)
I too would flare up drinking water. When I saw my PCP last week I had water with me. He told me it was the worst thing I could be drinking shocked He said because it is a base it actually multiplies the acid that's in the stomach. He wants me drinking some special apple cider that I have ordered, but in the meantime I found a bottled water, Acqua Penna, that is a ph of 8.2. I have been able to drink it without flare-ups. On the internet my dh found a website that listed the ph of bottled waters. Luckily our grocery store stocked one of the higher ones. So far I have been able to drink the water without a problem. turn I'm even using it to make my oatmeal this morning. Hope it helps that as well.
Posted 6/5/2011 1:14 PM (GMT 0)
Hi sewfun,
Sounds like you've found an answer to that problem for yourself. I'm sure your experience will be helpful to others here.
Thanks for sharing!
Denise
Posted 6/12/2011 1:07 AM (GMT 0)
Sewfun. What is the drink you are drinking? Is it apple cider or apple cider vinegar?
Posted 6/12/2011 10:50 AM (GMT 0)

jasmine8 said...
Sewfun. What is the drink you are drinking? Is it apple cider or apple cider vinegar?

So far I have been fine just using a water with a higher PH. We looked at the waters in our stores and did some research. We found a local one that has a ph of 8.2. I have not had a water flare-up since then. But I have to say, I have not been having instant flare ups of any kind, so it could just be coincidental as well. rolleyes HTH
Posted 6/13/2011 11:28 AM (GMT 0)
I found this thread whilst searching for anyone else that suffers with a drowing sensation with reflux. I was diagnosed as having reflux around 6 weeks ago and have been waiting for new meds to try, currently taking 40mg omeprazole. My biggest problem is this feeling of pressure in my chest and I feel like I can't breathe properly and like I have trapped air, I also get like a drowing feeling in my chest which makes me scared to drink incase I make it worse. Feel awful every time I eat but it's getting to the point where nothing seems to trigger it now, have had this constant shortness of breath and panic for nearly 24 hours now and don't know what to do, I worry about going back to the Dr's as I think they think Im making it up or imagining it as physically nothing looks wrong with me, anyone else who has had this problem and has found a remedy please let me know as I'm at my wits end cry
Posted 6/13/2011 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
You maybe having some problem with acid getting into your lungs.
Are you seeing a gastroentrologist or pulmologist? Even an ENT can help you.

Depending on how long you've been on your current medicine you need to give it at least a week. If it doesn't work then you need to talk to your doctor to try something different.
Posted 6/13/2011 5:59 PM (GMT 0)
I was referred to gastro and had manometry pull through and 24hr ph test and was told I had reflux and tht they would write to Dr to suggest some new tablets to try, been on omeprazole for around 8mmths n breathing never got any better, havei tried some different tablets over last yr but none have helped with the breathing and the drs dnt seem to concerned but it sends me into panic mode when I cnt catch my breath.
Posted 6/13/2011 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
Have you considered having the surgery for acid reflux?
Posted 6/16/2011 4:02 AM (GMT 0)
Fed up,

I'm not a doctor (so someone correct me if I'm wrong). I think that both GERD and NERD (Non-erosive reflux disease which is what happens when you are taking the PPIs. You are still refluxing but it's not acidic) cause breathing problems. I have the same thing that you are experiencing the shortness of breath, drowning feeling, and that my lungs just aren't breathing correctly especially when I'm sitting in a car that position really affects my breathing--go figure??? Anyway, I have a rescue inhaler (Xopenex) that really helped but as my lungs got more acid in them the rescue inhaler wasn't cutting it, so now I'm on a corticosteroid (Pulmicort) that I take everyday. I don't wheeze any more but I still cough all the time and still have shortness of breath every once in a while. I just had the Stretta procedure done and am waiting to see if it will work. If not I'll get a reflux surgery because i want to be able to breathe again.

I hope this helped Fed up or at least help you know that you are not alone.
Posted 6/16/2011 5:44 AM (GMT 0)

sewfun said...
I too would flare up drinking water. When I saw my PCP last week I had water with me. He told me it was the worst thing I could be drinking shocked He said because it is a base it actually multiplies the acid that's in the stomach. He wants me drinking some special apple cider that I have ordered, but in the meantime I found a bottled water, Acqua Penna, that is a ph of 8.2. I have been able to drink it without flare-ups. On the internet my dh found a website that listed the ph of bottled waters. Luckily our grocery store stocked one of the higher ones. So far I have been able to drink the water without a problem. turn I'm even using it to make my oatmeal this morning. Hope it helps that as well.

Wait you said the doc told you to quit drinking (regular)water because it was a base and therefore aggravates your acid production but your solution for that was using water that was 8.2 on ph scale? that is highly basic. shouldn't you use something below 7(acidic)? I'm ocnfused!

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