HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Possible drinking situation coming, would REALLY appreciate any and all advice

Support Forums
>
GERD & Acid Reflux
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 8/8/2011 9:38 AM (GMT 0)
Hey all,

I have gone off my meds with pretty good results so far - I definitely still feel better than I did while on the Nexium 40mgs/day. In the 10 days, I've had the pre-heartburn feeling maybe twice, as opposed to every day while I was on the Nexium. I have also been eating like a saint - very small and frequent portions, no alcohol, coffee, tea, juice or soda - ONLY water, and very bland foods (nothing fatty, greasy, or spicy).

We are having a very large family get-together this weekend, and there will be drinking involved. I am 26 and I admit that I love to drink, so it would be very fun for me if I could have a few on just ONE of the nights that I am there.

Does anyone have any advice on what can be done to lessen the damage/symptoms? I don't even necessarily know that I'll have any since I've been doing so well, but I don't want to undo any progress I've made by just one night that I allow myself to have a good time.

I know that no one judges on this site, but please understand that this is no different from one of us going to Italy and wanting to enjoy some pizza while there. I haven't had an alcoholic beverage in months, or ANY triggers for that matter. This is a very special occasion and the family hasn't been together like this in years and it'll be mostly my young cousins with whom I am very close. This will not prompt a relapse of my old behavior.

If anyone has any gems of wisdom or stories of experience I would love to hear them.

Thanks in advance,
Ashley

Post Edited (aeshleyrose) : 8/8/2011 3:51:57 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/8/2011 6:24 PM (GMT 0)
Booze without PPIs.. ouch! I feel your pain. I stuck to spirits and cola or milky cocktails like White Russians when I tried giving up PPIs once. Might be worth packing a few gaviscon to take the edge off if you start feeling any symptoms. They usually do the trick in the short term and like you say, it's not often. Now I'm wrapped it isn't an issue for me anymore and have even rediscovered wine again which used to give me the mother of all burns.
Posted 8/8/2011 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Gritty! I was thinking about maybe taking a few short term PPI's, like Pantoprazol, if someone knew it worked. I felt worse when I was on Nexium so I'm nervous what to do! I don't want to take PPI's and make the problem worse when it would potentially be okay without it... ahh! So many questions!

I will try the White Russians... I loved them when I was normal. Thanks for your response! :)
Posted 8/8/2011 7:09 PM (GMT 0)

Hi aeshleyrose,

I'm glad to hear you are doing better without the nexium.  I have been off of prilosec for 2 months now and I am currently pain-free but it's been off and on every couple of weeks since stopping the Prilosec.  Even in pain-free periods, I have an "acid vapor" type feeling if that makes sense despite eating the same foods literally everyday.  Does the doc know what caused yours? Was it just a temporary situation? How long have you been off of nexium?  That's weird how the burn was worse while on it though i have read that PPI's can cause a worse burn which doesn't make any sense.  I still wish I could eat a tomato but every time i think about it, the problem comes back.  If thinking about tomatoes does that, imagine what would happen if I actually ate one :)

Take care,

Liz

Posted 8/8/2011 7:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Liz,

I haven't been back to the doctor since stopping the Nexium. I'm not saying he's not thorough or anything, but he never really told me anything about GERD (I learned it all here - he just gave me the PPI's and told me to come back in six months). I read on Wikipedia that if you lose 10% of your body weight, it can possibly cure the GERD. So I lost it and then some and then accidentally forgot to take my Nexium for two days and realized that I felt amazing, so I decided to keep going cold turkey and I'm so far, so good. I still get hit by triggers (mostly just overeating here and there, even a few bites does me in) but when I was on Nexium I felt like poop all the time - I always had the pre-heartburn/silent heartburn feeling. Now I have only gotten it twice (today, actually, because I went to bed 3 hours after eating and I know I have to wait 5, silly me) in the 11 days I've been off it. I took two Tums and it went right away, so I hope it's back into submission.

Dude, some of the things associated with GERD make little to no sense to me. For instance, when I eat a trigger, it almost never effects me right away, it'll hit me the next day and last allllllllll dayyyyyyyyyy. UGH! So annoying! Also, water is a huge trigger for me. If I drink water on an empty stomach, I'll hurt for a while. WATER???? REALLY???

I am not joking when I say that the best pizza place in all of Helsinki is below my apartment and smelling it today I got hit with a MASSIVE craving... man, I wanted it soooo bad! But of course I know if I ate it I'd be battling heartburn for a day and a half. GRRRR.

I have also found mine to be ever so slightly mental. If I'm not thinking about my tummy, I don't notice it. If I start to think, "Hmm, how's my belly doing?" I'll notice little pangs and cramps.

Take care, love,
Ashley
Posted 8/8/2011 8:22 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Ashley,

Thanks for the reply. I hear you about the pizza. I eat healthy all the time but I would always pig out on pizza one friday a month and my family looked so forward to eat.  Since I'm the one who does most of the cooking, I've been making GERD friendly recipes which isn't always the most fun for my kids.  Like you, my doctor hasn't said much excpet, "in a couple months, this will all be a bad dream". Boy I wish he had been right. I'm at the 3.5 month mark so far.

As far as triggers go, I've only figured out 2 of mine: dairy and red sauce / tomatoes.  But...I've not had those in 2 months and yet I've had 3 bouts of the silent reflux / acid vapor thing.  Mine will come without warning after eating my normal stuff, then last for 2 weeks or so before going away suddenly again.  I just don't know what to make of it.  We are too young for this.

What is your plan for the long-term? Wait an see? I guess that's where I'm at. Each time the symptoms return, I think about getting on a PPI but I just don't want to go down that road b/c I feel like it's a never ending cycle. I took Prilosec for  weeks and the rebound after stopping cold turkey lasted 2 days and made me feel worse than before.  It's so hard b/c I just sit and wait for it to go away and meanwhile I'm crabby and sad and it affects my family which makes me feel worse.

I agree with you about part of the pain being "mental" b/c if I focus on it and think "am I feeling the acid today?" then I'll start feeling it more.  If I am preoccupied or if I'm at work, it's better.

Have you had an endoscopy or any other tests? Does anyone in your family have this sort of thing?

Thanks!

Liz

Posted 8/8/2011 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Liz,

I'm doing the same thing over here! I also do most of the cooking and it's been very basic, usually a broth-based soup. I have not noticed a problem with dairy, but I don't take a ton of it - just some milk in my morning cream of wheat. But I do admit that I love me some cheese! :)

I'm sorry you're worried that your kids aren't enjoying their food. I don't have children yet but I worry that my husband gets bored of the same stuff over and over again. But when I was a kid, I don't remember any particularly delicious meals except Kraft Mac and Cheese, so I don't think your kids are missing out. You sound like a very good mommy though :)

My triggers are water (when drunk on empty stomach), alcohol, chocolate, tomatoes/red sauce, and anything spicy. A lot of things I love in that list! LOL. My symptoms definitely sound like yours - I'll get a flare-up that'll last for a few days and I feel like I'm back to square one again. It's terrible.

I was mostly just trying to live day to day with it, I wasn't really planning, but since I lost the 35lbs I've started to realize that maybe a healthier lifestyle could help me. I totally did forget to take my medication and when I realized that I felt better than I had in months, I thought it might have to do with my lifestyle changes.... so you're right in that my plan is to wait and see! I'm continuing to eat healthier and exercise every day and I for sure feel a lot better. Not 100%, but much better than I did a month ago.

I won't tell you NOT to get on medication, all I can tell you is that when I was on Nexium I felt worse. Yes, I wasn't up all night with heartburn anymore, but I also felt like crap all the time. However, I've read on this website that they help others a lot, so it could very well help you.

Aww sweetie I feel you. I was just married 2 years ago and this GERD affects my relationship. I am very lucky that he is very understanding, but I am crabby and don't want to be touched sometimes due to my belly hurting... it's been hard. Ugh!

I have not been diagnosed besides having a prescription for Nexium. The ONLY one in my family who has this is my aunt, whom I am almost exactly like. Hers is completely healed with Prilosec OTC - she takes it at the first sign of heartburn and it goes away. She also takes them before she has an alcoholic beverage and she says it knocks it out completely.

Take care of yourself! I hope to hear more from you, good or bad. Hopefully all good :)
Ashley
Posted 8/12/2011 8:29 AM (GMT 0)
Okay, so that didn't work. I'm refluxing horribly for no reason I can tell. I didn't even drink, and I'm thinking about leaving early from our family reunion. I'm so frustrated I could scream. I've also just learned the hard way that under no circumstances can I lay flat anymore, even when I'm not refluxing.

I made a doctor's appointment for next week. Until then I will write down everything I eat, how I feel, and hopefully I can get some relief soon.

Hats off to all of you who have had to deal with this for a prolonged period of time. It's only been 4 months for me and I'm at my wit's end.
Posted 8/12/2011 12:09 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry to hear this, Aeshley! Do you have any idea what might have triggered it?  I read before that you recently went of PPI meds...Nexium I think?  How long ago was that?  Could this be acid rebound?

Best of luck to you, I hope your reflux calms down soon!

Posted 8/12/2011 7:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Katherine,

Thank you for the kind wishes. I really can't tell if this is rebound? I certainly haven't had any triggers or broken any rules (eating before bed, etc). I'm so frustrated! I have done everything correctly and my condition has gotten worse. I look forward to gastroscopy to get some answers.

Thanks again for the sweetness, I hope you're feeling well.
Ashley
Posted 8/13/2011 3:19 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck with your gastroscopy!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply