Too much acid or not enough

I'm new to this forum. I'm hoping someone here will be able to relate to my symptoms. I started with a lump in my throat last May then had burning in my throat. I also had some chest discomfort. I started taking Nexium. Took it for 2 months. Seemed to help a little bit but still had symptoms. Then I tried prilosec..same thing....still had burning. Then I had endoscopy done and the doctor said everything looked okay. I had "some" acid reflux and some gastritis but he didn't act like it was bad at all. So he puts me on Dexilant. Tried that for 3 weeks but still had the same symptoms. This has been going on since May. I mostly have burning esophagus and stomach is tender/sore when I press on it. I watch what I eat.....no spicy foods..no fried foods...stopped any caffeine...no chocolate. I am now seeing a natural doctor who has put me on supplements. She is also chiropractor and does adjustments. She feels i do not have enough acid in my stomach instead of too much. She believes that's why the PPI's don't help. Another reason she feels this is the case is because I have no issues while I'm sleeping. No burning at all. I sleep good. Burning starts mid-day. I don't seem to have any one specific trigger. She has been treating me for 4 weeks now and I'm hoping she will get to the root of the problem. I'm having blood work done soon to test for any food allergies. Is there anyone who has reflux but doesn't have burning during the night?

i am just the same as you!on meds for 2 years,loads of testing and eventually a fundo.but symptoms still the same!arrrrrgh!

You might want to try the Koufman diet, it has helped me a great deal. I have not experienced heartburn at night, and only a couple of times in the day. Since starting this diet I have gotten rid of coughing, hoarseness & loss of my singing voice, throat clearing, and reduced my Nexium from 80 mg to 40 mg daily. I will bump the thread up here if you are interested, or you can search back for it.  There is a more restrictive "induction phase" that lasts two weeks.  If you don't see improvement in that time, the diet probably won't help you.  I saw some improvement in the two weeks, and improvements continued over about 2 months. 

Post Edited (sunbeam48) : 1/13/2012 7:52:56 AM (GMT-7)

Thanks for all the info, sunbeam! I found the thread and it's very interesting. I'm going to get the Koufman Diet book. The way I'm eating now isn't bad. I do cheat sometimes and have fast food....maybe once a week. But that's usually because I'm out and need to eat something. Even then it's usually Chick Fila grilled chicken sandwich....AND the fries! :/ My diet at home usually consists of Quaker slow cooked oatmeal for breakfast..with banana, little brown sugar and tsp of Smart Balance buttery spread. Lunch I normally eat Smucker's all natural peanut butter w/hon honey on whole grain bread and have a glass of fat free organic milk. For dinner it's either grilled chicken or canned wild Alaskan salmon with frozen veggies cooked in micro-wave and baked or boiled white potato or sweet potato. I don't eat sweets much anymore but will occasionally cheat and have something. I'm thinking about buying some all natural protein powder and mix with FF milk because I do strength training work outs and want to incorporate more protein in my diet. I used to add strawberries and walnuts to my oatmeal but when I started having this issue I stopped because I thought they might be adding to the problem. I eat red delicious apples but not sure anymore if that's a good choice after reading the other thread.

And thanks. lanab! I'm doing everything I can think of to stay off of PPI's. And no, I don't smoke and I'm pretty fit. I used to have a glass of red wine a couple of times a week but have stopped that for now. And I will have a mixed drink occasionally. I work out with weights and I cycle. I'm 5'5, weigh 127.....and trying to not to lose any weight.

Yeah..i know the fries aren't a good choice. I just occasionally give in to the temptation. As for peanut butter...I thought I was making a healthy lunch choice but maybe not? I take it with me when I'm cycling because it's easy and a good source of protein. But guess I will need to find something to replace that too! :(

Thanks, sunbeam. I ordered the book. I hope it helps. Do you have burning during the night? Or only during the day? I'm trying to find some people who have never experienced burning during the night while sleeping. I can wake up and i don't ever burn. It's only around mid day when it starts. Once I lay down it goes away.

What's different about being on an actual diet is getting away from that whole notion of specific triggers. I feel much better not due to avoiding specific foods, but because I keep my entire diet low fat. I do eat some fats, and probably I was too quick to comment about the peanut butter. You can eat it, just be careful how much. Most protein sources do have some fat in them, and we need protein. I eat a few almonds most days, yogurt, skim milk, some meat. I eat a lot of vegetables and grains with the proteins. I also carefully balance acid foods with alkaline ones, like Triscuit reduced fat crackers or graham crackers or whole grain bread. I frequently eat an apple, with a few crackers.

I haven't experienced much burning at all, at any time. None at night. My symptoms have been in my stomach, and the throat stuff: coughing, clearing, hoarseness. I believe I definitely have an acid problem because of my stomach issues and the fact that I developed esophagitis including Barrett's. You might not have much acid, that is possible, but small amounts I believe can cause symptoms like yours.

My Naturopathic doctor believes that I don't have enough acid. And she told me that even though I don't have enough, it can still cause the same symptoms as too much.

My doctor told me that there isn't really a good test for testing acid levels. Is that correct?

Hey OutDoorsGirl,

The test Kitt mentioned above is the standard for diagnosing achlorhydria (low stomach acid).

There is also esophageal pH monitoring, which can monitor when acid splashes back up into the esophagus.

Hope this helps :)
Ashley

Some doctors claim to be able to visually diagnose the integrity of your LES by the way it "grips" the scope when the camera is turned upwards within the stomach. If he tells you this, find a new doctor.

Many reflux patients have LES muscles that work just fine some of the time, but there are unpredictable relaxations that allow reflux. This is not understood, but to claim the function of the LES is "OK" in a brief moment in time is conjecture, not science.

-Bruce

I will watch for your post on the Koufman diet thread.

Word, Bruce.

It is so incredibly confusing, not to mention that we're all different and all have different symptoms. Just getting a proper diagnosis is a battle. I am so glad that the Koufman diet helps people, I am just (unfortunately) not one of them.

Take care all,
Ashley