Try the Koufman Low Acid (and low fat) Diet Part 1 of 2

Thanks Sunny. I didn't know that the tea was infused with flavoring so I'm going to try it. My HTN is really well controlled and I don't want to mess it up. I'm going to order some off E-bay and maybe question the seller.


Thanks again!
cme

i think you need to be careful with barrets. The barrets tissue is actually less sensitive thus you might not feel symptoms...but actually be refluxing down there.

You should get a PH study (dual probe preferred) before you try to reduce PPI, just so have a baseline on how much your refluxing down there.

i had a barrets false scare (just esophogitis) but the doctor told me the chances for cancer is cumulative. Thus if you have it for 10 years. thats 1% a year so risk is like 10%.
This seems to make sense since if you keep splashing acid on you esophagus for many years risk should go up.


FYI- The doc said she has seen it reverse with PPI and diet.

here is a study link i found on the net.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/546830


as for me i am back on ppi. something weaker than nexium... making more progress will see how it goes.



-J

Hi there,
This is my first post. I am starting the 2 week induction diet today. I've only had obvious LPR symptoms since Jan. 3rd, but the Gerd/LPR is already starting to ruin my life. I have terrible problems swallowing/food gets stuck in my throat and have a sore throat all the time. I've had endoscopy, barium swallow, and the test where the ENT sticks the lighted tube up the nose/then down the throat. The Endoscopy showed a "tiny" (according to the doc) hiatal hernia. All other tests came out negative. My doctors haven't been much help. I was put on protonix 40 mg 2x a day, which hasn't helped, and was told to make "lifestyle changes.". Not one of my doctors could specify exactly what these lifestyle changes should be. I do need to lose 60 pounds; I have already lost 20 lbs from not being able to swallow and plan on losing the rest of my excess weight on Dr. Koufman's program.. I am praying that Dr. Koufman's program works for me. I will do whatever it takes to get better. I am a mom of 2 young children, so I need to get better for not only me, but my kids, too. My husband is caring and supportive, so I am lucky for that. I will post my progress daily. Thanks for reading my post and healthful wishes to all of you.

Hi Silas,
That is interesting, as I had a terrible cold and was coughing constantly before this problem started. I had assumed that the coughing caused the hiatal hernia, which in turn caused the LPR problems. I don't feel congested at all anymore, but perhaps there is something lingering in my sinuses. I am pretty unfamiliar with medical terms...is there a difference between a regular endoscopy and a "full" upper endoscopy like you are having performed? I am not even sure what to ask the doctors at this point, as they seem to have written me off as "the overweight woman with GERD." I will email my GP & and ask her about the CT for sinuses. I have a feeling I may get turned down, though, as I am a member of a HMO/hospital program known for trying to be extra frugal. I would be very interested in finding out how your upper endoscopy turns out. I hope that we can both be rid of this dreadful swallowing/sore throat problem very soon. Healthful Wishes to you! Shabby

Silas,
Thanks for clarifying the medical terminology for me:)
I have had the full endoscopy/sedated, a laryngoscope & barium swallow - all negative except the "tiny" hiatal hernia. My swallowing problem all began on Jan. 3rd, which I remember well because it was at an event, and I just suddenly felt like I was choking on a vegetable. The veggie eventually passed overnight, but I had a similar experience a few days later. Since then, whenever I eat, it feels like part of whatever I have eaten (I can still feel the texture of the food and everything) stays stuck in my throat for a few hours or more. I didn't start experiencing the sore throat until about 5 weeks ago, which makes me wonder if the PPIs have caused that. My ENT has no exact diagnosis for me. He said it could be from GERD, LPR, my hiatal hernia, or from laryngeal spasms. He wants me to stay on protonix for another 6 weeks & evaluate my condition more then. I simply cannot wait that long, so I am starting the induction diet. I haven't eaten anything solid in a long time...my kids are even starting to worry about me, which no mother wants. Even if the diet doesn't work completely for me, I still feel like it will benefit my health and probably help me continue to lose weight. Best wishes, Shabby

Hi J,
I definitely want to get the manometry and/or 24 hour study. My ENT is probably going to make me wait until the additional 6 week trial with the protonix is over. I would love to see another ENT for a 2nd opinion, but my health insurance is such that I am a little stuck right now. I will be changing my health insurance provider during my next health insurance re-enrollment period in October, so hopefully, I will have more choices with my health care then. I looked into getting a 2nd opinion at a top-notch university hospital nearby, but was told that the minimum charge for the visit would be $1800, which is too expensive for me.

I have been sleeping elevated for a few months now...it is pretty uncomfortable, though, and I am considering getting a recliner just for me to sleep in...I hate sliding down the bed at night. Most nights, I stop eating at least 3 hours before bed.

I have read some of your posts and it sounds like you have been pretty successful in managing your condition. Any more advice you can give is appreciated!
Best wishes, Shabby

Hi J,

  I didn't take antibiotics for the cold. I went to the doctor on the 2nd week of the cold.  He said it was just a bad cold, although it felt to me like bronchitis.  I did feel better from the cold the next week.  I have never belched or coughed a lot with this reflux problem, and my voice is fine.  I've never woken up from refluxing or with pools of acid in my mouth.  In fact, I'm not sure if I've ever even felt a reflux incident.  Is this what they call silent reflux?

  I stuck to the induction diet today, but my food choices were limited, because of my need for blended/soft foods.  I had a banana/milk smoothie twice, a can of non-acid-added tuna (which I thought would be good because the flakes of tuna were small, but they still got stuck-yuck), and some graham crackers that I sogged up in milk.  I will try to come up with some more varied soft foods to eat.  I'm not worried about losing weight, as I have at least 60  pounds to lose; my BMI is considered "obese." 

  As far as my mental state...The last 8 months have been some of the hardest times of my life.  I volunteered to be in a leadership position that I hate and haven't accomplished as much as I wanted to, despite my best efforts.  My family life is also kind of hard, too, as my husband works many days in-a-row away from home (even on holidays like Christmas) and I have no family locally for support, so I feel like a single mom most of the time.  And now this LPR? (or whatever it is) problem is stressing me out, because no doctor can tell me why I can't swallow and I feel like I have tennis balls stuffed down my esophagus and an elephant jumping on my chest.  So, yeah, I guess my state of mind could be figuring into this, too.  

  I've started keeping a log of my food intake to track my progress.  I've read through this entire thread, and agree that there is a plethora of great information on it.  I need to sit down with a pen and paper and write down all of the suggestions.

  Thanks for reading this LONG post.  It helps to get "it" out there.  I appreciate all advice:)

Best Wishes,

Shabby

Post Edited (Shabby Chic) : 3/19/2012 9:29:48 PM (GMT-6)

Hi Sunbeam,
Thanks for the welcome. I'm sure to have tons of questions on this journey, so thanks for offering to help answer them.
Well, I finished day 2 of the Induction Diet and unfortunately, feel worse tonight than I have in a while. I said in an earlier post that I'd never felt a reflux before, but today I felt a huge reflux after drinking a glass of water, of all things. My upper esophagus, throat and ears hurt a lot right now. I didn't expect to immediately get better on the Induction Diet, but I also didn't expect to feel worse. I'm pretty bummed right now. I hate reflux.

Post Edited (Shabby Chic) : 3/20/2012 7:38:52 PM (GMT-6)

Chik, LPR is very variable and elusive, we all hate it and it's life-changing power over us. It typically has lots of ups and downs in spite of your good changes including this diet. Our system takes a long time to heal. Stay with the diet for at least two weeks. At the end of that time, you should be able to notice some small improvement. If you don't the diet may not specifically help you, but it is probably better for you than much other diet information you will find for this condition.

Mel, I think most people who have posted here are still on meds, some have cut back. I have gradually been cutting mine back my PPI, after waiting until my symptoms improved. I have found some helpful substitutes. I expect to be under some kind of treatment and diet for the rest of my life, but I will not accept the long-term effects of PPI's on my bones. I already have a lot of arthritis and osteopenia, and I won't take drugs that will inevitably make those conditions worse.

Hi all, Just got an email from my GI doc saying he is referring me for a 24 hour ph study & motility test. I am pretty nervous about getting these tests. I would appreciate any advice or words of wisdom about these tests. Thanks, Shabby

Just make sure you get a dual probe PH test, otherwise its worthless for detecting LPR. Its actually not too bad... definitely worth it in hindsight...


the normal PH test could look normal, and you still be fluxing in your throat.


the wires are small, you really don't feel it that much.


i just read your previous post. you might want to start out with home cooked chicken soup (chicken and carrots nothing else added)... my throat was total disaster when it started... i feel your pain... also over cooked carrots are also good ... zap them in the blender if it still too hard to digest...

i ate chicken soup for a month before my throat was well enough for solid foods.


if you want to try bananas u might want to use very ripe bananas with dots all over the skin.. but at such an early stage u might want to avoid dairy and bananas.

-J

Post Edited (sk55) : 3/21/2012 2:53:51 PM (GMT-6)

faith,

thanks i appreciate your kind words. I am glad i was able to help.


I have come a long way.. i am seeing light at the end of tunnel...


Belching has stopped!
my throat clearing and globules... have become minor annoyances..

My diet is still pretty strict, as long as i progress i really don't mind being on it.

hopefully it will be all over soon...


-J

I visited my gp yesterday, and he prescribed the H2 blocker Zantec. Certainly a big part of my motivation for this diet has been to get off PPI's, and now I have achieved that. The fracture risk of PPI long term use is a bad thing for a person like me with osteopenia (thin bones) and significant arthritis. I had been told by my GI doc that H2 blockers weren't viable meds because I would develop tolerance, making it ineffective, but my gp said that he has numerous patients on long term use of H2 blockers, so that is what he recommended. I will continue on this diet, eating daily yogurt, drinking rooibos and licorice teas, and night time Pepto Bismol tabs for my tender stomach. My current doseage is 150 mg daily, but it can be taken twice daily and at higher dosage, so there is room if I need more. If this medication does become ineffective, I will temporarily switch to Gaviscon and TUMS to allow my body to re-adjust. This is my long term plan.

CME, how are you doing?