Off PPIs... How do I control my reflux without them

I've been suffering from LPR for several years now. This year I used PPIs for the first time and while they helped with reflux symptoms, I developed a very severe tinnitus. Coincidence? I don't know, don't think so. I quit PPIs and got a rebound that made my condition even worse! I started getting regular reflux which was uncommon before. I decided not to use PPIs nor H2 antagonists ever again so here's what I do to control reflux:

1) gaviscon. The only GERD medicine that doesn't have tinnitus listed as a side effect.

2) things that are known to all of you - small meals, avoid spicy foods, caffeine, black tea, sleep with upper body elevated etc.

3) a LOT of chamomile tea. Everyone should try chamomile, it really helps a lot whenever you feel bloated, nauseous or generally unwell with your stomach.

4) something I don't see other people using - flax seed brew. A real life saver, it's very thick and tastes weird but is absolutely invaluable. What does it do? It shields your stomach and esophagus from acid. I had a stomach ulcer as a child and I've been given flax seed brew in hospital!

5) Now, my secret weapon :) It's probably something unavailable anywhere but Poland though. We have this Christian order known for making herbal medicine, one of these meds is called "Popiołek". It is a white powder, salty in taste. You take one teaspoon of it and then drink a half glass of water. A minute later you need to burp big time and this makes reflux to go away completely for 2-3 hours. Cannot be used to often though, can cause constipation.

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6) You probably know this already but stress can really make your reflux worse. With stress, I rely on herbs again - I drink few cups of melissa every day. It has a calming effect and can also make you a bit drowsy.

Hope this helps anyone. I think PPIs are a really dangerous drug. If I had known what is it going to cause, I would have never used it in the first place.

Post Edited (Incognito) : 8/14/2012 4:08:14 PM (GMT-6)

I'm not aware of any long term side effects of h2 blockers, so I take Zantec twice daily. I feel generally better than when I was on ppis, though not perfect. I supplement this with tums occasionally as needed, pepto bismol tab at night, and I generally follow the Koufman diet.

I'm not sure if you are satisfied with your current program, or if you are looking for new ideas.

Hi incognito, do you mean flax seed oil? How do you make a flax seed brew? Does your chamomile contain other ingredients, or just pure chamomile? Thanks for sharing.

I find every tea, even camomile causes me a lot of pain and burning. I am interested to try flaxseed brew though!

MMM

Hi mudmagnetmum

It will help if you have stomach pains or heartburn. During childhood I had to drink it twice a day for my ulcer to heal. We rely much on herbal medicine in Poland. There is very little information about flax seed on the english websites. This article is one of the few I found:

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2011/11/06/flaxseed-tea-to-ease-heartburn/

The recipe on this website is easier to understand than mine

Thanks Incognito,

I have found differing instructions for the tea, some just say put the seeds in water, stand for 15 mins, then drink the water and don't eat the seeds. Others say eat the seeds if suffering from constipation. Do you think the tea water method would work or does it need to be viscous?

MMM