Any advice would be most welcome

I have had acid reflux the last 4 years and had it controlled with 20mg of omeprazole (Prilosec).

In the last couple of months I've had two really bad flare ups. The last one lasted 7 days. I couldn't sleep properly as the acid coming up kept waking me. I couldn't eat much as I felt so sick 24/7. My stomach also felt a little bloated and upset. On a morning my mouth tastes horrible and sour. I rang my doctor last week and he told me to increase my omeprazole/Prilosec to 40mg and take 300mg of ranitidine/Zantac. I'm on the 4th day of taking this medication and I have improved. I have managed to start eating properly but I still feel really nauseas, especially on a morning.

I'm having trouble sleeping as I'm finding it really uncomfortable to sleep on my left side. I have my bed elevated.

I don't know why I'm getting these flare ups as I watch my diet carefully. I don't eat or drink any of the known triggers. I eat basic bland food and only drink water.

I was sent for an endoscopy a few years ago but I couldn't have it done. I have a terrible fear of choking and a bad gag reflex. I had the throat spray and a sedative but didn't feel calm at all. When thy put the camera down my throat I freaked out and started choking and tried to pull it out and kicked the doctor in my panic! They stopped the procedure.

I'm really worried about what could be causing the acid reflux.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, my main concerns are

The amount of medication I'm on, is it safe?
If I can't sleep on my left side how do I sleep?
Any tips for reducing acid
Is it GERD that's causing all these nasty symptoms or is it something bad thats going on inside me

Thank you

KittiKat:
Acid Reflux is intermittent and sometimes unpredictable. One day you could be feeling ok the next not so much without doing anything different. Symptoms can change as well. It is very frustrating. As far as the medication, be sure to take a B12 suppliment as well as calcium suppliment as the medication can affect these from being absorbed due to the decreased stomach acid. I also take Magnesium, omega 3 fish oil, vitamin D and papaya enzymes. I know you said you eat a bland diet, but I have benefited greatly by going gluten free, low fat, low carb low acid. I also take l-glutmanine powder, chamomille tea, and I have recently started another alkaline mineral suppliment. The natural remedies are a bit of a trial and error. I also chew non mint gum. I drink a lot of water, after meals and in between but not during.

You really need an endoscopy, if you get put out, it is over in a second. You may need to switch doctors to one who will agree to this. It is pretty standard to be put out so it is odd to me that your doctor does not do this.

As far as sleeping, if you can't sleep on the left side, you can sleep on your back, elevated. Do not sleep on your stomach.

To really find out what is causing the reflux, you need to go for further testing. In the end, the treatment is usually the same.

Kittikat,

I was on 40mg of nexium twice daily as well as the 300mg of Zantac at dinner time daily. Towards the end I had the bloated, full feeling all the time. I was then put on gas X at dinner time daily as well. It did help, just not enough. I also had frequent stomach aches, nausea and couldn't lay on my left side at all. My doctor has informed me that some of this was related to an undiagnosed hiatal hernia that I had repaired when they did my wrap. I was wrapped exactly three weeks ago today. Like other moderators and members have said, meds are only a temporary fix and they eventually don't help at all. As far as sleeping, I slept sitting up for most of the last 10 years. Laying down was just not an option. I would have done the surgery long ago if I hadn't had so many fears about it. As for reducing acid, in my opinion, its a constant battle. You need to be sure your eating well enough to get proper nutrition but yet bland enough that you are not contributing to the problem at hand. Search GERD diets on the internet. I have found sites in the past that give great ideas and recipes to. One thing I noticed was when I ate proteins. They gave me the wrost indigestion and I often would burp what I ate for hours. (ICK).
I wish you the best of luck and hope you find relief!!!!

Wendy

I know when you feel like that, anything is worth I try.

Our doctors here knock us out for our scopes and such. I would have fears about something such as that as well, especially if I wasn't put out. My gag reflex is bad to!

I was a military brat, I live in England during some of my childhood years! ;)

I wish you the best of luck!

My blood test came back negative too, but gluten is high in fat and difficult to digest thus your stomach produces more acid to break it down...which leads to more reflux. Just a thought to go gluten free.

i also take gaviscon at night which helps