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GERD ~ How do you all cope?

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 3/28/2006 10:40 PM (GMT 0)

   I've only been diagnosed with gerd for 3 years.  Though, now that I'm more knowledgeable  on the subject, I can see it has been coming on for about 7.  How do you all cope?  I used to be very active, but now just very depressed.  Meds no longer work. sad I still work about 50 hours a week, but i don't feel like socializing. I don't think my husband and 2 children quite understand what I'm feeling. Do any of you believe this disease can be cured?  Also, are meds truly the wise road?

Posted 3/29/2006 1:15 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry you're feeling poorly. I've had GERD for over 2 years and was put on PPIs (nexium, then Protonix). I was going along pretty well, but then I started feeling bad again. I wasn't getting heartburn or chest pain, but nausea and stomach pain. I've seen it recommended here and elsewhere to lower carbs and that helps some people, so I did that and quit the PPI cold turkey. That was almost 2 months ago. I've been PPI-free and have only occasionally taken a Tums for mild heartburn (it wasn't severe like before though). I also take a papaya enzyme after meals especially in the evening because that seems to be the worst time for me. I feel like I have my life back. I still watch how many carbs I eat (no pizza, pasta, but some grains) and it's working for me. I just want to relate my experience and you should talk to your doctor and see if he or she has any suggestions. I tell you though, I can eat spicy foods again and chocolate!
Posted 3/29/2006 2:51 PM (GMT 0)

Tofumaven, this condition can really drag you down. I think sometimes other people think, "Well, l heck, it's only heartburn."  But of course it's much more and can make you feel really rotten all over.

Take hope, though. People have recovered.  I consider myself a "recovering" sufferer and PPI addict.  I also tried the low-carb approach and was able to quit PPIs -- finally -- two weeks ago. Yesterday I had my first drink of wine in about two months.  Felt good.

Take care. Hope you'll be feelling better soon.

Seagal

Posted 3/29/2006 3:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Seagal! Yes, wine is good :-)

It's hard to cope with a chronic disease and I always feel that no one understands, whether it's a work or at home. I guess they can't unless they experience it. All my life, I hardly ever missed work and was always the healthy one. Now I feel like I'm known as the "sickly" one. It's hard.

Feel better!
Posted 3/29/2006 4:43 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Niki --

I was always healthy, too, and as strong as a horse.  I was so nutrition-conscious all my life I could have hung out my shingle as a dietician, I think. Exercised faithfully, kept my weight down. I had too bad weaknesses, though -- sugar and stress.  Finally caught up with me, I guess. Speaking of which -- controlling the carbs has done wonders for my stress level.  I sleep much better and am pretty calm most of the time.  Since stress and anxiety seem to play a big role in GERD/LPR, I wonder whether this is another reason low carbs seem to help some people???  Norm, are you listening?

I'm so glad you're doing well, Niki.  Have you ventured into coffee and tomato products yet, or did they ever bother you? 

Seagal

Posted 3/29/2006 4:53 PM (GMT 0)
I know that stress is involved in this. I never got panic attacks before, but started getting them when I had bad attacks of IBS and GERD.

I'm glad you're doing well. Yes, I can do tomatoes now and thought they were a problem. I guess it was the pasta and the bread (pizza) that got to me. I did find a pasta that only has 5 net carbs though and it's really good. I probably can't type the name of it here though. As for coffee, I've always had trouble it and caffeine, so I don't do that.

(sorry to hijack your thread Tofumaven)
Posted 3/29/2006 7:15 PM (GMT 0)

Please don't apologize .....it is just nice to communicate with people in a similar situation.  I am a " health-nut"  too and don't eat dairy or meat on a regular basis. Also, I used to run 5-6 miles 4 to 5 times a week until this month.  Gerd just got the best of me.  I have been off coffee, and alcohol  ( although I hardly drink)  for 2 1/2 weeks.  I also have cut back on my carbs.  It is not going away completely, especially the pressure on my throat.  I am taking the herb "slippery elm"  trying to heal my stomach and esophogeal linings.  Years ago when this first started and I just had heartburn  ( although my gastro and pulmanary specialists didn't diagose it)  I felt as though I had a scarier heart condition that they didn't discover.  ( I do have mitral-valve prolapse)  So,  foolish me I popped many an aspirin to make sure I wouldn't have a heart attack.  I think this is how I initially damaged my digestive organs.  I am going to continue mass quanities of this herb as well as a multi, extra b-complex, cal-mag-Vit d, food enzymes, and L-glutamine.  I am charting everything to show my progress to my gastroenterologist.  Sometimes  I wonder if physicians receive too many kick-backs from the pharmaceutical companies. I also ordered Norm's book and am looking forward to reading it.

Sorry for the run-on paragraph... I just need to vent.

Posted 3/29/2006 8:01 PM (GMT 0)
Sometimes I wonder, too, tofumaven.

Take a look at the April issue of Atlantic magazine!

Good luck. I have throat problems, too, and take slippery elm for that. Anxiety makes that awful lump-in-throat feeling much worse.  Some people have found great relief just by cutting their carbs away down -- to 25 a day or less.  Hope any of this discussion helps.

Seagal

Posted 3/29/2006 8:03 PM (GMT 0)
No need for you to apologize either :-) This is such a frustrating condition and I've gotten the impression from doctors that they don't know much about it and they should be second-guessed. My mom also has GERD and is taking something like Pepcid once a day. She's been complaining of stomach pain and the doctor told her to double her dose. How does he even know it's related to her GERD without checking her?

I think my GERD came about because I wasn't eating right and under a lot of stress at the time (I had just changed jobs). I was also drinking sodas every day and sometimes on an empty stomach. My stomach would churn away. I got scared too one night and thought I was having a heart attack . It must be so much worse if you do know you have a heart problem!

I didn't get the lump in my throat until I went off the PPI last month. I think whatever was going on healed in me. It was so tempting to just go back on the pills though.

Years ago, we didn't hear about this. Now it's like an epidemic. What's going on?
Posted 3/29/2006 9:48 PM (GMT 0)

Well, I know I sound like a broken record on this, but I really think those powerful drugs have made things worse.  We won't know the truth about those PPIs for some time.  We're the human guinea pigs. Meanwhile the pharma companies are making billions.

I suppose we're also eating lots more sugar. Witness the obesity epidemic in North America,  even among kids.

Seagal

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