Posted 4/13/2010 3:32 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Victoria,
don't be afraid - in order to get better, you have to first believe that you will! At one point during my GERD episodes I was burping ALL DAY LONG for months and it was accompanied by extremely foul odor and painful bloating. The rooftop of my mouth was completely blistered and inflamed from the burns (just from the fumes!). It limited my social life dramatically.
Here are a few reasons for GERD that you may wish to consider - none of them are grave or reason to fret as they are all fixable. I selected the ones that most match your symptoms but I am not a doctor so pls consider that:
1. You may have disbiosis causing your GERD. Bad bacteria literally ferments in your gut and stomach and generates hydrogen sulfide gas (hence the smell of sulfur or rotten something). The amount of gas these "unfriendly" bacteria generate is astronomical. The gas generages an upward pressure (bloating and belching) and downward pressure (flatulence) in your system depending on where the bacteria is located (stomach / small intestine). When the upward pressure is bad enough, it will cause pressure on the LES ring to let the gas out. Once the LES ring is open, stomach acid also has a channel to seep into the esophagus. Disbiosis will not show up in blood tests (docs like to rule out H Pylori and sometimes Candida - I was negative for both) so diagnosing it is troublesome (took me a year, thousands of dollars in medical bills and -40 lbs to figure out). However, the smelly gas is a typical symptom. You may also have rumbling in your belly. Disbiosis is usually a result of antibiotic or NSAID abuse, or just plain poor diet. The good news is that if this is the reason for your GERD, it can heal naturally. Get the confirmation from your specialist first. Again, this is just my two cents and I'm no doctor. Once GERD is confirmed, if you suspect you have disbiosis try meeting with a nutritionist doctor that specializes in gastrointestinal disorders. Interview them and if they are not willing to talk to you for free once, move on to the next one. Most of them will put you on a cleansing program, then repopulate your tract with good yeast and good bacteria (you need both). They will most likely prescribe digestion enzymes and a simple diet of mostly steamed veggies or soups with onion & garlic (to kill of pathogens and as prebiotics).
Active carbon tablets are great at absorbing excess gas and eliminating toxins. You may want to try them along with something like Aloe Vera or DGL tablets to sooth your tract. Again, this is just advice from my own personal experience....
2. You may have IBS and or gastritis. IBS is more common in people that suffer from anxiety. I have seen people treat it successfully with the above protocol and 5-HTP (a natural supplement to boast serotonon production). 5-HTP is a nutrally occuring substance in our bodies that produces serotonin (the happy neurotransmitter). It helps us relax (even the digestive tract). Try relaxing teas as well. Ginger tea is good for digestion as is olive oil, banana, apples, papaya, mango, steamed greens, etc.
3. Finally, your pylorus may be clamped (I had this too & apparantly is super common reason for GERD). The pylorus is a small muscles that opens to let food pass from the stomach to the intestine. A prolonged period of stress usually causes it to clamp shut so food builds up in your stomach. Since the stomach has no where to pump the food it rebounds and regurgitates up causing GERD and sometimes violent vomiting. Typical symptoms of this type of GERD are feeling full (even when you have not eaten), nausea/vomiting (sometimes it can be violent), gas/bloating, feeling a hollow pain in the pit of your stomach. If your food starts fermenting, you will also get foul smelling gas. Healing this type of GERD usually takes mobility drugs like Motilium 30 minutes before a meal for a few weeks. In extreme cases, a GI doc can dilate your pylorus (not surgery). I had this type of GERD as well and had to have the dilation. I know more than 4 people that healed their GERD with just the motility drugs. Valerian is a natural herb that can help you relax.
Be systematic in trying things out. Keep a journal and track your symptoms - rate them on a scale to see progress. Don't change too many things at once b/c then you will not know what is working and what is not.
There are many other reasons you may have GERD - low digestive enzyme production, low HCL, high HCL, etc, etc... Rule out the simple ones first. A great doctor once told me, "The simplest solution is usually the best one."
I wish you luck in your recovery and please remember to relax (seriously, do meditation, yoga or breathing exercises DAILY) - your body is amazing at healing itself!!