18 possible severe GERD help

Hello!

I am 18 years old and currently in my first few weeks of college. I have been experiencing strange medical issues that I had not experienced before about 6 months ago. Around then, I was in school and began to have severe stomach pain that was only alleviated by pressure, specifically by laying facedown. I went to the doctor and they told me I had a virus and it would go away. I drank copious amounts of Pepto Bismal and after a few days the pain went away. A couple months later I began to wake up in the middle of the night with a strange burning itch sensation traveling up my throat, and into my mouth and ears, preventing me from sleeping. After a trip to the doctor, they told me it was probably acid reflux and told me to take zantac. This worked for a little while, but then I had to double up doses to get the same affect, and eventually I went back and they told me to take prilosec. The same thing happened here, it worked at first but now I have to double up doses to get the same affect, and I've been taking it for 6 weeks with little to no change. Yesterday night I had the severe stomach pain again, but it didn't last as long; when I woke up this morning it was gone. Sometimes about a half hour after I eat I get nauseous or have mild stomach pain. I've also been having bowel issues; I find myself having to go to the bathroom very often. I've also been feeling sick recently, similar symptoms to the common cold. I'm not sure if this is related. Mostly, I'm confused.
~Meg

My advice is to try and eat more non acidic fruits, veggies, and lean protein and less cabrs. I agree to stay away from gluten and wheat. I am able to tolerate brown rice in moderation. I also am ok with potatoes. You may want to be careful with cheese due to the fat content. Avoid fried foods, tomatoes, onions, fatty foods, processed foods, caffine, soda, smoking, chocolate, alcohol, spices. You may be able to tolerate some of these at some point, occasionally but for a while I would stop. I can't tolerate any of them still except that I am able to tolerate cocnut rum in water on occasion. The key to this condition is both diet and medical recomendations. There are also some alternative remedies that hacve been helpful for people.

I found the cure to my many health problems including acid reflux, GERD, and irritable bowel syndrome when I wasn't looking for it or expecting it. Seven months ago I decided I wanted to lose weight. I happened to choose a low carb diet and Phase 1 of the diet required me to eliminate grains for three weeks. After two weeks I started noticing health improvements but I had no idea why I was feeling better. My acid reflux disappeared, as did my headaches, brain fog, and allergies. My joints no longer hurt and my energy increased. I knew it wasn't just because I was off sugar, because I had tried that before (for almost 10 months). Someone told me about a book called Wheat Belly. I read the book and could relate with a lot of illnesses that author, Dr. William Davis, claimed were caused by modern wheat and other grains. My health continued to improve and about four months on my grain-free, sugar-free diet, my eczema was finally cured. Prior to changing my diet, my acid reflux was so severe I had to sleep in a reclining chair. But even in the chair I would often wake up choking on stomach acid. I was afraid I would choke to death. I had so much scar tissue in my esophagus that it became difficult to swallow and so I have had four surgical procedures done to break up the scar tissue (schatzki ring). I was considering having surgery for the GERD. Now my acid reflux/digestive problems are completely gone. My 23-year-old son as recently eliminated grains and sugar and his acid reflux is cured. I told someone at my work about my health improvements and she and her husband eliminated grains and sugar from their diet and she said on day 1 his acid reflux was better.

Hi,

Here is my take on going gluten or grain free, it works for some, but not everyone. In 2011 February my GERD went from medium bad to super bad. I saw a naturopathic doctor and we change my diet radically. At the time I weighed 148 pounds & 5"8 height. I went gluten free and became obsess with it. I followed everything by the book, literally. No modified corn starch, no white rice, no spices with bread, msg and etc...

I ate really light, but the outcome was a "skeletal nickels" hence "me". I now weigh 120 pounds and can't gain it. The good thing was my symptoms got under control. Basically they went back to medium bad but not good. I would always wake up bad, regardless.

You name the natural or regular anti-acid, I took it. Some helped others didn't. The bottom line is that it can help some, but it will not solve your problems.

By the way my diet was super healthy, I would buy at Whole Foods, Sprouts Farmers Market and Freshn Easy. I still do.

I did add some wheat back to my diet. I actually feel about the same. More recently I've tried to minimize some huge carbs like wheat.
My plan is to go back to learn how to cook more foods, gain weight, control my GERD, find supplements that help an will see