Posted 1/21/2015 7:35 AM (GMT 0)
I would like to discuss this topic, since I have recently experienced this first hand.
If you are experiencing reflux from drinking caffeine, alcohol, citric acid, eating spicy foods,etc... (common things that cause reflux), this does NOT mean low stomach acid. However, if you are experiencing reflux from eating a plain baked potato, green beans, banana,..things that do NOT normally cause reflux, then this could be a sign of Low stomach acid.
Low stomach acid causes the food to stay in your stomach longer which is also called delayed gastric emptying or gastroparesis. When you have low stomach acid, the stomach is not breaking down the food quickly enough. So both the food and the the little acid remaining keeps being pushed back up in the esophagus. It does not take much acid to burn the lining of the throat. Your body produces the mucus to try to protect your throat from the acid.
Gastroenterologist do not believe that low stomach acid can cause delayed gastric
emptying. So they continue to keep increasing your PPI not realizing it is only masking the problem while making the delayed gastric emptying problem worse.
I have experienced this problem first hand. I developed delayed gastric emptying from taking a proton pump inhibitor (omeprazole 20mg). Food was staying in my stomach way too long causing many symptoms including GERD/LPR after anything I ate. I had to go through acid rebound to get off this medication. Acid rebound makes it extremely difficult to get off this medication!! If you decide to get off this medication you must learn what acid rebound is first.
Once I was completely off all PPIs and H2-blockers, my symptoms slowly started to reverse.
I have documented my journey at the link posted below. You will find I have also posted several studies & articles done on the link between Low stomach acid, PPIs and delayed gastric emptying.
http://www.inspire.com/CAGU/journal/ppis-omeprazole-warning-delayed-gastric-emptying-gastroparesis/