Time to member up, hello peers, scared

It sounds like it's time to visit the PCP again and maybe get referred to a gastroenterologist if this is beyond your regular doc's expertise.

It takes a long time, weeks at least, for some of those diets to work, if they do work.

PPIs need to be taken in the morning a half hour to an hour before eating, and then you must eat. They work from the blood stream, not inside the stomach. They cause the acid secreting cells to shut down, but only after they are turned on by eating food.

It can take several days for PPIs to get acid under control, and if you're only using OTC meds, those are only half the prescription strength. Unfortunately, drug manufacturers and insurance companies are forcing us to pay exorbitant prices, so shop around in your insurance's drug list to find something they will pay for.

As for the migraine, I would give the med a second try - in the morning - and see if the reaction happens again. Sorry if it does. But get the doc to prescribe a different one because they aren't all alike.

I'd also get the doc to do a scope, or send you to someone who can do it. You need to know if there's an ulcer - or it can be something else. The ER isn't a good place to be running to for a chronic condition. It's too expensive and you don't see someone who knows your whole story.

As for diet: Try keeping a food journal (see many posts in the archives - the search box at the top of the page). I'd react to everything on your list of foods except the apple and banana and saltines. I wouldn't even dream of sushi! Many people don't have a problem with spicy foods, but do have food intolerances to specific foods or groups of foods. But an ulcer hasn't been ruled out yet, so get on top of that asap!

Jello IS a good source of protein, if you tolerate it. I wish I did.

Avoid any processed foods. No telling what's in them, no matter what the package says.

Best wishes.

Hi Lucinda,

So sorry to hear you are going through this. What kind of pain are you experiencing? Do you know yet where it's coming from? Also, what kind of pain is it? Is it sharp? Dull? Feels like pressure?

And WHEN are your symptoms at their worst? After you eat? Not eating at all?

I'm going through something similar to you, though it does sound like your symptoms are more severe than mine. You might have erosive esophagitis or chronic gastritis or both (or neither). Eating small, soft foods is a good idea.

After my trip to the ER back in June I ate organic baby food for two weeks because I was afraid of eating solid foods. On my 3rd week I began making homemade bone broth and drank about 1-2 mugs of a day for a week, then by week number 2 I was up to 2-4 mugs a day (standard coffee mug size). By week #3 I started making chicken vegetable soup with that broth and I would peel the skin off the chicken.

I also get protein from protein powders which I put in my vegetable smoothies and fish.

I do hope you get your endoscopy soon so they can take pictures and biopsies and find out what is causing this horrible pain for you.

Have you tried eating organic apple sauce?  That helped me along with the baby food.

 

Hi Lucinda,

Oh my goodness, you are definitely going through a lot. Let me see if I can offer some assistance.

I have some concerns here: first of all, how do you feel after you drink the Matcha Green Tea. Green teas generally have caffeine and caffeine relaxes the Lower Esophageal Sphincter and is also a known stomach irritant, which is why I no longer drink Green Tea of any kind. The only teas I drink for now are home made ginger tea and chamomile.

The BRAT diet works for some people, but my concern with it is that it contains gluten and rice; and according to some fairly recent studies, carbs can contribute to overactive bacterial growth which has been shown to cause GERD symptoms. You may want to reduce the rice you are eating as part of the BRAT diet.

From a texture standpoint, Saltines can really irritate the esophagus and the stomach lining. I would eliminate these entirely until your symptoms improve. In my current condition I cannot eat Saltines, they would cause me too much pain. Double check and make sure that the tuna and sardines you are eating do not contain MSG (it can also be called hydrolized protein).

MSG is a major stomach irritant for many people and is hidden in many of the foods we eat. For that reason alone I have opted to stay away from canned tuna and sardines, though most canned Salmon does not have MSG. The best way to find out is to contact the manufacturer directly (many have their phone numbers listed on the can).

Now do you make the chicken broth yourself? I'm asking because almost all chicken broth sold in the stores contains MSG in one form or another. You can look for organic chicken broth and check the label and make sure it does not have MSG.

I think very highly of Dr. Jamie Koufman's book, Dropping Acid as it has given me the guidance I needed to help me formulate a plan of what foods to eat. No, I do not have a free downloadable link as that would not be fair to the author. If you google her name you will find plenty of websites that will give you some great free information, enough to take some meaningful action.

Have you tried making chicken vegetable soup (with no onions or garlic, adding sea salt for flavor is okay) from your chicken stock? I have found this to be an important staple in my diet.

I make my own bone broth at home and I use that to make my soups. I couldn't imagine my diet without it.

During my last endoscopy I was sedated and then I woke up in a nice bed and I didn't even know what had happened! It was an easy procedure and remember being really groggy, but that's about it.

Good luck to you.

Hello All
It's been several weeks and I thought a quick update might be good; for the forum and me. I have been on prescription Pepcid for 4 weeks now. Two nights ago I had another episode of pain at breastbone, wrapping around bottom rib to up entire upper back. I had made the third "real" meal since my first horrible ER trip. It was ground turkey, mixed with organic black beans and a very small can of organic tomato sauce. Oh, a third of a onion and over brown, organic rice. I made a large frying pan full. My bowl contained about a 1/3 total. I ate it over a period of 35 minutes, pausing inbetween as I have become accustomed to doing. My meals generally take about an hour these days and often consist of California sushi rice, avocado and crab meat; 4 or 5 total. Yes, that's a meal.
15 minutes after finishing, the pain began. I remained calm, raised my arms above my head (I found this helps when I feel the fullness there) and waited. It built up to about a five on the pain scale but I walked about and then took 2 over the counter dissolvable Pepcid/Tums. Five minutes later I violently threw up; another common thread in all three attacks. However, this time, the pain stopped!!!! WOW.
I immeaditely took one of my pain pills prescribed for my fibromayalgia. Without the medicine even taking effect, I woke up 3 hours later, confused. Apparently these attacks completely wipe out my system. I remember taking the pill, laying down propped up on pillows and then.....
I don't know if it was the tomato sauce, too large of pieces not chewed into baby mush or?
I feel extremely grateful for not needing to rush to the ER and get a morophine shot.
I will be scheduling a endoscope Monday, when it will occur, no knowing.
I am really starting to feel it's a pretty bad ulcer or some pre-cancerous thing discussed here. Really, a month of Pepcid should have calmed a normal ulcer to basically nothing (from what I have researched).
Scary scary. Back to baby brat type diet with the rice rolls, protein powder mixed with Almond Milk, banana's, etc.
Another thing; I allowed myself to be weighed when I went into my PCP for the referall. I have weighed a steady weight for years, I eat healthy but never lost the weight I gained after having a baby 25 yrs ago. I discovered that what I had been feeling and seeing was real; I had lost about 18 pounds in the last few months!!! I am still losing weight now.
Ideas? Help?

Hi Paul
I currently have soo many issues going on, that include soo many doctors visits with copays, I can not afford the book :(. I will purchase it as soon as I can. I have been very careful with any foods that are not easy, small label reading. Any and all processed foods are items I have mostly avoided for many years. I am not perfect but glutens, nonorganics, fish that is not wild or is previously frozen, meat raised by forced farming methods, etc etc, is not my thing! I am eating rice. I know it is very high in glutens but it seems to be an item my stomach can handle and has a touch of vegie and protein inside the wrap. I have a protein mix that I mix with the Matcha and drink slowly. I eat organic bananas, organic apples and non processed tuna on a piece of bread. Again, bread has gluten. This gluten issue is something I wish to cut out of my diet completely, but currently it is working. Oh, and jello, yuck!!!!
I am sorry you had another attack. It is so very scary. I truly don't think I am having reflux. There is no feeling of anything in throat in my attacks. I actually wish it was GERD. That sounds crazy but the alternatives sound worst; may be wrong, not enough understanding.
Today is better but as per the last attacks I am very aware of food in that area. I am not focusing on it, I mindfully, I put my attention on other positive things (of course I a not perfect in this area, especially as I have so many different stressors).
While continuing my wait for my initial apt with doctor for scope, I have started a Blog about Fibro. I am also starting a planned program to become a online resource peer advocate life coach for newbies or oldies surviving that condition with Wellness. This helps me refocus quite a bit. I took up adult coloring which focuses my mind on the tiny lines and symmetry and am reading a lot again.
I hope your baby food works. I feel that I eat baby food just create it in my mouth LOL. Not really that funny but....
Best to you

You are eating foods not compatible with LPR or airway reflux which sounds like what you have. Please purchase the book by Dr Jonathan Aviv called The Acid Watchers Diet. It has been extremely beneficial to me. I have struggled with this problem for several years, been on ppi, seen multiple doctors and tests and this diet is the only thing that has really helped. The right foods is the key and you will find them listed along with recipes and helpful info about this condition. Good luck! It’s a beast but can be managed.