View Full Version : Worrying over food
MissSunshine
03-10-13, 10:16
Since been diagnosed with dyspepsia (acid reflux) the other day I have been so worried to eat anything im doing so much research on what foods i can drink not drink etc that I just dont enjoy food anymore.
My question is, since i am on omeprazole and it seems to be helping (im on day 4) do i really need to worry that much what im eating? these tablets are reducing the acid, of course im not going to drink anything fizzy or eat spicy foods or chocolate but ive just become obsessed reading up whats good and what isnt my minds all over the place.
The other thing im worried about is ive heard so things about anit acid tablets and im scared its doing me harm? are they dangerous? i know i need these tablets because too much acid also is dangerous but i cant help but think are they taking the acid i need away? sorry if i sound dumb!
You've got to weigh up which is more important to you - getting the reflux sorted or the risks of taking a particular drug. It doesn't sound like your doctor is planning on you being on those tablets permanently, they're just giving your stomach a bit of a break so that it can heal. It's only in long term users that problems might possibly arise, as far as I know. Your doctor is not going to give you a drug that will harm you. The drug that you're taking is not an antacid, it's called a PPI which works differently to the antacid drugs. Don't worry about reasearching it so much, you're only on it for a short amount of time & there's no need to worry yourself over something that could possibly happen - that's just feeding your anxiety.
Even when you're taking the drug it's wise to watch what you eat, as the idea to help heal and soothe your stomach. Plus you're coming off it at the end of the month, so it'd be good to get some practice in with the diet.
If it's just reflux then you've got to learn to manage it yourself. Don't obsess about the diet, just go with the basics of what irritates your stomach or creates extra acid. You'll naturally learn the things that make you feel good/bad in the process (for example ginger is supposed to be very good for your stomach, but it makes mine feel really bad so I don't eat it).
This page from WebMD is all you need to know about the diet, it's very simple really: http://www.webmd.com/ahrq/treating-acid-reflux-disease-with-diet-lifestyle-changes
The diet doesn't have to be strict, unlike a coeliac diet for example, but just be careful and don't overdo it on foods that will upset you.
MissSunshine
03-10-13, 10:34
Thank you your right I am only on these tablets for a month, I am sure the doctor wouldn't give me something so harmful its just the way my mind works :( damn you health anxiety!
I think the main things for me is spicy foods and whole meal bread, its when I started a diet last month and switched to brown bread this all started to happened!
The pain only comes on at night times, every night like clockwork since it all started so its defiantly related to dinner. altho I have cut my dinner size down to half of what id normally eat!
Thank you so much for your advise I am going to check out that link now.
xx
I know how bad HA can make you feel Miss Sunhine, so don't apologise! But do try to think logically if you can - sometimes we just need a little help to do that :) Try not to overthink things!
It sounds like your diet may have had an effect alright! Brown breads can be difficult to digest, so trust your own instinct on what makes your body feel bad and work with it.
It's more likely that your tummy is bad at night because it's empty, but again, go with your instinct on it!
You know anxiety & stress can also have a bad effct on your stomach, it creates tension and excess acid. So relaxation methods/stress management are just as important as your diet.
MissSunshine
03-10-13, 11:34
You have defiantly helped me think logically, Just having somewhere there to tell me i'm being silly with all these thoughts helps massively.
I am not eating brown bread again and no curries for me for a while.
I was thinking it may be because my tummy is empty, but then Ive read you cannot eat anything after a certain time with acid reflux altho that may mean big meals and not snacks? in the morning im getting an empty tummy hunger feeling too!
I will try and stop stressing about it as its on my mind constantly at the moment. I only get anxiety in the winter months and thats when my acid reflux comes back its very strange im a totally different girl in the spring/summer!
That is strange - I wonder are you drinking more warm caffinated drinks like hot chocolate or tea/coffee in the winter months to keep you warm? Or are you eating different kinds of meals? In the sping/summer you might be eating lighter salad type foods?
The best plan for acid reflux is small frequent meals, not big meals. Just don't eat too soon before bedtime so that the reflux doesn't come up at night while you are laying flat.
Don't try to stop stressing, it doesn't work that way lol - instead of fighting the stress, let go and work on relaxing. Don't think of relaxation as stopping the stress, think of it as a separate thing that will have a beneficial effect on your stress levels :)
Don't get upset.
The fizzy and spicy food is probably not good. Keep away from the curries for a while until you know what you can take.
Traditional antacids should not be a problem - their effect is generally to counteract stomach acids.
There are also the more modern antacid drugs - I'm not sure which you are taking.
MissSunshine
03-10-13, 12:16
Oh my anxiety is all to do with the weather :) I suffer with SAD! and so does my mum think it runs in the family. So I dread it every year since i was 16! I have stopped drinking caffeinated drinks a long time ago due to the anxiety attacks
I have 3 meals a day is that too many I have breakfast lunch and dinner as i said i'm eating smaller meals and snacking between on biscuits (plain) and pain crisps i'm scared to eat fruit due to the acid!
That makes sense, If only I could afford a trip to a spa! :weep:
Hanshan
I am on omeprazole which I have never heard of personally but i have heard great reviews from people on here.. I love my curries and chocolate but I hate the pain the acid was giving me so looks like I'l just have to go without!
I've been on/off omeprazole for years now and now I no I have to defo stay on them for good cos if I miss a day then my stomach goes bonkers :( I hate acid reflux but my diet plays apart in this as I eat a lot of chocolate :(
My husband takes omeprazole and I take zantac for acid reflux.
We have both been taking them for years.
I am like honeyple. that why I take them all the time. I try to eat some sort of fruit, very rarely eat chocolate.
A ginger biscuit now and again. Salt is a no no
My sister-in-law takes the same tablets and eats curries quite often
and me too!
MissSunshine
03-10-13, 16:19
honeyp1e do you find the omeprazole makes you burp more?i really miss chocolate i should at least see if its a trigger before ruling it out of my diet completely.
and magic it is really down to each person then im just scared to eat anything just in case im in real pain that night :weep:
The simple truth is diet can affect your acid reflux. Even though you're being treated for it with medication, you must modify your diet to keep it at bay.
That means not eating or drinking certain things. Sorry, but things like coffee, chocolate, citrus fruits and drinks, spicy foods etc . are a no no. Avoiding stress and the situations that generate it are essential too.
Good Luck!
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