Tips on reducing acid please?

[MissSunshine]

I am being tested for H pylori next week and my acid is really bad the past couple of days after coming off meds for it a week ago, I have to be off meds for 2 weeks for the test to come back accurate so anything mediation is a no no but how am I going to cope? the acid is so bad im feeling sick all day i keep coughing up yellow phlegm can feel the acid in my throat and even in my belly as it feels like its burning. :( i didn't have dinner last night because i felt so sick,

so any natural home remedies for acid reflux please? xxxx

[Natalie2389]

I'm the same the acid is making me feel sick all day to any one ? I've heard apple cider vinegar can help x

[HoneyLove]

Sorry you're going through this MissSunshine :(

You were on omeprazole or something similar right? When you come off drugs like this they can have a rebound effect where your stomach creates extra acid while it gets used to not having the drug in your system. This will cool down eventually, but it can be hard, especially if you stop taking them suddenly instead of slowly weaning off them.

The phleghm is from your throat being irritated by the acid, I get that too when it's bad.

It should calm down a bit from what you're experiencing at the moment, and in the meantime you can help it out with things like:

- antacid tablets like gaviscon, these wont affect the h pylori test (although dont take them on the morning of the test as you need an empty stomach)
- manuka honey helps soothe your stomach and throat (take a teaspoon on an empty stomach in the mornings)
- aloe vera juice can help
- drink lots of water and avoid fruit juice, caffeine & sugary/fizzy drinks
- avoid eating too many foods or medications that create extra acid
- keep your diet fairly simple for the moment, and eat small regular meals instead of large ones
- avoid processed, spicy, greasy or fatty foods

If you're taking any supplements make sure they're compatible with the meds you're on :)

---------- Post added at 13:37 ---------- Previous post was at 13:36 ----------


I'm the same the acid is making me feel sick all day to any one ? I've heard apple cider vinegar can help x

Apple cider vinegar is not always a good idea! It's helpful in cases where your stomach is under producing acid, as far as I know - but in MissSunshine's case she's probably over producing acid as a side effect of coming off her meds, so I wouldn't recommend ACV in this case.

I tried it once or twice when I was sick with colds, but it just made my stomach burn!

[Daisy Sue]

I'd agree with HoneyLove's advice on foods to avoid, and not eating large meals.. you can also try going totally lactose-free for a few days & see if there's an improvement. HP infection can cause lactose intolerance, but even without proven HP being present, the lactose-free diet can help enormously.

[MissSunshine]

First of all thank you for your help!

Yes I was on omeprazole and they worked, I then had a tummy bug and wasnt eating much and as soon Ive gotten back to my old self the acid reflux has come back, I didnt know coming off them would make the acid worse then before! its really sucky.

Are you sure i can take gaviscon if so im defelty going to try get some today or tomorrow. I also didnt know thats why im producing so much phlegm it all adds up now!

where could i get aloe vera juice?
im a little nervous that the acid will make my stomach bleed but thats just my HA taking over yet again..
thanks for your help its going to be a long week for me lol
xx

[Daisy Sue]

Oh I forgot one of my tips for helping acute acid.. put a mint sweet (like a polo or glacier mint) into a mugful of boiling water, let it cool for a few minutes then sip it. :)

[HoneyLove]

It wont make your stomach bleed, the lining is very strong and built to withhold lots of acid :)

Worst case scenario for you at the moment would be that your stomach gets a little irritated with gastritis, but that's easy to solve and it just means the lining gets a bit inflamed so it's not dangerous.

Most people or GPs don't know about the acid rebound effect, although I think it is written on information sheet, but it is recognised and I've had it happen myself! I think it was an old GP of mine who told me about it initially.

The gaviscon should be absolutely fine, but you can check with the people who are going to run the test for you if you like? As long as you don't take any in the fasting period before your h pylori test. The omeprazole can reduce the amount of h pylori in your stomach, so they wouldn't show up on the test properly - but gaviscon cant do that, it simply acts as a barrier at the top of your stomach and cancels out the acid in your stomach.

I use Pukka Aloe Vera juice that you can get in most health food shops, it's pricey but it really helps me and it's the nicest tasting one I've found. It also has a mild laxative effect, so only take the recommended dose or less lol.

---------- Post added at 14:16 ---------- Previous post was at 14:14 ----------


Oh I forgot one of my tips for helping acute acid.. put a mint sweet (like a polo or glacier mint) into a mugful of boiling water, let it cool for a few minutes then sip it. :)

Mint is a funny one because for some people it helps with digestion but with others it can irritate the stomach! Personally I find that it makes me feel bad and gives me reflux, so I avoid it. It's all down to what we individually discover about our bodies I suppose.

Ginger is another one, it's usually supposed to help with nausea and stomach complaints, but I find it make my belly feel so bad that I simply avoid it now! Shame because it's tasty :)

[rachel m]

Hi... A teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda in half a glass of aired water does the trick. also lying down on your left hand side. Hope this helps. :) x

[Daisy Sue]

Mint is a funny one because for some people it helps with digestion but with others it can irritate the stomach! Personally I find that it makes me feel bad and gives me reflux, so I avoid it. It's all down to what we individually discover about our bodies I suppose.


Yep - I was given pure peppermint oil in a little water in hospital, and it burned like hell, & in fact made the acid symptoms worse. That's why I use a sweet these days, they're minty enough to help the symptoms, but not strong enough to hurt sensitive linings.

[HoneyLove]

Yep - I was given pure peppermint oil in a little water in hospital, and it burned like hell, & in fact made the acid symptoms worse. That's why I use a sweet these days, they're minty enough to help the symptoms, but not strong enough to hurt sensitive linings.

Ah I see what you mean! Sounds like a better way to do it, and like you say you're still getting the benefit of the mint :)

I hate having a stomach so sensitive to different foods & reflux, but it runs in my family, we all have a dodgy tummy, such a nuisance. My husband can eat whatever he wants and never has any trouble!

[Gina9]

I am being tested for H pylori next week and my acid is really bad the past couple of days after coming off meds for it a week ago, I have to be off meds for 2 weeks for the test to come back accurate so anything mediation is a no no but how am I going to cope? the acid is so bad im feeling sick all day i keep coughing up yellow phlegm can feel the acid in my throat and even in my belly as it feels like its burning. :( i didn't have dinner last night because i felt so sick,

so any natural home remedies for acid reflux please? xxxx

I have this too, docs say I have IBS :(

Well the main tips I have been given off family and the doctor (and just from experience) is to avoid caffeine and alcohol if you can, also things like chocolate, spicy food, etc, the usual stuff.

Honey can be quite good at soothing the throat and sort of acts like a natural gaviscon type remedy because of it's consistency (Just speaking from experience again).

Also, don't eat or drink three hours before bed and try to lie with more pillows behind you etc. Also, I know this may sound weird but sometimes during the day eating an apple calms mine down, I'm not sure why, but something to try.

Hope any of this helps. :) I know acid is just so flippin' horrible so I feel for you. If I remember anything else I'll post again.

[clarisse]

Aloe Vera Juice,Liquorice and Camomile tea are all worth trying.
Ginger Tea will help with the nausea if you can drink it.

[Beth28]

Did you get the course of anti-biotics to clear the H Pylori. It doesn't work all the time and the prescription is a bit expensive.

Avoid citrus, tomatoes, have a glass of water before a meal and another about half hour after works for me.

[MissSunshine]

I have IBS too i forgot to mention, its hard picking foods that wont irritate my tummy now what with the acid reflux too :(

Apple juice seemed to help me last time..

I haven't had the test yet for the H pylori, what happens if the anti biotics do not work beth? x

Thank you all for your comments :) helped me alot I've taken everything on board xx

[Gina9]

I have IBS too i forgot to mention, its hard picking foods that wont irritate my tummy now what with the acid reflux too :(

Apple juice seemed to help me last time..

I haven't had the test yet for the H pylori, what happens if the anti biotics do not work beth? x

Thank you all for your comments :) helped me alot I've taken everything on board xx

Let us know how you get on, as a fellow IBS sufferer it would be good to share tips :yesyes:

[Lilharry]

Hey Miss Sunshine, often the cause of acid reflux is actually too little stomach acid, not too much. I had this problem and have got rid of it through changing my diet. I just found this Mercola article that could help explain it and gives you some tips on how to deal with it http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/25/news-flash-acid-reflux-caused-by-too-little-acid-not-too-much.aspx