Acid reflux- really stressing me

[dizzy daisy]

I've had acid reflux on and off for a few years however this last month I seem to have had a horrible bout of it.
I'm typing now as I've been woken up with tummy ache and horrible acid in my throat. Now I'm worried something awful is going on.
Doesn't help that I've had wine, pizza with a spicy sauce and chocolate!! I didn't have any breakfast which seemed to kick it off a bit earlier.
Someone calm me down please- I'm on holiday :(
Xx

[Fishmanpa]

C'mon now! Pizza, wine and chocolate are all no no's for acid reflux and you know it! Take an antacid or OTC PPI and avoid the acid producing foods! Common sense will alleviate the symptoms and subsequently the anxiety :)

Positive thoughts

[dizzy daisy]

Thanks FMP it helps to see someone else say it sometimes.
Hope all is well with you and thanks again xx

[Fishmanpa]

Thanks FMP it helps to see someone else say it sometimes.
Hope all is well with you and thanks again xx

Any time kiddo! I love pizza and chocolate as well as my wife but they sure as heck don't love us! ~lol~

Positive thoughts

[dizzy daisy]

Well they certainly did not like me at all. This given me hell all night and still playing up now. I feel awful as I'm on holiday at the moment and now it feels like a have an upset tummy too and a bit nauseous. Arrgh I feel so bad on my family.
Xxxx

[countrygirl]

It really is all down to diet sadly! After 30 years of heartburn even with taking the old type anti ulcer drugs ( I cannot take ppi drugs) I kept a food diary and worked out what gives me heartburn, I usually get it within an hour of eating the food but sometimes it can take much longer.

This was 18 months ago and I have since then stuck 99% of the time to my limited foods that I am okay with and no heartburn at all. I still take my tablets but can reduce the dose okay to one a day but if I eat one mouthful of a trigger food the heartburn is crippling.

For example I cannot eat
Oats or wholegrains or anything soya
No spicy food or cooked tomato
No cake or biscuits other than shortbread or digestive
I can eat gluten free high fibre bread because there is no wheat or soya in it.
I cannot eat kiwi/pineapple/lemon

I have a limited diet but its basically much more healthy than it was before with lots of fruit and veggies.

Hate to say it but usually the solution is in your hands with maybe a little help from the pharmacutical industry:)

[dizzy daisy]

Thanks country girl. I just seem to go through periods were its bad most of the day. Im veggie so eat lots of oats, whole grain and various fruit and veg. I will keep a diary though and see if I can identify anything that's bad.
Can I ask what are your symptoms?
Mine seem to be:
Burning acid in throat
Burping
Feeling gassy in tummy
I feel nausea at the minute but that's not always the case

I freak out because I've noticed my throat looks a little red with the reflux and then the worry starts xxx

[countrygirl]

I get the burning feeling in my chest and can reflux acid up and if its very bad then any warm let alone hot food or drink hurts as it goes down which is a sure sign that you have inflamed your oesphagus with acid.

As I said I can't take the new ppi drugs so have to stay on the old type ones that are much much weaker but less nasty long term. Even on these drugs if i don't stick rigidly to my diet I suffer. I have a hiatus hernia which is the cause of the acid reflux.

I have a friend who has had severe acid reflux for over 20 years to the point where she had a constant cough and sore throat and food was getting stuck,she refused to see a Dr and it was only when she was vomiting blood that she relented. She has barratts oesphagus and is on ppi drugs and monitering but even after over 20 years of severe acid reflux she does not have cancer but she has damaged her oesphagus so it take a long time to do the damage!

I too would be a vegetarian by choice but veggie food is horrendous for me, I literally cannot eat anything with oats or soya in it or spices or herbs or cooked tomato. It was wonderful when i tried gluten free bread and found I was fine with it because it does not have any of the above in it. I can eat houmous okay as well and eggs but cannot eat most beans like baked beans because of the sauce and spices that are added. I can eat nuts as well okay.

It really is a case of experiment and document and you will soon find out your trigger foods.

[dizzy daisy]

Thanks country girl for taking the time to offer support. I really appreciate it.
I guess that is my biggest fear, especially as my throat is looking a little red due to the reflux.
I will definitely take note of what I'm eating and hope I can limit another attack. This is by far the worst I've had it as I've never felt sick with it before.
I think you are right though in that control of it will be food related.
I'm ok eating most things, most of the time I think. Tomatoes are my favourite!! But of course I won't eat them just now due to the acidic content.
It's just a horrible thing and I suppose panicking about it will only make it all feel worse.
Xxx

[Colicab85]

Nexium is an excellent OTC product. I always have some spare if my lansaprozole prescription has finished before i reorder. Honestly, just buy some, it's great stuff.

[dizzy daisy]

Thanks. I'll try it out. Xxxx

[Fishmanpa]

My wife has severe reflux and I've had issues as well for many years. We're both on a PPI but my wife was still having issues. Long story short, we've been following the FODMAP diet and things have improved greatly. Kind of what Countrygirl is doing.

Positive thoughts