Acid reflux so scared nothing working

[Kay24]

Hey guys,
I am 24 and have had Gerd for six years now. I feel like it’s ruining my life. I am on ppis but they don’t really seem to help. Recently it’s become really bad and I have constant burning, nausea, shortness of breathe and I don’t know what to do anymore. I had a scope two years ago and it was all clear but now I’m panicking that I am gonna develop Barrett’s in the future because I have had acid reflux since my teenage years and I’m still young. I have tried numerous diets and medications and really feel low about all of this. I’m really scared. I could really use any advice for people who have had gerd for a long time and are doing okay because I feel like I’m going crazy.

Thank you

[ankietyjoe]

If the PPI's aren't working, probably a good idea to stop taking them?

Have you tried apple cider vinegar?

[PanickyGuy]

I have a friend who is a nurse, she has been diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus and a hiatal hernia. She takes 60 mg a day of PPI's and as a supplement she takes Alka-Selzter. She advised me to try the Alka-Selzter as a supplement to the omeprazole I'm taking, because the omeprazole just wasn't helping me by itself. So far it seems to be working for me. But we can take any other kind of anti-acid supplements with our PPI's like tums or gaviscon, if you don't like the taste of Alka-Selzter, but the only thing about those other anti-acid brands is they tend to cause stool changes in some people. The Alka-Selzter doesn't, as far as I know.

[Kay24]

Ankietyjoe...thank you for your reply.I did stop taking ppi in between but recently went to a gastro who put me on another ppi and told me to take it for two weeks and see. I did try apple cider vinegar and unfortunately as I’m underweight already, it me lose significant weight over the course of a month. So I had to stop taking it....though I am not sure if it really helped me :(


Panicky guy...thank you for you message. I will try alka seltzer! Have not used that before. Thanks for the tip!

[Hypo27]

If ppis and diet haven’t improved the symptoms you might be a candidate for the surgery that fixes the flap that stays open causing the reflux. Don’t know if you have insurance or not but I would bring
it up your GI doc.

[Fishmanpa]

If ppis and diet haven’t improved the symptoms you might be a candidate for the surgery that fixes the flap that stays open causing the reflux. Don’t know if you have insurance or not but I would bring it up your GI doc.

Why jump to such a drastic measure? I don't think that's helpful :(

Have you tried the FODMAP (https://www.ibsdiets.org/fodmap-diet/fodmap-food-list/) diet and keeping a food journal to determine what foods are triggers? Both my wife and I have reflux. We both take a PPI (have for years) and follow the FODMAP diet. We kept a food journal and determined what foods aggravate it and have eliminated them from our diet. That along with common sense things like not eating in the evenings and eating smaller portions etc. have really helped.

Positive thoughts