Acid Reflux

[CARLINI]

You guys I really need your help. I keep getting the worst acid reflux. It’s so bad it feels like something is sitting in the back of my throat, I have trouble sleeping at night and my chest and back hurts. I’ve had all the heart tests done and my ticker is just fine. I had a gallbladder ultrasound and I don’t have gallstones. I’ve tried eliminating coffee and bacon and it didn’t help. I have an ulcer so my doc had me on Nexium. I stopped taking that months ago. Since then, I’ve tried Prilosec, Tums, Pepcid AC and Gavision. The funny thing is when I went off plan it went away. I did a search on LCF and it seems for most people it goes away once they start LCing.

Nothing is getting rid of this. Several people I know have told me it’s all the fat on Atkins that’s causing this. The fat makes your stomach empty slower so it backs up. I am so scared. I don’t want to quit Atkins cause I know nothing else works for me.

Has anyone had this problem? I need suggestions pleaseeeeeeeeeeee!

[Atkins_Nutritionist]

Hi Carlini,

Sorry to hear you about your discomfort!
It’s a very individual treatment, and a combination of diet changes and medications usually works best. But he trick is to find the right combination and that could take some time to individualize.

There is research that shows the benefit of following a controlled carb diet in reducing symptoms.
http://atkins.com/Archive/2003/4/22-133617.html
But there is also research that shows that reducing fat intake has benefited some individuals.
http://atkins.com/Archive/2002/2/6-293559.html
But the higher percentage of fat in your diet is likely not the cause, and you do not have to give up following a controlled carb lifestyle, especially if you have had so much success on it.

Do some foods affect you more than others? You should start by keeping a food diary, listing what you have eaten, and also how you feel after eating them. Doing this will provide you with important clues on what you need to eliminate in order to prevent the reflux from occurring.

Hearing advice from other members who have experienced the same problem would definitely be helpful to get ideas, but remember that what works for some may not work for others. Good luck individualizing your meal planning and always work with your health professional to balance your diet with appropriate medications.

[LindaSue]

My acid reflux and heartburn have improved greatly since I started my low carb WOE, but hasn't gone away completely. Certain foods can still trigger it. I try not to eat dairy too close to bedtime and avoid Italian foods with tomato sauce or things like chili. Spicy foods can cause problems too as well as chocolate. I only seem to have trouble with high fat foods if they're eaten in combination with chocolate or tomato sauce.

[Matt]

i know what you mean, i have the same problem. I thought i was having a heart attack, because it hurt so bad. Have you tried prevacid 30mg? I started on it and it took about 3 weeks to start working, but my symptoms have gotten much less frequent.. its improved greatly.

[Firmingrojo]

I live on off brand anticids!!! It just wont go away even with small meals......Just bad luck I guess!!!

Laura

[CarolynF]

Dh had this and it has improved since he lost weight and is eating
lowcarb..The only time he gets it is when he drinks 2 cups of coffee, soft drinks, and too much hot chocolate....So..I think
keeping a food diary is an excellent idea, as everyone is different..

And, you could always put the head of your bed on some boards/
bricks..Many people get relief from that..

Good luck to you..

And...I pmed you..about the gallstones..That is not the only test
for a defective gallbladder (which was my problem)..

Another thing that helped me, too was Protonix taken 30 minutes
before breakfast for a month..Nexium didn't touch it..or any antacids..

[msdamgoode]

Hi Debbie !!!

Just wondering if the nexium was helping while you were taking it? DH takes it and rarely has problems anymore.

Hope your feeling better.

Sam

[thefluffyturtle]

You can get OTC acid reflux meds that work immediately instead of waiting 3 weeks. I take AXID perscription strength, but only because it's cheaper for me to get it thru my drug plan that way. AXID does come OTC...I take 300 mg 2 x day...try it
it will help you...

BLUE

[becca300]

Gee sorry to hear about that awful acid reflux! I personally have acid reflux so bad that it wakes me up in the middle of the night with me gasping for air and the burning up to my nose. Very scary! My advice for you would be go to your local health food store and ask the attendant to direct you to the papaya tablets! These are fab for getting rid of the most awful heartburn "acid reflux" that there is. Please try these as I know they will help you! My friends midwife reccomended these for her horiffic heartburn she had when she was pregnant and nothing but nothing would take it away! The papaya works great for acid reflux!! Good luck!

Becca

[jezzie]

I went through the gasping for air also. And all that 'backing up' hurts the esphogus. Not all acid reflux is diet or weight related. Mine isn't. I'll be on Prevacid for life unless I have surgery ... which is not always successful.
~jezzie

[Apey]

Originally posted by becca300
I personally have acid reflux so bad that it wakes me up in the middle of the night with me gasping for air and the burning up to my nose. Very scary!

I used to have that happen ALL the time before I started taking Prilosec OTC. I thought it was from sleep apnea, but I guess I was wrong. It was VERY scary waking up gasping like that. Does the acid get into the lungs? What causes the gasping? I'm waiting to see a new Dr. so I can get checked out to see if anything other than being overweight is causing mine. I also had referred pain in my right side (near my armpit) and in my ear from the reflux. I never hear anyone talk about those symptoms....

[Apey]

I guess it does get into the lungs. I found this on a website:

"Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the back flow of stomach contents, including digestive juices, into the esophagus or food tube. This is more commonly called acid reflux or heartburn. This reflux can come all the way up to the mouth and nose. When this happens the material can be aspirated, dribbling into the windpipe and lungs."

[barefootgrrl]

I've sometimes had mild pain or discomfort near my armpit too. I thought it was by super strength bra that I need for support. I never knew it could be related to acid reflux! I've had that too, but the Prilosec helps, along with low carb eating.

Can you tell me more about your referred pain?

Thanks, barefoot

[Apey]

Originally posted by barefootgrrl
I've sometimes had mild pain or discomfort near my armpit too. I thought it was by super strength bra that I need for support. I never knew it could be related to acid reflux! I've had that too, but the Prilosec helps, along with low carb eating.

Can you tell me more about your referred pain?

Thanks, barefoot

barefootgrrl,
The pain I had near my right armpit would hurt when I swallowed. When the food was moving down and was down to a certain point in my esophagus, it would hurt right across into my side near my armpit. I was put on prescription Prevacid and it COMPLETELY took all the pain away. Then I went off it and the pain came back. Then I started taking Prilosec OTC and it took the pain away. I didn't think I could stay on it all the time, so I would take it for 14 days like it says on the box and then stop, but it would come back after about 1 day of being off of it. I stopped getting the pain in my side and instead the pain is in my right ear when I'm off it. It's like a stabbing pain and hurts especially when the acid washes up. I get it the worst when I have nothing in my stomach. If I wake up and don't eat right away, within an hour or so it feels like someone has punched me in the stomach and the pain radiates out to my arms sometimes. I've been having that for years. I don't really drink much anymore, but years ago when I would drink wine coolers without much food in my stomach it hurt SO BAD! Also after drinking things like fruit punch, etc. On the Prilosec OTC I rarely have pain, sometimes I have mild heartburn. It think I might have an ulcer or hernia.

[Debbiebbw47]

I've found that, along with eating, etc., my worst times are at the middle and end of the month - I've proven that hormonal changes really make a difference! Because I'm about 3/4 of the way thru menopause, the worst of it is that I no longer have a period but still have the worst acid reflux right on time, every 2 weeks! I took Prevacid for years and it never helped, and the ignorance of my doctor caused me to now have Barrett's Esophagus, which is a permanent damage from the acid. Now I take Nexium and am so much better, but twice a month, for about 24 hours, NOTHING touches it, and avoiding food or whatever doesn't make any difference! So - you might try tracking it w/your TOM and see if there's a connection for you, too - you could potentially take something before it was due, etc.

Good luck with it!

[kellyterp]

i recently posted to the main lowcarb lobby about the same heartburn problem! only mine is accompanied by some nausea (usually before the heartburn starts) and some lightheadedness. a few people suggested that i take a multivitamin and increase my calorie intake. i have tried both and noticed a slight improvement, but it still has not gone away completely. also, drink lots of water!

[Matt]

i know EXACTLY how you feel, im having the same problems.. i cant find anyway to fix it. So i just deal with it even though its horrible. No matter what, unless im about to die i will never change my WOE. Not having cravings, not gaining weight, and not being a slave to food is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

[Matt]

Originally posted by ozzyfan6473
barefootgrrl,
The pain I had near my right armpit would hurt when I swallowed. When the food was moving down and was down to a certain point in my esophagus, it would hurt right across into my side near my armpit. I was put on prescription Prevacid and it COMPLETELY took all the pain away. Then I went off it and the pain came back. Then I started taking Prilosec OTC and it took the pain away. I didn't think I could stay on it all the time, so I would take it for 14 days like it says on the box and then stop, but it would come back after about 1 day of being off of it. I stopped getting the pain in my side and instead the pain is in my right ear when I'm off it. It's like a stabbing pain and hurts especially when the acid washes up. I get it the worst when I have nothing in my stomach. If I wake up and don't eat right away, within an hour or so it feels like someone has punched me in the stomach and the pain radiates out to my arms sometimes. I've been having that for years. I don't really drink much anymore, but years ago when I would drink wine coolers without much food in my stomach it hurt SO BAD! Also after drinking things like fruit punch, etc. On the Prilosec OTC I rarely have pain, sometimes I have mild heartburn. It think I might have an ulcer or hernia.

You syptoms are 100% exactly like mine.

[Edb]

Same thing happened to me!

I noticed that the more coffee and chocolate I eat, the worse it is, as well. Try cutting back on the fats while still LCing.

But PLEASE see your gastro DR! Don't try self medication as this is a very serious problem that can lead to esophegeal cancer if left to go on and on without healing.

I went and they had to do an endocscopy to assess the damage done ( I tried to self medicate too).
I am on Prontonix and it works as long as I don't have caffiene (Which include herbal diet pills) and tomatos.

See the doctor!

[Apey]

Matt,
Are you taking anything that is helping you like Prilosec?

I went to my Dr. the other day and told her my symptoms and how long I've been having them. I told her I have to take the Prilosec every day which was working great for a long time but now somedays I have heartburn even on the Prilosec. She told me to take 2 if it continues to hurt, that those commercials about damage scare so many of her patients needlessly and that I will have to take the Prilosec for life. Oh yeah, I told her I have a feeling of a lump in my throat and she said it is either because my tonsils are enlarged or from my reflux.
UGGH! I expected her to send me to get an endoscopy or an upper GI or something. I had so many other concerns to tell her about that I really didn't get to spend much time on the acid reflux but I want to know what is CAUSING the reflux. Not just to have someone tell me to take Prilosec for life. Plus since I've had heartburn for so many years I'm concerned about damage and wondering if being on the Prilosec is helping to heal anything that may have occured. Right now I don't have normal insurance. Just this free program through the hospital and I don't have money to see another Dr., certainly not a specialist as they are so expensive if you don't have insurance, so I have no choice but to keep seeing this Dr. Next time I see her in November I will bring it up again. This time I will ask her if I should get an endoscopy to check for damage. I'm sure she will just say that people are needlessly scared about that from the commercials on TV. I don't think that is something to be NEEDLESSLY scared about! If you've been having acid reflux for years, why WOULDN'T a person be concerned about damage?

Edited to add, Matt I read the whole thread and saw that you are taking prevacid 30mg. Prescription prevacid was the first thing that helped me. I had taken almost everything at the store. Things like Zantac and Axid did nothing to help me at all. They don't cover prevacid in my presciption coverage so I have to buy the Prilosec OTC.

[Debbiebbw47]

Hi Ozzyfan - you're absolutely right to be concerned - I had a negligent doctor too, and now have Barrett's Esophagus, which is where that acid, over all these years, has eaten away the lining of my esophagus, which is a pre cancerous condition. During those years I was on Prevacid, but continued to tell the doctor that it wasn't helping. As soon as I changed doctors, I insisted on trying Nexium, and that has almost completely taken away the pain. What a difference! And yes, they found the BE thru an endoscopy. I think you should insist on that, at least, and perhaps find any other way to get meds - for example, I've ALWAYS at every doctor I've ever been to, been able to get as many free samples as I want - at one doctor they gave me literally as many as I would need to take till my next appointment, 6 months away! So be sure to ask and keep asking! They all get tons of them, and usually they save them for people like you have have lousy or no insurance.

Good luck!

Forgot to mention: They "what is it" question - well, this is stomach acid which splashes up into the esophagus and throat through a sphincter (hole) that usually closes properly, but in some people does not. Often times fat people's stomachs, when sitting or lying down, pushes on the inner stomach and diaphragm causing the acid to splash upward - the lump in the throat is from the acid reaching all the way up to there! There's actually a surgery that can be done to repair the sphincter, but it doesn't seem to be as popular anymore, now that all these meds are available.

[Ms. Moo]

My heartburn can usually be cured using Tums or Rolaids (sounds like I may be one of the lucky ones) but I am afraid to take either because I am unaware of the carb count, if any. Can anyone tell me what, if anything, I should be counting when I take them?

[LindyCA]

Hi Carlini I also get acid reflux, try putting a carrot in acid foods like anything with tomatoes in it, it taskes the acid out, try it it works, I also take pepcid AC before dinner, that helps alot, I have COPD so get lots od acid reflux GERD, hope this helps a little.

[LindyCA]

I also take pepecid Ac http://http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/LindyCA/cbd4c36e.gif[/img] ]

[CARLINI]

I've been on Prevacid for about a month and it's almost totally gone. I also find that taking calcium helps cause it balances your body's PH levels. I feel a lot better but if I drink coffee (even decaf) or pork rinds it comes right back.

Thanks for all your help guys.

[needtoloseit]

My Dr. did put me on prevacid 30 mg for about two years and then i lost my insurance and recently been takeing over the counter prolisec ( dr said just about the same as prevacid) per dr request and had takeing it for about three months...you can take it for long periods of time...im now off of it , just kinda started winning myself off of it and i havent had any problems now for about 4 months , its great !!! sometimes it just takes more time for it to repair the problem you are haveing......I would get a diagnosis from the doctor before trying to self medicate, just be on the safe side...good luck to ya

[Init4life]

Wow this is interesting! I had heartburn regularly & took a generic "pepcid" everynight at bedtime. Since starting LC I haven't had 1 minute of gerd. That's a great motivator for me!