Acid reflux...

Anybody have this? It's kicking my ass at the moment.

No fun. Stop eating after 7:00 pm.

I went to the ER a couple of weeks ago...thought that I was having a heart attack.Scary stuff.

Chewing gum helps... your own saliva works to help neutralize the acid.

try a 14 day course of omeprazole

ive been on it for 8 years, weaning myself off it now

Cut out the grease, booze and cigars. That and some exercise was all it took to steer me clear of the purple pills.

Just drink some apple cider vinegar. Take a big healthy shot of it if you're a man, or mix about a shot's worth in a 8oz glass of water. Either way, it will normally work. My girlfriend used to make some sort of apple cider vinegar and honey (IIRC) cocktail for indigestion.

I had that for years. Prilosec or the generic, imeprozol, is the bomb. No problems, no side affects, just NO problems. Maybe addicted to it now, but my belly is happy.

patgizz wrote: try a 14 day course of omeprazole ive been on it for 8 years, weaning myself off it now

This. It will definitely take care of it. Every couple of months acid reflux gets me. Prilosec OTC puts the fire out and usually keeps it out.

Omeprazole left me with bad side effects. Switching to zantac.

Tried the ACV, but I need to stay the course with one med for a while, and not mix and match.

Believe me...at this point I'm all for whatever works.

Zantac 150's here... the stuffs been a miracle.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Cut out the grease, booze and cigars. That and some exercise was all it took to steer me clear of the purple pills.

I got rid of the Diet Coke monkey on my back 2 months ago....I think the last beer that I've had was in September....no cigars (although I smoke a few a year)...grease...tough call.

JFX001 wrote: Omeprazole left me with bad side effects. Switching to zantac. Tried the ACV, but I need to stay the course with one med for a while, and not mix and match. Believe me...at this point I'm all for whatever works.

I take it at night rather than in the mornings. I must sleep through the side effects. It will plug up the system, but a nice big bowl of oatmeal balances that out just fine.

I've had it since '97, and yes, it pretty much sucks. I go the Nexium route and it seems to do a good job. Different things affect different people, you have to find out what triggers it. It may or may not be the same as the next guy.

I wound up on Nexium after I tried everything else. It works but with my new high deductible health insurance it's $6 a pill right now. Hurts almost as much as the reflux.

don't recall what my DR gave me... but a mild change of diet and a little weight loss did the trick... but even when it was around I only took the pill every other day and it did the trick for me...

sure beats the stuff that only helped after it was kicking up (tums and stuff)

Being careful of what you eat, WHEN you eat it, eat lunch and dinner earlier, plus sleep with your head slightly elevated AND Omeprazole. Dr. told the wife and I to ignore the directions and take it continuously.

I skip Sundays but my wife doesn't. If I skip 2 days I feel it.

I also got an ambulance ride from a restaurant thinking I'd had a heart attack to find out it was acid reflux. Being on the meds long enough for your esophagus to heal really keeps the pain levels down.

I had to go to the ER for it once too. I had no idea what the hell was happening and I was in all sorts of pain. I took nexium for a couple of months and it hasn't come back since. I still eat terrible food late at night, but I thankfully haven't had to deal with it again.

wow... a topic about which I actually know something

Acid reflux is almost always caused by a hiatal hernia - where the pyloric sphincter (valve at the top of the stomach) herniates through the hiatus (diaphragm).

There are four fixes: 1) keep a pocket full of Tums, 2) take something like Prilosec (which, by the way, works so well for me that I skip the free prescription drugs and buy it over the counter), 3) do nothing and get esophageal cancer like I did, or 4) have the hernia repair surgery.

The repair surgery statistics go like this... they take a piece of your hiatal muscle and wrap it around your herniated sphincter. There is no way to repair the actual hernia. There is a chance you will have reduced symptoms at the risk of being unable to vomit. In my little brain, vomiting (while not fun) is a fundamental process by which my body rejects poopy stuff in my stomach.

Long story short... I've been on Prilosec since 1996. Prior to that time, I had a bottle of Tums in every room, the glovebox of my car, the left pocket of my jeans... everywhere. Since then, I haven't bought a bottle of Tums. Promise. I actually have a bottle that has been unopened since 1997 according to the label.

I've been using Prilosec OTC or a generic for years. Works pretty good, but if I push my luck ( a coke washing down a brownie at night) I may have to pop a Tums.

To those who can't afford Nexium, try the Prevacid OTC. I hear its pretty good too.

JFX001, I hope your diagnosis is from a doctor, and not done by yourself. I went for several weeks this past summer, where I experienced pain that I thought was acid reflux. Even my family doctor thought it probably was,too, but she decided I should see a cardiologist. He found 3 blocked arteries. Just be absolutely sure it's reflux.

16vCorey wrote: Just drink some apple cider vinegar. Take a big healthy shot of it if you're a man, or mix about a shot's worth in a 8oz glass of water. Either way, it will normally work. My girlfriend used to make some sort of apple cider vinegar and honey (IIRC) cocktail for indigestion.

I have a book about the healing benefits of ACV. I drank a shot daily with honey and hot water too. Good stuff - don't buy the cheap stuff either.

I went in August, same symptoms. Had the full work up done; scans/blood/ekg/x-ray/stress test. All tests came out good...slightly high on the cholesterol but that's it.

This month, I have been there (3) times. Not a hypchondriac by any means, just scared the bejeebus out of me and I am fond of being cautious.August was the first time that I had been to a Doc in 20 years.

We have excellent insurance, but the purple pill (Nexium) costs 256 bucks a bottle, and it's not covered.

I went to the cardiologist on Monday, and found/went to an in-plan Doc yesterday morning.

It's a damn nuisance.I understand I'm getting older...I can live with that....sure as hell beats the alternative...but this E36 M3 sucks.

Thanks for the replies, guys.

OTC (Over The Counter) works well enough for most people. Start there and then see if you need to progress to the prescription stuff.