Chronic Heartburn Anyone?

I've had it since I was in my late 20s. I'm overweight and I smoke, so I deserve it. I've talked to the docs about it and they say if the OTC drugs work, use them and call us when they stop.

Well, I'm getting to that point so I'm doing some research on alternatives, like quitting the smokes and losing some weight. While digging around the internet, I came across this:

http://chriskresser.com/heartburn

What? Everyone knows that heartburn is caused by stomach acid, right? This guy doesn't agree. He seems to think that a lack of acid is the problem for a lot of people and taking acid reducers makes the problem worse while masking the symptoms. The doctors and drug companies don't want to share this because of the billions they make off acid reducers.

I thought it was an interesting read, so I thought I would share.

Mine is caused by acid. I can guarantee.

Its been there for years since my galbladder was removed. They did a scope to check things out and thought I ate a couple hours earlier. Apparently, my stomach doesn't process food and push it through. HOORAY working things! :)

I have suffered from heartburn and acid reflux off and on for years. Losing some weight definitely helped, but cutting out sodas and really spicy stuff made the biggest difference for me. Oh, and beer. Kinda sucks. I love beer and spicy food.

I've heard that for years, but it's not true at all. I've had heartburn, or more appropriately acid reflux, for almost 20 years. It is caused by acid entering the esophagus from the stomach, not from a lack of stomach acid. And it is serious as it can lead to erosion and cancer. This guy is full of it.

Weight can play a big factor, as it deforms the flap that keeps food from backing up into the esophagus. If you lose weight, it will almost certainly be better, although it may or may not go away. In my case, it was better, but I still have to take Nexium once a day. Also, different foods trigger it for different people, you need to experiment to see what is affecting you.

Good luck with it.

Lose the weight, quit smoking.

In reply to Dr. Hess:

Yeah, I know. The extra 40 pounds and the smokes are killing me. Literally.

suffered for yrs. some days I ate as many as 20 - 25 Tums ....

1 omeprazole per day .. .and not a single incidence of acid reflux since (over 4 yrs)

When I get back up to 240 (I'm 6'2" and big, boned) I suffer from heartburn and acid reflux badly when I sleep. Get my gut under control, and I have no trouble at all, unless I eat Pizza or drinkl beer after 8:00 pm.

Its actually easy to decide to lose weight when you wake up at midnight with a lung full of vomit.

Get it checked. My sister died from esophagus cancer from similar issues @ 46 years old. Sadly she drank like a fish and smoked like a chimney since she was 14 years old. She ate tums like Smarties and complained about acid reflux.

Change your habits - take care of it.

For me it was stress. I was munching Tums and Pepcid every night in order to sleep.

Not with SWMBO... doesn't bother me nearly as much. Granted, I'm riding (exercising) more now, but I still think it's the reduced stress. Especially since I drink more now since I have a fridge full of high-end stouts and what not, so I'll have one every other night on average.

Cut out the coffee... and try chewing gum. Really. Your own saliva helps to neutralize it.

It used to be a daily occurrence for me. Started taking Protonix and haven't had it since (6-7 years).

You'll notice that sleeping on your side effects it. The stomach sits at an angle and keeping it tipped up helps. Sleep on your left side.

In reply to Gearheadotaku:

I used to sleep on my left side all the time. Unfortunately that makes the bursitis in my shoulder act up. Getting old purely sucks sometimes.

Toyman01 wrote: In reply to Gearheadotaku: Getting old purely sucks sometimes.

My dad is almost 78 and has some health issues. He feels this way a lot.

I am 50 and can also say this. Getting old sucks.

Toyman01 wrote: Getting old purely sucks sometimes.

It's still better than the alternative.

In reply to EastCoastMojo:

True.

Smoking really flares up the GERD response. Weight is less of a issue.

Low acid can be a problems but it is very uncommon.

90mg of Previcid for me, plus a raditine at night to keep me from vomiting in my sleep. Though I have massive ulcers.

Gearheadotaku wrote: You'll notice that sleeping on your side effects it. The stomach sits at an angle and keeping it tipped up helps. Sleep on your left side.

This is true. I got very used to sleeping on my left side. Then I hurt my left shoulder and couldn't... oh boy... unfortunately, I have trouble sleeping on my back. There must be something weird about how the blood flows through my brain because if I sleep on my back I'll get vivid, bazaar dreams...

Ian F wrote: There must be something weird about how the blood flows through my brain because if I sleep on my back I'll get vivid, bazaar dreams...

+1 Happens every time.

It's true that omeprazole doesn't cure the underlying cause of heartburn/GERD. It does however, get rid of (or at least vastly reduce) all of the symptoms.

Losing weight, smoking/drinking less, eating/drinking a longer period before bed, and not eating certain types of foods will all help. Doing this is preferrable to simply taking lots of omeprazole because there are some side effects to the drug. It reduces the pH of the stomach, which can theoretically result in lowered resistance to food-borne illness (less acid means easier for bugs to survive), and I've read it can reduce absorption of calcium.

One of the common causes is a hiatal hernia, where the stomach goes through the sphincter muscle that's supposed to seal off the top. There's surgery to address this, called a Nissen Fundiplation (so-called because it pays for the surgeon's GT-R? I dunno). I've met a few people who've chosen this over continuing to take omeprazole, but that's probably not a direction I'd choose to go. One of them never woke up from the surgery. :(

nicksta43 wrote:

Ian F wrote: There must be something weird about how the blood flows through my brain because if I sleep on my back I'll get vivid, bazaar dreams...

+1 Happens every time.

Me too! What in the heck is that about?

I had a Nissin done about 1.5 years ago. In my case, prescription acid reducers wouldn't even touch my heartburn, which was constant whether I ate or not, no matter what it was. Having to pee triggered it too. My stomach was 90% above my diaphragm.

Getting old does suck. But as mentioned, the alternative is worse.

The smokes man, I have ranted here before about that. Dad was a smoker until right after I signed up. He quit but is still suffereing residual issues. Low blood pressure, poor ciculation, after an operation quite some time back was on O2 for three years. Thanksully he hated carrying that bottle around and listend to his Dr about getting in somewhat better shape.

I quit in my (late) 20s and suffered several relaspes, but every time I out perform some 20something in a PT test, I come off way cooler than Don Draper.

Thats even more addictive than nicotine.

I went thru the gamut of OTC drugs, then prescribed until I found Nexium, I take 1 20mg every morning and I've been heartburn free for 5 years now,