As a gastric bypass patient I am privy to some acid reflux info. Cytotec (C drug) is the brand name for the generic drug Misoprostol. It may help you because it controls acid and ulcers. Coated pills usually don't dissolve until the small intestine so those won't help your stomach. C drug is really
prostaglandin in pill form. In liquid form c drug is sucralfate which coats the stomach. Discuss these with a pharmacist or your doc and I hope they will help.
kcc1972
Over 90% of ulcers are caused by the H Pylori bacteria. Have a test for this condition. The doctor will prescribe a triple antibiotic therapy to kill H Pylori off if you test positive for this bacteria.
As for hazy vision due to PPI's - well i'd start with magnesium deficiency. To add, magnesium deficiency is the newest warning for PPI's. The average time for a magnesium deficiency to occur was noted within one year of taking a PPI however some patients developed a deficiency within 3 months. I have had a severe magnesium deficiency (not due to PPI's however) and my vision went hazy for a short period of time (as one of my 50+ symptoms!).
My mother suffered severe GERD and LPR for 5 years. Pure stomach acid would come up into her mouth when walking around it was that severe! She no longer suffers GERD or LPR.
All it took was a google search, reading that most people with acid reflux have low stomach acid, trying out the baking soda test, throwing away nexium (that drug in inself caused dozens of serious adverse side effects including blood pressure so high the specialist gave her 5 years to live!), trialing 6 different brands of digestive enzyme supplements and betaine HCI supplements (not all brands are created equal!). Whew lol.
Result: GERD and LPR - gone in a few weeks! The bonus: 25 years of gastritis (the last 5 years worsening to extremely severe pain taking nexium) 95% better after a year. Oh and blood pressure better than optimal in 3 months. I love the internet. :)
The baking soda test:
Mix 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, not baking powder) in an 8 ounce glass and drink it.
If sufficient quantities of acid are present in the stomach, bicarbonate of soda is converted into gas, producing significant bloating and belching within 5 or 10 minutes of drinking the mix. Little or no belching is suspicious for low stomach acid.
Treating heartburn without antacids might require a lifestyle change.
The lower esophageal sphincter, or LES for short. It gets too loose a problem that can also cause a chronic cough (especially at night), the result of stomach acid irritating your airway. Certain foods can relax the LES, either by relaxing the surrounding muscles (which is what coffee, alcohol, chocolate, and peppermints are known to do), or by directly irritating the esophageal lining (in this case, the main culprits are tomatoes, citrus, onions, and peppers). But there are other triggers that are just as important including being obese, or even just a few pounds overweight.
The bigger your belly is, the more pressure it puts on the LES, allowing stomach acid to splash back up into your esophagus. A big belly can also contribute to something called hiatal hernia, in which a portion of your stomach pokes up around the LES and into your chest cavity, resulting in acid reflux. Several studies have shown that losing just a few extra pounds can reduce this uncomfortable expansion. And the more you lose, the less of a problem it will be.
Prescription drugs also turn up on the list of heartburn causes. In fact, several common drugs out there can trigger heartburn, such as Nitrites (usually taken for heart disease) Calcium channel blockers (for heart disease and high blood pressure) Birth control pills Benzo-diazepines (Valium and Ativan for example), and Tricyclic antidepressants (like Elavil).
The problem is that once you’re on an antacid it can be pretty tempting to keep using it. After all, these drugs allow you to tolerate the wrong foods that you’d otherwise avoid because of the pain they cause. And you don’t even have to lose weight to reap the rewards.
In reality, your weight and diet are causing the problem not a deficiency of drugs.
Patients who’ve had a rare condition called Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, which causes a stomach tumor that results in excess acid production. Because of their small size and tricky location, only about 20 percent of these tumors can be surgically removed. But on the rare occasion that they can be removed, acid-blocking drugs are usually stopped.
I recommend is marshmallow root. Not the corn-syrup-laden marshmallows you find in the cake section of your grocery store. I mean real marshmallow root, from the actual marshmallow plant.
Marshmallow root is part of an herbal group called demulcents soothing substances that quiet inflammation in mucous membranes, including those in your digestive tract and esophagus. Demulcents actually coat, soothe, protect, and repair your mucosal membranes, which heartburn can irritate and damage.
I recommend 3 to 5 g of the Nature’s Way product, two to three times a day. Other good demulcents include aloe vera gel and deglycyrrhizinated licorice.
In a dehydrated state, the stomach will be unable to make the mucous lining that protects the stomach. Ensuring adequate water intake will help nearly any condition, including GERD, ulcers, and other gastrointestinal problems. But how much water should you drink? Take your weight in pounds, divide that by two, and the resulting number equals the amount of water in ounces you should drink daily.
(If you have kidney problems, please check with your doctor first before increasing your water intake.)
Food allergies are a common cause of G.I. problems.the diagnosis and elimination of food allergies has proven to be a crucial part of helping the gastrointestinal system function optimally. An acupressure technique known as NAET has proven very helpful in the diagnosis and
treatment of food and environmental allergies. For more, see www.naet.com.