PPI alternative

[guest_2010]

I started taking Nexium 8 years ago for acid reflux, prescribed by a physician. At first i took 2-3 40mg pills a week. Then gradually progressed to 40mg every day. If i skipped a day my reflux was intolerable. Was diagnosed with hiatal hernia in 2004 by a gastroenterologist. A few years before i started taking nexium i had burning in the esophagus after eating certain foods, drinking orange juice, iced tea. Then i realized as long as i ate, there was no reflux at all, so i ate something every 20-40 minutes. I felt "hungry" most of the time, and nauseous in the mornings until i ate something. I could not explain my condition back then and had nobody to talk to.

In 2004 had my first endoscopy and "mini" colonoscopy. GE found hernia, grade D erosion (or grade D hernia, not sure) in the esophagus, gave me a list of foods/beverages to avoid, prescribed nexium 40mg and sent me home. in 2006 had my second endoscopy/colonoscopy with a diferent GE. It was recommended because for one months i had one of those "outbreaks" - severe chest pain, nausea/vomiting. I was put on Zegerid for a month, then switched to 40mg nexium daily. in 2008 another endoscopy/colonoscopy. Had polyps removed from the stomach. One GE tells me i don't need to worry about anything, there's nothing can or should be done for me, does not recommend surgery, tells me to keep taking meds for the rest of my life. Another GE tells me i'm too young to be on meds for the rest of my life (i'm 35), tells me the other GE wants me to be his patient forever, recommended Nissen, referred to a surgeon. Surgeon is not a Nissen specialist, does organ transplant, happens to know how to do Nissen, has done it before. Told me makes no difference to him what to do, hospital pays anyway. I didn't run away immediately but stayed to chat a bit. Turns out Nissen is irreversible. My GE told me about relapse. So it's not the best option. After reading this forum it seems a lot worse than they claim it is.

I've heard about Esophyx many years ago. Trying to get more info from their site.

In 2008 remembered way back when i first started taking PPI the physician who prescribed told me to gradually stop taking it. It's not healthy. I couldn't completely stop even for 1 day. Tried alternating 20/40mg every other day. It was just as good as taking 40mg every day. Then i tried 20mg every day but after 3 days could not tolerate the reflux. I'm 265lbs, tried loosing weight but could not. I walk, jog, swim, hike, lift weights. Would not be able to do any of  those activities without Nexium. I even tried Prilosec a few times and it also worked for me. As long as i took 40mg PPI daily i could function.

With PPI i can eat anything. My diet is very strict and i never touch street food, fast food, fatty, fried, spicy, carbonated drinks, no alcohol or cigarettes ever. Around November 2009 i completely eliminated from my diet bleached flour, high fructose corn syrup, fructose corn syrup, corn syrup. Eat mostly organic. Drink only water or pure organic carrot juice. Never touch dairy milk or cereals, especially fortified, organic or not. I figured it's time to stop taking the purple poison. At first barely lasted 3 days. On the fourth day i could not take the reflux anymore, took the pill, tried every other day. On the days i did not take nexium i either had red apples when i felt acid coming on, or mixed organic apple cider vinegar, raw honey, baking soda in 1/2 glass of water and drank it. It helped from 30min to a few hours. Something was not right about my formula. I tried without apple cider vinegar and it worked even better. Now i continue taking baking soda + honey + water and eat red apples. Also tried roasted pumpkin seeds and almond milk. Haven't tried potato juice. I've heard it works and one person claims it cured his reflux. I'm skeptical it can cure anything. So now i take 40mh nexium every other day and in between i take 1/3 tea spoon baking soda + some honey + 2-3oz water. Stir and drink. Sometimes i need to take it once a day, sometimes 2-3 times. I go to sleep without reflux. Other gastric juices still flow into the esophagus at night but i cannot feel the burning pain and i know gastric juices are not supposed to be in the esophagus. The LES is not keeping them in the stomach where they are supposed to be. Raising my bed is not an option because i slide down. Most of the time i wake up on my right side i don't feel burning pain right away. I don't believe vitamines can tighten LES. Nothing can, only surgery. Nexium 40mg works longer than 24hrs for me. If i take 1 pill at 8am, next day i don't feel anything until 11-12noon. If i don't eat or drink anything in the morning i can go without reflux all day as if i took nexium that day. Without food i feel tired and hungry. When i do get reflux it's not constant. Comes and goes.

I also took Bromelain 200gcu before meals in winter. I believe partly because of improved digestion and partly because i take nexium every other day i lost 15lbs not exercising or doing anything at all. Now ordered 2000gcu bromelain.    

I am running out of medication, have no insurance, don't want to take it anymore. No matter how i modify my lifestyle nothing can help me get rid of reflux. I wonder how long i can keep taking baking soda. I've been taking it since last November. My BP is generally normal but occasionally high, so i avoid salty food.

[Imajerk]

bowhunter33, are you still out there? This link doesn't take you directly to the case anymore, if it ever did.

[guest_2010]

i emailed them about doctors in the states. they replied and later emailed this:



ENDOGASTRIC SOLUTIONS ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF U.S. TIF REGISTRY

Six Sites and Nine Investigators Starting Enrollment

Redwood City, CA (May 10, 2010) – EndoGastric Solutions (EGS), the recognized leader in the emerging field of Natural Orifice Surgery (NOS), today announced the launch of the TIF (Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication) Registry Study.

[mammo]

You're very young to have polyps in your stomach.  Were any polyps found in your colon? What was your GI's explanation for the polyps, this is very rare?  Normally, when food keeps you from having acid problems it's due to a peptic ulcer.  It creates too much acid and food gives it something to work on besides your stomach and esophogus.  I would think the apple cider vinegar would wreak havoc with your stomach.  A lot of people get better relief from Prilosec than Nexium, have you tried this?  Have you tried just chewing a couple of Tums when you have this excess acid?  You don't have to raise your bed at night, just your head.  So, adding a second or thicker pillow is all you need.  You need to eat, period.  Since this comes and goes I would switch over to Tums or something similar, this will do what the baking soda is only better, rids your stomach of acid.  My husband has this real bad and he was on Nexium with no relief, then another prescription med with no results, it is only Prilosec that helps him, and he eats everything in sight.  I do wish you luck with this and take care.

[Imajerk]

Mammo, when it comes to bed raising, the majority of modern info I get out there says that yes,  you raise the head of the bed so you are on an angle from head to toe. The reason is that raising the head-only bends the stomach somehow, adding pressure onto it.

Having said that, I've raised both the head, and used a wedge pillow. Both to no effect for me at night. I'm going to try putting blocks under the legs of the head of my bed. If that doesn't help, I'm screwed.