thanks for the advice.. I started to think that it was GERD.. I also started to pay attention to what i was eating. but it seems no matter what i eat im getting heartburn, i was doing the antiacids but they dont work either...i have been taking probiotics because for some reason im just prone to get UTIs.. i have also been increasing my fiber increasing my fiber, but even the fiber bars give me heartburn..
This sounds familiar to me. This is how my GERD first started with me. Believe it or not, even though I still have severe GERD, I am able to manage it without all these pharmaceuticals. I learned that I have food sensitivities that are causing these issues. With food sensitivities there may be a delayed reaction, so you will not be aware of what foods are causing the problem initially.
I would recommend seeing a naturopath and getting some proper guidance on an elimination diet. The basic idea of an elimination diet is to eliminate all the foods that are common food allergens or sensitivities (low level allergies) for a period of time, which is usually two weeks minimum. My naturopath had me stay on it for six weeks before doing any of the challenges. For me, it was easy to do the elimination diet, since I had already eliminated most of the foods myself without realizing that I was doing an elimination diet. This was because I had figured out that these foods were issues for me.
A friend of mine had told me about the connection to allergies. She told me a personal anecdote about how she had figured out that using Benadryl actually helps reduce the amount of heartburn. When she told me this, I had to try it for myself, since I was so frustrated with still getting a certain amount of heartburn (much less) even while not eating things that I knew for sure were bothering me. This information she gave me was a godsend, because when I tried it, it worked. I have to use Benadryl anyway for my allergies. This worked so well that I just had to tell other people who need the information.
I would rather take Benadryl than all those medications for reflux (GERD), because it's a whole lot safer. Those medications for GERD can do damage to your digestive tract when used long-term. Try not to use those antacid tablets, too, because they'll cause constipation, which is just as bad as the GERD.
I read someone's post suggesting activated charcoal for the gas and bloating.
A big help for digestive issues is digestive enzymes and probiotics. Here is a link to a great site where you can get both of these items and many of your other necessary supplements: http://www.swansonvitamins.com/JR095/ItemDetail?n=4294967184%2b2732 This is a direct link to one of the best probiotics on the market for less money than my local discount chain. They have their own brand of digestive enzymes. My friend told me about this company and I've had good experiences with the company. They have an excellent value on shipping, too, which is another great reason for suggesting this company. It's better to buy more than just one item, because that's how you save money on your shipping. You can get these items in your local discount store, too, but I thought you might appreciate the link, so you could see what the product looks like.
There are plenty of other things I do for myself, like fiber supplements for my colon, which even people who don't have these issues should certainly consider doing, but I think this is enough information for starters. My brain is starting to get a little foggy, so I can't type any more anyway.