Sunday, September 13, 2009 Penny asks

Q: How do I treat acid reflux with bile reflux in addition to all my other health problems???

I have been taking Nexium for many years, and Prilosec previous to that, after having been diagnosed with GERD due to a "large hiatal hernia".

I later moved to another state. At one point, after an endoscopy and colonoscopy, my gastroenterologist told me that he saw no evidence of the "large hiatal hernia". How can this be, when the diagnosis was so positive about five years before that? Can he have make a mistake?

He advised me to take double the usual dose of Nexium, upped to 40 mg TWICE a day, and told me I would probably have to take it for life. As long as he was able to provide me with samples, that worked just fine in controlling the problem.

Eventually he moved his office too far away for me to continue getting the samples and my insurance refused to pay for the Nexium, which is extremely expensive. No other medication seems to give me as much relief. So I continued on the Nexium at great expense, but have had to keep my dose to 40 mg ONCE a day.

Another five years later I now find myself suffering from the addition of the following symptoms...

1) frequent coughing up of gooey phlegm, in particular when it wakes me up during the night or immediately after eating a meal, and

2) mostly recently, the addition of bile backwash into my mouth, a very foul taste. I am continually chewing gum and anything I can to relieve that horrible taste (and odor).

Since I am now dealing with a host of other serious health problems (i.e. breast cancer, pulmonary emboli, polymycitis, and sleep apnea), I hesitate to go to another gastroenterologist for more testing. I have had to add Warfarin and Prednisone to my list of meds and wonder if that total combination could be causing the additional gastric problems. I was recently prescribed a CPAP machine.

I hate that I have to go to so many DIFFERENT specialists and they do not get together to coordinate my treatment, thereby understanding how my system functions as a whole and not per individual organs or maladies.

Your advice is more than welcome........

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Answers (2)

stwj.suze

9/14/09 5:52am

Hi Penny

I read your posting and was saddened with the amount of health problems you are dealing with. You sound incredibly strong and together, if a little fed up with the number of different specialists you are seeing. I have no idea about your other conditions, but I have managed to get a handle on the reflux and cutting back on the nexium, so maybe a few of my suggestions may help your reflux issues - I hope so!

Diet - I am on an incredibly strict diet (unprocessed, unrefined, low acid, no caffeine, no alcohol and no gluten). This has helped me reach a healthy weight, has reduced my reflux incidences by 70% and I have therefore been able to cut back my Nexium from 60mg a day to 10mg every other day.

Exercise - I started off going for a long walk after supper, helping digestion and the spirit! I am now 10 months later, running 6 miles before breakfast without reflux (but I know that isn't for everyone!). Exercise is a wonderful thing and really helps your digestive system move along. Perhaps a walk in the park, a swim etc

Natural foods to help heal - Manuka honey (factor 10+) is so soothing at bedtime, aloe vera juice twice a day. These all help digestion and coat the oesophagus - and they do work!

Slanted pillow (not sure how this fits in with your sleep apnea so check with doc). The wedge pillow helped me when I was at my worst as I used to wake up in the small hours with my supper regurgitated up in my throat. I think I may not need it anymore but I am a bit scared to let it go just yet.

That's all I can think of. I know you are dealing with a lot more than me, but these changes have without a doubt helped me fight the reflux. I was incredibly ill with it, I had to make the changes.

I hope some of this is of use to you and I wish you well in your recovery in all your conditions.

Suze

DebraE

9/15/09 4:10pm

Hi Suze,

I am so sorry that you are having so many problems with acid reflux. I am doing my best to let people know this can be cured -- YES CURED. I no longer have problems with anything that I eat.

Get the book "Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagament, Prilosec, and other Acid Blockers" by Martie Whittekin, CCN -- Amazon, Bamm, Barnes and Nobles, etc.

She recommends the probiotic Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics 12 Plus. It cured my acid reflux. I took Prevacid and Prilosec for over eight years. I am no longer taking these drugs and can not remember when I have felt this good. I am 55 years old.

Martie also has a internet radio show, www.RadioMartie.com, so check her out. If you like what you hear and the remedy works for you, spread the word. There are so many people who need this information.

I hope this helps.

Debra

Penny

9/17/09 7:41am

Wow, I really appreciate the well-worded and well thought out responses that Suze and Debra have added and I thank you both.

In my case, the obvious suggestion to exercise is not going to work for me because of my neuromuscular disease and being handicapped. (I am currently looking at trying to find some form of water exercize, but I would need assistance with that.)

Earlier this week, I went to a new gastroenterologist. He discussed with me a couple of options for the bile reflux, and one of them is trying a new medication (which I forget the name of, and the prescription is now at the pharmacy) that will supposedly not interact with any of the meds I am taking. He said that gives quite a few folks relief, but if it does not work in my case, he said he might recommend surgery.

The gnt said that he had no interest in me having surgery other than that it may be beneficial to me because he does not do the surgery himself. He said it should be done by a very specialized and experienced surgeon so that any "mistakes" can be avoided. I was told that there have been such positive advances in surgery for hiatal hernias (for instance) that they can often be done laproscopically through the chest now. Of course, he did not know if I would be a candidate, as that would be up to the surgeon involved, but said that it would be worth real consideration.

Other than that, I do think I am going to start the probiotics thing again... I forgot that I was actually getting relief from that while going through chemotherapy! Thank you for the reminder.....

stwj.suze

9/18/09 6:24am

Hi Penny

Forgive me for suggesting exercise - hopefully my naivety made you laugh rather than get cross! I know people who have had great success with keyhole surgery for hernias and they are off the meds and eating normally. I don't have a hernia or a loose valve so I am not a candidate for surgery - I have had to do it through meds, diet and exercise. I see my consultant soon, the latest theory is that I have had food intolerances which caused the oesophagitus (celiac disease, IBS, reflux etc - in my case they all seem to be linked to food and my strict diet is pulling me through).

Looks like we are both off to the pharmacy to pick up some probiotics (expensive though they are.....)

Keep in touch

Suze x

DebraE

9/15/09 4:05pm

Get the book "Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagament, Prilosec, and other Acid Blockers" by Martie Whittekin, CCN -- Amazon, Bamm, Barnes and Nobles, etc.

I hope this helps.

Debra

stwj.suze

9/16/09 5:44am

Hi Debra

I will check it out - thanks for the advice. I am taking probiotic drinks and I know that has contributed to my recovery.

I think it is all about us grown ups getting our balance right - inside and out!

Suze x