Q: When I drink a 16 oz glass of water quickly, it upsets my stomache, yet if I drink the same amount of tea or pop, my stomache is fine. Any ideas on why?
You most likely drink the water very cold and quickly, as you stated. This causes the stomach muscles to contract. Thus, the irritation.
On the other hand, when you drink sodas, or tea, I doubt that you drink 16 oz. down in you gulp.
I have found that drinking about 2 oz. of aloe vera juice daily and sticking strictly to a gluten-free diet has eased my problems with acid reflux. Research in the Netherlands indicates that Acid Reflux, or GERD, is actually an auto-immune disease.
I drink ginger honey tea almost daily and add a little cream to the hot tea. This has also really helped my digestive system calm down. I rarely have acid reflux pain after sticking to a gluten-free diet for three years and using the aloe vera juice for a year--starting in early 2010.
Once in a rare while, I'll eat some milk chocolate, or something that will cause minor irritation.
When I get a little pain, I use a few squirts of sore-throat spray. This numbs my pain and I forget about it.
Good luck. Esther of Kent
I don't know the answer but before I had my anti-reflux (fundoplication) operation, I also found plain, still, water would immediately reflux whereas sparkling water (which we're often advised against) didn't. (I don't drink tea.)
My suggestions are that the liquid washing down the esophagus is pushing a bubble of air before it, building up a little pressure in the stomach and then erupting back taking liquid with it, whereas something about the 'dispersed' composition of sparkling water means gas passses through or out of it easier or, although it may be actually taking more gas with it, it actually erupts from the liquid quicker (as a belch) leaving the water behind?
The surgeon who performed my operation actually advoctes drinking sparkling water to make burping easier to release pressure in the stomach.
I feel for you! Everybody in my family experiences this. We all tend to avoid drinkng water because it bounces back up very easily. It is not pleasant to reflux water when you bend over to tie your shoes!
There is a sensor at the top of the stomach that is in charge of letting air (burps) up into the esophagus but keeping liquids and foods in the stomach. This receptor is a chemo-receptor. It senses chemicals. Yours and mine are not doing their job 100%. Our receptors don't seem to be able to sense plain water.
You can experiment with the temperature of the water and that might help. You can also just sip slowly so that there isn't a lot of water in your stomach at once. It can help to cut down on drinking water with meals. But you may end up having to put some sort of flavoring in your water. Extremely weak tea or sports drink can work. Be careful about the sugar - it isn't good for your waist or your teeth.
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