Silent Reflux...what to eat?

[TooPatient]

I am sure everyone is aware already, but keep an eye on B12 levels. Antacids, Prilosec, etc. can cause problems with your body's ability to absorb B12. Anyone who has had an ulcer is also at increased risk.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I really appreciate all the suggestions. So Friday I ate really well, no coffee, no chocolate and then ended up with a stomach virus.

Talk about not helpful when you have reflux. Anyways I've only been able to tolerate very little food since Friday but I did get some organic apple cider vinegar at Costco yesterday so I'm taking a tablespoon with a big glass of water a day. I'm not taking any medication or antacids, it's just not me, so I'm approaching this as a need to lose weight and clean up my diet, it probably also doesn't help that I have been stressed (thanks depression) for the past month.

Going to look into that ketogenic diet since that seems to help some people. Wasn't able to get to the health food store this weekend since I felt so awful but I need to get those licorice tablets too.

 

[Missy]

Stephanie I'm so sorry you have a stomach virus. Hope you're feeling better soon. FYI, you can order the DGL (sugar free too) online if that helps. That's how I get mine.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Stephanie I'm so sorry you have a stomach virus. Hope you're feeling better soon. FYI, you can order the DGL (sugar free too) online if that helps. That's how I get mine.

Thanks Missy, and that is great news that I can order online, that's much easier than trying to track it down!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Hey all,

Just wanted to do a quick update on things the past few weeks.

Shortly after the acid reflux diagnosis I was having severe stomach problems, so bad that DH had to stay home from work one day because I was too sick to care for our son. Never want to feel like that again so since a few people mentioned wheat intolerance as a possible factor I went gluten free.

The symptom I was having the most problem with was the lump feeling in my throat but three weeks gluten free and no more lump feeling! Also no stomach issues since! Not taking any medication just been focusing on eating well, daily exercise and good sleep. Thankfully gluten free food is much more plentiful than ten years ago. I eat mainly whole foods but I do need a couple (literally) of cookies with my cup of tea at night and I have to say I have found some really delicious options.

An unintended benefit of this is I have lost weight and lowered my body fat percentage so I can fit into a size smaller jeans ( a bit tight still). Since being overweight can aggravate reflux it's another thing I've been working on with weights and light cardio.

I just wanted to throw all this out there in case someone else can benefit and also because you were all so kind with your suggestions!

 

[Missy]

Hey all,

Just wanted to do a quick update on things the past few weeks.

Shortly after the acid reflux diagnosis I was having severe stomach problems, so bad that DH had to stay home from work one day because I was too sick to care for our son. Never want to feel like that again so since a few people mentioned wheat intolerance as a possible factor I went gluten free.

The symptom I was having the most problem with was the lump feeling in my throat but three weeks gluten free and no more lump feeling! Also no stomach issues since! Not taking any medication just been focusing on eating well, daily exercise and good sleep. Thankfully gluten free food is much more plentiful than ten years ago. I eat mainly whole foods but I do need a couple (literally) of cookies with my cup of tea at night and I have to say I have found some really delicious options.

An unintended benefit of this is I have lost weight and lowered my body fat percentage so I can fit into a size smaller jeans ( a bit tight still). Since being overweight can aggravate reflux it's another thing I've been working on with weights and light cardio.

I just wanted to throw all this out there in case someone else can benefit and also because you were all so kind with your suggestions!

Yay so happy for you Stephanie! Thank you for sharing your happy update with us.

 

[Nmgammon]

I've been experiencing what I thought was a problem with my thyroid but as it turns out my thyroid levels are fine. Based on my symptoms the doctor believes I have silent reflux and wants me to take Protonix for two weeks. Well, I am reluctant to take medication so I'm looking to see if there is another option.

My most obvious symptom is I have a lump feeling in my throat, persistent annoying cough and I'm having a hard time breathing when on the treadmill (getting air in not out). Blood pressure is normal, CBC looks good. I don't have any specific health problems apart from polysystic ovarian syndrome and as a result of that I eat a Paleo diet. Problem is it seems that the reflux diet restricts a lot of what Paleo allows so I don't know what to eat now. Also (not to whine) I really enjoy my coffee but everything I'm reading says no caffeine including chocolate. Wish I had known this before ordering Girl Scout cookies

Really looking for any and all ideas here, open to taking a supplement, probiotic, really anything that will help. If I absolutely can't get around the prescription then ideally I only want to take it short term and then find a more sustainable long term solution.

 

[Arkteia]

I have the esophagus of an old white male who has been drinking and smoking all his life. It is really sad because I hate wine and never smoked.

What to eat? Tons or Rolaids, Dexilant (nothing else helps), and anything that has alcaline PH.
I would say, fresh milk, fresh sour cream, yoghurt, raita, ice cream, milk shakes. Sorry to be blunt, but if the food causes burping, then it is right. Indians have many types of yoghurts that work well, I think.

It is pretty serious - one of the risks of bad acid reflux is esophageal cancer. So you do want to protect your esophagus, which means, eat something that would reduce its acidity (normally it has alcaline PH but not in our cases). For the stomach, proton pump inhibitors work, so meds are OK, as to the esophagus...Rolaids. Also, Phosphalugel (I bought it in Russia but one can find it online) and Gastal (a Polish drug, also online). I wonder if Alka-Zeltser works. Pink bismuth is good, too.

No food for at least 2 hours before bed. Try to sleep on the side (right side works better for me, but either is better than the back). Avoid mint. Avoid carbonated beverages. Avoid coffee, if you can, or try cappuccino with a lot of froth. I am not a drinker to start with, but milk liqueurs or Baileys are OK, if I absolutely need to drink, i dilute wine with water.

I got cured for two years once, after a kind soul gave me barium suspension to drink before stomach X-ray. Then I visited a restaurant in JFK airport and ordered something with “creamy horseradish sauce”. There is nothing creamy in horseradish. And I shall post the name of this restaurant to avoid (starts with P). It ruined my life.

 

[Arkteia]

Forgot - carafate can also help. It is similar to bismuth. And the name of the restaurant at JFK is “the Palm”. I honestly never recovered since eating there.

 

[Arkteia]

I've been keto for a year now, well, back ON it for a year now. On and off for almost 15. If I stick to it and don't cheat and don't get lazy and whatnot, it's what I need. But yknow, I like other stuff. Like cookies.


Those are not paleo

Well I am on HARD CORE reflux meds, so if you can get by with 2 weeks of protonix, I would try the protonix and see if that helps. That oubviously sounds like reflux to me.

I eat Keto, and while that's really HELPED, it didn't eliminate my reflux. Caffeine and carbonation is killer on my reflux--so if you're imbibing either, cut them out or WAY back. Dairy is just murder on my reflux as well. Chocolate I've figured out how to handle, dark chocolate and stevia sweetened dark chocolate chips (Lily's brand). Those don't bother me. But if I cheat at all--carbs are the devil in this instance--I pay DEARLY for it in the reflux dept.

i could not understand the dairy part because milk used to be OK for me. Then I googled and found this...
http://camblab.info/wp/index.php/the-importance-of-testing-ph-in-dairy-products/

These parasites, the food companies, add citric acid into dairy to preserve it. Citric acid is horrible for us.

Here is the chart of pH of different products.

https://www.phmiracleliving.com/t-food-chart.aspx

The lower the PH, the more acidic the product. Our esophagus has neutral to slightly alkaline pH. Our stomach has HCL in it, consequently, its pH is quite low. Consequently, to neutralize acidic reflux in our esophagus, we need to eat products with slightly alkaline pH. I would say that the chart does not work 100% for me, as blueberries are fine, and so is miso soup. But, close.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@Arkteia, thank you for all that information, my husband has reflux so this will help him too.

 

[Missy]

@Arkteia, sorry you are dealing with this and sorry your symptoms are back... hope you find much needed relief very soon.
@StephanieLynn hope you and your dh are doing well and that your reflux symptoms are minimal now.

 

[Arcadian]

Yes and speaking of reflux.......ugh. Since my diagnosis years ago i've done very well... but at the moment, its kicked up and its all stress related. Granted, I won't give up coffee (there's no sunshine without it) but its minimal and isn't what causes my problem. Now to get the stress levels down so it dosen't kill me. (thought I was going to pass out this morning....)

 

[Missy]

Yes and speaking of reflux.......ugh. Since my diagnosis years ago i've done very well... but at the moment, its kicked up and its all stress related. Granted, I won't give up coffee (there's no sunshine without it) but its minimal and isn't what causes my problem. Now to get the stress levels down so it dosen't kill me. (thought I was going to pass out this morning....)

Oh gosh I am sorry Arcadian and I can relate. What happened this morning if you feel like talking about it? Whatever it was hope the afternoon has calmed things down for you and that the rest of the day is going smoothly.

Stress is a killer and so hard to get rid of. For me, I am working on my reaction to the stress since I cannot do much about what happens in my life that is causing the stress but I am trying to manage how I react to it. A biggie for me is stressing about my stress haha/

And as for coffee-I am with you completely. Coffee makes life worthwhile and certainly waking up without it would not be an option for me. Life without coffee is life without sunshine. Yes to coffee and yes to decreasing stress levels and our reaction to stress.

I find hugs help decrease stress levels too...even virtual hugs so sending you big, warm but gentle (((Hugs))).

 

[Arcadian]

Oh gosh I am sorry Arcadian and I can relate. What happened this morning if you feel like talking about it? Whatever it was hope the afternoon has calmed things down for you and that the rest of the day is going smoothly.

Stress is a killer and so hard to get rid of. For me, I am working on my reaction to the stress since I cannot do much about what happens in my life that is causing the stress but I am trying to manage how I react to it. A biggie for me is stressing about my stress haha/

And as for coffee-I am with you completely. Coffee makes life worthwhile and certainly waking up without it would not be an option for me. Life without coffee is life without sunshine. Yes to coffee and yes to decreasing stress levels and our reaction to stress.

I find hugs help decrease stress levels too...even virtual hugs so sending you big, warm but gentle (((Hugs))).

@missy unfortunately its typical monday stuff. I think its been this rolling stress monster of the last 6 months that keep rearing its head. Plus, I honestly just need a vacation (I didn't take one last year)

 

[Missy]

@Arcadian I hope you take that much needed and well deserved vacation! Stress is poison and getting away from the stress of everyday life is the antidote. Sending you lots of positive and healing vibes.