Question for acid reflux sufferers

[outdoorsgurl]

I started with this lovely mess a few months ago. I'm still not symptom free but feeling better thanks to Nexium and Prilosec....which i HATE taking!. I'm having an upper GI done next month. I am so limited as to what I can eat. I am going on a 3 day biking trip this weekend and I'm wondering what I can take with me on the trail for energy snacks? I have always taken protein bars and vitamin zero water. Seems like that's no longer an option and I'm so not happy about that! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I do eat peanut butter everyday and that doesn't bother me too much so that is one option. But would just like some other suggestions. And I guess I will be drinking plain water. :(

[Biciclista]

i am glad you are getting an upper GI done. Acid Reflux is linked with esophageal cancer which my DH was just diagnosed with. Please do everything you can do to turn this around, even if they eventually find medicine that "works" for you. My DH has been basically asymptomatic for YEARS thanks to medicine, but the damage was continuing.
it's hard to tell from what you are saying what you can or cannot eat. the good news it's cooled off so drinking water is probably ok!

[outdoorsgurl]

Thank you for your response. I have done plenty of reading on the condition. I'll feel better after I have the upper GI done. I had never really suffered from heartburn until recently. I started back in May with the feeling of something stuck in my throat. Then a month or so later i had some burning in my chest and throat and some discomfort in my chest. That's when I went to see my doc. He gave me the Nexium because I wanted to try meds before GI. But then I decided to go ahead and schedule the test. The nexium helped me some. Help the feeling of something in my throat right away but I still had some burning in chest and discomfort. I'm also trying some natural remedies hoping something will work. After I have the test I'm going to talk to my doctor about possibly trying some natural remedies without the meds and see how I do.
Btw...i am a healthy person who weighs 127 and exercises regularly and I have always tried to eat fairly healthy. I think i was eating too much dark chocolate and had some stress going on for a while. That could have triggered the condition. I have cut out all caffeine and spicy foods.

[Biciclista]

my DH rode his bike 12,000 miles last year. he's a super fit endurance cyclist who also eats a great diet. I am really happy you are having this looked at.

[SheFly]

my DH rode his bike 12,000 miles last year. he's a super fit endurance cyclist who also eats a great diet. I am really happy you are having this looked at.

Yup - and my DH rides not quite as many miles as Mimi's (more in the 8-9K range), is a racer, and also super fit. He also suffers from reflux, and has now had 2 GIs which have, thankfully, shown no cancer to date. These tests are now, however, part of his regular maintenance.

His GI doc tells him to take Prilosec daily. DH doesn't like to do that, so takes it every other. If he misses one, it's trouble for him! Like Mimi says - get it taken care of now. Fitness is irrelevant.

SheFly

[outdoorsgurl]

I definitely will stay on top of it! Thank you! Glad both the husbands are doing well. I think giving up chocolate has been the hardest for me. I'm HOPING I can get the reflux under control so that I can have a little sometimes.:(

[Biciclista]

the my husband is not doing well. Cancer is not a good thing. sorry.

[outdoorsgurl]

I'm sorry, Mimi. Cancer is definitely a nightmare! I thought maybe he was doing well if he was still doing lots of cycling. I didn't mean to be insensitive.

[Biciclista]

you're not insensitive. This all just came up 2 months ago. He was having the best season ever.

[outdoorsgurl]

I'm so sorry. So even though he wasn't having any symptoms while taking the meds he still developed cancer? That's very scary!

[Biciclista]

that's exactly right he hasn't had hardly any acid reflux symptoms in years. When he finally DID have symptoms, it was already advanced cancer. We're hoping he can win this battle. I am glad to hear about people like you, getting checked right away, good luck!

[outdoorsgurl]

I pray he wins it too! Thank you so much for sharing this information! It definitely has caused me to take it VERY seriously!

[Norse]

Mimi, I am very sorry to hear about your husband's cancer and am sending all positive thoughts to you and your family.

Recently, an ENT doc diagnosed me with Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease or LPR. Unlike the more common gastro reflux with it's classic heartburn symptoms, LPR sufferers usually have no heartburn or other such symptoms because the acid is actually going up and sitting in the throat/voice box area rather than the esophagus. It is frequently misdiagnosed (as was mine) because the symptoms include: excess/thick mucous (feeling like you have chronic post-nasal drip), hoarseness, chronic cough/throat-clearing, feeling like something is stuck in the throat, difficulty swallowing.

In my case, I developed this awful excess mucous that I was constantly coughing up, and this went on for two years! Doc after doc I complained to thought it was my allergies and threw allergy meds at me and sent me on my way (this is typical for LPR sufferers). Finally, my primary doc sent me for a CT scan (she was still thinking allergies or a nose problem) and also set me up with an ENT. The CT showed a severly deviated septum and some problem with my left sinuses, but nothing that would cause the amount of mucous I was experiencing. The ENT stuck a scope through my nose and down my throat and pronounced his LPR diagnosis. He also said I was likely the first of at least 5 patients he would see that day with the same problem, all misdiagnosed.

If you, or anyone you know, is suffering from these symptoms, please get checked. Left untreated, cancer of the esophagus is one of worst-case outcomes and with LPR, it is too often left untreated for too long. I am now taking Prilosec daily and tryings some dietary modifications but of course, I am supposed to cut out, or at least moderate, most things I like: spicy food, dairy (I adore cheese), alchohol (I love wine), caffeine (trying to go from 2 cups to 1/day), chocolate, onions, garlic (DP and I love garlic so much, we grow our own)... We'll see.

[Biciclista]

good grief, norse goddess, what a story. good luck trying to find out what foods are better for you.
as i sit here typing, i am in a hospital waiting room and my DH is in the last stages of his surgery to remove his esophagus. how about that.

[shootingstar]

Keep us posted Norsegoddess. Wonder how much your diet will change permanently.

Wishing Don lots of luck, Mimi.

[jyyanks]

Have had reflux for years. Had an an endoscopy last year which thankfully came our clear.
The doctor tried to wean me off the meds and I was medicine free for about 5 months. In September, the reflux came roaring back. I am currently on nexium (in the AM) plus zantac (in the pm). I went to an ENT today and he did notice a post nasal drip and he did see signs of reflux in the throat. However, he said it's relatively mild. I don't want to be on meds forever (as it is I have been on them for at least 7 years), but I don't want to get esophogial cancer either. I'm trying to figure out how I was able to wean myself off the medicine this summer as I would love to do that again but so far, no lcuk.

[ladyicon]

Geez Biciclista, very sorry to hear about your husband. I wish him all the best and good thoughts being sent to you.

[outdoorsgurl]

I had my endoscopy done on Monday. The doctor said everything looked good. I do have acid reflux and will need to watch what I eat and continue to take Prilosec 20mg daily. I hope one day I will be able to go off the med and maybe find something natural that will help the condition.
Mimi, I'm so sorry to hear about all that your husband is going through. I hope he can pull through all this. Wishing you both the best.