acid reflux, anyone?

[lurkingforacure]

Our neuro wants to put us on a proton-pump inhibitor for acid reflux. Does anyone take one, and what can we expect? I am very worried about B vitamin deficiencies with this as I seem to remember drugs for acid reflux impede the absorption of them.

Does anyone have experience with a proton pump inhibitor? Thanks.

[GerryW]

Originally Posted by lurkingforacure

Our neuro wants to put us on a proton-pump inhibitor for acid reflux. Does anyone take one, and what can we expect? I am very worried about B vitamin deficiencies with this as I seem to remember drugs for acid reflux impede the absorption of them.

Does anyone have experience with a proton pump inhibitor? Thanks.

Your stomach makes acid for a reason and PPI's inhibit 98% of acid production. When the H2 blocker, Tagamet, first hit the market it was promoted as an ulcer cure to be used at a low strength (300 mg) for a limited time. Now people are encouraged to take stronger drugs, the PPI's, for unlimited amounts of time for indigestion. You can even buy them OTC. This is a typical trajectory for potentially dangerous drugs. Calcium and other nutrients depend upon acid to get digested or absorbed so strong, chronic suppression is not a good idea. A better choice is orange peel extract (Heartburn Free by Enzymatic Therapy.) It has several advantages over PPI's. Look it up.

[Bob Dawson]

..acid reflux
Is it severe and in the day-time? Then I have no suggestions.
Myself, I had acid reflux almost every night, aspiring vomit, briefly unable to breathe at all, followed by choking and severe coughing. A traditional way to end up with pneumonia, which kills a lot of Parkies.
The problem has disappeared since I put wooden blocks under the head of the bed, raising it 6 inches, and always sleeping on my left side, and especially never on my back. The problem was gone. (Not your head higher on a pillow; entire bed must be sloped. When 6 inches not enough I will raise the bed more.)
hang on honey
don't slide off


But I was not a severe case - none in the daytime.

[Aunt Bean]

Had it...read about taking blackstrap molasses (a by product of sugar making.. that I always figured was bad for you...only to use in making gingersnap cookies, etc) Turns out It is good for you/ lots better than the sugar!!! Started taking 1 teas before my cereal in the morning and within a week was not having trouble. My main problem was night, but sometimes in the day it seemed my food wouldn't go into my stomach. OK now

[Bob Dawson]

And we need acid in the stomach for digestion, but not THAT much acid, so diet, especially before bedtime, makes a difference.

As for tilting the bed, I got it from this guy, who hypes it way too much as the Answer To Everything; but has saved me a lot of trouble; my acid reflux attacks have stopped.

http://inclinedbedtherapy.com/

“…says Fletcher in his essay "The Importance of Gravity to our Health and Wellbeing, and its Relation to Rest & Sleep". A first set of observations about sleeping in a slightly inclined position (head up, feet down, five degrees) rather than in our traditional perfectly horizontal beds, seems to confirm that the human organism requires gravitational pull to function in an optimal manner. Positive health effects were observed for those sleeping in the inclined position…”

Then they go overboard, calling it “Inclined Bed Therapy”, as if it was a new branch of medicine, and they have a 40 minute video showing how they raised the head of a bed and it took 5 hours! Me, - it took 3 minutes to jam some thick wooden blocks and the Compleat Workes of Shake-speare under the head of the bed.

As for the effects, it is NOT some sort of medical break-through; you sleep on a slope because gravity wants things to go downhill from your mouth to esophagus to intestine; and you sleep on your left side because gravity pulls left where the plumbing of the first part makes a left turn to join the plumbing of the second part. It is because water flows downhill, you see.
It is not some new “therapy”, but it is the safest way to sleep if you are drunk or have acid reflux. I found it helped me in both cases.
I rest my case, your Honour.