This week I have not been doing so well with the diet. The good news is that I have not put on any weight. I have not lost any but that was to be expected. The bad news is that because I have not been very strict with the dieting my heartburn symptoms have come back quite quickly.
Yesterday I had a couple of beers and because I have not been taking my acid reflux medication I had heartburn ½ hour later. I compounded the problem because I could not be bothered to have any proper food and warmed a tin of tomato soup to eat. The problem is tomatoes are very acidic and that intensified the problem and made the acid reflux twice as bad. Determined not to take any medicine I drank water instead and suffered for about four hours before it finally started to abate.
Because I am trying to wean myself off the tablets I am going to have to experiment with different natural remedies for acid reflux in the hope that I find something that will do the same type of job as my medication, but without the side effects. Because of the damage the stomach acid does to my esophagus and also because acid reflux disease can lead to cancer of the esophagus something has to be done.
If you have the same problem then sometimes you have to give in and take the medication. This morning I decided to take my Omeprazole. This is one of the most powerful types of acid reflux medicine. It is one of a type of drug called a Proton Pump Inhibitor which stops the formation of acid in the stomach. After researching it I have found that it can be quite dangerous when taken over a long period of time as the balance of your stomach is such that it is supposed to produce acid. When this is stopped it upsets the whole function of the stomach and digestion.
I always have in the house another type of drug, Zantac, which is not quite so strong but the effects can last up to 12 hours when taken. Zantac is from a type of drug called a histamine antagonist of H2 antagonist. They are quite powerful but should still not be taken frequently over a long period of time.
The third option I keep handy are antacids which are an over the counter medicine which you can take for heartburn. They neutralize the acid in your stomach. They work very fast but the effects do not last long. So you have to take a lot more if you have acid reflux on a regular basis. They are made usually from calcium carbonate or Aluminium hydroxide but both again have side effects if taken over a long period of time.
If you want to maintain the chemical balance in your body it is best to look for a natural cure which has fewer or no side effects. There are many types of natural remedy and different foods that will combat your acid reflux but still maintain you in good health. I just have not found the one I want yet. It’s too convenient for me just to take my normal medication. When I find the one I want I’ll let anyone interested know what it is here on my blog.
2 comments:
Hey - there's a home remedy that seems to work for me. I often get heartburn in the middle of the night and can't be bothered to start digging around for antacids. Measure down 3 fingers from the base of your sternum, and apply pressure with four fingers (held together, vertically) for 15 seconds. I have no idea how this works, but it does. Within a minute or two, you'll have some relief.
Never tried that one Saj but it,s worth a try. Thanks for the tip.
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