I went out for a meal last night with friends, had a good time until I went to bed that,s when the acid reflux disease kicked in. Spent most of the night propped up on pillows gagging. So what are the symptoms of acid reflux? Below is an article I found on the subject.
Acid reflux symptoms are mostly the same as general heartburn. Sufferers will experience a burning, stinging or similar sensation in their breastbone area. So what are the symptoms that set acid reflux apart from regular heartburn?
While acid reflux can also be caused by structural abnormalities, so it is set apart from infrequent heartburn symptoms that nearly everyone experiences at some point in his or her life, many of the same paths of treatment can be used to alleviate or stop acid reflux symptoms altogether.
One of the first areas to consider are the foods that you eat. While you may find it time consuming to keep a food diary, the information that you discover could play a big part in controlling your acid reflux.
First, simply write down everything that you eat and the time at which it is eaten. When you have a bout of heartburn, refer to your food journal and see which foods you had eaten right before the symptoms showed up.
You may be able to stop your heartburn suffering simply from avoiding the foods that tend to trigger your acid reflux symptoms. I would try to rule out food culprits before turning to acid reflux drugs.
Though many acid reflux and heartburn drugs are touted to alleviate some core, underlying issues to stop heartburn symptoms, they are primarily about the same thing that most pharmaceutical drugs are about: treating symptoms.
Ran out of space again. I have a better article on acid reflux symptoms on my website.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
Acid reflux diet tips
Today my heartburn is not too bad, however it is the weekend and I am going out for a meal. I have pre- empted the acid reflux by taking a Zantac as well as my usual morning medicine and I have also take a couple of antacids so hopefully I should be ok tonight.
I have come across this article below on diet tips so hopefully it should fit on the one page.
Acid Reflux Diet Tips
No matter what type of acid reflux you suffer from, and no matter the underlying factors to your own particular struggle with heartburn, a change in diet can have remarkable effects upon your management of acid reflux.
There are some foods that seem to encourage heartburn in many people. Among these are general categories such as spicy, high fat and dairy foods. Chocolate, tomatoes and herbal supplements are also known to bring about heartburn like symptoms, particularly if ingested shortly before bedtime.
If you recognize particular foods that seem to affect heartburn, you may find that eating them in the morning instead of closer to bedtime will alleviate your symptoms of heartburn. When eaten during time of wakefulness and activity, the body is better able to contain stomach acids used to digest the food we have eaten.
Many people suffer from heartburn primarily at night time and have found relief by raising the level of the head of their bed. Though simply adding layers of pillows doesn’t have the same effect, raising the entire head end of a bed by at least twelve inches has been shown to lessen heartburn symptoms.
If you still are suffering from acid reflux and diet modification doesn’t seem to help, you should consider seeing a doctor in order to rule out the possibility of structural abnormality or other factors contributing to your acid reflux symptoms.
I have come across this article below on diet tips so hopefully it should fit on the one page.
Acid Reflux Diet Tips
No matter what type of acid reflux you suffer from, and no matter the underlying factors to your own particular struggle with heartburn, a change in diet can have remarkable effects upon your management of acid reflux.
There are some foods that seem to encourage heartburn in many people. Among these are general categories such as spicy, high fat and dairy foods. Chocolate, tomatoes and herbal supplements are also known to bring about heartburn like symptoms, particularly if ingested shortly before bedtime.
If you recognize particular foods that seem to affect heartburn, you may find that eating them in the morning instead of closer to bedtime will alleviate your symptoms of heartburn. When eaten during time of wakefulness and activity, the body is better able to contain stomach acids used to digest the food we have eaten.
Many people suffer from heartburn primarily at night time and have found relief by raising the level of the head of their bed. Though simply adding layers of pillows doesn’t have the same effect, raising the entire head end of a bed by at least twelve inches has been shown to lessen heartburn symptoms.
If you still are suffering from acid reflux and diet modification doesn’t seem to help, you should consider seeing a doctor in order to rule out the possibility of structural abnormality or other factors contributing to your acid reflux symptoms.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Managing acid reflux disease
Acid reflux disease if left unchecked is very unpleasant and in some cases can be life threatening so here are a few things you can do to help which I will cover in more detail later.
Eating smaller meals, elevating the head of your bed and drinking more water have all been shown to have good effects for coping with and managing acid reflux and related conditions.
Though there are a number of heartburn medications on the market, I strongly advise you to find simple solutions, such as avoiding certain foods, before you start medicating the problem. When we treat the symptoms of a disease and do nothing for the underlying causes, it’s only a matter of time before the condition has additional symptoms.
So let’s work with our bodies and do our best to ingest foods that help us and avoid ones that exacerbate our various conditions or concern areas. Start eating a little healthier, and chances are you’ll notice a difference for the better, no matter how mild or severe your version of acid reflux is.
Eating smaller meals, elevating the head of your bed and drinking more water have all been shown to have good effects for coping with and managing acid reflux and related conditions.
Though there are a number of heartburn medications on the market, I strongly advise you to find simple solutions, such as avoiding certain foods, before you start medicating the problem. When we treat the symptoms of a disease and do nothing for the underlying causes, it’s only a matter of time before the condition has additional symptoms.
So let’s work with our bodies and do our best to ingest foods that help us and avoid ones that exacerbate our various conditions or concern areas. Start eating a little healthier, and chances are you’ll notice a difference for the better, no matter how mild or severe your version of acid reflux is.
What is acid reflux ?...part 2
What is acid reflux part 2
Sometimes acid reflux is a physical problem, where the lower esophageal sphincter does not effectively contain the contents of the stomach, and some cases where a hiatal hernia is a factor.
The most common symptom and complaint of those suffering from acid reflux is heartburn, which feels like a burning, stinging or even ripping type of pain around the breastbone area. Other symptoms include difficulty swallowing and changes in mucosal linings of the throat. In extreme cases sufferers may develop esophageal ulcers or scarring.
In order to diagnose the condition, patients may be given a barium mixture to drink. This will help show the structure of the esophagus, sphincters and stomach in order to determine a good course of treatment.
Sometimes endoscopy is used to better examine the esophagus, stomach and relating portions of the body. The patient will usually be sedated in order to ease relaxation.
No matter which course of treatment you and your doctor decide to pursue, there are many types of food that tend to be more likely to trigger acid reflux symptoms. Avoiding or decreasing your intake of these foods may help to alleviate the situation.
Acidic, fatty and spicy foods tend to promote gastroesophageal reflux. Coffee, alcohol, vitamin C and calcium supplements are gastric acid stimulants. If you ingest these things, it is best to do so during the day or periods of increased activity. Just before bedtime would be the worst time.
Chocolate and peppermint, onions, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are known acid reflux stimulants. Milk and dairy items should be avoided at bedtime.
Run out of space again
Sometimes acid reflux is a physical problem, where the lower esophageal sphincter does not effectively contain the contents of the stomach, and some cases where a hiatal hernia is a factor.
The most common symptom and complaint of those suffering from acid reflux is heartburn, which feels like a burning, stinging or even ripping type of pain around the breastbone area. Other symptoms include difficulty swallowing and changes in mucosal linings of the throat. In extreme cases sufferers may develop esophageal ulcers or scarring.
In order to diagnose the condition, patients may be given a barium mixture to drink. This will help show the structure of the esophagus, sphincters and stomach in order to determine a good course of treatment.
Sometimes endoscopy is used to better examine the esophagus, stomach and relating portions of the body. The patient will usually be sedated in order to ease relaxation.
No matter which course of treatment you and your doctor decide to pursue, there are many types of food that tend to be more likely to trigger acid reflux symptoms. Avoiding or decreasing your intake of these foods may help to alleviate the situation.
Acidic, fatty and spicy foods tend to promote gastroesophageal reflux. Coffee, alcohol, vitamin C and calcium supplements are gastric acid stimulants. If you ingest these things, it is best to do so during the day or periods of increased activity. Just before bedtime would be the worst time.
Chocolate and peppermint, onions, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are known acid reflux stimulants. Milk and dairy items should be avoided at bedtime.
Run out of space again
What is acid reflux ?...part 1
I had acid reflux last night so sat up in bed most of the night. Took my Omeprazole tablet 10 mg this morning and it did no good. I had to take some antacids which helped for a while but the heartburn came back again. I have finally taken a Zantac and am waiting to see if that helps.
Found this article below. (hope it will fit into one post).
What Is Heartburn/Acid Reflux (Or ‘Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease’)?
Heartburn is a painful or burning sensation in the esophagus felt just below the breastbone caused by stomach acid entering the esophagus. However you should not get heartburn that often but if it occurs more than say twice a week it can mean you may have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease commonly called GERD. Obviously you need to see your Doctor to confirm the diagnosis.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is a condition where the liquid contents of the stomach flows back up and enters the esophagus (or refluxes). GERD is a chronic condition and once you have this it usually lasts your entire life. The regurgitated liquid contains stomach acid and pepsin which is an enzyme produced by the stomach to digest the proteins in the stomach from your food. Reflux can also contain Bile which has flowed up into the stomach from the Duodenum this is the part of the small intestine at the lower part of the stomach. However the acid is believed to be the component most likely to cause injury such as inflammation and damage to the esophagus. Treatment can help to heal the damaged esophagus but if treatment is stopped it usually does not take too long for the symptoms to re-appear and treatment for acid reflux usually has to be continued for life.
Page will not take all of the article will split it into different parts
Found this article below. (hope it will fit into one post).
What Is Heartburn/Acid Reflux (Or ‘Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease’)?
Heartburn is a painful or burning sensation in the esophagus felt just below the breastbone caused by stomach acid entering the esophagus. However you should not get heartburn that often but if it occurs more than say twice a week it can mean you may have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease commonly called GERD. Obviously you need to see your Doctor to confirm the diagnosis.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is a condition where the liquid contents of the stomach flows back up and enters the esophagus (or refluxes). GERD is a chronic condition and once you have this it usually lasts your entire life. The regurgitated liquid contains stomach acid and pepsin which is an enzyme produced by the stomach to digest the proteins in the stomach from your food. Reflux can also contain Bile which has flowed up into the stomach from the Duodenum this is the part of the small intestine at the lower part of the stomach. However the acid is believed to be the component most likely to cause injury such as inflammation and damage to the esophagus. Treatment can help to heal the damaged esophagus but if treatment is stopped it usually does not take too long for the symptoms to re-appear and treatment for acid reflux usually has to be continued for life.
Page will not take all of the article will split it into different parts
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Heartburn My Story.....part 3
It has happened again. Does anyone know if there is a limit to the amount of words you can publish using new blogger? if so please let me know, it is becoming a pain.
Another continuation......
I have already found some articles on the subjects of acid reflux disease, heartburn and hiatal hernias, and so I thought I would make my first venture into blogging and put any relevant information I find useful or I want to comment on here.Hopefully helping other people with the same problems as well as helping myself.
If anyone out there has acid reflux disease (GERD) I would love to hear from you in the hope that we may be able to help each other with this problem.
Another continuation......
I have already found some articles on the subjects of acid reflux disease, heartburn and hiatal hernias, and so I thought I would make my first venture into blogging and put any relevant information I find useful or I want to comment on here.Hopefully helping other people with the same problems as well as helping myself.
If anyone out there has acid reflux disease (GERD) I would love to hear from you in the hope that we may be able to help each other with this problem.
Heartburn My Story.....part 2
This is a continuation of my second post. I am doing this as I am having awful trouble with blogger. It does not allow me to complete my post in one go. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know how to overcome this?
To continue.....I also found out that your stomach is full of acid to aid in digestion and that although your stomach is protected from the acid. Your esophagus is not….. This means that any content coming back into your esophagus can literally burn it. This is called acid reflux or the really technical name is Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD for short.
Having a Hiatus Hernia seemed bad enough, but having the acid reflux can be a nightmare.
However the good news was that after my diagnosis I was put on an acid suppressant called Omeprazole. This absolutely changed my life (for the better). Although I was not supposed to, I found that I could eat and drink more or less whatever I liked and I did not get the massive bouts of pain from acid reflux.
At the time of my diagnosis I was working abroad and luckily received the treatment quickly. The tablets were working perfectly so I thought no more about it. I just took my daily Omeprazole table and carried on happily. However I recently returned to the UK and on registering with a new doctor I was asked how long I had been taking the Omeprazole. When I told him six years he immediately cut my dose from 20 mg to 10 mg and said I should only be on a low maintenance dose because of side effects. I did not know what side effects these were but started taking the reduced dose as advised. Virtually straight away all my old symptoms came back. The smaller dose just does not seem to be enough to keep the acid reflux at bay and still have the lifestyle I have been accustomed to. It seems as though I will have to change my lifestyle if I am to stay on the smaller doze of Omeprazole.
To continue.....I also found out that your stomach is full of acid to aid in digestion and that although your stomach is protected from the acid. Your esophagus is not….. This means that any content coming back into your esophagus can literally burn it. This is called acid reflux or the really technical name is Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD for short.
Having a Hiatus Hernia seemed bad enough, but having the acid reflux can be a nightmare.
However the good news was that after my diagnosis I was put on an acid suppressant called Omeprazole. This absolutely changed my life (for the better). Although I was not supposed to, I found that I could eat and drink more or less whatever I liked and I did not get the massive bouts of pain from acid reflux.
At the time of my diagnosis I was working abroad and luckily received the treatment quickly. The tablets were working perfectly so I thought no more about it. I just took my daily Omeprazole table and carried on happily. However I recently returned to the UK and on registering with a new doctor I was asked how long I had been taking the Omeprazole. When I told him six years he immediately cut my dose from 20 mg to 10 mg and said I should only be on a low maintenance dose because of side effects. I did not know what side effects these were but started taking the reduced dose as advised. Virtually straight away all my old symptoms came back. The smaller dose just does not seem to be enough to keep the acid reflux at bay and still have the lifestyle I have been accustomed to. It seems as though I will have to change my lifestyle if I am to stay on the smaller doze of Omeprazole.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Heartburn My Story.....part 1
Seeing that I was able to publish a short post I will now attempt to write what I originally intended to do...........
My experience with Acid Reflux and Heartburn
Information on Acid reflux heartburn and hiatus hernia
This is my experience of having acid reflux disease and a hiatus hernia. And the reasons for my search for help with information on the symptoms and cures.
Do you suffer from chronic heartburn….? I do
I am one of those unfortunate people that have a dreadful time with acid reflux.
Do you wake up in the middle of the night feeling that half the contents of your stomach are sitting in your throat…I do.
When I first noticed that I was getting heartburn more and more frequently, I went to see my GP and was prescribed the usual antacids. They worked fine for a while but then I was finding that I needed them more and more often. I was also finding I was feeling very full after eating or when I had a few drinks. I felt as though my food was more in my throat than my stomach. Also if I happened to lie down soon after a meal, which is something I used to love doing, I would get intense burning in my throat.
After several more visits to my Doctor without much improvement he suggested that I should have an endoscopy. Endoscopy is a procedure where a camera is inserted down your throat into your stomach allowing the Doctor to see the esophagus and stomach. This allowed them to diagnose that I had a Hiatus hernia. (What’s this you may ask? I did).
This is a condition in which part of the stomach slides above the diaphragm and into the chest. There is a valve like flap at the bottom of the esophagus which separates the esophagus from your stomach. In my case the valve was distorted by the hernia. When you eat the valve opens to allow your food into your stomach but then stays firmly shut to stop the food coming back up. (Reflux)
My experience with Acid Reflux and Heartburn
Information on Acid reflux heartburn and hiatus hernia
This is my experience of having acid reflux disease and a hiatus hernia. And the reasons for my search for help with information on the symptoms and cures.
Do you suffer from chronic heartburn….? I do
I am one of those unfortunate people that have a dreadful time with acid reflux.
Do you wake up in the middle of the night feeling that half the contents of your stomach are sitting in your throat…I do.
When I first noticed that I was getting heartburn more and more frequently, I went to see my GP and was prescribed the usual antacids. They worked fine for a while but then I was finding that I needed them more and more often. I was also finding I was feeling very full after eating or when I had a few drinks. I felt as though my food was more in my throat than my stomach. Also if I happened to lie down soon after a meal, which is something I used to love doing, I would get intense burning in my throat.
After several more visits to my Doctor without much improvement he suggested that I should have an endoscopy. Endoscopy is a procedure where a camera is inserted down your throat into your stomach allowing the Doctor to see the esophagus and stomach. This allowed them to diagnose that I had a Hiatus hernia. (What’s this you may ask? I did).
This is a condition in which part of the stomach slides above the diaphragm and into the chest. There is a valve like flap at the bottom of the esophagus which separates the esophagus from your stomach. In my case the valve was distorted by the hernia. When you eat the valve opens to allow your food into your stomach but then stays firmly shut to stop the food coming back up. (Reflux)
My Experience with Acid Reflux Disease
This was supposed to be my first post on my fight against acid reflux disease but blogger (which I just joined yeterday) will not let me connect when I enter the text and will not publish it. I have spent all yesterday and today trying to find out the problem, and it seems like entering too much text is one of the problems so I am keeping this short. Its hard enough learning how to use the Internet properly without all this crap.Maybe I can talk about acid reflux later if I am able to publish this now. That's if anyone with acid reflux has an interest?
I have also just started my own website with about acid reflux disease it has a lot of articles on different aspects of the disease and hopefully I can add a lot more as my research progresses.
The website can be found at http://www.acidrefluxhealthcheck.com/
I have also just started my own website with about acid reflux disease it has a lot of articles on different aspects of the disease and hopefully I can add a lot more as my research progresses.
The website can be found at http://www.acidrefluxhealthcheck.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
