Acid reflux medication- My holiday changes

Hi,

It’s awhile since I have posted because I have been away in the UK for a couple of weeks and have not been near a computer. I went, knowing that I would be eating and drinking quite a bit so I did not mess about with my acid reflux medication. I just doubled the dose back to the 20 mg of Omeprazole that I used to be on before my doctors cut it to 10mg and I must say I never had any problems with acid reflux. I did not have a sniff of heartburn the whole time I was away and I ate and drank what I wanted. I wish I could return to the happy days of ignorance when I did not know that taking the acid reflux medication can be bad for you long term.

Since returning to Cyprus I have reverted back to only taking the medication when I know in advance that I am going to upset my stomach with the wrong food or drink and of course I revert to the usual lifestyle changes that are required to keep acid reflux at bay. Of course this does not work all of the time and I often get heartburn with things like cereal and bread so I just take normal antacids on those occasions or if I want an instant cure I take bicarbonate of soda in some water. This seems to neutralize the acid immediately but it does not last too long and I have never looked at the side effects you can get by taking too much bicarbonate of soda. So if anyone out there knows of any problems with taking it I would appreciate hearing from you.

I also practice positional therapy when in bed by raising my head and torso to stop acid rising into the esophagus but wish I had the luxury of an electrical adjustable bed which is a lot easier to use and much more comfortable.

Links between Inflammatory bowel disease and acid reflux.

Two digestive problems are among the fastest growing medical problems in the western world.

Acid reflux disease (GERD) of which I suffer and Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are both very debilitating and have a great impact on your day to day lifestyle.

The way we live has a lot to do with both of these diseases and lifestyle changes are needed to combat both.

While acid reflux disease attacks the upper GI tract mainly the esophagus inflammatory bowel disease is a condition that affects the large intestine but can also be found in the small intestine.

Crohn’s disease is the main form of Crohn’s disease and in a lot of cases requires surgery to remove part of the gut. In some cases parts of the intestine have to be removed again and again.

Although there are no studies to link IBD directly to acid reflux disease many people who suffer from one also suffer from the other. Statistics have shown that someone who suffers from IBD is more likely to have upper GI problems like GERD. It stands to reason that someone suffering from one type of digestive problem can mean the rest of the digestive system may not be functioning correctly.

When we eat or drink our bodies release digestive juices into the stomach and the small intestine reabsorbs this liquid. But in the case of Crohn’s disease sufferers if part of the intestine has been removed they are in danger of becoming fatally dehydrated whenever they eat or drink and have to have fluid pumped into the bloodstream through a catheter. While in the case of acid reflux disease because the acid is not absorbed it is more likely that reflux will occur causing severe heartburn and damage to the esophagus.

Both problems can be controlled to some extent and if someone has both problems a special diet for Crohn’s disease can usually be just as beneficial for there acid reflux.

I have written more information about this on my article Links between Inflammatory bowel disease and acid reflux.