How Many of Us Have GERD?

Isn't that funny. To know you just want to do something diff but no idea what. The world is a big, big place and the opportunities are endless. I have so many interests, it is hard to narrow it down.

I'm really creative, so design of some kind sounds appealing. I actually started a program about 8 years ago in landscape architecture, combining design with my love of gardening. I was taking a few classes while working full time, but it proved to be exhausting (remember--undiagnosed apnea) and I was eager to move on, so I just traded the job I had (working for a university which meant almost free classes) for a job in a greenhouse to get more hands on plant experience and see sunlight and people again (I was working in a lab with no windows!).

But then the idea of working for myself also sounds really appealing. And I'm a home body, so something on the computer sounds good too. A friend of mine is an indexer. She gets sent manuscripts of all kinds and makes the index. Sounds a bit tedious, but you work at your own pace, your own boss and you get to read all kinds of fascinating books on diff topics.

Then there is always the dream of being a romance novel writer, or knitwear designer or. . . or. . . I could go on and on.

Never lacking for ideas. Jen

Lee Lee wrote:.....

The meds that I take to inhibit the acid also seems to inhibit the absorbing of vitamims, as well. I am so low in Vitamin D, that I'm having stress fractures in my feet.
...........

I was just diagnosed with silent GERD and the sleep doc has me taking Prevacid daily. He said to take a daily multivitamin and a daily dose of Tums. The Tums is a calcium supplement because the Prevacid interferes with calcium absorption.

I did not realize that so many with OSA have GERD.

I have taken Nexium for a long while (since it has been out) and recently after the sleep test the Doctor said it would also get rid of Gerd and Hypertension.

Now I just need a good nights rest.

Sorry to hear about so many having GERD.....it hope it gets better with the CPAP.

I just bought a new mask today....the Mirage Liberty....to try and relieve the mouth leakage down from 41/L.....

Film at 11

Elliot

Golly, I wish one of my many Doctors had mentioned that taking GERD meds interfered with the calcium absorption. I guess I wouldn't be in this cast right now!

rooster wrote:

Lee Lee wrote:.....

The meds that I take to inhibit the acid also seems to inhibit the absorbing of vitamims, as well. I am so low in Vitamin D, that I'm having stress fractures in my feet.
...........

I was just diagnosed with silent GERD and the sleep doc has me taking Prevacid daily. He said to take a daily multivitamin and a daily dose of Tums. The Tums is a calcium supplement because the Prevacid interferes with calcium absorption.

Good point. Does taking extra vitamins make up for this, do you think? I eat a really well-balanced diet. Lots of whole grains, fruits and veggies. One of my son's fave foods is broccoli. I'm planning on trying to get preg in a few months. I guess I better talk to my doctor about this issue!

I've been thinking about switching to one of the GERD meds that is taken twice a day, but only taking it at night, (instead of twice a day) so that it would keep acid production down at night but not during the day when I 'm upright and eating and digesting. I realize that some of them are faster acting than others and some need time to build up in the body to work properly. I guess I will need to find one that will work for 12 hours and wear off (?). I don't even know if any of them work like that or if this is a stupid idea that has been rattling around in my brain.

I have about a week left of the prilosec I bought (I bought the 44 dose box) so I'll need to decide a game plan soon.

Anyone know anything about the actions of these various otc GERD drugs? Which one would be best for what I have in mind, anyone know? Or is there a reason this wouldn't work. I could do a lot of research, or you all could just tell me!

Jen

Lee Lee wrote:Golly, I wish one of my many Doctors had mentioned that taking GERD meds interfered with the calcium absorption. I guess I wouldn't be in this cast right now!

In a study of elderly women, administration of omeprazole decreased the absorption of calcium,1 presumably because the drug decreased the stomach's production of hydrochloric acid, which is necessary for calcium absorption. The form of calcium used in the study to test calcium absorption was calcium carbonate. Drugs that reduce stomach acid secretion may not inhibit other forms of calcium, such as calcium citrate.2 (Source: https://www.blueshieldca.com/hw/article ... tid=426232).

Tums, which my doctor told me to use as a calcium supplement, is calcium carbonate. I wonder if calcium citrate is counterindicated for GERD?

That is interesting, Rooster. I am allergic to milk, so therefore normally take a calcium supplement. My research into the best calcium to take let me to calcium citrate (citrical)--as the best one for the body to absorb.

My husband (Ph.D, chemistry) says one MAY be more acidic than another(citric acid vs. carbonic acid combined with the calcium ion), but he said he couldn't remember which would be more acidic. I'm personally not sure that it would matter, but finding out the particulars of this would be interesting.

I guess if you are going to give up oj, tomatoes, coffee and all other acidic foods then this might matter to you. Personally I'm not going to go that far.

Although considering TUMS is made up of calcium carbonate and its job is to decrease acid, the idea of it contributing to acid seems to be moot.

Since it is technically a salt (I think--but what do I know I'm a biologist!), calcium citrate, I am guessing it would have similar properties, but I could be totally wrong.

OK, just meandering here and not making much sense. I hope my thinking aloud didn't make it more confusing.

Jen

My hubby has had GERD for years, but has found a natural way that seems to control it pretty well - WATER.

He had a bout with kidney stones about 5 years ago. He started drinking LOTS of water, about a gallon a day. Miracle of miracles, the GERD has all but gone away! We have some Prilosec that he takes now and then (once or twice a month) but it is basically under control.

Give it a try. It's FREE!

I have GERD, hiatial hernia, and OSA. Plus gluten sensitivity and a bunch of food allergies, many fruits, nuts, etc. Believe it or not, the cluster of food allergies I have is sometimes called OAS (oral allergy syndrome). Sometimes it's hard to keep things straight.

The GS is probably the cause of the food allergies and I'm hoping they diminish. This means that what I can eat is limited in a variety of ways. Eliminating gluten has eliminated my migraines, which I sometimes used to get twice a day (during allergy season especially). I can even drink tea now without getting a migraine. But I only drink it occasionally, since it causes bad GERD.

I do take a PPI twice daily (aciphex). The head of my bed is raised 10 inches (this helps). I kind of do slide down the bed during the night, but it feels quite level to me (just like the cpap pressure feeling goes away during the night).

Taking the aciphex is a problem for me because I have severe osteoporosis and it interferes with calcium absorption. The severe osteoporosis at a young age is likely due to the gluten intolerance, though solving the gluten problem won't bring back my bone density.

These appear to be problems that impact one another. Most people with gluten sensitivity appear to have GERD as well. I'd hoped the GERD would go away once I stopped gluten. Then I'd hoped it would go away once I started cpap. It's still there.

To look at me, I look pretty healthy. I also feel healthy, in fact, I feel pretty terrific, especially now that I'm better rested.

I've taken calcium citrate and some other forms for years but not calcium carbonate. It doesn't bother my stomach. It's not only calcium that a person should consider, but other minerals, too. Magnesium is very important. Zinc, etc. I use chelated forms, not oxide forms. They are better digested/absorbed. Luckily, I have a good MD who knows a lot about vitamins and minerals.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): CPAP

For those of you who didn't see Rooster's post, here's a link that gives information about the association of GERD and OSA. It's interesting and there is evidence that OSA causes GERD and that GERD causes OSA. (more refined than that, of course).

http://cme-online.med.upenn.edu/index.p ... iid=298124

Registration is free for those who want to look at it.

The GS is probably the cause of the food allergies and I'm hoping they diminish. This means that what I can eat is limited in a variety of ways. Eliminating gluten has eliminated my migraines, which I sometimes used to get twice a day (during allergy season especially). I can even drink tea now without getting a migraine. But I only drink it occasionally, since it causes bad GERD.

What is GS? I'm missing something. . .

I read somewhere once that Gerd may cause food allergies. It certainly makes sense because all my food allergy problems, sleep probs, and depression all started at roughly the same time. I'm also allergic to soy, melons like canteloupe and pineapple. With the latter I get very uncomfortable feeling in mouth and throat. The former is a full body systemic reaction (to both milk and soy). I get colon blow and extreme amounts of mucous from sinuses, nose and throat. The upper respiratory response to food is unusual, but not unheard of. My ENT is the one who finally diagnosed the problem after years of going to (get this!) an allergist!

I eliminated milk from the diet and within a few weeks I was symptom free. Prior to that I had chronic sinusitis and irritible bowle syndrome (even had a flex sig (read: butt scope) and all they found was elevated white cells--immune response, imagine that!).

Jen

PS. Allow me to apologize for my candid remarks!

socknitster wrote:

The GS is probably the cause of the food allergies and I'm hoping they diminish. This means that what I can eat is limited in a variety of ways. Eliminating gluten has eliminated my migraines, which I sometimes used to get twice a day (during allergy season especially). I can even drink tea now without getting a migraine. But I only drink it occasionally, since it causes bad GERD.

What is GS? I'm missing something. . .

I read somewhere once that Gerd may cause food allergies. It certainly makes sense because all my food allergy problems, sleep probs, and depression all started at roughly the same time. I'm also allergic to soy, melons like canteloupe and pineapple. With the latter I get very uncomfortable feeling in mouth and throat. The former is a full body systemic reaction (to both milk and soy). I get colon blow and extreme amounts of mucous from sinuses, nose and throat. The upper respiratory response to food is unusual, but not unheard of. My ENT is the one who finally diagnosed the problem after years of going to (get this!) an allergist!

I eliminated milk from the diet and within a few weeks I was symptom free. Prior to that I had chronic sinusitis and irritible bowle syndrome (even had a flex sig (read: butt scope) and all they found was elevated white cells--immune response, imagine that!).

Jen

PS. Allow me to apologize for my candid remarks!

GS=Gluten Sensitivity. I've sent you a PM.