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Posted: Dec 30th, 2008 at 01:39 pm
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I went searching for a thread about reflux, and couldn't find one. Since it seems so many people with MFA's also deal with reflux, I thought it might be helpful to have a thread for reflux issues. |
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Posted: Dec 30th, 2008 at 01:49 pm
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Ds is on Rx Prilosec daily and has been for 3 years. His EA's are not fully controlled with his daily allergy meds, and the allergist feels they should be. He suspected that the reflux meds weren't working as well as they used to (ds has been on this dose for 3yrs), so ds had a GI scan done last week while on all of his daily meds.
Well he's still really refluxing! During the 1hr scan, he had 5 moderate, two minor, and two major episodes of reflux (major=up to the back of his throat). All of that in 1hr ON reflux meds! 
So now we are doubling his dose for the next few months to see if that gets it under control. The allergist suspects (as do I) that if this works, that D will have much less daily congestion & sneeze less frequently. He feels that the reflux is getting up so high that it irritates his mucus membranes/sinuses.
The reflux is also the reason that ds wakes at night. When ds started the meds 3 yrs ago he finally slept through the night (prior to that he NEVER EVER slept through the night for FIVE YEARS). It also seems that any asthmatic issues he has are also related to how well the reflux is controlled too.
Its odd that the reflux seems to be such a trigger to so many things for him. I will be curious as to whether or not his total IgE goes down again once the reflux is under control.
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Posted: Dec 30th, 2008 at 02:16 pm
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I have GERD. I take 40mg of Prilosec a day, but the side effects are getting to me and I'm thinking of trying something else. I just hate that my insurance requires mail order for maintenance meds. Bleagh. Pain in the tush.
My triggers are the usual: sugars/starches, mint, alcohol, bananas . Easy enough to avoid, but even a strict diet doesn't completely control it. This reminds me, the allergist wanted me to doublecheck the eosinophil results on my endoscopy. I should call my GI
I know a lot of folks use papaya. I'm deathly allergic, so I have to admit I've not tried it.
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DS (04/07)--eggs, mango, cashew, pistachio
DH--shellfish, mushrooms
Me--Sometimes it seems like everything.
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Posted: Dec 30th, 2008 at 02:25 pm
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I am on Nexium myself, it's the only thing that works for me. Everything triggers my reflux, even WATER, so I take my wonderful purple pill once a day and eat whatever I want with ZERO symptoms. But if I forget that pill even for a few hours, I am in awful pain with horrible reflux and can't eat or drink anything.
What do they use papaya for?
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Posted: Dec 30th, 2008 at 08:06 pm
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I vaguely recall Nexium having the same side effects I get from Prilosec: constant gnawing hunger and loose stools. I take a double dose of OTC prilosec because Nexium was more expensive, even with insurance. That has changed, though, so I might try Nexium again just to see if it does, in fact, treat me the same.
Prevacid is the only other tier 2 PPI on my plan and it makes my reflux much, much worse.
Folks use papaya enzyme capsules to treat GERD--instead of meds.
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DS (04/07)--eggs, mango, cashew, pistachio
DH--shellfish, mushrooms
Me--Sometimes it seems like everything.
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Posted: Dec 30th, 2008 at 08:31 pm
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I have GERD as well. I take Losec daily which works well for me. |
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Posted: Dec 31st, 2008 at 07:57 am
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I've been suffering with reflux for a year now. During 4 months of dental pain from root canals (both failed) and extractions, I was taking ibuprofen every single day. Yeah, I know, what an idiot, but I was in such constant pain that I just seemed to stop making intelligent decisions -- just wanted to make the pain go! So horrible, awful upper abdom pain started last Jan from this ibuprofen assault.
Anyway, once they figured out what was wrong, I've been on 40mg Omeprazole since March, and while it's made a huge difference in the stomach pain I was having, it has never made it completely go. I've had absolutely no side effects at all, thankfully.
I thought that these meds would stop the pain entirely, especially if I combined it with lifestyle changes. Apparently not true, from what I've been reading recently?
So now I'm eliminating absolutely everything that could be a trigger, and these last 3 days have been the best all year. But do I have to avoid alcohol, coffee, tea, chocolate, spicy food, onion, garlic, tomato, oranges etc etc forever in order to not bring on the pain? Or does something like this eventually heal? I'm seeing a GI specialist later in Jan, so hopefully I might get some answers.
I'm so glad you've started this thread, donovansmom. I'll look forward to any info and tips from people who have experience in dealing with reflux.
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Jen
U.K.
DS1 - 15 yo - PA, MA, EA, penicillin, asthma.
DS2 - 10 yo, NKA
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Posted: Dec 31st, 2008 at 12:23 pm
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Dec 31st, 2008 at 07:57 am, Jennifer66 wrote:
So now I'm eliminating absolutely everything that could be a trigger, and these last 3 days have been the best all year. But do I have to avoid alcohol, coffee, tea, chocolate, spicy food, onion, garlic, tomato, oranges etc etc forever in order to not bring on the pain? Or does something like this eventually heal? I'm seeing a GI specialist later in Jan, so hopefully I might get some answers.
An upper endoscopy may reveal the cause of your reflux and it may be treatable or even curable.
My gastroenterologist has just shrugged his shoulders and said I'm one of those idiopathic cases that will last forever or just spontaneously remit. I occasionally either eat some extra sugar or skip a couple doses of my meds to see how I'm faring. So far, no luck.
Mine came on suddenly after major cardiothoracic surgery (2002). My esophagus was not breached, nor were the muscles/sphincters affecting my stomach affected. My body just seemed to rebel this way. If I do not take meds, I end up with erosive esophagitis. It doesn't matter how well I watch my diet, my stomach attempts to digest my esophagus.  And untreated GERD can lead to some pretty nasty consequences.
I really do not like the long term consequences of PPIs. They can affect absorbency of critical minerals. I'm also concerned about the possibility of developing more food allergies as a result of taking them. I *have* been diagnosed with a few new food allergies since I started taking them, but that may just be a coincidence.
Make extra sure your GI looks for eosinophilic issues. EE or EG is a whole 'nother critter.
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DS (04/07)--eggs, mango, cashew, pistachio
DH--shellfish, mushrooms
Me--Sometimes it seems like everything.
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Posted: Jan 1st, 2009 at 03:30 am
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Dec 31st, 2008 at 12:23 pm, krasota wrote:
Dec 31st, 2008 at 07:57 am, Jennifer66 wrote:
So now I'm eliminating absolutely everything that could be a trigger, and these last 3 days have been the best all year. But do I have to avoid alcohol, coffee, tea, chocolate, spicy food, onion, garlic, tomato, oranges etc etc forever in order to not bring on the pain? Or does something like this eventually heal? I'm seeing a GI specialist later in Jan, so hopefully I might get some answers.
An upper endoscopy may reveal the cause of your reflux and it may be treatable or even curable.
My gastroenterologist has just shrugged his shoulders and said I'm one of those idiopathic cases that will last forever or just spontaneously remit. I occasionally either eat some extra sugar or skip a couple doses of my meds to see how I'm faring. So far, no luck.
Mine came on suddenly after major cardiothoracic surgery (2002). My esophagus was not breached, nor were the muscles/sphincters affecting my stomach affected. My body just seemed to rebel this way. If I do not take meds, I end up with erosive esophagitis. It doesn't matter how well I watch my diet, my stomach attempts to digest my esophagus. And untreated GERD can lead to some pretty nasty consequences.
I really do not like the long term consequences of PPIs. They can affect absorbency of critical minerals. I'm also concerned about the possibility of developing more food allergies as a result of taking them. I *have* been diagnosed with a few new food allergies since I started taking them, but that may just be a coincidence.
Make extra sure your GI looks for eosinophilic issues. EE or EG is a whole 'nother critter.
I had an endoscopy in August which showed everything to be completely normal - no inflammation or ulcers or anything.
I am also concerned about long term PPI effects. But I feel so between a rock and a hard place! I've lost 15 lb this year, and I'm anemic from just not wanting to eat because it made the pain so bad. Friends keep asking if I'm ok because I look pretty thin and wan. Blech.
I will definitely ask the GI about EE and EG, but wouldn't I have other symptoms than stomach pain? I know next to nothing about those conditions. (will go research today) Thanks for your reply, Krasota.  Sorry you've had such ongoing trouble.
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Jen
U.K.
DS1 - 15 yo - PA, MA, EA, penicillin, asthma.
DS2 - 10 yo, NKA
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Posted: Jan 1st, 2009 at 11:04 am
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My DD with NKFA has been on reflux meds since she was 6 months. I thought she was a cranky little one, but she had reflux and was not getting enough sleep since the reflux kept waking her up.
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CristyM
Pennsylvania
DS 4th grade PA, Tree Nut, Avocado, OAS, seasonal allergies.
DD PreK PA, and seasonal allergies
DD PreK seasonal allergies, reflux
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Posted: Jan 2nd, 2009 at 10:49 am
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Jennifer, could you try a different medicine? I have zero symtoms when I take the Nexium and eat all of those bad trigger foods reguarly.
I do take extra calcium pills since I read somehwere that long term use of Nexium can mess with calcium absorption.
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Posted: Jan 2nd, 2009 at 12:50 pm
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Jan 2nd, 2009 at 10:49 am, wrote:
Jennifer, could you try a different medicine? I have zero symtoms when I take the Nexium and eat all of those bad trigger foods reguarly.
I do take extra calcium pills since I read somehwere that long term use of Nexium can mess with calcium absorption.
Thanks donovansmom, I will definitely bring that up with the GI. I dream of not having any symptoms even if I were avoiding everything -- can't imagine the luxury of being able to eat things like chocolate without having pain! Thanks also for the info about calcium, I was in fact planning to get a supplement tomorrow since I'm not having any dairy at the moment.
I have a feeling that this will be yet another thread where I get more and better info than I've gotten from my doc! |
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Jen
U.K.
DS1 - 15 yo - PA, MA, EA, penicillin, asthma.
DS2 - 10 yo, NKA
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Posted: Feb 22nd, 2009 at 02:29 pm
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I took perscription zantac for years then prilosec for years and still had issues. Heart burn, reflux and pain were apretnly my BIG celiac symptoms. I switched docs and first thing new doc said was we need to get you off this stuff. I tested positive for celiac, I stopped eating gluten, and boom, stomach is FINE. I haven't needed to take anything for my stomach since last july. All the things I couldn't eat before, I can eat now. Its truely amazing. I gave up bread but I can eat spicey blackened catfish. YUMMM. |
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Canada
DS 15
DD 11 Tree Nuts and peaches
DS 7
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Posted: Feb 23rd, 2009 at 02:25 am
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Well, I did 4 weeks of a very strict reflux elimination diet, and was taking PPI's and it made no difference! So a month ago I stopped the diet and went off the PPI's and while I'm still having intermittent pain every day, it is actually less than before.
Having upper and lower GI on Weds, so maybe I'll get some answers to all this.
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Jen
U.K.
DS1 - 15 yo - PA, MA, EA, penicillin, asthma.
DS2 - 10 yo, NKA
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Posted: Feb 23rd, 2009 at 08:42 am
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Good luck Jen!
Catelyn, I never thought about Celiac. I don't think I have any other symptoms of celiac though?? (will google now to check) Mine starts before I even eat in the morning.
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