Thank you to all who replied!

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-27-2003
Thank you to all who replied!
5
Wed, 04-27-2005 - 12:45pm

Hi. I just wanted to thank everyone who replied to my post from about 6 weeks ago..."Someone please help". Sorry it took me so long to say "thank you". I haven't been online much since then. I started feeling a little better, but am now feeling worse again. I have never tried taking anything higher than the lowest doses of medications like Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid. I am going to try taking 2 pills per day of Prilosec OTC for a while and see if that helps. Has anyone done that and had success? If so, please let me know. I won't be able to see a specialist for quite a while. We've recently encountered some more financial problems. This is all I can think of to do for now.

Thanks again. Also...any new advice or experiences is greatly appreciated. I need all the help I can get. Thanks so much.

:)

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2003
Wed, 04-27-2005 - 12:58pm

Thanks for Returning with the News of What is Happening..
What you could do is ask your OR a pharmarist

thflowers-hahd23222.gif picture by Wren53B

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-27-2003
Wed, 04-27-2005 - 3:13pm
Hi Wren. You mentioned cider vinegar...for too much acid OR not enough acid? I have heard of a condition where the stomach doesn't produce enough acid and people use vinegar. Is that what you have?
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-27-2003
Wed, 04-27-2005 - 3:17pm

One more thought...you mentioned stress levels. I have been under a lot of stress, but I have heard that stress doesn't really cause stomach discomfort. I'm kinda undecided about that theory. What have you learned about it? Also, do you know any stress relieving methods? I've heard of deep breathing and meditation, but I don't think my mind will quiet down long enough to benefit from these practices. What do you think? Thanks so much for your time.

:)

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2003
Thu, 04-28-2005 - 3:37pm

Hi

thflowers-hahd23222.gif picture by Wren53B

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-23-2004
Fri, 04-29-2005 - 12:17pm

A few thoughts for you --

first, absolutely stress can cause stomach discomfort. Before I had stomach problems I used to know I was overly stressed b/c I wouldn't be able to sleep, but after getting so sick now I always know when I am stressed, especially emotionally stress, b/c it takes a toll on my stomach and then I have to try and quiet it back down for over a week afterwards.

Second, I was fortunate to take a really great px medicine for my stomach, but there are a lot of other things you can do as well. I had to learn to do these things well in order to come off my medicine after two years (which I did in January). I would definitely keep monitoring your food with a journal so you know what sorts of things cause problems when you are able to see a doctor again. For example, I can go eat spicy food, but too much precessed sugar (like a pastry in the morning) on a too empty stomach will always cause reflux to flair up. So, here are a few things that have worked for me, but please understand everyone is different so what your body can and can not tolerate will be different.

1. I try to eat a little something every 3-4 hours b/c if my stomach gets too empty I feel acid build up and then I tend to overeat when I do eat something. Bananas in the mid-am do well for me and when I first was learning how to deal with things you could always guarantee I had a couple of saltines in my purse, car, etc.

2. Do not overeat....still always causes reflux/heartburn and nauseousness the next morning.

3. Avoid fatty foods.....fried items seem to be a problem for lots of stomach issues. As I said, too much processed sugar also does it for me. Work on getting healthier items in you, however, you will have to try this slowly since some people have IBS as well and too much dairy or veggies will cause them problems.

4. Avoid caffeine....I know it is hard, but SO worth it. I gave up caffeine and coffee (including decaf) and noticed huge differences. Caffeine speeds up our bodies systems which also includes the amount of acid produced.

5. It is tempting when our stomach bothers us to carb load....crackers, bread, etc. look good, but this will not fill you up enough and you will just end up overeating so try to avoid reaching for the easy thing and instead keep those well balanced meals going.

Good luck and hopefully you will find out from the pharmacist if you can double up on the meds.