Sammy Sofa wrote:I wonder if I might be looking at the same thing down the line; I have horrible reflux, even with losing all the weight I did. I've tried to manage it with diet and exercise and OtC meds, but always end up back on the prescription strength proton pump inhibitors. I'd really prefer to be off of those, especially since there's some educated thought that extensive use of them leads to issues with bone health/density in old age. I'm trying to offset as much as I can that by making sure I'm getting enough calcium, magnesium and vitamin K & D supplements, but being off of the PPIs altogether is definitely ideal.
Surgery might be the best option to do so since my reflux seems so tied to the way my body responds to stress/depression, and that horsefeathers ain't ever going away. And my issue seems to be not a narrowing of the esophagus as it's allowing too much acid up, so my gastro doc has mentioned that a newer surgery where they basically put a beaded band somewhere in there to help limit the amount of acid coming up might be best.
As someone who has dealt with digestive issues for over two decades now, I have to have colonoscopies/endoscopies performed every few years. A couple years ago, they found a clump of white blood cells in my esophagus. Apparently, the only medication to treat it is to use a Flovent inhaler. Instead of inhaling the medication though, I have to swallow it. I'll find out later this year if it's been helping at all.
I've tried elimination diets, cutting out caffeine and alcohol for extended periods of time, anxiety meds, etc. Nothing seems to really help. I'm on a proton pump inhibitor, as well, but find that I occasionally still have to pop a few Rolaids every now and then. It's frustrating to go through all these tests/procedures to not know what the underlying cause of it is, which obviously makes it difficult to treat.
Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
