Acid Reflux: Prescriptions not helping: What works for you?

Have you considered you might have food sensitivities? when you’re don’t digest food well it will cause acid reflux. Check out the Monash University FODMAP elimination diet. You could also have SIBO, bacterial overgrowth can cause acid reflux, look at Norm Robillard’s Fast Trac Diet. Both programs have very helpful apps. If you do some research you will know more than your Doctor in a short period of time.

Personally, I had developed esophagitis when my GERD was diagnosed, as the initial medications that the doctor recommended tried didn't help at all. I ended up taking a PPI (proton pump inhibitor) which thankfully allowed my esophagus to heal. I don't know why, but Protonix was the only PPI medication that helped me. Other similar medicines didn't help at all. After several years of treatment, I've recently finally stopped the medication. I hope that this helps..

I take a Great Priobiotic. Bought on HSN. Made my Andrew Lessman. Expensive but I try and catch it on sale. Not a cure but life changing.

When the reflux is upper it's called LPR. Laryngopharyngeal reflux. It goes into your sinus , eustachian tubes . Cause a sore throat, hoarseness, a horrible cough that can last for months until you choke to death.. when I first had it I thought I had a cold and sinus infection.. I did my research and I fit the symptoms to a tee.. their are more symptoms like globus hystericus where you think your throat closed up. I did Prilosec and Zantac until all the horrible reports came out. I was taking the pills for 5 yrs... And stopped them completely and felt better ... I take Alka seltzer for reflux GERD... And melatonin 10mg to keep the LES closed... And pepcid when I have an attack usually late at night or early am... You can have LPR without GERD.. it can be controlled but it takes time... Be careful taking Prilosec it is harmful to your kidneys and causes osteoporosis... I take Protonix in the am I forgot about that.. it helps.. I was getting GERD really bad and started that and it has helped..

That procedure is common for LPR

I went gluten free, dairy free and sugar free and that helped a lot. When I finally found a doctor that tested me, she found I had a bacterial infection, a yeast infection and parasites. And with the help of her nutritionist on what foods to eat and what to omit, my upper GI tract healed!

@linda505 when do you take the melatonin? Doesn't it make you sleepy.

After taking omeprazole for 5 years I had to stop because it had a negative impact on another medical condition. A friend suggested I try Reflux Gourmet which in my experience works better than anything I’ve tried, including prescription medication. You can get it online at reflux gourmet.com or through Amazon. The mint flavor tastes bad; I like the vanilla caramel.

@cas
y1959case

At night. I. Now take 1 mg because 10 will not promote sleep.. so 1 mg. Still helps the LES

My acid reflux is barely managed by not eating after 7 pm and drinking lots of water. I took protonix for 3 years, but all PPI's have a tendency to cause malabsorption of magnesium, which in turn causes malabsorption of all other electrolytes. I have been in the hospital numerous times and had tanked potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus levels so bad I was in imminent danger of heart attack and stroke. I now take 20 mg of famotidine (Pepcid/Zantac) twice a day. My last endoscope after intense stomach pain showed that the lower portion of my stomach is inflamed. I did the FODMAP diet just to calm things down and my gastroenterologist was less than helpful (it will go away on its own with a bland diet, he never heard of FODMAPS). I am in search of a new gastro person, which in my area of the country takes a year and a half to get an appointment.