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Barrett’s esophagus-friendly diet
Digestive Health | Last Active: Nov 2 6:24pm | Replies (148)Comment receiving replies
You might want to consider the information from John Hopkins. They say to avoid peppermint.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/barretts-esophagus-treatment
Apparently, some things that give temporary relief like peppermint cause acid levels to be increased. Pepcid complete has an H2 blocker with antacid. It may be better to use. You can ask your doctor about it to see if it is okay for you to take it.
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@ricksmith
Good … Bad … everything seems to have a bit of each. Sorting out what is best for you is very difficult. What works for one may not work or work as well for another. I try to figure out what works best for me.
One of the spasm places of my esophagus is just above my stomach … closes the lower sphincter. That means food will just stack in my esophagus. I never know when it will happen. When I can feel this is happening I use the peppermint and it relaxes the sphincter. I also do massaging and walking. Yes, opening the sphincter can cause acid to come up if it stays open too long. I know of no way to get it to close … just happens as the spasms do. I am on Pepcid Complete along with a PPI that I take twice a day. I feel some days the PPI does nothing. I take the peppermint (as little as I can) in hopes of quelling chest pain and getting my food into my stomach .. and my liquids headed to where they will hydrate me.
Since everyone is different … and responds differently to treatment … it makes it difficult for the doctors and patients. The patient has to take note of their symptoms … be able to convey the information to the doctors in a manner they might “get”. It really is a lot of hard work of communicating to figure out your best treatments.
Oh .. yes, I have read John Hopkins site and many others. I have read many studies and papers too … mind boggling mixture of information.
I decided to experiment with peppermint. The peppermint pinwheel. Bad thing about them is you are sucking on them which means it is like sucking on a straw and you are swallowing air which isn't a good. My mom had been given some soft stick peppermint for Christmas a couple of years back and I shared one with her breaking off a very small piece for me. I let it melt in my mouth. That worked very well. I have not looked for them the past month … maybe they are back again. I will have to check. The Altoids work okay, but the flavor is stronger than I like, They are small and will go under the tongue, but if I am not mindful I will chew them.
ZeeGee