I developed heart burn shortly after being prescribed a cocktail of psych meeds about fifteen years ago. It got so bad that I would wake in the middle of the night coughing and chocking because I was aspirating stomach acid into my lungs.

I was sent to a pulmonologist who found that my esophagus no longer opened and closed, hence fluid in my lungs. An X-Ray of my lungs showed what looked like snowflakes all over my lungs. The stomach acid was damaging my lungs.

I too was given stomach medication that worked sometimes. The stomach med was taken away when studies determined that it causes bone lose, I have two fractured vertebrae in my lower back, spinal stenosis, three herniated disk and bone spurs and I am only sixty. I was on the med for a long time. Coincidence? I don't know.

In July, with my psych provider and my PCP support, I begin coming off of all of my medications, I was on fourteen different pills. Today I am on four. I also drastically changed my diet and exercise regimen. Lost weight and have reduce my body fat from 36% to 22% in four months.

There is nothing special about me. I was desperate.

I no longer have heart burn except when I drink too much coffee. I know I need to stop drinking so much coffee but I just can't pull the trigger on that one yet. When I do get heart burn I chew a few Tums and it goes away. Tums or any antacid made of calcium appear to have no side effects at all. The calcium is also good for my back.

I will never take another pill until I've considered lifestyle changes. If I choose to take something I will make sure I research the medication and all of its side effects and interactions first.

My life has been destroyed in no small part do to the medications that doctor after doctor prescribed to me. I am at fault for looking for an esasy fix, the medical community is responsible for not doing their homework and giving me choices and the "sick care" community, especially the insurance companies are at fault for making it easier for a doctor to prescribe medication then to think.

I am getting better, in fact I feel the best I have in my entire life. But given my health conditions I do not know how long I have, I guess that's true for all of us. My health is my responsibly. I no longer abdicate that responsibility to anyone. The docs don't always like it but when I come to them with irrefutable facts there is not much they can do except support me.

The overwhelming majority of my physical and mental health care problems spring from my lifestyle choices and the failure of anyone to say anything, except my ex-wife (she was right all along).

Acid Reflux is no joke.

I wish you good health and peace.