Good Vicki..

yams and chicken are really good for this problem and if there was onion or pepper in one spoonful of dressing I don't think it would be an issue or it would be absorbed by the yams anyway. keeping a record will help you a lot over time.

I know bloating is a common issue with acid but cant remember why. I think you will get relief from the morning pain when you have the wedge. They are expensive! I paid 149.00 Canadian for mine. It was the soft one. It does sound like acid coming up all night to me. The stomach burning thing I have had 2 times and it comes with an acid problem or inflammation . Try a whole wheat piece of bread with honey in it in when your stomach burns, especially in the morning. That would get rid of the stomach issue for me. That tight weird straining thing will go away as you get better and the inflammation clears up.

try not to worry too much or be anxious, you can give yourself more reflux that way. I bet your issue is something that just has to be managed daily. Try not to stress over it at this point. Relaxation stuff when you have time might help.

Keep saying to yourself this will get better!

Have a good day! lesley

You will feel so much better after you are done with the procedures. The anticipation is the hard part. I was certain that my endoscopy would show something horrid, but everything was fine. I was also scared when I got my colonoscopy five years ago. Thankfully, no problems. The medical staff have a way of reassuring and comforting patients on the day of the procedures.

Hi Puppydoqmon, thanks for the encouragement. I know my nerves get the best of me that's for sure. I really want to just get it over with but still dreading it, but i guess that happens to a lot of people!

Dear Lesley, I ate tonight at 6:15 hoping to work towards the 6 pm rule in the next week or so. I really did not have that much pain this morning, which I'm so grateful for...I ate lite again tonight the same thing I had last night and I think I will stick to small portions of the grilled chicken and maybe mix it up with mashed potatoes and some soft very soft vegetables for the rest of the week. I am feeling pretty good so that is making me feel like I can really do this. It's just so hard to believe that acid reflux can give a person that much pain and suffering. Well anyway thanks for all your help and much appreciation, Vicki.

Dear Vicki,

Awesome!! I know you can do it! It is impossible to be perfect at this but you are doing great! The fact that you felt quite a bit better yesterday, after just starting out with the diet management not too long ago is a good sign to me! It is the same way for me, which probably means your case is mild even though you feel terrible like I did. I also have felt lousy as you know, but I have been told my case is milder. You may be able to get rid of the symptoms and heal more quickly as well. It is the sticking to the diet that does it. This really strict part you can ease up on over time but you have to be careful.

Glad to hear! It makes you feel more positive when you have a good day. You will keep having them more often!

I had heartburn from eating too fast yesterday! I forget sometimes that this is an issue as well! I was not pleased!! Life is so busy sometimes!! I used to inhale my food a lot I think. The gastro person said that can contribute to the weakening of the upper stomach and a small hernia like mine.

Veggies are good, especially the leafy ones. They are totally alkaline. Potatoes are good plain. Asparagus is really good too.

I have had all the procedures you are having. I had to have the isotope heart ones because of my heartburn and trouble breathing while exercising initially and my Mom having stable angina and more heart disease in her family. I was pretty uptight about having radioactive stuff injected in me but the doctor said I could have a heart attack while running long distance. So I reluctantly did the tests and didn't run so far every day but I couldn't stop myself from running completely!

It all turned out fine as most of these things do. It was all about the acid!! I like you had no idea acid can impact the body like this, neither did my doctor actually! I bet it will be fine for you. I have had to have colonoscopies regularly because my dad had colon cancer. It is a really quick procedure , you are done in 10 minutes. it is wise to have this all done but it can be stressful waiting!

I hope you have another good day! Lesley

Hi Lesley, I've been meaning to send you a update just so busy with family stuff oh and car issues. Sorry to hear you had some acid relux from eating to fast so easily done when you'r hungry or in a hurry. I've been okay just still trying to live within the rules and doing pretty good with them. I ate at about 4:00 yesterday but realized I was starving by 6:30 so ended up eating a half of a turkey with lite mayo sandwich and I seemed to have a good morning this morning, so that's good. If you don't mind me asking how is your dad? did he make it through the cancer. My mom died from lung cancer 24 years ago this past June and am still missing her as much as I did the first year. Well so let me know how your doing? I hope your doing well and you have no acid relux....thanks Lesley.

Hi Vicki!!

Sorry to hear about the loss of your Mom. I know how hard it is, especially when you are very close. It is hard to lose someone so long ago as well! So may years without her. It can be devastating. I dont think you ever get over it! I am dreading the day it happens to my Mom. My Dad did die but not from colon cancer. He died from prostate 8 years later at the age of 83. He was actually lucky after the colon cancer was found. It was a huge tumour and he never had another issue with it. My Dad had acid reflux all his life, from the time he was very young. I remember him having pepto bismol, bromide and alka seltzer all the time. But that didnt cause him an esophagus problem at all over time?? In his last 10 years he did take Zantac but when he was young there was nothing he could take. He always ate whatever he felt like at dinner but ate very little thru the day.

My Mom is 87 now and my best friend! So we are very close. She is still pretty fit. She plays tennis and weight lifts as well as power walks every day. Mentally she is very good as well. She does have the stable angina issue for so many years though and I think her heart probably will start to not do so well at some point. Exercise seems to be one of the keys to living a long life. It keeps the circulation going all the time.

Glad the sandwich later was not an issue. I find if I dont eat too much thru the day and then I have something after 6 like you did I am OK too. But I think it means the inflammation is getting better and you can do that sometimes. I am OK now. I had to be fairly disciplined for 2 days though. I could feel it in a subtle way. Hearing what prayinglots husband has been thru though makes me want to be even more careful. I think I am a little paranoid of getting barretts or cancer. . Take a look at that Barretts thread when you get a chance. She provided some good info. He is a runner like me and had a pretty good diet but had reflux and heartburn pretty regularly and got Barretts after 10 years that went to cancer fairly quickly and he was on the meds!!! Yikes!! The meds dont work perfectly though! Thats why I think diet is best because you have to be so disciplined.

I know what you mean about busy busy especially with kids! Mine are 16 and almost 19(we have the same birthday) and they still keep me really busy! Not to mention my business and husband!

We should create our own thread ! This one is getting long!

Keep working at it day by day and expect you will have a not so good day here and there but they will become less and less and you can relax over it in a few months. You will even be able to stop propping yourself up at some point!

When are your tests?? Are you as nervous?

Thanks Vicki for your thoughts and have a good weekend!

Lesley

I meant to mention my Dad also had gallbladder problems and eventually had it taken out. He always had digestional issues. I think you are born with it sometimes.

Dear Lesley. Sorry to hear of your father's passing it can be so hard when you lose a parent. I'm so glad you have your mom still, that is such a blessing. Knowing you are best friends with your mom puts a smile on my face. I know if my mom were still alive we would be best friends as well. My mom was beautiful and talented but more than that she was my mom!! so I've been careful with my diet and only had a few lapses but can tell I'm doing better. Okay you are gonna think I'm crazy but I take Xanax at 10:pm every night and they taste horrible so in order the get the taste out of my mouth I always eat around 2-3 chips of sour cream and onion to help with the bad taste. Well I ran out of chips and did not have any now going on 3 days now. well for two nights in a row now the pain is not there in the morning around my sternum. I for some reason and don't know why did not think the 2-3 chips would make a difference. I really think that just those 2 or 3 chips was wreaking havoc on my digestive tract. I guess I really needed that lesson to make me understand that when It comes to acid reflux you had better watch every thing your eating, i don't know what i was thinking but needles to say i will never touch another sour cream and onion chip again lol. Tonight's menu is baked chicken and mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. Oh I was gonna ask you what you though about a slice of lemon in hot water in the morning for right now or should I put that off for a while thinking about trying that due to my gallstones someone mentioned it was good for the gallstones but don't know if that would be good for the acid reflux. Okay well I really hope your doing well and having a non acid relux day. Oh and knowing you and your mom are avid exercisers do you think that helps with the acid reflux? Okay thanks Lesley for your last post and for all your great support. Vicki.

Hi Vicki!

Glad to hear you are not eating onion chips anymore! I got a chuckle out of that! Onion flavouring is the worst for acid! I cant eat it at all without getting heartburn! Onion is on the top of the list and pepper as well.. It took me time to give up certain things as well. I am not surprised by the onion issue at all. YOu just learn this stuff over time. I am glad you didn't have any to eat that night! It sure helped you!

I am conflicted over the lemon. It is very acidic but becomes an alkalining substance in the body. Maybe try half a glass and see.

Exercising does make you digest your food more quickly, so less acid in the stomach. I do find when I have had the tight diaphragm issue and the breathing issue exercising has made it go away after about 20 minutes. I think it makes everything relax in there, especially the diaphragm. Exercising helps with healing as well but don't jog etc after you eat or the acid splashes up and aggravates the issue. Walking fast is good though. Give it a try!

I hope you have had more pain free mornings!

I was really tired and I lay down 3 hours after I ate, and got heartburn. I can tell what I did a week ago is still there a bit.

Lesley

Hi Lesley. Yea I'm just so silly thinking the chips would not be an issue. I think I thought it's only a few, boy was I wrong. I haven't had that pain in my sternum area for about a week now, so that's good. I have not scheduled my endoscopy as of yet. I know I need to have it done but boy I can be a big baby about tests and stuff. You would think after 3 C-sections I would not have these problems but I did not have anxiety before so I think that's driving a lot of these issues. I hope you feel better soon. I hate acid reflux and feel bad for anybody that has to deal with it. Take care and i hope you feel good today.

Dear Vicki,

Anxiety is a tough one in adition to acid reflux. They are tied together. Anxiety can be pretty debilitating. It can change how you function everyday and make the worry over the acid issue worse. OK knowing that.. dont read the Barrets esophagus thing by prayinglots or the GERD and nightmare one. Some of the threads are depressing but I understand that people need to express it. I feel terrible for people going through it that badly. I even find reading some of the threads a source of anxiety and I dont have an anxiety issue! It might be better for you to avoid some of the threads that are like that because you dont need to add to your anxiety and not everyone goes thru what they are experiencing. You have to keep that in mind. I take the approach.. that I dont worry unless I know for sure I have something to worry about. I remind myself of that all the time. When you have kids they come with a lot of worrying and I talk to myself about only getting anxious over the real serious stuff. This acid reflux issue can be managed well if you are determined and and stick to the rules, then you wont get severe heartburn every other day over many years, that is when it can become more serious but not always. You just have to avoid that and you are doing great at it! So keep it up!

Stay positive and determined! That is the key! Have a feeling good day!

Lesley

Dear Lesley. Yes I totally agree with you about reading those threads. I did actually read both of them. Yikes!! it was to say the least disturbing and have to decided to be very cautious of clicking on just any thread now. I'm okay to a point when reading certain things but need to avoid the really extreme cases because i will start to worry. I do have so much anxiety about all this. I have a post in the gallstones section and really don't know if I can trust this particular doctor though he seemed very intelligent just not prepared. take care Lesley and hope your having a good day.

Sorry forgot to add in my last message about my bad experience with this last gastro doctor which is adding to my anxiety.

I guess I should give up now cause I forgot to add in my last message the 2nd one that the post is titled confused. I give up I will now quit writing.lol