Honey you are going to do yourself a lot of harm by taking all of the OTC medications as well as the prescribed ones. Too many antacids can cause kidney stones, and the OTC meds can cause bone loss if taken longer than 6 months and not taken as recommended. Usually we start with Acid Reflux which is when the Acid comes up when we are lying down, for most of us anyway. Then Gerd is when the Acid Reflux has gotten a little worse. The Gastritis is when it starts affecting the Esophagus. If not treated it can turn into Barrett's Esophagus which is the last step before Cancer can affect the Esophagus. It is a rarity to get Cancer of the Esophagus but does happen and is happening on a bigger scale then it was. I think due to the crap in our food. The best thing for all of these is a very huge change in your diet. It is not easy but it can be done. I did it for 2 years when I was diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus. Now I have back slid on staying away from the bad foods and have to go back in for another endoscopy to make sure it hasn't reappeared. IBS is a completely different disease of the intestines and bowls. If you ever want help with a change in diet, I am more than happy to help, just send me a pmessage. Please be very careful with those OTC meds and the Antacids. Hugs GB

I always understood that the prescriptions like Omeprazole etc were the ones that caused bone loss. I already have osteoporosis so I have been bucking against the PPI's.

Please, give me all the advice you have. I am totally confused now and don't know who to believe. My doctor did NOT put me on a diet when I was dx with gastritis. He had me taking Protonix and Carafate. I could never get the timing right for the Carafate. He allowed me to just go to the OTC Zantac.

Everything I read contradicts each other. I have not gotten one consistent answer from anyone on the boards. They all know what helps them and just give suggestions.

I appreciate any advice you have.

OK Littlemart,

I agree this all can be confusing.

Anything that reduces the acid in the stomach can cause bone loss. Calcium can not be absorbed well without acid. Some people take Calcium citrate when on those meds because it is absorbed without acid. A PPI acts differently and shuts down the proton pumps partially or completely.

So PPIs and Zantac can cause bone loss and B12 problems and stomach issues. Zantac and Pepcid AC are considered safer than PPIs though.

Zantac/Pepcid doesnt shut down the pumps. It shuts down the stomach cells by inhibiting histamine. Zantac/Pepcid may cause less bone loss.

I also am a big believer in managing this issue with diet but it is not easy to do.

Good Luck..

I too have always seen those things are sort of the same thing, or at least the same can of worms. Too much acid ... by way of too much effort required by the body to digest what we are taking in. That's how I sort it out in my mind anyway.

I'm new here but have struggled with this issue since my lupus/RA came to the surface and I began taking all sorts of prescribed meds.

I'm just learning, now, (slow learner here, apparently) that I do need to follow the generic list of guidelines to help myself. Apparently that list does apply to ME after all LOL.

My acupuncturist explained it this way and I hope it helps someone else too:
when we intake foods and beverages that are hard to digest, our GI system has to use a lot of energy to "deal with it." That energy (or qi) once digestion is done, has to go somewhere. It can come up as acid or phlem in some people, or it goes down, like IBS or loose bowels, etc., in others.

Not everyone is the same but that analogy fits a lot of folks out there.

So, the idea is to eat foods that make the GI system happy.
Which I've gathered to mean this:
less dairy, more plant based foods
some raw veg and some partial cooked (steamed)
lean animal/fish protein is OK but try to avoid beef or pork
lessen/avoid salt, sugar, rich, fatty, spicy foods
avoid processed foods
cooked whole grains are OK, but try to keep them whole when possible
avoid cold beverages (the GI system has to warm them up to body temperature and that means spent energy/extra acid)
main meal should be lunch and dinner should be light and eating after, say 7 or 8pm is not good at all (acid hangs around and comes upward when we lie down)

So, what is the result? a diet called Bland and Clear.

Such jolly good fun.

I like to say "I'm going to go eat my salad and be sad now." lol

And then, go to bed hungry. But it all really helps me.

Hope you feel better soon.

By the way, I observed NONE of those rules today. Sigh.

Off I go to take a Zantac and put a wedge under my upper body as I sleep.

Tomorrow is a new day though!

All good advice above..

the only thing I have to add is reflux is when the acid comes up into the esophagus. Many people do get it while upright. Heartburn is the result of acid reflux. It is most common to get reflux while sleeping. If you have a hiatal hernia you are way more prone to refluxing any time of the day and if you have a weakened esophagus you can reflux during the day very often as well.

GERD is diagnosed for people who have had chronic reflux and heartburn usually.

Gastritis does fall under the GERD label as well.