@Trevalius Guyus I understand you've researched all the OTCs but have you actually tried Prilosec? It helps me with the severity of excess acid. They make it in a delayed release once-in-the-morning capsule which I haven't tried. I just use the standard 20mg capsules. From what research on the digestive system I remember, I think you can find solutions that work too well. Stomach acid is an essential digestive component. That's why I just try to tame my worst excess acid without eliminating it entirely. A person could eat a good diet and still be starved of needed things if his food is not digested. I take Pepto only when the acid is really bad and making my throat raw.
I have found my miracle cure. I have posted it somewhere else, in here. It works. PPI's are very bad for people, no doubt about it, no exaggeration. No one should take them, long-term. Check the thread: "More Dementia These Days And Hitting Younger People" My miracle cure recipe is in there.
I have a slight hiatal hernia and acid reflux. My doc told me no food for 2 1/2 hours before bed. Take two Tums or Gavascon before bed. I also found I should not lie on my left side until after midnight. So far, so good.
Thomas, I had terrible heartburn for years, then I lifted the head of my bed up 4 inches. What a difference it made. Jake made me a couple lifts cut from a 4X4.Put a small grove in them to keep them steady on the post or in my case wheels. From what I understand Tums are just a band aide. We take Baking Soda or use real lemon juice, it works too, although acidic, it turns alkaline in the stomach.
And even as admitted on the tv show "House", likewise most honest doctors for a century, Tums or other antacids can lead to numerous more serious health problems, including turning the intestine black/ it is normally pink when healthy / ....
I didn't want to alarm him about the side effects. But I hear they can be harmful too, but not as bad as you say, but then I didn't go too far into researching it.
Actually, my tubes look pretty good. I recently had endoscopy and colonoscopy and they found nothing of concern, other than the small hiatal hernia. In fact, they told me that was it, no more exams of either type. I was thinking that the GERD was going to show some upper GI damage but the striations (GERD damage) on my vocal cords seen previously had apparently cleared up.
I'm sure nobody here is trying to hurt anyone, just think natural is usually best if it works, but I understand may not work for everyone. Some need medication.
In preparation for my throat cancer operation and the followup afterwards I counted over twenty appointments and exams of various sorts with various specialists. Four prescribing physicians or NPs asked me about excess acid. I said that I didn't have that specific problem and if I had some excess every great while (once a week or less), two Tums or a tablespoon of Pepto solved the problem. I'm looking at three prescriptions for excess acid or acid reflux which i don't need and don't use. For the medical profession, prescribing is an addiction. It would be harmless except that many medications are useless or even harmful. Using prescription medication as a panacea is not good science and not good doctoring.
That is what medical schools teach these days. Don't pay attention to the patient. Just give them drugs and see if it appears to help.
I do believe that anyone who suffers for chronic digestive issues should try using digestive supplements first, as many people who are diagnosed with too much acid and are put on PPI drugs actually suffer from too little acid and it, too, can cause long-term issues. You can always go on the PPIs if the digestive supplements don't do the job for you. I will only take a week to tell the difference.
DGL chewable tablets (Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice) is good for heartburn and digestive issues. It comes in different flavors. Slippery Elm is also very good!
Whose DGL do you like? A while ago, I was looking for licorice to help some stomach issues, and nearly everything in the store (including the expensive stuff) is mostly/exclusively anise. From what little I've seen, DGL is not like eating black licorice. And I'm seeing capsules ranging from 500mg to 4,000 mg per dose.
You are right, DGL is not like eating black licorice. There is no anise in dgl that I know of. I took Carmel and German chocolate flavor at one time. I chewed the tablets and then let it dissolve slowing down my throat. I had whiplash many years go. I went to the doctor and he told me to take Ibuprofen every 4-6 hours, for as long it takes to make it quit hurting. I had never taken anything over the counter except occasional bufferin aspirin so I never heard of ibuprofen. (yes, I lived in a bubble ) I took it for at least 6 weeks and then I started to get horrible painful chronic indigestion. I thought I was going to die, it hurt so bad. The doctor told me to take some antacid. Nope. I was done with the doctor. I started reading how ibuprofen can possibly cause esophageal burn/damage, and indigestion/heartburn, if taken too long and too much. So after my own investigation and talking to others, I was informed that taking DGL could fix my burning indigestion. It was a miracle cure for me! I never had indigestion until I took those damn ibuprofen. Never again. Now, I very rarely get indigestion.