Reflux (in adult female)

[notamommayet]

I've found lots on here about reflux in babies, but I (a 31 year old female) need some help for myself!

I never had a problem with reflux until about 5-6 months ago. I started taking the antidepressant Luvox which has known side effects of causing heartburn in some patients. It almost immediately started happening to me. My doc recommended that I try taking Pepcid (just to see if it helped), which I did, and it did help...but after another week or so we both agreed that taking Pepcid everyday was not the solution.

About 2-3 months ago I switched to Zoloft (which I had taken for over 5 years in my mid-twenties, and never had any reflux issues while on it). At first, it seemed that the reflux got increasingly better (i.e. happened less often, was less severe, etc.). So now it's been about 2-3 months and the reflux has been creeping back for about the past month and a half. It was never totally gone...but I would go days without an incident. Now it's happening almost every night (and generally only at night).

Zoloft doesn't have the proven side effect of reflux (supposedly) and, as I said, I had previously taken it for a long time with no problems.

I have no idea why I'm still getting the reflux when I'm no longer on the medication that seemed to cause it. I'm also really paranoid because my father died of esophagil cancer. I'm worried that the medication might have started causing damage and now it's just getting worse, even though I'm no longer on that particular medication...(not even sure if that makes sense)!

So...I'm looking for the more "natural" solution than having an endoscopy and taking acid reliever everyday for the rest of my life. I'm hoping that all of you wise "healers" out there will have some advice and suggestions.

I've read about slippery elm as a temporary help...but I have no idea how much, if it is a problem to take it with prescription drugs, etc.

Another piece of the puzzle is that I did have food intolerance testing done last Spring and I have severe intolerances to casein, egg yolks and egg whites. I have not been too successful in avoiding those foods (it got to be so difficult!) but I had the testing done originally because of my eczema. (So I have eczema too...and if anything it's gotten worse. Basically, I'm kind of a mess! ;-)

I'm willing to make the necessary changes because reflux sucks and the fear of having to go through what my dad went through is a whole lot more of a motivator than clearing up my eczema (which doesn't itch and therefore was only a visual annoyance).

But I'm not really sure what I need to do.....

[kjbrown92]

First, go off the milk and eggs, and see if that makes a difference. It could be causing the eczema (something is), and could be making the reflux worse. All you need is a trigger, like a new med, and things can change.

Other people will weigh in, but reflux is usually due to low stomach acid, I believe. I think WuWei is the one who talks about acid-reducers. When you eat beets, does your pee turn pink? Then there are things that will increase the acid.

Also, if it happens when you lay down, can you tilt your bed up?

Have you tried Magnesium to decrease anxiety (worrying about the cancer)? How old was your father when he had the cancer? Were there risk factors with him?

[notamommayet]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

Other people will weigh in, but reflux is usually due to low stomach acid, I believe. I think WuWei is the one who talks about acid-reducers. When you eat beets, does your pee turn pink? Then there are things that will increase the acid.

Is there some kind of at-home test to see if you have low stomach acid? Or do you need to go to a doctor?

Also, I've eaten beets a lot (I love them!), both pickled and just steamed. I've never had pink pee (and I just had some pickled beets in a salad yesterday and definitely no pink pee). Is there a certain quantity you need to eat at once to get pink pee (if indeed it's going to turn your pee pink)?

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

Have you tried Magnesium to decrease anxiety (worrying about the cancer)? How old was your father when he had the cancer? Were there risk factors with him?

Magnesium decreases anxiety? What kind/how much?
I have anxiety issues about everything...I'm on medication for it.
My father was diagnosed at 46 and passed away at 50. He was a smoker from about age 18 to age 23 (quit when I was born). He was a white, mid-40's, male of anglo-saxon descent, which is the most common demographic to get esophageal cancer. He was pretty healthy overall but ate a pretty standard SAD. He started out having heartburn, was treated for that for years, then it progressed to the point that he couldn't keep food down and that's when they found the tumor.

WuWei...you mentioned in another thread I started that you "hope my husband isn't taking Pepcid". Just wondering if you could explain that. Do you have any suggestions or resources you could point me to for improving overall "gut" issues, particularly in terms of the reflux?

[sbgrace]

I have some thoughts.

1. elevated the head of my bed 6 inches (looks a bit weird, I put the top legs up on step stools) really helped me with reflux at night when I was pregnant. I was on bedrest and had severe reflux. It made a huge difference for me to elevate. It's worth a try for sure!

2. I would aggressively eliminate those allergens.

3. sleep apnea (or even Upper Airway Resistance) can cause reflux. This was the case for me as it turns out. I had permanent reflux from preganancy on and I think pregnancy very likely started my apnea journey. Worth checking for if you have any fatigue or other apnea signs (like even light snoring, waking with headache, etc).

4. Inositol has proven really helpful for my anxiety wise and it doesn't have the side effects of SSRI's. I do have to take a huge dose (2.5 tsp three times per day of powder) but in studies it's as effective as SSRI's even for stuff like OCD. So you might look into it as an option in case it is soley the SSRI causing the issue.