Anyone suffer from GERD post partum? What worked for you?

[Athora80]

I have had GERD for over 6 months, my son will be 14 months soon. I had it mildly in my first trimester but it came back about 7 months postpartum. It got to the point where I almost choked on food twice. Endoscopy showed reflux esophagitis and gastritis. I refused to take the Prilosec (still nursing) and tried almost every natural cure out there. I am to the point now where I NEED something bad. I changed my diet so drastically it affected my milk, I am underweight and my blood pressure is low but I still have reflux. I am also to the point of desperation and want to take Prilosec or something like it to heal my esophagus.

Has anyone had experience with this and/or taking PPI's for it? I know there is increasing evidence of how bad they can be and I don't want to lower my stomach acid too much where it interferes with my digestion, I also worry about it affecting my nursling. But I am becoming depressed from being sick all the time! I'm up at 5am due to this, help!

[haggertyc]

I am experiencing the exact same problem as you, with the exact same timing. Problems started a little later, around 8 months postpartum and continue now z(my son is 14 months old). I too am breastfeeding and wonder if that has something o do with it, by affecting hormone levels? My symptoms are also the same - upper abdominal pain, burning, lump in throat sensation, etc. I also get short of breath. I've had a battery of tests and so far diagnosed with reduced esophageal motility and reflux. Has anything helped you or changed since your post?

I tried prilosec, but it didn't help much and had bad side effects ir m including extreme constipation, abdominal pain, and back pain. And now that I stopped it, the reflux is worse.

[Athora80]

Well, I am glad I am not alone in this but I am not glad you are suffering too...it sucks. Things have changed since my original post but not really gotten better. I stopped having panic attacks and no more lump in my throat feeling, thank god. I was obsessed with finding out what was wrong with me, I researched and researched. I took just about every natural thing to try and help and nothing helped. I took Prilosec for 4 days and felt it was affected my nursling so I stopped. Now my stomach is tender all the time, doesn't help with a wild 17 month old jumping on it all the time, lol. My esophagus will become irritated by certain foods, sometimes I can pin it down, sometimes not. And within the last few months I have had almost non stop gas..why...I have no idea, since nothing has changed. I tried giving up dairy for a month, giving up soy, giving up processed foods...none of that made a difference.

 Soooo, my last resort is to go on the GAPS diet. I am not sure if you are familiar with it but there are tons of testimonials for it doing amazing things. My whole family is preparing to start it within the next month and I have a really good feeling about it. I think my body is just so out of whack, from years of eating crappy, antibiotics, stress and eating foods I'm allergic too. My guess is that my body is saying it has had enough. All I know is I can't keep going like this, things need to change. How long did you take the prilosec? How did they diagnose your motility dysfunction?

[Billie1221]

I have GERD as well, and I am on Prilosec twice a day right now. I've taken Zantac and Nexium previously. They seem to work for a while then I need to change to something different. Papaya enzyme seems to help for a little bit as well when I have a flare-up. I'm trying to gather up enough courage to go dairy-free to see if that helps, but that will mean a huge life-style change and it feels like such a big step. I love cheese and yogurt and eat them every day, so that will be a huge sacrifice if I do that.

I've eliminated spicy foods, acidic foods, greasy foods, eating within 2 hours of bedtime, and raised up the head of my bed, and everything else I can find to try. No tight waisbands on my clothes. Ugh, it's a pain.

I took the meds while nursing with no problems, in fact my toddler still nurses once or twice a day.

[haggertyc]

Athora80 - did you try the GAPS diet yet?  I'm not too familiar with it.  I am on a gluten free diet for the most part, but I do cheat here and there.  I recently tested myself via enterolab and am producing antibodies to gluten and soy.  Planning to see a gastroenterologist at some point soon...but who has the time with a little one running around?!  Right now, I'm trying out this orange extract I bought from Whole Foods that is suppose to quiet things down for 6 months.  we shall see.

My esophageal dysmotility was diagnosed via a barium swallowing test -

Billie1221 - when did your GERD start?  after you had your baby/while nursing, or did you have it before?  I never had problems like this until postpartum, specifically when my period returned!  I'm still nursing, so I'm sure my hormones are still wacky - that is one of my theories.

[haggertyc]

Oh - and I have this really odd lump in my throat sensation too.  Not sure if that is part of the GERD, or from stress thinking about all of this.  Do either of you have that?

[Athora80]

I have not tried the GAPS yet, although I have been making Ghee and bone broth for a while and just made my first batch of Sauerkraut. And wow....you know...all this started last April for me, right when I got my cycle back and my baby was 8 months old! I have always thought it was hormonal too because I never had these issues before...hmmm....

I just recently gave up dairy and my reflux is so bad...it's frustrating. I have/had the lump in my throat feeling, I think it's stress and/or the esophagitis. What does the orange extract do? Have you tried supplementing with Betaine HCL?

[Billie1221]

Originally Posted by haggertyc 

Oh - and I have this really odd lump in my throat sensation too.  Not sure if that is part of the GERD, or from stress thinking about all of this.  Do either of you have that?

I have that as a symptom as well. Mine started about 4 years ago during a very stressful life situation. I had hyperemesis with my pregnancy, and one of the meds I took to control that was Reglan, which also helped my GERD symptoms, but it came back about 4 months postpartum.

[haggertyc]

I don't think the exact mechanism of orange peel is know, but it seems like it works wonders for some people.  So far, I have definitely seen some improvements.  here is one link:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Acid-Reflux-Heartburn-and-Orange-Peel-Extract-Therapy&id=487827

I do think the lump in my throat is due partly to stress.  also seems to flare premenstrually -

seems like we are all in a similar boat.  although it stinks, at least this offers a little comfort.

:)