Overcoming Acid Reflux

I had been suffering from acid reflux for over 10 years. Throughout this time I had been prescribed several medicines that would give me temporary relief. For many years I was taking Prevacid. July 7th, 2006, I had another severe acid reflux attack and went to the emergency room, then the doctors office. They told me the usual foods to avoid and doubled my Prevacid prescription. As time went on with little change I went back to the doctor, an upper GI and Endoscopy were scheduled, then performed. In November my physician read the results, I have Acid Reflux and will be on Prevacid for the rest of my life.

This was not acceptable to me. I avoid taking medicines of any kind and only took Prevacid because it seemed to help. I long ago gave up alcoholic beverages and spicy food, for the past several months I had also given up coffee, caffeinated beverages, carbonated beverages, chocolate, mint, fried foods, fast foods and tomato based products, I sleep with my bed elevated at the head and on my side, MVP was balking at paying for the doubled up dose of Prevacid and the medicine was no longer working!

I started doing research of my own on the internet, some believe that Americans eat too much processed food and do not have enough enzymes in their stomach to digest properly. I made a decision to become a Vegetarian before Thanksgiving 2006 and a Vegan shortly after Christmas.

The results were almost instantaneous! I was down to one Prevacid a day a week after Thanksgiving and completely off Prevacid three weeks after. I was still dealing with bouts of heartburn occasionally and with more research made the decision to eat a vegan diet.

I scheduled an appointment with a Naturopathic Physician for January 13, 2007 because I did not want to make all these changes unsupervised. The successes that I have had without her help convinced me that I was on the right path. With her help and supervision I expect to be cured of this horrible problem by years end, I feel so much better. Her knowledge, diet suggestions and supplements will ensure that my body gets what it needs to be successful. I feel like my acid reflux is gone, but still have occasional discomfort which the naturopathic physician considers a digestion issue, we are working on that. I intend to schedule an appointment with my regular physician for a physical this month.

Update - 05/18/2007

I have adhered to a Vegan menu (which means no meat, no eggs, no dairy) and continue to have great success! Trying to eat mostly organic, all natural, living (uncooked) foods when possible and drink spring water or herbal teas, I do have an occasional Root Beer or Kombucha. Avoiding caffeinated beverages, alcohol, chocolate and mint is challenging, but I have added tomatoes and salsa back into my diet and substituted carob for chocolate, it's not the same, but keeps me satisfied.
I feel like the acid reflux is completely gone and after sleeping on an angle for 10 years I have removed the blocks that elevated the head of my bed.
When I visited the Naturopathic Physician in April she suggested that I continue taking a Digestive Enzyme and DGL (deglycerized licorice). I have not been taking the Digestive Enzyme, but try to take the DGL at least once a day. I am supposed to take it twice a day, 20 minutes before I eat, it helps to coat and protect the stomach lining.
I also think the exercise and weight loss have played a key part in my recovery. I have put over 350 miles on my bicycle since the middle of March and have lost 12 pounds since Christmas.

Update - 07/18/2007

Still eating a Vegan, mostly organic, all natural menu. Life is painless and carefree. Friends have been trying to tempt me with soft serve ice cream and the endless barbecue treats, but I am content with feeling good. I have found alternatives to ice cream with coconut sorbet and rice cream. As far as barbecues go ... I eat vegan burgers, corn on the cob, roast potatoes, shish - kabob veggies. I have been addicted to this Leafy Green Power Salad from Vegetarian Organic Life (scroll to the bottom of the page) and have been eating it weekly. I have only made the dressing once though.
I have not taken any medicine since December 2006, not even an aspirin, tylenol or tums. The bed is still off it's blocks. I have put over 1000 miles on my bicycle and have added dark chocolate, salsa and Glee Gum (all natural) back into my diet.

Update - 02/08/2008

Well, I had a physical in November and passed with flying colors!! My cholestrol and psa levels were excellent. I have declared myself officially a vegan and still try to eat all organic & natural foods. I have not taken any medicine since December of 2006, but did have a cold recently. I drank herbal teas and did supress the cough with all natural cough drops and vinegar & honey. I have had few stomach issues, but have noticed occasional heartburn or reflux. It could be because I am eating a more diverse diet and a lot more dark chocolate. I also have not been exercising routinely, that should be resolved soon with the purchase of an elliptical machine.

Update - 05/19/2008

I have decided that there is a direct relation between eating habits, exercise and diet. Since I bought the elliptical machine and began riding my bicycle on a regular basis I have been able to eat just about anything I want. I am still a vegan and eat as much organic, all natural food as I can, but I have added a lot of junk food back into my diet. Foods like dark chocolate, cookies, blue corn chips with salsa, coconut sorbet and popcorn are weekly treats. Most of these I thought I would be unable to eat again, but I have been and I feel great! The exercise helps the digestion tract work the way it is supposed to.

Another Big Change! 08/23/2008

My stomach is a none issue. I no longer have pains or a problem with acid reflux. I enjoy the vegan lifestyle but went to my naturopathic physician for a check up and she had some concerns about my protein intake. I went home and did the math and had some concerns myself, according to data that I found online a 180 pound person should have a daily intake of around 70mg of protein. I weigh 223 pounds so I estimate that I need around 92mg of protein daily, which I am not getting. I have also been reading articles about soy and have been trying to exclude all but fermented soy from my diet. Studies have shown that unfermented soy products have toxins and other things that block your body's ability to absorb nutrients. I do believe that you can live a vegan lifestyle, but I think that you need to spend a lot of time cooking foods or buying prepared foods that are high in protein and keeping track of your daily intakes. I added a hemp protein powder shake to my daily diet and that still adds only 9 grams of protein. So I have made a decision to become a pescetarian, that means that I am going to add fish and seafood back into my diet. I will still live on mostly grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and legumes, but I will be eating fish several times a week. I will keep you posted on my results.

Update - 02/13/2009

Well, I am back to living a mostly vegan lifestyle, I've stopped sweating about the label. I live and eat a vegan way of life, but if I go to a restaurant (which is rarely) and I cannot find anything on the menu I will order fish. I also discovered that protein calculations are based on your recommended or nominal weight for your height and age. I have been drinking a hemp protein shake everyday with a protein value of 20 grams. My stomach continues to be a none issue as I explore indian and asian cuisine. I added tofu back into my diet because I like it, but limit the amount that I eat. Currently, I am using weight watcher points applied to a vegan diet. My goal is to lose 34 pounds. I have lost 12 all ready.

Update - 06/17/2010

I consider myself a full vegan. I cannot remember when I last deviated from a vegan diet. I have also incorporated the vegan philosophy into my life. When I purchase clothing, shoes or personal care products I look for the vegan label. I drink a hemp protein smoothie almost daily and use a lot of THRIVE recipes and Vega products. Heartburn or Reflux is a none issue. I cannot recall the last time this was an issue. I continue to hike, backpack, snowshoe and bicycle ride. I do believe these are all important to keeping the digestive system healthy.

Fatty Liver Disease

I turned 60 a few weeks ago and have had to set some new goals in my life. Over time I have gotten lazy with my diet, not cooking and eating a lot of prepared foods. When I do eat at home it was often meat, bread, sugary yogurts and few vegetables.

Back in mid-December I started having a constant discomfort in my lower abdomen. I scheduled an appointment with my physician. They took blood samples, urine samples and stool samples. I passed my physical though my weight was a concern. Over the past few years I had allowed myself to get up to 266 lbs. The excess weight had made everything a challenge, including tying my shoes. I had been squeezing into my jeans and underwear and thought that might be a cause of the discomfort. I reluctantly bought the next size up with a vow to lose weight.

Next I had a ultrasound done on my abdomen. Nothing was found, except I tested positive for Fatty Liver Disease. What?! I knew that wasn't good but I was sure it wasn't the cause of the discomfort in my lower abdomen. Still, I called my doctor. First, she asked me how much I drank? I said, "when I was young I abused alcohol, but now I only drank 4 to 6 beers a week". She said one or two beers a day was okay; then the regular advice of eat healthy and exercise.

I scheduled a CT Scan for my abdomen for the discomfort and then decided to quit drinking alcohol and scheduled and appointment with my naturopathic doctor.

I always look forward to seeing my naturopath. If you have followed my blog you will know that she helped me beat acid reflux after 10 years of suffering. We had a long talk and came up with a plan which included losing weight and reducing the amount of sugar I have in my diet. It seems that Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is on the rise. She prescribed a couple supplements that are good for the liver and the rest is up to me!

The goal for the future is to be more active, monitor my diet (reduce carbs and sugar), hydrate and lose about 5 lbs a month. I am using Cronometer to log my foods and my naturopath will be monitoring to keep track of how I am doing and offer suggestions for improvement.

The CT Scan came back looking fairly normal except for a possible metallic object in my appendix. I talked with the surgeon today and we went through the scans image by image. He said that something in my appendix would not give me discomfort in my lower abdomen. The good news! Since I have lost 16 lbs in the past month the discomfort in my lower abdomen has ceased. The surgeon thinks the discomfort was more of a muscle issue than internal. He checked me for a hernia and found nothing. As for the metallic object? It's a wait and see. Next colonoscopy, it's that time again.

Well, that's it for now! I'll keep you posted. Welcome to being 60!

In The Beginning

Severe chest pain, is how I remember that day in the mid 1990's. I had arrived at work, shortly after exercising at the fitness center with an intense pain in my chest. I told my boss that I didn't feel good and asked if I could go home (I know, if you are having a heart attack you should ask for help). I headed towards my doctor's office, a 25 mile drive, and glimpsed an Immediate Care facility at about the 4 mile mark. I was scared and thinking I was having a heart attack so I stopped. They hooked an EKG up to me and assured me that I was not having a heart attack or stroke. They said I was probably suffering from acid reflux (gerd) and recommended I continue on to my doctor's office.

This is where my journey began. For the next 10 years I would suffer from acid reflux. At first my doctor prescribed Prylosec, then after a few years Prevacid, then doubled my prescription for Prevacid, then a double prescription of Prevacid and Mylanta or Mallox. All the while I was on a controlled diet per doctor's recommendations. I gave up drinking alcohol because it was like drinking gasoline (at least I imagine). I gave up citrus, acidic foods like tomatoes, salsa, coffee. I gave up greasy foods, spicy foods, carbonated beverages, caffeine and CHOCOLATE! Still I suffered, until I was in constant pain and the insurance companies were balking at paying for my prescriptions. Finally, I had an endoscopy and was told I had acid reflux (really?) and a hiatal hernia. My doctor said, "It looks like you'll be on Prevacid the rest of your life." I responded, "But it's not working! Why would I take medicine that isn't working?"

I was in grief. I thought I would live in pain for the rest of my life. All my favorite foods avoided. The head of my bed raised up so that my upper body would be higher than my stomach. The threat of these severe attacks always looming.

Then one day a coworker handed me a book. "Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You To Know About". The book is one big infomercial, but it gave me just enough information to start doing my own research. Here I am some 20 years later living pain free, eating the foods I want to and sleeping on a flat bed.

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food" - Hippocrates 431 B.C. It's words that I live by; I'd say food and exercise. I created this blog, first as a personal web page, then on Blogger, and later on Facebook. I want to share the things I've learned to help others, perhaps you? When I first started the information was hard to find; or people wanted you to pay for it. Now the internet is filled with information and sometimes it's a challenge to filter through it all. Hopefully you find my pages informational and worthwhile.

If you are suffering from any condition I recommend you get in contact with a naturopathic doctor and let them help you find a cure for what ails you. 

The original post from my first web page Overcoming Acid Reflux 

Making Commitments Towards Success

Wow! Has is been 10 months since my last post? My how time flies.

This post is about making commitments resulting in successful outcomes.

I've been struggling with my weight for a couple years now. The last time I stepped on the scales I was at 252 lbs. which is near an all-time high for me. I've been teetering at that weight for at least a year now. What changes have I made to reduce that weight? Obviously none. I've tried a few short term approaches like increasing exercise or eating healthier, each with little or short term success.

A couple weeks ago my naturopath asked me what the driving force was that helped me to be successful when I had acid reflux (gerd)? My quick response was "pain". I was in pain, I was scared that I would be in pain for the rest of my life. Almost immediately when I became vegetarian and then vegan I noticed relief from pain. That noticeable success helped me to commit to eating better.

Back then, I was committed to eating a vegan diet to cure my acid reflux but it did nothing for weight loss.  In May of 2011 I hired a Holistic Health Counselor (http://vtpathfinder.blogspot.com/2011/05/holistic-health-counselor.html). Together we developed strategies and she held me accountable. Through her I was able to lose the desired weight.

There is no reason that any of us cannot do this on our own. The internet is filled with information from exercise routines, healthy recipes, diet plans, food journals, etc.. I myself have found success through Weight Watchers, The Atkins Diet and a Holistic Health Coach. At one time I even posted online recipes for my Weight Watchers plan adhering to vegan recipes.

What's missing? Commitment.

In the past I have been good about committing to certain things. Becoming vegan was a choice. It was not absolutely necessary to become a vegan to beat acid reflux, but it was a commitment I wanted to make. My naturopath had concerns at first because many vegans do not eat a healthy diet; I mean Fritos are vegan. I convinced her with my dedication to cooking healthy, nutritious meals and snacks on a weekly basis. Being vegan also made it easy for me to say "no" to foods that have little or no nutritional value; the weekly cakes, cookies or donuts at work, fast food, and pizza, just to name a few.

For several years I've had few health issues. I became sloppy with my diet. I've been eating cakes and cookies, along with cheese, crackers, chips, ice cream, pizza and whatever else people put in front of me. I started drinking beer again on a regular basis and I have let myself become lethargic, back to my "weekend warrior" routine where I exercise only one or two days a week. It's easy to fall into these traps and they are comfortable.

Two weeks ago my naturopath challenged me to make a 4 week commitment of my choosing. It was up to me to lay the groundwork for these commitments and she would touch base with me each week to see how I am doing. Well, the first week goes by and she doesn't hear from me. At the end of the second week she sends me an email, "Just a reminder that I look forward to receiving a nutritional plan of your making that you will be committing to for the four weeks of your choosing." I attempted to placate her by responding with some non-committal things I am doing. She responded, "As we include more and more with compassion and curiosity what commitments are you willing to experiment with?  Again this is an agreement to experiment for 4 weeks...not forever.   What if it didn't take a crisis or a health issue to make different choices?  Get curious about calling forth that part of you in which cutting back on sugar and eliminating processed food wasn't a problem." I am up for the challenge!

Here are my commitments going forth the next few weeks.

1. Abstain from alcohol until I lose weight and feel better.

2. Not buying chocolate until my birthday (This is something I use to do on a regular basis). This does not include homemade smoothies or treats with cacao in them.

3. Will not purchase cookies, cakes or other processed flour items until my birthday.

4. Try to eat more protein rich foods.

5. Commit to a daily food diary (I've been slacking on this).
 

I am doing this for me. It's not a short-term fix, it's a long-term solution. I get frustrated when I am unable to do the things I like to do because I am overweight or out of shape. I let this happen and only I can fix it. Small changes can make a big difference in our lives. I did not commit to exercising more though a recent article I read "Why Sitting is Bad for You " makes getting out of my chair more inviting.

What can you commit to?

Gum Recession and Acid Reflux

On a recent visit to my dentist office for a 6 month cleaning and checkup some interesting information came up. The hygienist was saying that in recent studies the dental community has been talking about how acid reflux or gerd affects the gums. It may be acid reflux and not brushing too hard that causes receding gums.

I've been going to the dentist on a regular basis since I was a child. In the beginning I was taught the proper way to brush and always used a soft bristle toothbrush. I'll admit that I haven't always flossed and sometimes do not do it on a daily basis now, though I try. For many years now I have been using an extra soft toothbrush and then a expensive electric toothbrush because I was continually accused of brushing too hard.

Now there is research linking acid reflux to receding gums. Here is a link to the publication The relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease and chronic periodontitis. My hygienist said the dental world might owe a lot of people apologies.  

I suffered from acid reflux for 10 years or more. It took changing my diet and being more consistent with exercise to solve the problem. Although I no longer suffer from acid reflux I have damaged teeth and gums that remain. If you suffer from acid reflux I hope my blog helps you to resolve the problem sooner rather than later. You can read my first post to this blog here Overcoming Acid Reflux

Goodbye 2014! On to a Healthier 2015!

Whew! Am I glad 2014 is behind us. Back in August I added to my blog with "Healthcare - Health Scare". I thought my concerns were over, but I was mistaken. The ringing in my ears had continued  and the pain had returned. I was taking Tylenol more often and knew things were not getting better. I stopped at the local co-op one day to buy my favorite sandwich and when I went to take a bite pain shot through the left side of my head. I found myself drinking smoothies and eating soup to keep from chewing.

I sent an email to my primary care physician; I told her that I was disappointed. Of the four appointments I had been to back in June and July I had never seen her; each time it had been with a physicians assistant. I continued to explain that I rarely seek medical attention and thought that should be a signal that I needed to see a doctor on at least one of those visits. She immediately responded with, "let's get you in here so I can see you". An appointment was made and she took a look. I was still complaining of pain in my left ear and now jaw pain had been added. She told me my ear looked good and said she suspected TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorders). She provided me with some literature on TMJ and sent me home.

Was it possible I had TMJ? First diagnosed with Lyme, then Tinnitus, and now TMJ? Up until June I had been living a healthy, happy life. I was suffering from a shoulder problem, but that's another story..

After researching TMJ I was not convinced that I had it. I scheduled an appointment with an Ears, Nose and Throat Specialist (Otolaryngologist). Within 30 seconds he found a cyst in my ear canal. He took a video camera and showed it to me; it was right in plain sight. Something that the physicians assistant and primary care doctor had overlooked on a half dozen visits was there in plain view. I can't really blame them though. I think when they looked in my ear they were looking right past the cyst.

The specialist tried draining it twice. It was painful, but it gave me temporary relief. I was still popping Tylenol or Advil on a daily basis; at least I knew what was causing the pain. He ordered a CT Scan on the Monday before Christmas and reviewed the results with me the next day. The cyst was putting pressure on my jawbone and causing some erosion. They scheduled a pre-op appointment with my primary care physician on Wednesday (Christmas eve day). You can imagine the pleasure I took in informing them about the cyst they had overlooked repeatedly. Surgery was scheduled for the 26th, the day after Christmas.

It wasn't the best Christmas I ever had; I missed spending time with family. The relief of having a six month earache and recent jaw pain removed was all worth it. It took several days to recover from the anesthesia and antibiotics they had me on. I jokingly asked the doctor if they dropped me on the floor while I was unconscious. He seriously said, "no". 

At this time I am drinking dandelion tea and lemon water daily as well as taking a probiotic  to get my system back into shape. I feel fine, this is more of a remedial thing.

My tests in June never revealed any health problems. All tests for tick-borne diseases came back negative. I wonder if the cyst was the cause of all my problems from the start? Did I have Lyme? I guess I will never really know for sure. 

I relived again the constant aggravation of pain and how it can so easily deplete your energy. Weight gain, restless nights, interrupted sleep and irritability; it's hard to have fun when you do not feel good. My coworkers have already noticed that I am smiling more. Great! 

Another thing, I was given Cephalexin for an antibiotic. In July, I complained of pain in my knuckles after taking it and the PA said it was a symptom of Lyme. I made the same complaint in January on my post-op appointment and the specialist said it's a symptom of the antibiotic and I should not take it anymore. For so many reasons this angers me. We do need Western Medicine for some things, but we need to ask questions, search for answers, read prescription medicine labels and search the web for information. Do not settle for one answer. I used http://www.drugs.com/ to research drug symptoms after the fact. In the future I plan to use it before taking a drug.

With Physical Therapy my shoulder recovered and with surgery my ear is better and my life is back to normal. Let's hope 2015 is better than 2014 was!
 

Healthcare - Health Scare

I've been pretty determined to avoid traditional American healthcare, prescription medicine and over-the-counter drugs for the past 8 years. The only thing I have used my doctor for is physicals, cholesterol checks and blood tests to check for vitamin deficiencies. That was until this past June.

Ten days after a camping trip on Memorial Day weekend I came down with fatigue, blurred vision, earache and fever. I went to my naturopath for a seasonal acupuncture session and told her about my symptoms. I was prescribed some natural herbs for possible Lyme infection and it was recommended that if my symptoms did not subside within a few days I should seek medical attention.

I let another few days go by. The fever did not break and the ear infection became intolerable. I had not taken any pain relievers in 8 years, but finally broke down and took Tylenol on a Sunday. First thing Monday morning I made an appointment at the doctor's office. They took 3 vials of blood and prescribed an antibiotic for the ear infection and possible Lyme Disease. It took a full seven days for the fever to break. I was scared! I barely had the energy to heat a pot of canned soup and still had to attend to some chores like laundry and dishes. I missed a rotation of work and a highly anticipated vacation with my daughters.

The following Monday I returned to the doctor's office. I was still weak, but the fever had broke and I was feeling on the upswing. They took more blood to check for more possible causes. All tests came back negative. My illness was a mystery. After 3 weeks I regained my strength and was able to do all the things I enjoy doing. I continue to have ringing in my ears; I have been told it is tinnitus and should eventually go away.

This was a learning experience in many ways. First, our health is so fragile. Even if we try to do everything right you can still be caught off-guard. Second, though I was disappointed a cause could not be immediately diagnosed I still put my faith in my doctors, both naturopath and general practitioner to heal me. I was relieved when the antibiotic was prescribed and thankful the Tylenol reduced my fever and eased my pain. I would have liked a set in stone diagnosis, but it didn't happen. I have to live with the thought that these symptoms might reoccur; I still have the tinnitus to contend with also.

I guess what I am trying to say is, I don't think taking a pill is the answer to everything. I believe diet and exercise are the answer to most of our health problems. But, there is a time and a place for modern medicine. I am thankful to live in a place where we can choose both (for the most part).