The Acid Reflux Demon

[Bright_Star]

I hear people say that they get up at midnight to eat & then go back to bed. I mean like...ewwwwwww! The latest that I eat in the evening is about 8:00. To eat any later than that would mean that I'd be tempting the acid reflux demon. Do you know who the acid reflux demon is? He's the son-of-a-bitch that surges up from your stomache after you've eaten & gone to bed & is pissed off enough to make you pay for doing that.

You can be sound asleep & it can force you awake with acid flooding your throat so nasty that you want to cry cause it hurts so bad. Then you have to get up & walk to the kitchen & drink enough water to soothe your burning throat. Swallowing water & saliva in such a way as to prevent you from throwing up from the nastiness that you're so desperately trying to douse.

The first time that ever happened to me I felt like screaming cause I didn't know what it was. All I know was that I felt this nastiness gurgling up from my stomache & putting my throat on fire. I was like..."OMG!!!!! OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!"

That's only happened to me three times. ONE time is more than enough!

[Darkwolf]

I feel your pain, literally. I've found that the demon can be partially tamed with large chewable pepcid tablets. They provide blessed relief as soon as they are swallowed. YMMV. The only downside is that they taste like chalk.

[Evan]

You could try drinking milk when it happens too. I find that helps a lot more than water.

[AnaKhouri]

My acid reflux caused a different kind of symptom: I felt like I couldn't breathe. No pain or anything. It took years before a doctor finally diagnosed it.

Since I got pregnant though, I've had the burning, painful kind quite often, sometimes bad enough that I nearly throw up. One thing that works for me (at least temporarily) is to eat yogurt. I think something about the bacteria helps calm down my stomach acids.

I hope after the kid that I go back to not being able to breathe. As much as it sucked it was far preferable to this!

[KiaKat]

My sister (the 3rd-year-med-student) is convinced, especially after her stint working in a doctor's office, that everyone (or nearly everyone) in America has what she calls "silent GERD." But that most people don't get enough symptoms to go see their doctor. She has her theories on why, as well.

After I was diagnosed with it last year (we thought I had escaped it, then the diagnosis came back positive), I'm starting to wonder.

I take 1 Famotedine every morning before my run. My asthma has stopped being so severe, I'm healthier, and I don't have nearly as many sinus infections. Which sounds weird, until you think about what exactly GERD is - it's acid traveling up your esophagus. Which is connected to your entire respiratory system.

The $15/month is worth it. I'd love to be able to control it with diet alone, but that would require cutting all alcohol out. And...well, yeah. Sommelier candidate. Manage a wine store. Not happening. Give me the pills

[Rapscallion]

You could try drinking milk when it happens too. I find that helps a lot more than water.

Memory tells me that milk is alkaline, so it should counteract some of the acid, I guess.

Rapscallion

[Aethian]

Depending on the state of your stomach...it's disgusting but baking sode helps too. At least it helps when I get mine. I get bubbly and burpy for awhile but at least the acid is gone.

[Greenday]

Anything slightly basic or neutral (aka water) should help. But I've found the quickest relief is from Tums. Zantac is good for when I know I'll get it later. But Acid Reflux is the bane of my existence. Every night it hurts if I don't chew a tum. All throughout the day it randomly hurts. It sucks. I want to get the surgery to get rid of it but my mom keeps telling me not too. But it hurts EVERY SINGLE night without fail. God forbid I go somewhere and don't have access to Tums, I'm done.

[KiaKat]

Greenday, seriously. Go grab either Famotedine (Pepcid) or Omeprazole (Prilosec). Take one pill twice a day, at exactly the same time each day. You will notice a HUGE difference. If that doesn't work, talk to your doctor and see if he can put you on a....I think it's a PPI? It's a protein-based acid inhibitor.

IANAD. But I've dealt with this in many forms, via family, partner, and myself, for years, so I'm quite familiar with the treatments. And the PPI info comes directly from the med-student sister.

[Eric the Grey]

Greenday, seriously. Go grab either Famotedine (Pepcid) or Omeprazole (Prilosec). Take one pill twice a day, at exactly the same time each day. You will notice a HUGE difference. If that doesn't work, talk to your doctor and see if he can put you on a....I think it's a PPI? It's a protein-based acid inhibitor.

IANAD. But I've dealt with this in many forms, via family, partner, and myself, for years, so I'm quite familiar with the treatments. And the PPI info comes directly from the med-student sister.

Pepcid should be only a once a day pill. I take it on a prescription basis for my acid reflux and it is a godsend. Before I had insurance I took the over-the-counter version which also works.

I would consult a doctor about it. If you can get it as a prescription (partially paid for) it's worth it and cheaper than the OTC version.


Eric the Grey