How to Get a Life with GERD

There is nothing worse, IMHO, than the constant pain of Indegestion / GERD. At least when you have, say a headache or toothache, you can go to someone and they'll tell you why you have it, and what you can do... in my experience, the opposite is true with indegestion.

I've been to 5 different doctors, in 5 different countries (I travel a lot)and had 5 different 'fob offs'. Each prescribing me PPI's as my only 'cure'. None with a solid reason as to why I got GERD in the first place. They gave me various tests - an H. PYLORI test, an ultra sound on my kidneys, a blood test. They laughed at me when I mentioned diet, and only 1 really took the diet connection seriously. I took their expensive PPI's for over a year, and they did relieve the symptoms... but they in no way 'cured' my GERD. And I wanted off - as none of us know what longterm use will do in the longrun.

So in a desperate bid to get off them I sought out alternatives. I tried acupuncture and Chinese Herbs. I did Bach Flower remedies from a natuopath, Reiki from a Spiritual Healer, I ate Manuka honey 5 xs a day. I drank ACV - man did that BURN!!! I've tried improving my breathing, massaging my stomach, colonics, P&B shakes, fasting, digestive enzymes, slippery elm and marshmallow pills... and currently major changes to my diet. It's funny the lengths desperation will cause you to go to!

I began by cleaning up (my already fairly clean diet) by going 99% vegan. That's been hard cause I love yogurt and cheese. I only ate small, simple meals - trying to avoid combining protein with carb (not difficult to do when you're vegan). Lots of fruit and veg, lemon juice every morning, liquid chlorophyl all day. Anything alkaline, anything soothing... and it HAS helped! I've been off the pills for a month now, but it's not plain sailing. A friend had a birthday so we went to a Chinese restaurant. I hardly ate any of my veg and noodles, but man, was I sorry afterwards. The burping was HUGE. The gurgling, burning, sour milk like taste, and sensation were back... with a vengence!

Will I ever be free again?

I've not had alcohol in over 7 months, not coffee, nor milky tea. I've given up citrus juice, fried food, tomato based products, spicy food, anything canned, packaged, micowaved. I drink only filtered water, in an effort to reduce chlorine. Has it helped? Yeah, a little... am I cured??? NO WAY!!!!

The hardest thing to bear is why I got this in the first place. I'm a fairly fit 33 year old. I gave up smoking a long time ago, I was a vegetarian for 9 years, I've always been healthy and aware of what I was eating, and was never really mad for processed, packaged, empty calorie foods. I had even juice fasted twice before I began getting symptoms.

I was going through a particularly emotional time when it started, so I really do believe in the emotional link. But, there's also a family history for me - my mother and brother both have IBS and diviticulitis, and my mom had a stomach ulcer when she was young. But their diet is the typical American diet, and I shudder when I see what they eat... So I'm tending to think that there is some genetic weakness/defect in my family. If it is some kind of 'structural issue' in the stomach, that means no amount of diet changes or suppliments is ever gonna help! And that is kinda depressing!

What I can't believe though, is that NO ONE has an answer for why so many of us have this problem. (Well, maybe they do, but they're not telling cause that way they get to sell more expensive drugs). The surgenry they offer as treatment is dodgy and you could even end up with worse symptoms, and none of the alternatives offer solid treatment and an absolute CURE from the symptoms either.

I tried a variation of the 'Warrior diet' whereby I only eat soup, fruit, juice, herbal tea, (anything simple and digestable) by day - and then solid food (a main meal) at night. That seemed to work really well throughout the day... until it came to the nightly meal, whereby just the smallest portion of food would bring on the most intense GERD! Was it worth it for the relief I got during the day?
Hmmm it was kinda debatable!

Still, I figued no food = relief... so I tried a water fast. Thinking that a few weeks of no eating might allow the esophagus/stomach time to calm down and heal... but the intense hunger cravings were too much to bear!!! I cracked on the 2nd eve and ate... :(

I find that since the PPI's I've had this intense need to to always have a full stomach. AS soon as I get hungry, I get this 'empty stomach feeling' and it brings on symptoms, and unless I eat, I GET SO GRUMPY!!!

Now, I just don't know where to do. I am slightly constipated. I am depressed. And my social life sucks - how can I go out with friends when I don't drink and can't eat!!!??? It's awful!

I am gonna try another fast - and am just preparing myself for it, but I'm fast looking hope of there being a answer to all this...

Anyway, that's my story.



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