Hey Folks:

I've been suffering from acid reflux for some about eight years now. I've been scoped, etc., and been on all the usual drugs (Prevacid, etc.). The drugs were effective in tamping down the reflux but they gave me a very weak stomach, I believe, and a kind of sick feeling. Recently I started going to a naturopath and she recommended the following:

GI-Encap (from Thorne), 1 capsule
HMF Forte (Acidophilus also from Thorne), 1 capsule

I've never felt better. My symptoms have been entirely relieved: no reflux and no side effects. If you are open to this kind of treatment, I'd consider talking to a naturopath and asking about this treatment.

I would also be careful to buy only supplements from reputable providers like Thorne. There are a number of reports that the potency of over-the-counter supplements varies widely by manufacturer, particularly those brands that seem to have the most space at your local drug store. I'd go with a naturopath's recommendation, instead, despite the significant additional expense.

I hope it works for you!

Jude

Hi Jude,
Thank you for sharing your positive experience! I have LPR with very occasional heartburn. I currently am taking Pepcid as the PPIs cause way too many side effects for me. It doesn't really seem to help to be honest. I do take a probiotic (the pearl) as well as multivitamins. Can you order the Thorne products online? Where did you get these supplements? How long have you been taking them? Thanks for the alternative information!
Kathy

Thanks Jude !

I will check into this product.

I am currently taking Digest Gold with meals, plus refrigerated probiotics between meals.

It sure cannot harm us to try new things, but I am too chicken to try the ACV as my stomach is so inflamed. :p

I am trying to find the HMF Forte, but have had no luck. I searched and have had no luck.

Is it under a different name?

Thanks

Thanks Jude !

I will check into this product.

I am currently taking Digest Gold with meals, plus refrigerated probiotics between meals.

It sure cannot harm us to try new things, but I am too chicken to try the ACV as my stomach is so inflamed. :p


Ish.........you're the first person I"ve heard say their "stomach" was so inflamed, which is "gastritis". Curious how long you've had it, and are you taking any PPI's? I've had gastritis for a zillion years, but never had a really severe attack & ended up in the hospital on Protonix.

Now I'm getting symptoms I never had before. Heartburn with almost everything (very restricted diet), and I've heard the other side affects. So I'm trying to find out more information from others who have gastritis.

Thanks...............carole

me - i have gastritis - had a scope and he doc said i have it mild. doesn't feel very mild! everything hurts when i eat - i wake in the middle of the night with horrid burning pain. do you? only help i get from the doc is to take acid meds. what are we to do???

me - i have gastritis - had a scope and he doc said i have it mild. doesn't feel very mild! everything hurts when i eat - i wake in the middle of the night with horrid burning pain. do you? only help i get from the doc is to take acid meds. what are we to do???

Well, I'm in my 60's now, and my gastritis has been with me since my 20's, so they said I had "severe" stomach inflammation. Since I also have Lupus, which inflames everything, it takes 10x as long to heal. So right now I'm not having pain; just some after effects from the Protonix.

But I also am on a very strict (bland) diet, and I take a homeopathic by Boiron called "Acidil", and there's a product called Alkazone that will make anything you put it on go alkaline; also digestive enzymes, prodolphilus culture, and keep my stress wayyyyyyyy down.

Are you on a PPI?................carole

no, i can't take ppi's cuz of side effects. i try to white knuckle thru the burning belly pain - it's really hard and i worry about damage to myself. i experiment alot with alternative solutions with modest success. where do you get that alkazone stuff?

Well, I'm in my 60's now, and my gastritis has been with me since my 20's, so they said I had "severe" stomach inflammation. Since I also have Lupus, which inflames everything, it takes 10x as long to heal. So right now I'm not having pain; just some after effects from the Protonix.

But I also am on a very strict (bland) diet, and I take a homeopathic by Boiron called "Acidil", and there's a product called Alkazone that will make anything you put it on go alkaline; also digestive enzymes, prodolphilus culture, and keep my stress wayyyyyyyy down.

Are you on a PPI?................carole

Yikes! Im 23 now and have been having these issues for 5 years. I cant image having it for 40 more years. Are you at least able to cope with it to some degree? How have you dealt with still trying to have fun without letting your digestive problems bother you? Some days I feel ok (never great) but most days its all I can think about.

To the poster who asked about the HMF Forte: The brand is Genestra.

Yikes! Im 23 now and have been having these issues for 5 years. I cant image having it for 40 more years. Are you at least able to cope with it to some degree? How have you dealt with still trying to have fun without letting your digestive problems bother you? Some days I feel ok (never great) but most days its all I can think about.

Although I've had "mild gastritis episodes" for all those years, I would just take an old drug like Donnatol; then the nausea set in, so had to change my diet & use natural products to help with that. But although there were days I thought I'd never make it to work, I have to say I had the best "fun" years of my life from my 20's up until a near death accident when my whole body was messed up. Then I was dealing with all kinds of problems, but the "fun" times were still with me. Had too many surgeries, but being younger & athletic, I came thru those O.K., even though I know a few were not needed.

This last hospitalization is the very first one that I had such severe "pain" in my stomach. But hoping this was brought on by not watching my diet closely enough; lotsa stress these last few years, and my Lupus, of course.
So "fun" today is different. Computer/T.V./Videos, and before this episode, horseback riding.

So I'm grateful that I had all those years where I was able to travel, and do alot of different interesting things that made my life today full of good memories. Don't think I missed anything.

Sorry you're having it so hard at your age. Just be careful that you have a good Dr.; few medicines; healthy diet & as little stress as possible and as much fun as you can tolerate.

carole

I am trying to find the HMF Forte, but have had no luck. I searched and have had no luck.

Is it under a different name?

Thanks

Sorry for the delay. As noted by someone else, I messed up on the brand, it's Genestra (not Thorne).

I would highly recommend finding a quality naturopath, however, rather than self-medicating from the random advice of some guy on the Internet ;) You should be concerned about how these supplements will react with other things you may be taking, just like any medication. Your naturopath may have a different recommendation on a course of treatment.

thank youfor your sharing.

How many times do you take GI Encap a day? When? How do you find the good natropath doctors?

Thank you.

Is ND from website http://www.naturopathic.org/ good?

I suffered from GERD and LPR for the past 2 months, having the weird symptoms of throat lumps, throat tightness, hoarseness, clearing, burning, etc..I tried Aciphex and the very restrictive diet (no caffeine, alcohol, tomatoes, onions, etc..). I finally found relief from Pro-Biotics and eating Activia yogurt each day. Activia yogurt has the "good" bacteria and it tastes fine too.
It's been 10 days and I'm feeling great for the first time in 2 months.

I went on vacation last week and seriously cheated on the diet and I still feel fine. I take 1-2 Probiotics a day and eat one carton of the yogurt each morning. It was actually my ENT who suggested the yogurt.

I too started suffering from these symptoms after taking 2 rounds of heavy antibiotics during an upper respiratory problem this winter.

Give it a try - and good luck!

Hello Babylu, I've been taking probiotics 3 times a day, so far without any success. I've been thinking of eating that Activa. You say you eat 1 carton? is that 6 a day?

I eat one serving a day (small carton). My ENT also had me spray nasal saline solution in my nostrils 2-3 times/day which I've been doing. I tried everything simultaneously - diet, Aciphex, tilting my bed, not eating anything before bed, probiotics, yogurt, nasal spray - so it is hard to figure which did it. I am currently only doing probiotics, yogurt and nasal spray and am feeling great. I hope it lasts!

hi,
I have been getting all these symtoms too...and more...i will post below.
I have been getting short of breathe and feeling lightheaded i found that if i eat a wintergreen lifesaver or a icebreaker those symtoms go away but then i get terrible heartburn and indigestion. I can't win...Does anyone know if lifesavers can hurt you if you eat too many i have been at about 8-10 packs a day...thank you......tina

hi,
I am a newbie on here and too alot of my symtoms and REALLY need help and to know if anyone knows what it can be i just don't believe it's only panic and anxiety attacks it has to me more. There are so many pysical things i feel. Where do i begin. I get lightheaded all the time and dizzy especially if i have to be with people to long outside my home. I am nauseate all the time even though i don't vomit. My eyes sting and burn,my heart races and feels like it's going to come out of my chest, I am SOO emotional,I am easily upset, I always feel like i am dying, I going to sleep and wake up frightened to death, My stomach hurts like lower around both kindneys i was back pain constantly especially if i am like trying to do the dishes, I get dizzy and feel like i am going to pass out all the time, my breasts hurt like heck, sex is so PAINFUL and i always feel like i am going to pass out while having it and never wake up again... I am SO SCARED of dying.my bones ache especially if i bump something. i feel like my legs and neck is going to fall off and sometimes like i just can not support my head anymore.I feel like i'm unable to breathe,my heart will beat so hard and fast if i open my mouth i can hear it,i am either never sleeping or always sleeping,i have a dry mouth always and sore thoart, (I do have very very very BAD teeth). I have dry hair that does not grow and brittle nails, i get shooting pains in my whole body and very bad headaches,i have i feeling of doom all the time, i am always stressed.I am not able to lose weight no matter what i do and if i move fast i can sometimes feel like a huge bump in my right lower ab.
whew i think i covered everything the reason the list is so long is i am so hoping someone CAN help me. I have been to 6 different hospitals and doctors noone knows what to say other then they find nothing and send me home.
I am so scared that i am going to die my husband just says relax and rest you'll be okay and leaves me in a closed room without even comeing back to check on me,what if i stop breathing then. I am scared. I need help PLEASE.
If anyone can help me so i can be healthy or at least torerate this illness please do so i have 2 small grls 13, and 4 and want to be the mom they need and deserve. This started at 33 i am now 40...It wasn't so bad then but keeps getting worst.
thank you,
tina2367

Tina, in spite of mints supposedly being good for settling your stomach, they can actually upset it. That also might be part of your problem. I'm sure the extra sugar isn't doing you any good either. Check my post to you over in the General Health section.

Good luck and keep us posted. :)

hi,,,thank you...i willl

Dear Tina,

Nyxie is right, mints upset your stomach and will make acid reflux worse. Some people say suck on a hard candy to help, but not anything mint. I usually use sugar free jolly ranchers.

I'm sorry about your other problems. I had the rapid heart rate for awhile, but I have high blood pressure and I needed another medicine to slow my heart rate. It sent me to the ER once thinking I was having a heart attack.

Hang in there! I have some of the symptoms you have such as nausea, burning eyes and back pain. I also feel scared all the time. My husband tries
to understand. I'm going to my nuero doc pretty soon and I'm going to ask about fibromyalgia. If you check that sight there is a list of symptoms (which is quite long). From what I understand it takes a long time to finally be diagnosed or even find someone to listen. The symptoms you explained are on that list. Good Luck!

Laurie

Tina, have your thyroid checked. I had all the same symptoms as you described. My thyroid was nearly dead and full of cysts, nodules, etc. So many doctors don't test the thyroid unless the patient has sudden weight gain or loss--like 30 pounds in a few weeks (me).

Although I had mine removed, I am still left with many problems caused by the disease. Hiatal hernia, stomach problems/pain, acid, GERD, etc. My voice is destroyed from acid back up, and thyroid smashing cords.

Thanks everyone for all the recommended products--I've never heard of any of them except that new yogurt. I've tried all the pills, like Nexium, but none work well.

Good luck Tina..

Hi Guys/Girls, I will recommend homeopathic medicines to all these problems. Only my suggestion is go to those homeopathic doctors who has got experience and knowledge.There are lots of youngsters who just read there books and got some degrees and start there businesses but be careful.....
definitely if you are regular,you will get very good results in long term.
cheers

hiiiii again i would like to mention about homeopathic medicines and be positive in life.I am also going through the same phase.I have started doing relaxation excersie twice in day.you will get audio cassete from psychatrist.stress,tention(mental problems) are related to GERD and other problems.MIND over BODY is important and you will achieve this by relaxation tech.and imporntant PL.GIVE UP SMOKING, ALCOHOL
hope this will help you.

Hi,
Me again with some new information...Is anyone else feeling like this or gonig through this? I am now almost daily getting heart palipations and sweating ,dizziness,light headedness , dry mouth, no energy or it's through the roof,gloomy feeling of death, too much sleep or not enough, diareaha or cosapation,losing focus, throat is swelling, and now i have been taking my temp regularly it is crazy...it will be as low as 96.2 and that's when i will be so cold and ghave xchills and shakes...Or in the 99's and that's when i am sweating. I have feelings of passing out in the stores in the shower in the school. Sex is scary because when i start to reallly get into it now i feel like i can't breathe
and i am going to pass out.
I am still being told this is anexity....But everyday and to this extreme...someone PLEASE help me....................tee