I can't tolerate any of the stomach medicines like Previcid, Prilosec, Zantac, Pepcid, or any of the many different kinds. I get all the bad side effects, like stiff neck, migraine headaches, and depression from all the different ones I've tried. I have severe chronic indigestion/gerd and have had Barrett's esophagus and a stomach ulcer/ both have healed but only because I was taking those medicines that make me feel so sick. My doctors tell me I will have to take stomach medicine and anti-acids the rest of my life. I can't take anything without having terrible side effects that I cannot tolerate. I stopped taking my stomach medicine about a month ago and the side effects are gone but the indigestion is worse than ever. I bought a bottle of extra strength TUMS and that works, but I have to eat way more than the bottle says to take. I know that can't be good for me to do every day. Is there a special diet I could try or any suggestions on foods to eat or avoid eating?

You might want to look into eating foods that are mostly alkaline instead of acidic. The more alkaline foods you consume the better your stomach problems will become. I did not realize that I had a diet high in acidic foods until I looked at a list of the alkaline foods. Since I have changed my diet my heartburn problems have gone down to practically zero.

You might also look into taking baking soda for your heartburn. The baking soda helps but don't overdo it.

Thanks! I'll look that up right now.

As it turns out, I already eat mostly fresh fruits and vegetables. I eat very little dairy and practically no red meat at all, occasionally fish. I'll try eating more avocados and celery. One thing I saw on the list I never would have guessed, I'll try it, lemon. I'd like to try the baking soda too but I wonder how much is too much because I know I'll probably need the maximum safe amount plus more, unfortunately.

I'm desperate for help. I've been saving my money so I can afford to go back to the doctor, but I can't take the medicine. I was up 3 times during the night to take more TUMS. How much baking soda is too much?

I had a pill, it was a yellow one, called something like pragozol or something. I found that worked great.

Also, I know a friend who had bad digestion problems and stomach issues who started taking vitamins from Meleluca and now he doesn't have to take his medication anymore...

Try Licorice Root for heartburn--give it a few days and it should work... just make sure you don't have high blood pressure as this is a side effect. I had chronic heartburn at one time and this cured it for good.

Manuka Honey UMF 16+ minimum, 3 TBSPs per day straight until your indigestion is under control, ulcer cure. You can wean down to 1 TBSP. per day when you start feeling better. Give it time.

Fenugreek, 350 mgs/ once per day, also ulcer healing.

You can find all these at the health food store or online.

I was in your place once and I am completely cured. You must be faithful taking this everyday until you are better. You will find that you can start going without it for more and more time and eventually be cured.

If you do an independent search on Google on each one of these items, you will see what makes them heal you.

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm especially interested in natural treatments and remedies.

Try 1/8 tsp of baking soda in one cup of water for starters. I sip this mixture and only go through about 1/2 of it at a clip. This settles my stomach.

I am curious about the side effects of the various medications you've tried. I don't see them listed, nor have I ever learned about them in Pharm continuing ed classes.

What does the Doctor say? I particularly find depression to be a strange side effect.

Well, let me see... Previcid and Prilosec give me a terrible stiff neck, every day, like I have a post stuck up though my upper spine into the base of my skull, very painful and stiff, can't move my head or neck in any direction and nothing helps the pain Zantac causes me to have a migraine every day, so on that I have to take Eltriptan also, which causes high blood pressure and sensations of a heart attack, like heavy pressure in my chest and chest pain. Pepcid causes depression. These are not common side effects, but yes, they ARE side effects from the anti-secratory drugs. I have tried just about all of them and I have the most rare and terrible side effects. The GI doctor says all these ARE side effects and continues to prescribe something different every couple weeks. GI doctors (have had more than one) also tell me diet will not help or hurt, but that doesn't mean I don't keep trying to get relief. GI says I might need more surgery, I've already had surgery twice on my stomach because of severe GERD.

I've been lucky so far... if you can call anything about this lucky at all, it's that all the side effects I've had from the medicines were reversible. The side effects went away within 24 hours of stopping the drug. Unfortunately it took me and my doctor a whole YEAR to figure out that the Zantac might be the cause of migraines every single day. When the doctor said it might be the Zantac, I stopped taking it and my migraine went away within one day.

Well, let me see..... Previcid and Prilosec give me a terrible stiff neck, every day, like I have a post stuck up though my upper spine into the base of my skull, very painful and stiff, can't move my head or neck in any direction and nothing helps the pain Zantac causes me to have a migraine every day, so on that I have to take Eltriptan also, which causes high blood pressure and sensations of a heart attack, like heavy pressure in my chest and chest pain. Pepcid causes depression. These are not common side effects, but yes, they ARE side effects from the anti-secratory drugs. I have tried just about all of them and I have the most rare and terrible side effects. The GI doctor says all these ARE side effects and continues to prescribe something different every couple weeks. GI doctors (have had more than one) also tell me diet will not help or hurt, but that doesn't mean I don't keep trying to get relief. GI says I might need more surgery, I've already had surgery twice on my stomache because of severe GERD.

Have you tried Nexium? It's the best I have ever used and my GERD is so bad that I can hardly eat (my food gets stuck in my esophagus and I have to throw it up) unless I take my Nexium daily.

Sadly, yes I've tried Nexium and I get the same stiff and painful neck with that as I do Prilosec. You are lucky if you can take it. For a little over a year after my last GI surgery (surg. Because my esophagus was shot, could not swallow, had Barretts esophagus and an infected esophagus), I took Zantac twice every day. I was so glad we finally found something that didn't cause the stiff and painful neck or rashes or hives. Unfortunately, I also quickly developed status migrainosus and had to take Relpax everyday for a little over a year. Relpax is only SAFE to take up to 3 times a month, and it was causing my blood pressure to soar to over 300/290! When the doc said he had looked over his literature, he realized the Zantac might be the cause of the migraines. I stopped taking it and the migraine went away in less than 24 hours. Now no migraine, no high blood pressure. And for now I'm taking Mylanta Ultimate Strength alternating with tums and baking soda, hoping for the best. There is more surgery that could offer a fix, but I don't want more surgery!!

If you were a nurse, you know that it is important to review your entire medical history.

Family members with digestive problems? Cancer in the family?

In your profile you mention that you have an autoimmune disorder... is this one of the symptoms of that disorder?

Do you remember the circumstances surrounding when this started? For example, mine started with one of my pregnancies and never completely healed.

Ever had pyloric stenosis?

Omgosh, yes! This didn't start with me, it's my parents fault ;) My poor dad had problems his whole life, and I remember my grandmother having to have major surgery to have some of her intestines removed when I was very young. I've had problems with my stomach my whole life, as far as I remember. I've always had the newest latest drugs for indigestion and GERD prescribed to me. And I always develop the worst side effects. Most people don't. I don't think I've ever had pyloric stenosis because they never saw that on any of my scopes, though I do have a hiatal hernia. I also have symptoms of colitis and I have an identical twin sister who is currently trying to recover from a flare up of ulcerative colitis. She also can't tolerate any of the popular stomach meds. I am past due for a stomach biopsy, doctor says they have to watch for cancer because the lining of my stomach is thickened.

About the auto immune disorder, it is RA, and I do think it has something to do with my digestive system problems; even though most of that is in my joints

RA typically does not affect the digestive tract, but it's not impossible. Have you discussed this with your RA doc?

My rheumatologist thinks the best thing for me is to take long term steroids, which unfortunately led to a lot of the problems I ended up with in my digestive system. I've also been prescribed lots of narcotics for pain, but can't take them either because of the side effects. I was taking 14 -16 325mg aspirins a day, prescribed by my Rheumatologist, until I got an ulcer last August. There is no cure for me, and there is no good answer to my medical problems. I'm always looking for and am open to new ideas that might have the least side effects and offers of even little hope or small improvements. I refuse to take long term steroids now, though I will take short term just to help me get past bad spots.

Before the 14-16 aspirins a day, I was prescribed nabumetone 750 times 2 daily, wrecked my stomach. Before that it was Neproxin, which eventually caused an episode of kidney failure.

Aspirin wreck my stomach - is there a connection between your 14-16 (4,500 mg per day) aspirin and your GERD?

The only connection is that the aspirin caused me to get an ulcer. I had GERD long before I took any aspirin, or steroids, or pain relievers of any type. My mother tells me I had the indigestion problems since birth.

I was taking 14 -16 325mg aspirins a day, prescribed by my Rheumatologist, until I got an ulcer last August. :eek::eek::eek:

You're lucky that the ulcer is the only side effect from taking this much aspirin! :eek:

You could have been SERIOUSLY injured by taking this much. Not a good idea... never.

Methotrexate is now being used for RA. If you haven't tried it, you should.

Thanks, I've been on methotrexate in the past... there really is no magic pill for me. I'm lucky I was able to take the aspirin and didn't have anything bad happen other than a really bad ulcer! The GI doc said if the ulcer would have started bleeding it would have been fatal, a fast hemorrhage, like a garden hose. I know I am, it worked great as an anti inflamatory, and with the pain for a couple years. Now my doctors tell me I can never take it again. But I've gone through all the other NSAIDS also, and believe me, none of them are safe to take at levels I need for theraputic effect and pain relief. I hate opiates side effects too, so I won't take any of those either unless I am a patient in the hospital.

The more I read about your suffering, it makes me want to especially mention (from my first post) how many people have healed from Manuka Honey. Get that honey into your system to start undoing all the damage that has been done. There are so many positive testimonies on this miracle food.

Here is one site that helps explain it, but there are many more. I myself could not barely eat or move during a stressful time, and over time, I am completely cured.

Remember, it has to be UMF 16+ or higher (ex. Not UMF 10)

Acid Reflux Disease and Manuka Honey (http://www.manukaonline.com/acid-reflux-disease-Manuka-Honey-benefits.html)

Thanks, I've been on methotrexate in the past... there really is no magic pill for me. I'm lucky I was able to take the aspirin and didn't have anything bad happen other than a really bad ulcer! The GI doc said if the ulcer would have started bleeding it would have been fatal, a fast hemmorhage, like a garden hose. I know I am, it worked great as an anti inflamatory, and with the pain for a couple years. Now my doctors tell me I can never take it again. But I've gone through all the other NSAIDS also, and believe me, none of them are safe to take at levels I need for theraputic effect and pain relief. I hate opiates side effects too, so I won't take any of those either unless I am a patient in the hospital.


I understand that the injections don't have the same side effects as the tablets.

As a purely side note - I am concerned that someone is going to read that the high dosage of aspirin has been prescribed by a Physician, think it's logical or not harmful and follow the same course.

Should that post be edited?

All my doctors agreed with the high dose of aspirin GP, GI, and RA. Is that a dose anyone can safely take? No, it is not safe. It isn't safe at all. No one should ever take that much aspirin unless their doctor tells them to, and even then they would have to make up their own mind and weigh the pros and cons and decide for themselves if it is worth the risks. I was in so much pain from RA and did not want to take more steroids, methotrexate, and nabumetone, all which also wrecked my stomach.

Same goes for any drug.

The ulcer I had wasn't "just" an ulcer. According to the GI doctor, it was the biggest ulcer he ever saw. I never would have guessed in a million years (even though I'm a nurse) how sick and how bad a stomach ulcer makes you. I was in pain out of this world and was in the hospital for over a week. Vomiting so bad... wretching so hard... I was so sick the doctors considered whether to send me to a nursing home or discharge me to my own home. Eventually I was well enough to go home, but I got the ulcer from taking huge doses of aspirin, under the guidance of my doctors.

This is it - I just had another thought about your problem. Try drinking bottled water only. If you are the least bit sensitive to any kind of bacteria in the water this will definitely give you bad indigestive problems. I can only drink and brush my teeth in bottled water or I get indigestion. It will take a few days to get your body flushed out of the bacteria. I have RA and I think my symptoms get worse if I don't drink strictly bottled water. I even wake up at night with bad heartburn if I'm drinking anything other than bottled water.

And I trust you sued for medical malpractice?

No, I have not sued any of my doctors. I have switched doctors, and fired a doctor. There are a limited number of specialists in the area I live and I have pretty serious medical problems that have no cure. I get so sick I end up being admitted into a hospital a couple times a year. If I got a reputation of suing my doctors, it would not take long before most doctors didn't want anything to do with me. Besides, the aspirin therapy did what it was supposed to do, prevent RA flare up. I knew the risks but I decided I'd rather have the risks involved with high dose aspirin therapy than the risks involved with chemotherapy and long term steroids. I made that choice after suffering the side effects and damages from long term steroids and chemo.

I realize you don't want to sue. I am not sue happy. In fact, I am just the opposite. However, with side effects this bad ("According to the GI doctor, it was the biggest ulcer he ever saw. I never would have guessed in a million years (even though I'm a nurse) how sick and how bad a stomach ulcer makes you. I was in pain out of this world and was in the hospital for over a week. Vomiting so bad.... wretching so hard... I was so sick the doctors considered whether or not to send me to a nursing home or discharge me to my own home") SOMEBODY should be warned that the dosage recommended is dangerous. Often the only way to get that point across is legally.