If you have a bit of spare change, go to the health food store and purchase digestive enzyme supplements. Not sure how much they cost, but here in Australia they are about $30 for 90 tablets so this is good value. Digestive enzyme supplements are so amazingly effective i can’t begin to tell you! If you do have acid reflux from the H Pylori bacteria you will need antibiotics to get rid of it. My mother suffered from GERD and LPR for 5 years and now has neither (after a few weeks!) from only taking digestive enzyme supplements before each meal. Now if you haven’t any money for digestive enzymes, try apple cider vinegar (with the mother in it – stringy bits that contain digestive enzymes). All raw foods contain enzymes so eating cooked, processed foods and not chewing thoroughly all put a strain on your stomach and pancreas. I’ll add some great websites to check out. Here is to your good health.

Side effects of acid blockers:
http://refluxdefense.com/heartburn_GERD_articles/side-effects-antacids-and-acid-blockers.html

Reflux and H Pylori:
http://h-pylori-symptoms.com/heartburn-is-not-caused-by-excess-acid/

Digestive enzymes:
http://www.natural-indigestion-relief.com/acid-reflux-remedies-digestive-enzymes.html

Apple cider vinegar:
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/interested-in-the-apple-cider-vinegar-acid-reflux-home-remedy-413860.html

How stomach acid works:
http://www.jonbarron.org/weight-loss-program/03-12-2007.php

1. Sleeping with the head of the bed elevated to 30 degrees, either by using two pillows, a foam wedge, or raising the head of the mattress are all very helpful.
2. Don’t eat or drink for 3 hours before bed.
3. Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
4. Avoid spicy foods, caffiene, and alcohol.

The best herbal remedy I’ve found is Vata tea, which is an ayurvedic compound of stomach-settling spices. It is available at mapi.com and is very reasonably priced.

The illness industry (conventional medicine) labels these conditions as “diseases” but they are not diseases, they are just chronic acid reflux problems. My mother’s GERD and LPR were gone within a few weeks of stopping all acid blockers and antacids and starting these supplements! A year on these supplement and 25 years of gastritis is 95% better! This is a bit of trial and error and it may take longer than a few weeks for you but the results speak for themselves. Just to note: make sure you don’t have the H Pylori bacteria which causes acid reflux. This bacteria can be killed off with antibiotics. Increasing stomach acid inhibits H Pylori. Get better soon.

Digestive enzymes >>>
http://www.natural-indigestion-relief.com/acid-reflux-remedies-digestive-enzymes.html

Insufficient stomach acid >>>
http://www.gallbladderattack.com/hcl.shtml

H Pylori and low stomach acid >>>
http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/dig10.php

Burning in food pipe with general sensation of burning Sulphur 30X 4 hourly

Burning pain in stomach (Ulcer), with both water and solid vomited as soon as it reaches stomach Ars Alb.30X, 4 hourly

Burning pain in the stomach, with water vomited but solid retained Bismuth 30X, 4 hourly

Burning in food pipe,with sour stool Natrum Carb.30X, 4 hourly

Excess of hydrochloric acid, burning in food pipe, heart burn, nausea and chilly feeling. Acid Sulph.30X, 4 hourly

From nervous anticipation of coming events, desire for sweets. Argentum Nit.30X, 4 hourly

Gastric complaints after taking rich fatty food; less or no thirst; better in open air Pulsatilla.30X, 4 hourly

Hyperacidity; sour and bitter belchings Iris V 30X, 4 hourly

Slow and imperfect digestion; offensive flatuence in upper part of abdomen; better after discharge of gas or eructations. Carbo Veg.30X, 4 hourly

Gastric derangement due to sedentary habits or over-Eating/Drinking. Nux Vomica.30X, 4 hourly

Dyspepsia; better after eating Anacardium Or 30X 4 hourly

Acidity with irritating eructation and frontal headache; worse in night. Robinia 30X, 4 hourly

Constant belching; tongue thickly white coated.
Heatburn. Desire for acids, pickles etc. Antim Crud.30X or 200X, 6 hourly

Digestion slow, no change after passing flatus or belching. Flatulence affects middle part of the abdomen. China 6X or 30X, 4 hourly

Abdomen bloated; easy satiety, gas affects lower part of the abdomen; worse in the evening – 4 to 8 P.M. Lycopodium 30X, 4 hourly

Pain and flatulence in stomach, smell of food causes nausea Colchicum 30X, 4 hourly (3 Doses)

Intercurrent Remedy Psorinum 30X, 4 hourly (3 Doses)

Take the remedy which is similar to your symptoms. No side effects or complications if taken as directed, please do not exceed the given dosage and under any circumstances do not try to mix any remedies and avoid Chocolates, Mints, Coffee, Red Meat, Alcoholic and Carbonated drinks, Spicy Rich Food while taking any Homeopathic remedies, and keep the medicines away from direct sunlight, heat strong smells and perfumes and do not store them in the fridge.
Curing without any side effects or Complications Thats the Beauty of Homeopathic Medicine (Cures Par Excellence)

Take Care and God Bless You !

If you have a bit of spare change, go to the health food store and purchase digestive enzyme supplements. Not sure how much they cost, but here in Australia they are about $30 for 90 tablets so this is good value. Digestive enzyme supplements are so amazingly effective i can’t begin to tell you! If you do have acid reflux from the H Pylori bacteria you will need antibiotics to get rid of it. My mother suffered from GERD and LPR for 5 years and now has neither (after a few weeks!) from only taking digestive enzyme supplements before each meal. Now if you haven’t any money for digestive enzymes, try apple cider vinegar (with the mother in it – stringy bits that contain digestive enzymes). All raw foods contain enzymes so eating cooked, processed foods and not chewing thoroughly all put a strain on your stomach and pancreas. I’ll add some great websites to check out. Here is to your good health.

Side effects of acid blockers:
http://refluxdefense.com/heartburn_GERD_articles/side-effects-antacids-and-acid-blockers.html

Reflux and H Pylori:
http://h-pylori-symptoms.com/heartburn-is-not-caused-by-excess-acid/

Digestive enzymes:
http://www.natural-indigestion-relief.com/acid-reflux-remedies-digestive-enzymes.html

Apple cider vinegar:
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/interested-in-the-apple-cider-vinegar-acid-reflux-home-remedy-413860.html

How stomach acid works:
http://www.jonbarron.org/weight-loss-program/03-12-2007.php

It’s not clear whether your symptoms are a side effect of the PPI you are taking (unlikely, PPIs are generally very well tolerated and this does not sound like a typical side effect) or a complication of problems you are having with ongoing acid reflux. The cells that line the oesophagus are fragile and have little protection from acid, unlike the lining of the stomach, which is why you feel a burning sensation. The problem with acid reflux is that over time, one can develop stricture due to long-term acid inflammation which causes scarring and narrowing of the oesophagus

The chronic chronic cough and throat irritation and laryngospasm could be the result of stricture or some other problem related or unrelated to your acid reflux, for this reason you must see a Doctor for a proper evaluation. Your problems warrant urgent investigation, and an endoscopy is probably indicated.

In answer to your question:-

1. PPIs were never intended for long-term use, however depending on ones situation, if you have ongoing reflux issues, in most cases the benefits outweigh any risks (if you leave reflux untreated you can develop Barrett’s oesophagus, where the cells that line the lower oesophagus change and can become cancerous).

There is no evidence that PPIs cause cancer in humans.

2. Well you could try oral products like gaviscone and baking soda, however this won’t stop the reflux, at best it may line and coat the lining of the oesophagus and help stop the burning.

3. According to Flashflood, you people in the US do have access to drugs and health-care even if you are unemployed, so holler at her for some advice.

4. Depends whats’ causing your reflux problems. A common cause is a relaxed spinchter, -which is a band of muscle between the oesophagus and stomach. In normal cases, this relaxes to allow food down, and then tightens up to prevent food and acid leaking back up into oesophagus.In some people the spinchter relaxes meaning acid flows back up. The reason why the spinchter relaxes isn’t always known, but it’s often due to either obesity, pregnancy or ageing. It’s generally a structural problem and sometimes the pressure in the stomach rises higher than the sphincter can stand.

Are you overweight? If so, reducing your weight would help the problem. Try eating smaller portion foods and ensure your diet isn’t high in fatty foods because the stomach takes longer to dispose of stomach acids after digesting a fatty meal. Another common cause is a hiatus hernia. Surgery can fix both these problems, but surgery is a last resort. It’s quite a complex proceedure.

4. I mentioned eating small portions and less fatty food, this will help. Drink alcohol in moderation.

5. More common in pregnancy, smokers and older people.

Have a chat with your GP about this problem.