Problems with stomach acid/GERD

#11

Apple Cider Vinegar is probably the closest thing there is on earth to living up to its billing as a “miracle cure” for everything gut and blood sugar related. Learn to like it and it will take care of you. I use it daily and have never taken another antacid or prescription reflux medicine in six months.

#12

I had horrific acid before keto, I would gag up acid all night couldn’t sleep. Multiple scopes and bad looking spots in my esophagus. I started Keto and it stopped immediately, not a single incident in over 100 days!

Sorry you are struggling with this, and I know my situation is opposite but that’s been my experience.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #13

Twenty years ago I bought a book about all the uses of ACV. I so wish I had kept it. Drink, wash your face, etc. When I get a glycolic acid peel, my derm says the Very Best Thing to heal the peel is ACV/ He says actually, one should use it every day, but people generally don’t want to smell like a salad. :rofl::rofl: When I do use it on my face I get compliments. And I absolutely love the taste. The only thing I worry about is the effect on my teeth. When I do drink it, it is very diluted.

#14

Drink it through a straw.

(Karen) #15

The idea is that you have the reflux from not having enough stomach acid and that the food tends to ferment and rot and then go up your throat. So I add this extra acid to my stomach and meats and things digest better.

(Bunny) #16

Digestive bitters need to stimulate that stomach acid production…

https://www.ketogenicforums.com/t/acv-vs-pickles-vs-soda-all-are-acid-so-should-help-vs-alkalinity/30542/6?u=atomicspacebunny

(Janelle) #17

This discussion is really interesting about not having enough acid. However, if an acid reducer seems to work, is it acid or not? I bought ACV and diluted it but had a hard time gagging it down. Just like I wouldn’t drink pickle juice, it’s just gross to me. Maybe I need to keep trying.

(Hyperbole- best thing in the universe!) #18

Acid recucers make your esophagus feel better because acid isn’t supposed to be there in the first place. But because the real problem is too low acid, they actually make the problem worse in the long run. This counts for remedies like milk, too. Tums is a self perpetuating cycle.

(Karen) #19

^^^^ THIS^^^^^
Don’t use acid reducers. HCL w/pepsin on amazon.

https://jennifercarynbrand.com/stomach-acid-test-diy/

Try burp test

#20

Try ACV, it helps a lot of people with that. Does the total opposite of what you’d think. I wound up on a PPI for a while because of that and it wasn’t worth it.

(Rob Grantham) #21

That is simply genius!

(Jeb Bower) #22

I used to get bad heartburn quite a bit as well…I was buying antacid in bulk at Sam’s.

My wife and I started doing keto which I think helped and, as others have suggested, I also started taking 2tbsp of ACV every day. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I’ve had some heartburn in the last 6 months, and even then it wasn’t bad enough that I considered taking antacid for it.

When I looked into ACV, seems like 2tbsp was the consistent quantity. I throw it in a 24oz bottle of water with a couple squirts of flavoring.

#23

Wow. I am interested to see what happens. I shall try this tomorrow

(Janelle) #24

Me too. Since I lose about a pound a week, I’m looking for anything at all that can speed up the weight-loss. I was doing some Googling and found this. I have been taking a daily antacid for at least two years and gaining weight. I’m not saying that was the biggest part of my problem, but it might be contributing to a slow loss now.

https://kellmancenter.com/2014/09/want-to-lose-weight-stop-taking-prilosec/

#25

How long have you been keto?

(Janelle) #26

Me - almost 3 months. I know that’s not long but the GERD is not gone through diet alone so far.

#27

I was addressing the OP actually but the reason I asked is that it is quite common to get a bout of reflux (especially if you are prone to it) when you change what you eat pretty radically.

@CatGirl Have you stopped the antacid? I assume from what you say that you have had reflux issues for a long time including pre keto. Do you abide by typical rules like allowing enough time between last meal and bedtime? Is the reflux an issue all day or just at night/when you lie down? FYI weight loss of a pound a week is perfect and doesn’t;t really need speeding up :slight_smile:

(Janelle) #28

In reality I know that about the 1lb a week. In practice, it drives me ape to hear people post crazy fast losses - jealousy, I guess.

As to the antacid, I’ve been not taking it or one day a week. By 4pm, the acid is unbearable. I typically stop eating around 6:30 and am asleep by 10:30. It’s definitely not a night time only phenomenon. I’ll see if ACV helps. Honestly, it never occurred to me that the relief I’m getting from an acid inhibitor is probably seriously messing with my gut and digestion.

#29

You need to taper PPIs. I was put on them after my weight loss surgery and told I would have to take them for life. I read about the long-term side effects and thought [spoiler]Fuck that![/spoiler] so I talked to my GP about coming off them. He said that there was no reason not to try but I needed to taper, which I did. I get the odd bout of reflux but deal with it with a few Rennies. You really must not simply stop taking PPIs as it will be a big shock to your system. Discuss it with your GP and taper off them.

I am recording a Q&A with Annette Bosworth on Monday for my podcast - I have added reflux to the list :slight_smile:

(Janelle) #30

Thanks. What does tapering mean though? They are extended release type capsules. Would it be one every other day? Then every 3rd day, etc?