GERD

Have you ever wondered why you have acid reflux?  Most people over the age of 50 do. It is considered one of the “old-age” disease…thank you very much. As a Baby Boomer when I turned 50 I can remember the exact moment it hit me, Acid Reflux Disease. I was at dinner with friends having a wonderful time drinking wine and eating Clams Casino as an appetizer when burp it started burning in my throat. “What the heck is that?” Then it happened again and again that horrible burning there is a volcano in the stomach feeling.

I noticed it was happening to my friends, too. A few summers ago, I was out in a boat with the girls and they were drinking Margaritas. I witnessed Katie take a sip of cocktail and then chew on a Tums; take another sip and eat another Tums. Whoa!!!!

I made an appointments with a gastro who prescribed the usual prescription of Prilosec that works as PPI (proton pump inhibitor)

 When you eat, millions of tiny pumps in your stomach produce acid to break down food—and heartburn can occur when excess acid refluxes into your esophagus. A PPI treatment, such as Prilosec or the generic form Omeprazole, works by turning off many of these pumps to reduce the amount of acid produced, but leaving enough acid for digestion. Prilosec, for some people, treats frequent heartburn for 24 hours with one pill a day for 14 days. (Note: the 14 days. That’s how long you are supposed to take the drug.)  Prilosec starts working on day one, and some people get complete relief of symptoms within 24 hours. It may take one to four days for full effect. PPI’s did not work for me. On to the next treatment.

H2 Blockers

H2 blockers relieve heartburn symptoms by blocking histamine type 2 receptors, one of the three triggers of acid production. H2 blockers can begin working within an hour, so they act faster than a PPI, but they do not provide the immediate relief of an antacid. H2 blockers then continue to work in the body for up to 12 hours. H2 blockers can work against heartburn, but they do not last a full 24 hours from just one pill. Prevacid is an example of a H2 blocker.

 Antacids

I depend on antacids. They seem to work the best for me. I use a combination of store brand Ranitidine (Zantac) 150 dose and Mylanta which seems to control the “volcano” in my stomach. Antacids neutralize the acid in your stomach. Antacids go to work on your heartburn immediately unlike PPI’s. While no heartburn treatments cure the condition, antacids provide only temporary relief.

Getting Old Is Not Fun.
With age, the strength of the lower esophageal sphincter (or LES, the valve that connects the bottom of your esophagus to your stomach) decreases, as does the amount of stomach acid produced. This is an excellent recipe for acid reflux and explains why close to 50% of adults over the age of 50 experience acid reflux. There is a common misconception that acid reflux is caused by too much stomach acid when in reality it is more common for the cause to be low stomach acid, say some of the experts. I have experimented with increasing my stomach acid to test this with horrible results. I tried drinking only grapefruit juice diet…OMG!  Then I tried to increase my stomach acid with Betaine Hydrochloride. OUCH! I threw the bottle away. Now on to drinking a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar which seemed to increase the burn in my stomach, not decrease it.

However, according to some health websites they stress that we Baby Boomers produce less acid and If stomach acid is too low, then LES doesn’t close properly and allows stomach contents and acid to splash up and irritate the esophagus causing heart burn. One website makes the point that teenagers produce more stomach acid than mature adults and they don’t have acid reflux.(Hmmmm) Baby Boomers also tend to be taking multiple medications, many of which can weaken the LES. These include nitrates, calcium channel blockers, benzodiazepines, anticholinergic agents, and antidepressants.

As we age, lactase levels in the small intestine decrease, leading to dairy intolerance. There may also be an overgrowth of bacteria that can cause gas, bloating and bowel habit changes. The small intestine also becomes less able to absorb nutrients such as B12, Iron, Calcium and Vitamin D.

I spoke to my gastroenterologist about the low acid theory and she said that it is true in about 10% of adults and the rest of the population produce too much acid. During my research I have read many conflicting reports. Some have said too much acid and others have said too little acid. Who to believe?

Lifestyle changes for reducing acid reflux disease.

• Skip alcohol, soda, coffee
• Eat small meals.
• Dark chocolate can irritate your stomach
• Take dairy out of your diet
• I find that juicing does not irritate my stomach and is a good way to up your veggie intake
• Don’t eat 4 hours before you go to sleep
• Don’t eat until your stuff. Leave yourself a little hungry at meals. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to catch up with your stomach
• Lose weight. Experts say that losing weight helps with acid reflux
• Use two pillows under your head when sleeping.

Recommendation

If you have acid reflux I recommend finding a gastroenterologist and seek treatment. Also, if you have had it for a prolonged time, then ask to have a endoscopy to see if you have any damage in the lining of the esophagus. When stomach acid constantly splashes up into your esophagus you may develop Barrett’s Esophagus Disease; scar tissue buildup that can lead to esophageal cancer. Why more doctors do not recommend an endoscopy along with a colonoscopy is something I do not understand because personally I know more people who have died from esophageal cancer than colon cancer.

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Terry Ryan and Mo

Terry Ryan is a blogger, recent author of The Insomnia Cure: How I Kicked Insomnia Out of My Bed, health enthusiast, and website designer. She lives in Sarasota, FL and Lake George, NY.