Acid Reflux - Castle Rock,CO

We always try to do an antacid that is also for gas. With Simethicone in it. That way the gas bubbles go away as the stomach acid is going away.

Also, water and drinks often made my acid worse. It was like the fluid swished them around more and let them get all riled up.

I took Lavsin and Tagamet. I would feel instant pain relief with the Levisin.

I used to take Previcid and found it to be VERY effective. I did not have any symptoms when taking it. When I was pregnant with my first my doctor switched me to Pepcid, which I now buy over the counter. I think Previcid was a little bit better than Pepcid, but it is nice to just walk in and buy it and not have to get a prescription.

It is possible he needs a higher dose of the Previcid? I would talk to the doctor about it. If I don't take my meds I do feel like I'm going to throw up. I actually get acid that comes up my throat and burns. Sometimes I even do throw up. If I forget to take my meds and need relief, sometimes taking Tums will help until the meds begin to work.

I would talk to his doctor about your concerns. There really might be something she can do besides suggest over the counter meds.

I have several family members with chronic acid reflux. They are on daily medication to help control it. The only time I ever had "heart burn" was when I was pregnant. Of course, because I was pregnant, I didn't want to take any medication if I could avoid it. Each of my family members , at different times, told me to drink milk. For people with severe acid reflux there is no replacement for medications like Zantac or Prevacid. However, a simple glass of milk (chocolate milk if you like) is fantastic for soothing that pain in your throat that makes you want to vomit. You will still burp, it just won't hurt and burn your throat.

I know it sounds like a silly suggestion but I also know it has always worked for me and it works for my family members when they are having a flare up that their daily medication isn't controlling.

I have acid reflux due to a hiatal hernia. Nexium is the best that I have tried. It is a prescription though.

A few tips for GERD:

Raise up the head of the bed. I use a sleeping bag folded up UNDER the head of the mattress. At hotels, etc. I put pillows or whatever I can find under the mattress. Don't just raise up his head with extra pillows (on top of mattress) because this will put too much pressure on his stomach muscles and force up the acid.

Avoid nuts, chocolate and mint. I switched to Tom's of Maine fruity toothpaste at bedtime. My GI doc said these things loosen up the sphincter muscle allowing acid to escape.

Don't go to bed or lay down right after eating. I try to wait 3-4 hours.

Carbonation is horrible for GERD. So is anything greasy or deep fried.

Eventually when I got a handle on my acid reflux I re-introduced all the above foods and everything was fine. I still do keep my head elevated.

Also, make sure he gets lots of water to keep him regular. Constipation stops everything from moving in the right direction and makes acid reflux horrible.

Good luck to your son. I hope he gets some relief!

I would find a new doctor if you don't trust this one to help your son. It will likely be a combination of medication and diet changes that will help this acid reflux.

I had bad acid reflux for months and finally saw a doctor and took one prescribed pill for it and had an anaphylactic allergic reaction. I thought I was going to have to live with acid reflux for the rest of my life. Then I paid attention to what I ate and drank and eliminated what seems to make it worse. What worked finally is when I cut out all carbonation, and I have no more acid reflux. I've been able to add back chocolate, tomato-based foods, coffee, and wine, which are common irritants and I still have no problems.

I would talk to the doctor again. He may need to add Zantac to the Prevacid. I taked the Prevacid currently and it does help. My son had to take both when he was an infant because his GERD was so bad.

The science behind the two medicines is that one is an antacid like Tums that neutralizes the acid in his stomach. The Prevacid is a Proton Pump Inhibitor which stops his stomach from making the acid. They both work on acid in the stomach, but, they also work differently. So, talking to his doctor really might be the best thing.

Another idea is that it might be a food allergy acting up as well. I found out I was Gluten Sensitive because I kept throwing up all the time, and the tests were all inconclusive.

Drinking Aloe Vera Juice (you can find it in stores that sells natural/organic products) might help relieve some symptoms if is actually a problem of acid reflux. It tastes good.
Soda, white bread, sugary things and sometimes dairy products exacerbate the problem. Balancing medication and diet would help greatly so also keep in mind that the frequent use of antacid (any kind) may increase heartburn and pain, so it would be a good idea to get another opinion from a gastroenterologist as another mom suggested here.
Good luck!

What KIND of doctor did you take him to? If it was just a pediatrician then you need to see a pediatric gastroenterologist.

Plus, even if you stick with a pediatrician they're not going to just say, "Oh go find some OTC meds if the Prevacid isn't working."

They're going to say, "Hmm, okay, well apparently the current dose isn't high enough. Let's see if a slightly higher dose helps. Let's also get him referred to a pediatric GI specialist and a pediatric nutritionist who can help figure out if there are any triggering/exacerbating foods or drinks."

I use a patented product that has a mix of herbs, fiber (soluble and insoluble), and other digestive aids. I don't believe in doing a home-based mix of products especially if they have warning labels on them - particularly in children. Most OTC stuff has stuff in it you don't want your kid eating! I recommend something that is more comprehensive, which supplies key nutrients missing from the average diet (no matter how "well" someone eats), is non-GMO, and works on the entire digestive system, not just the stomach. What you're doing isn't working and your poor little guy is miserable. Finding a patent is rare but it means the product is proven to be safe, effective and unique. You really want to address the cause of the problem vs. just treating the symptoms, which is what the medications and Tums are doing. I can give you a recommendation if this new approach is the route you want to go.

My son suffered from GERD for years. In 6th grade the gastroenterologist did scope him for celiac and did test him at that time for acid levels. His acid levels were above normal-but tested neg. for celiac. At that time then he drank one Tablespoon of Brags apple cider vinegar mixed with water each day and that helped. But continued with other health issues and not until 10th grade did more testing find out he is gluten sensitive. Once he went off gluten all issues with GERD were resolved. A good probiotic such as vsl will help too. You need to heal and take care of his gut health in order to remove the GERD issues and get him tested for food sensitivities -find a holistic practitioner so that your son does not have to be on these meds. I learned so much via my son's many health issues and have treated them all naturally that I am now returning to college for a nutritionist degree. Traditional Doctors only recommended medications....do your research....you can try the elimination diet-remove gluten for 3 weeks, add it in, see what happens, remove dairy, etc... but be careful as gluten is hidden in many foods and you have to read labels very closely...

HI S.,

Karen B is right on! The only thing I will add to what she said is that gluten intolerance is directly related to a low immune system. People have been consuming gluten for centuries with no problem. Get the immune system working properly and gluten issues go away.

Slippery elm bark will also heal internal tissue so pain will go away. The damage that has been done needs to heal.

God bless,
M.