[YEA]  12/26/2009: Cyndi from Fort Walton Beach, Fl: "About a month ago out of no where, GERD showed up. I went to the hospital not knowing what I had. Pain in my stomach, lump in my throat, could not burp, terrible acid reflux. The doctor gave me Nexium and a few days later no change at all.

Then I found this site and posts on Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. I rushed to the health food store to try anything!

After 2 weeks of sipping 2 tablespoons in a 1/2 cup of water 3 times a day with each meal, it is totally gone! All your feedback here I feel saved me from such misery.

I also cut out coffee and chocolate and watch more on what I eat.

For safe measures, I take a sip of ACV every evening now before bed mixed with some water.

I hope this helps someone like all the comments here helped me."

EC: Thanks for the reminder. We need to separate all the GERD posts and put them on a new ailments page.

12/01/2009: Maria from Toronto, Ontario, Canada replies: "This is a question for Dylan of Arizona. Out of curiosity, how long have you tried the vinegar/honey combo and how long have you tried the meds for? Just wondering if you gave both enough time to work their magic. I'm 46, out of the blue just started these symptoms - constant pain in throat,neck feeling swollen, esophagal burning & intermittent hoarseness. Upper GI series was clear & scope via nose (that was special)showed no lesions in the throat/esophagus. Go figure. This is frustrating as I am thin as well, used to work out religiously but now I find it hurts to even lift any weights & feel like I'm getting weaker by the day. Tried Prevacid, just took the edge off. Recently prescribed Nexium - but thought to #$@* with the meds, & visited a health store. Owner was a pharmacist in the Ukraine, she seemed quite knowledgeable & agreed that the vinegar was a good idea, also suggested a supplement with Iberis amara 20 ml for heartburn & a tablet with L. acidophilus in it to specifically assist in maintaining normal intestinal microflora. I'll see how that goes & let you know. Oh and I will be trying slippery elm bark powder herbal tea.

Also, I've been under tremendous stress for quite a few years & feel stress has brought this on. Does anyone have any input on this? Is there a connection? As I said, I'm 46 & am so ticked off this is happening to me at this age, I can't imagine how you must be feeling at 24 - keep me posted. I really hope it works out for you & others with this ailment."

12/02/2009: Dylan from Phoenix, Az, United States replies: "Hey Maria from Toronto,

As of today, I've been on the Apple Cider Vinegar for about a week. Earlier this month, I was on it for a week as well, but feared that it may have led to some really bad stomach problems. Even now, I'm having some fairly bad diarrhea and I think it may be because of the vinegar, but I'd rather take the vinegar than the medicine.

As for the medicine, I've taken two weeks of Zantac, two weeks of prescription omeprazole, and two more weeks of Prilosec OTC. This should be more than enough time for the meds to work, if they were going to fix my issues.

Aloe Vera gel, either by itself or in a shake, is really soothing to the throat.

Good luck, and keep me posted on the slipper elm tea. I have yet to try that, but it's on my list of things to try."

12/03/2009: Maria from Toronto, Ontario, Canada replies: "Hi Dylan:

Thanks for your post. I will try the Aloe. I have heard that Aloe is detoxyifying so I looked it up further and I read some comments that if you do take more than 8 oz/day it will act as a laxative. You probably know this, but I thought just in case ...

This is my 2nd day of trying the vinegar & probiotics, some relief with indigestion (psychological, who knows?), none whatsoever with pain in throat (this is where the Aloe comes in I suppose), but I will give it more time. I will send you another post in about a week or two to tell you how it's going. Do you or anyone else in this group get dizzy spells? Just wondering if dizziness is a symptom of Gerds.

Again, take care of yourself."

12/03/2009: Dylan from Phoenix, Az, United States replies: "Hey Maria,

I used to get dizziness when I was on medicine, but it's severely lessened as of late.

And the apple cider vinegar is probably giving you indigestion. It's strong stuff. I tend to use less of it if I know I'm having a smaller meal."

[SIDE EFFECTS]  12/08/2009: Maria from Toronto, Ontario, Canada replies: "TOTALLY Frustrated! Indigestion is ongoing, even with ACV, I am now trying one drink - 1 tsp ACV/day. As much as I didn't want to but out of desperation, tried the Nexium, but only 1-40mg capsule per day at night, not the prescribed, twice a day, 40 mg. Third day of trying that and now having bad abdominal pain & hey, guess what, move aside Dylan, the runs! BTW, can't believe I'm actually talking about BM with a guy :( I, like you, have cut out foods that I shouldn't be having - even coffee which is a big thing for me. Anyways, going back to the family dr then to the specialist to figure out what's going on. Like I have nothing better to do. It's ski season here & I'm dying to get out there but have no strength, that's the frustration. To be so active & then be struck down by this so fast. I know, I know, oh woe is me ..."

12/09/2009: Maria from Toronto, On, Canada replies: "Thank you so much Dj. I will try this as well. I just read an article written by a dr. on the internet today who states that we need the acidity in our stomach & that very rarely do we produce too much acid. By taking these Rx, we are disrupting the pH balance in our stomach thus damaging the environment for billions of good bacteria which is impt to proper digestion & good health. Decreasing acid can cause digestive problems down the road. This makes alot of sense from a physiological standpoint. When I told my family dr that the Nexium is giving me the runs & bad abdominal cramps (and I'm not even on the double dose!), he said I need to give it a couple of weeks for my body to adjust to it. I don't know about that, because I've always understood that this is the body's natural reaction to a toxin being introduced to the body. Just wish I could find a doctor in Toronto/Mississauga who is on the same page as me. I've always been a fighter, so I hope I can fight this as well. Thanks everyone for their input and this website."

12/09/2009: Lisa from Thousand Oaks, Ca, USA replies: "Maria, look for a naturopath instead because they will be on that page. You can do a search for one up there by you. They will find the keys to helping you. Hope this helps. Lisa"

12/10/2009: Maria from Toronto, On, Canada replies: "Thank you Lisa. I will try that today. I take it that you had a positive experience with a Naturopath. If you don't mind me asking, do/have you suffer(ed) from GERD and how did they help you?"

01/21/2013: Judith from Toronto, On replies: "Hi Maria, How are you? Did you find a good homeopathic docotor in Toronto? I am looking for one. I developed a bad acid reflux or GERD or hiatal hernia and my esophagus was inflammed which is much better now. The cause was probably lots of antibioitcs for 1 month (Penicillin, Amoxicillin -stopped it because of bad reaction, Clindamycin 2 rounds --this is a killer).

All because of a simple tooth extraction where the dentist pulled my cheek so much that the infection seemed to be so big then at the end the muscle was very inflammed which is kind of sorted now.

My very bad heartburn started after I stopped the Clinda. My chest was burning continuously for some days that it woke me up and my chest was sweating and burning so much, no fever though. I didn't know what it is. I had some pressure around my liver. Chest pain on the left side was checked by a cardiologist ( done 2 tests). Everything is normal.

Now a physician prescribed me Tecta antacid once a week. Day before I started felt better, but now I think I have very little acid which makes me constipated or the digestive enzymes I don`t know. I took it for 2 weeks and want to stop it as it also kills some good bacteria which I don`t have a lot fo them as I am trying to get them back after the antibiotics killed them all.

The mornings I feel better than in the evenings I mean my mouth is not dry. Taking probiotics: Sacc. Boulardii and Flora 50 billion."

01/21/2013: Ed2010 from Oakville, Canada replies: "Hi Judith, It is good you only took antacid only for couple of weeks. There are people who take antacid for life without knowing that they are doing damage to themselves.

Ok, now stop taking any antacid. You can even stop s. boulardi and flora. Now to heal your esophagus and GI and to cure GERD.

Take 1 bowl of Miso Soup two times a day. And after every meal take a cup of Home Made Milk Kefir. Use Red Miso, Miso is a great Probiotic food and rich in amino acids. Milk Kefir is the wearhouse of all the good bacteria and yeasts. You can get miso from Big Carrot in Danforth Ave.

Let us know how you improve,

Good Health."

01/24/2013: Judith from Toronto, Ontario, Canada replies: "Hi Ed2010, Thank you so much for your help. I will take miso and try to get kefir as well. Thanks for reminding of the miso. After stopping the PPI I started to do the following:

MORNING:

1-2 glasses of warm water then jump down from the bed while pushing down my stomach with my hands when I breath out ( for the possible sliding hiatal hernia) I feel the differencea I can breath better and don`t feel so full after meal.

QUESTION: What kind of supplement should I take to strengthen the muscle of my stomach to keep my stomach to its original place and to avoid sliding? I am doing some exercises and massage to hel with the hernia and as my stomach is pushed back to its original place I need to strenghten the muscles to keep it there, so the hernia will go away.

500 mg mastic gum 1 hour before breakfast

( as I might have an ulcer on the lfet side of the chest sometimes hurts when I drink or eat smthng cold) it started after I had a myocardial perfusion test done to get checked my heart , perhaps the radtion made the heartburn or ulcer worse as I felt the tracers like little bugs moving in my chest and when they went to the point on the left chest where I feel the pressure was very painful, it went away in 1 week)

put 1 teaspoon of manuka honey and royal jelly, yogurt, cinnamon, pureed apple, pear or peaches

LUNCH:

1 chewable papaya digestive enzyme during meal

2 hrs after probiotic ( still take it as my bowel movement is not ok , and the 2 roudns of Clindamycin and PPI can have after effects which can cause C. Difficile as killing the bowel flora)

DINNER:

DGL licorice root chewable 20 mins before dinner

My esophagus is good now ( I mean food goes down without any pain )but still avoid acidic food, eat very plain, puree fruits. I would like to eat some veggies too, but soft cooked carrots and broccoli made caused me more gas and made me bloated.

My stool is still not ok. I have one or 2 bowel movements per day that`s the same as before the anntibiotics. However the color is still yellow-brown green. It gets more brown now. I can still see partly digested food in my stool.

Do you think I should be worried about that?

Thanks in advance for your help, guys. This website is a blessing and people who really care and ready to help and first of all think as you spend more time by answering me than actually the doctor who checked me and didn`t care just gave me the antacids.

Thank you

Judit"

01/25/2013: Ed2010 from Oakville, Canada replies: "Hello Judith, if you feel good I am glad about it. You can avoid store bought yoghurt, make your own yoghurt. Carrot juice is excellent for Liver and Intestines. You don't have to cook carrot.

Once your digestion and peristalisis is normalized the stools color will become brown. Stools shape, color, smell, consistency is a good indication of health. Also, prepare Ted's alkalizing formula and sip throught the day.

Good Health, Thanks."

01/25/2013: Judit from Toronto, Ontario, Canada replies: "Hi Ed, Thanks again for your help. I didn` t think of juicing the carrott. It's a great idea. I will do it.

How do you make yogurt or kefir at home in simple way? Do you do your own?

I checked Ted's alkalizing formula. I will start to do it. The great thing is I can stop them whenever I want and NO SIDE EFFECTS. By the way it was 5 days ago when I stopped the antacid. The first day I was fine. The second day I felt more acid in my stomach which was burning a lot ( it still does, but less than before) , still have gas and bloating, very little burping.

The day when I ate carrot it was hard for my stomach, gas, burning in stomach and chest pressure which pushed up my stomach again and a bus ride was enough to slide up my hernia close to my chest. So now I exercise and try to push the hernia back. I believe if my stomach goes back to its original place and make the diaphgram strong, the GERD issues will go away.

I know it will take time, exercise, massage, being careful to avoid bending, lifting and carrying things. Any idea how to stregthen the diaphgram and stomach muscle in a natural way?

Thanks a lot and I am so grateful for this website it`s such a blessing."

01/26/2013: Mmsg from Somewhere, Europe replies: "Judit, read up on deep abdominal breathing."

01/26/2013: Ed2010 from Oakville, Canada replies: "How do you conclude that you have Hiatal Hernia. Did you do a scan or x-ray. If you confirm that you have Hernia, then it is a mechanical problem. For which you have consult a blessed (yes blessed) Chiropractor, Kinesologist, Massage Therapist. Once the hiatal hernia is solved all your symptoms will vanish.

Hiatal Hernia can mimic symptoms of many diseases.

However, what you are doing now is good like miso soup, Ted's formula, carrot juice, kefir, yoghurt. It is because these foods will prevent further damage that will be caused by Hernia.

Yes I make my own yoghurt and kefir, there are many videos in youtube that you can watch.

To make yoghurt, boil 300 ml milk then make it luke warm. Now add the teaspoon of culture. The culture is just a teaspoon of yoghurt from your previous batch. If you are doing for first time, then take a teaspoon of any store bought yoghurt and add it. Keep it in a warm place for 5-8hours till the milk turns to yoghurt. For warm place, I place it in my oven and switch on the light. Yoghurt will be ready in 5 hours.

Hope it helps. Good Health"

01/31/2013: Judith from Toronto, Ontario replies: "Hi Someone in Europe, Thanks. I do the abdominal breathing. The left side is ok, but still feel pressure on the rigth side just under the ribcage. MAybe my gallbladder or liver. I need to get it checked."

01/31/2013: Judit from Toronto, Ontario replies: "Hi Ed from Oakville, Well, I am not sure if it`s the hernia.

I drink carrot juice and apple carrot puree at least twice a day, banana, avocado, salad without dressing. The miso soup is good but I feel a bit of discomfort in my esophagus. So I eat it 3 times a week. Wow! Thanks for the yogurt recipe. I didn`t know it`s so easy to make it. How long do you use the culture from your first hoem made yogurt?

It might be something else, yes , need to get it checked. I am just a bit sick of the doctors as they aalways prescribe me something. They sent me to do a barium x-ray, but as I have constipation I am not gonna do it especially of there is something wrong with my liver or gallbladder ( after taking so many antibiotics for maybe nothing if it was just the muscle, not really the infection). I can imagine my liver needs to work a lot. My stool was very greenish, yellowish, brownish , light which kind of changed. I was thinking lots of bile is leaving my body with stools. Sometimes hard tinypieces were in stool. Gallstones or indigested food (like chickpeas)?

Now the pressure is kind of gone under the left ribcage. However I feel more on the right side. Yes, I should get a CT scan or x-ray. It might be my gallbladder or liver.

I drank some kombucha grape juice, it was ok. Still digesting slowly a bit. Eating prunes for that it works. Eating much more fruits and veggies (80 %). However my tummy starts to make strange noise. I might need more acid too. I am getting the ACV today and coconut oil to start TEd`s formula. If everything goes well I would stop the licorice root for the reflux and maybe if I eat food which is not so easy to digest at the moment, like broccoli or cabbage I would take digestive enzyme. Than if I eat them again I would try it without the enzyme.

I plan to rub the coconut oil on my abdomen where I feel the pressure ( also lower right back pressure, slight pain).

I take the licorce root chewable tablet in the morning now. I feel ok, no reflux, but in the morning I feel like fluid moves in my intestines or goes around my ribcage on the left side if I lay down on that side. IF I do it on my rigth side nothing the fluid doesn`t go there. Do you know what it can be? I was thinking that`s the area where the diaphgram, gallbladder, liver and esophagus are. I need to get it checked for sure, but with homeopathic doctors. Byt the way do you know a good homeopathic doctor in the GTA or even in Bulington, Oakville?

Many thanks, Judit"

02/02/2013: Anon from Anon replies: "I know someone who went to the doctor who xrayed and said you have a weak spot in your intestine with some gas in it. But after resting the digestive tract it didn't go away. Then the doctor tested more and said your intestine twisted. After surgery it's ok now."

02/05/2013: Judith from Toronto, Ontario replies: "Anon, I realized the fullness and bloated feeling on that part of the intestines were the beans what I ate or something else I don`t know. They might had been to heavy to digest for my intestines. 1 big kind of hairy stool came out. I have strange stools (food particles or dead bugs in it?) when I don`t take the digestive enzymes or don`t eat some arugula with olive oil. I take this before every meal to help digestion with a healthy bile flow.

Still having digestive issues but I read the slipperyy elm can cause constipation, The advice is to drink a lots of water with it.

Thanks for your answer. I keep in mind in case if the same feeling comes back and get it checked so I will know they problems were not the beans.

Thanks again."

02/05/2013: Judith from Toronto, Ontario replies: "Hi Anon, Thanks for the info. I hope it`s not the case with me.

I was taking so many antibiotics. They messed up the acid level in my stomach, plus the LES valve is weak. I guess my acidity was hight then after the antacids is low. Food was fermenting in my stomach (saw undigested food particles, constipation some days after finished the antacid).

Now digestion is still slower than usually, lump feeling in throat, sharp pain on the same left side of the chest (after I slept lying down conpletely, twice), the acid or something from the foods fermenting in my guts). So need to watch out for maybe candida (afetr stopped the antacid) or h-plyori or ulcer in esophagus (due to high stomach acid).

The esophagus is still raw, the sharp pain is lessened after I take slippery elm fennugreek lozenges, but the lump feeling in throat is still there. I am getting my blood, urine, stool tested as the underlying cause of all of my symtpoms might be many things : candida, B complex or Mg deficiency ( after the antibitoics and tooth extraction I was not able to eat well), weak LES valve, liver full of toxins so no bile congestion and therefore the reflux, H-plyori ( it was negative month ago , but who know now ).

I try to eat alkaline food as much as possible and eat more often and smaller portions, but in the morning when I drink water even that makes me burp. In the evening after dinner I feel lump in my thorat and burping is more difficult.

New symptoms back of the tongue now more parts of the tongue get a white coating. I can scrape it easily, it doesn`t hurt, but I can never get rid of it fully. What do you think with the burned/raw or ulcer on esophagus how do stop the too much or too little acid ( I don`t know which one I am having) and to do the baking soda and ACV water testing would be too risky to do as I don`t want to burn my esophagus.

Answer would be very much appreciated. Many thanks."

10/28/2009: Carolyn from Hobbs, Nm, Usa replies: "Response to Tab from Illinois:

No your mother should not stop her meds the day she starts the ACV and honey. I've been on it for 4 months and I am just now cutting down on my meds. I was on Prevacid and Nexium before I started the ACV. Now 4 months later I am down to 1 small dosage Zantac each day. I probably won't stop that last pill for another 3 months. So my advice is to stay on her meds until she can gradually cut them down. Good luck, Carolyn"

10/28/2009: Carolyn from Hobbs, Nm, Usa replies: "Tab, I forgot to tell you in my last response. I do not put the baking soda in my ACV. Too many side effects. I drink 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon honey in a glass of water and drink 30 minutes before each meal. Three times a day. Good luck, Carolyn"

EC: LES = lower esophageal sphincter

05/22/2009: G from High Point, NC replies: "Julie, forget the Dr's and trust what WORKS. If ACV has worked for you in the past then continue using it. After I was diagnosed with GERD I tried 5 different prescription PPI's and they were all like poison to my body. Within 10 days of using ACV I was pretty much cured. I couldn't freakin' believe it! That was well over a yr ago and now I use the ACV only once every 2-3 days. I also have Barrett's Esophagus (from the GERD is what my Dr. told me) and when I went for an EGD 3 months ago the Dr. couldn't believe that the Barrett's had regressed big time and what he called "a remarkable turnaround".

Do what works, not as you're told. Try increasing the amount of water you take with each dose of ACV.

G"

05/23/2009: Lenore from Chicago, Illinois replies: "Slippery elm bark cured my acid refux.You can buy slippery elm bark powder in most health food stores. I found out about it while researching for a cure for acid reflux, made the tea by adding 1 heaping tablespoon to one pint of boiling water- let steep one hour then simmer a few minutes - strain( or not) and drink. Prior to this I took tums, prisolec and other otc and prescription meds to no avail. After using this remedy I have no more trouble, I was also informed that tums and other drugs taken over the long haul begin to cause the problem they were originally meant to cure. I had acid refux so bad it burnt my throat and I had to try to sleep while sitting up. Amazingly I only had to take it 2x in a whole year and otherwise have not even modified my diet at all. Slippery elm bark is also very nourishing and is said to heal anything it comes into contact with."

10/06/2009: Mary from Alameda, California replies: "Julie, your symptoms are those described as side effects on meds such as aciphex. I have GERD and have taken aciphex for years. I recently was told by my Dr. to double the dosage. I have started getting hives, rash, and itching. I looked these up and discovered that I probably am getting an allergic reaction to the aciphex. I have stopped taking it. While doing my research, your symptoms kept coming up as side effects by many people who were taking meds for acid reflux. Google side affects for whatever meds your taking. I don't know what website had all the comments by people who had side affects that doctors were saying they could'nt get. Yet, the number of people speaks for themselves. Good luck, Mary"

01/07/2010: Chuck from Chicago, Il replies: "I just started taking apple cider vinegar before dinner last night (1/6/10). I am still taking my Prilosec like the doctor ordered even though it wasn't working. I will keep you posted on my progress. Thanks for the information everyone."

12/05/2009: Athomemom56 from Saint Paul, Mn replies: "Can someone please tell me what time of day to take the ACV, and do you take it at the same time as Zantac? Does taking them together have any negative or positive effects? BTW, I take my Zantac in the morning and in the evening."