754 Digestive Health

I completely eliminated my reflux by eating one meal every 24 hours. I drink juices and other beverages at other times. I was taking prilosec 5-6 times a week.

Oded

Excellent show, extremely timely because I have Barrett's... thanks.

I wondered about the seed-lady's problem with seeds and whole grains. When I shifted back to a whole grain diet recently I had the same problem. What I discovered was that if you increase whole grains, nuts, seeds, you need to increase the amount of water you drink accordingly. Before I would drink about one glass of water a day, I upped it to the prescribed 8 and the problem went away.

A PBS special recommended a test - teaspoon of vinegar to see if there is not enough acid in the stomach. - to close the sphincter at the opening of the stomach. They called the symptom leaky gut. I eat a pickle or drink pickle juice and it stops reflux almost immediately. I never take antacids and that was the main thesis of the PBS special - people should not take antacids.

I enjoyed your informative show with Dr. Shaheen.

A few years ago, there seemed to be some debate about the causes of flatulence: To what degree is it the products of fermentation? And, to what degree is it caused by swallowed air?

Has that been settled?

I am a soon to be retired IT professional here in Chapel Hill and have been here for 40 years.

Dr. Shaheen is a good example of why it is worth the premium to live in Chapel Hill.

I was interested in your comments about pills that get stuck. I had a problem with choking on saliva a few years ago and had a swallowing study. I always thought the epiglottis closed by muscle activity of swallowing but it turned out, mine needed a bit of weight, too. Banana went down, crackers went down, apple sauce went down, and pills did not.

The recommendation was to take pills with either apple sauce or yogurt and it works like a charm. Especially, with nasty tasting pills, bury them in a spoonful of yogurt and down they go. Follow with other food or water. The chin tuck helps, too. And if you don't like yogurt, try Dannon Activia-it is full of fruit and a nice consistency for the trick.

I listened to the show this morning. I was wondering what might cause my anal fissures. I eat right (plenty of fiber), am not constipated, and generally am active and healthy. I have been to a colorectal Dr. and was in fact diagnosed with a fissure. I was given Nystatin and Triamcinolone Acetonide ointment and after a week my (itchy bottom, and bleeding fissure) symptoms were pretty much gone. No pain with having a BM, and no itching or irritation.

However, if I stop the ointment for even 2 days, the symptoms are back as quick as that! What can be causing this? It affects my outer vaginal skin (vulvar area) also (very irritated and itchy). My only relief is using the ointment. I have been using the ointment for several months now. Do I have a digestive problem? I have read about candida and it seems that Nystatin may be prescribed for that fungus. What else can I do to nip this in the bud? Please respond if possible! Thanks.
DWG

I would like to have asked this morning's guest about his warning against combining Prilosec and Norvasc. I was diagnosed with acid reflux in October by an out of town ENT (while I was on vacation) after suffering from morning queasiness and wooziness and prescribed Prilosec. (No, I'm not pregnant. I'm 77) I was also told that my blood pressure was high and to see my own doctor on my return. I did, my blood pressure was running high, and he put me on Norvasc which I am taking as amlodipine , 5 mg. What do I do now?

Something that was not mentioned during this mornings broadcast is the side effects of most acid reducing drugs. The troubling side effect I have had is reduced vitamin B12 levels from antacid use. Less acid, less extraction of nutrients from foods. The drug companies make their medication sound so wonderful, however they are far from perfect and I have given up on finding a medication that is side effect free. Some people may be able to take these medications and not have side effects, however some of us are chemical sensitive.

As for chewing gum, it really helps push the acid down, however those with artificial sweeteners cause another set of problems. Gums without artificial sweeteners are becoming more difficult to find. Why use that stuff in gum because gum never had that much sugar?

Your broadcasts are always interesting and I have heard several things discussed before reading about it in the "mainstream" media....grapefruit juice interactions, levothyroxin and iron binding, etc.

This was a very informative program. I have had reflux since last summer after gallbladder removal. The symptoms are not painful.. more like a bubbling up in my esophagus. Tums, pepcid and OTC prilosec only make it worse. I was unable to call in today because the lines were so busy.

I am sure others had the same problem. I wonder if you could have Dr. Shaheen back on your show and perhaps go into more detail about the connection between gall bladder surgery and reflux. Also could he talk about non-acid reflux and possible remedies. I enjoy your show each week and feel you do a wonderful service.

I have a somewhat tortuous colon and melanosis coli. What is this? I have been drinking chamomile tea and taking DGL licorice tabs. Could these substances be contributing to these problems? I used to take a cleansing blend fiber pill every day. Now I take fiber powder in juice. Thank you for your help.

I was disappointed that early in the show the only way the guest discussed dealing with GERD was the use of PPIs. I suffered from GERD for many years and only when I went to an acupuncturist, who among other things helped me get my diet under control, which essentially meant no gluten, no caffeine, few sweets, less animal protein, and only good dairy products (e.g., yogurt), did it finally go away.

The biggest culprits were gluten and hard cheeses. I had been on PPIs for years at the advice of one of the "best" GI doctors in my city and was told that I would have acid reflux forever and would always be PPIs, that is, for the rest of my life. I've been off of them for nearly a year and basically cured--as long as I keep my diet in check.

To infer that PPIs are the only way to go is to buy in completely to a western view of medicine. Western medicine has its place, but with GERD, the US diet is complicit and GERD can be managed much more effectively with diet.

Question: The guest stated that some sedatives, including valium, weaken the LES; would this also include the herb valerian, and any other sedative herbs?
Where could I get a list of herbs that would relieve anxiety without weakening the LES?
I do not have symptomatic heartburn but have lost my singing voice. My doctor suggests this is due to reflux due to stress (I work hospital nursing acute care medical). I have been using an herbal tea mix which does relieve anxiety, but my singing voice is not recovering. The herb mix includes valerian. I'm wondering if this is another problem.

Excellent, informative program. Dr Shaheen is my physician at UNC and I was part of the Barrax procedure study that he conducted. My outcome has been successful - my Barretts is gone!

Very good, informative program. Very timely for me because I have a colonoscopy scheduled later this month, and I also have Barrett's. My ears were glued to the radio.

I need help, every thing I eat makes me very gassy. Is there some kind of pill I can take? Do I need see my doctor? It always happens after I eat food, or around 400a.m.

I have problems with artificial sweeteners as well. My doctor said most act like laxatives. And I agree with you that it is almost impossible to find a gum that does not have an artificial sweetener in it -- even gum that is not sugar free have artificial sweeteners in them as well. So, I found, in my experience, that plant based sweeteners don't have the effects like artificial sweeteners do.

Xylitol is an example of one. You can find gum with these plant based sweeteners at most health food stores. Hope this helps. :)

My daughter was diagnosed with GERD due to premature birth. As an infant she had a Nissen procedure, tying the top of stomach to stop reflux. Now she is not gaining weight. Her scope revealed escinophile esophogities, EE, lower esophogus. E.E. is really an allergic reaction, I believe.

Doc said it's not a gluten allergy.

By their website, Mayo Clinic has a "new steroid gel" they are trying for reflux and EE. do you have info about this and E.E., and Nissen and lower esophagus reflux returning?

I had pale, floating stools for about a year. When I stopped eating whole wheat bread the situation went away completely.

What is the problem with Norvasc? I was on 5 milligrams and was just put on 10 for hypertension.

It's the coconut like all your readers have reported before. Ifeel all the above comments almost could be solved by 1/2 mounds bar a day until stomach stabilizes, then as needed.

I discovered this because I could not find coconut cookies when my 88 year old mother with a bad case of ibs came to visit. This solved the problem, I tried it on myself (weak stomach) and it worked great. It is the same with everyone else I tell about it. very easy solution
ken