Have a friend who is having on going complaints with Gerd and can't seem to get over it. Been taking all sorts of medication and several tests,change of her diet and today sore neck from trying to sleep with several pillows to prop her up to increase comfort and now quite frustrated. Any recommendations, success stories or Grandmothers remedies appreciated.

If he/she is overweight losing some could help a lot. Mine went away after losing.

Has she done a 24h Ph monitoring test to confirm the diagnosis? This is the "gold standard" to verifty the diagnosis, especially for those who do not respond to weightloss, changed diet, quit smoking, and all the available medications like Omeprazol, Esomeprazol, Ranitidin etc. If this test does not verify GERD, other diagnosis must be considered.

For some surgery is the way out, its called laparoscopic fundoplicatio.

I recently read (it was on the internet, so it must be true) that sleeping on your left side is better for GERD patients than sleeping on your right side. Apparently it tilts the opening of the stomach away from the esophagus? The best position is still flat on one's back with the upper torso raised, but how many of us sleep in that position comfortably?

Need also to test for heliobacter if not yet done (and if treated for it, repeat the test to be sure eradicated).

Should also rule out hiatus hernia if that has not already been done. If present and given that consrvative measures don't seem to help, surgery might be indicated.

Not eating for several hours before sleep and weight loss (if at all overweight) are both helpful.

Rolling over on the left side does help me now and then.

What worked quite well for a year or so was elevating the head of the bed with 3-4 bricks. Problem with this was my wife complaining about sliding off the end of the bed, so that was the end of the brick episode....

What works pretty well these days is the occasional tablet before bedtime of XANIDINE, ranitidine 150 mg per tab. Runs baht 90 for 100 tabs (10 sheets x 10 tabs) at my local pharmacy.

Mac

Might want to try stopping the meds, and taking eating a salad with quality vinegar, and/or drinking some wine with the meal. In many cases it is not too much acid, rather not enough.

I know a number of people who did this, and no more "GERD."

The woman is light weight I think around 47 kilos and has been taking meds for quite a while and now getting a cooked stomach.I have suggested she needs to monitor what she eats,exercise and even eating a table spoon of honey before she goes to bed. I will suggest the 24 hr PH test.

Investigate helicobacter pylori infection, treatment and problems stomach infections causes.

It is easily treated with a round of the correct antibiotics and Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol) for about two weeks.

Helicobacter pylori bacterial infection of the stomach is well know for causing stomach - peptic ulcers and stomach cancer.

Along the way a Helicobacter pylori infection can and does cause excess acidity in the stomach and contributes to GERD

Esophageal Reflux is created or aggravated by a weak esophageal valve at the junction with the stomach and/or excess weight around the middle and neck aggravating the situation.

Some temporary relief can come from the use of antacids, and such drugs as O-Cid (sold in Thailand - reduces acid formation). And sleeping at a 45 degree angle - propped up in bed or sleeping in a recliner.

Google Helicobacter pylori and all nature of treatment, and what this infection causes .

While Helicobacter pylori is more directly related to stomach ulcers -- it may be that the friend has stomach ulcers, excess acidity - the whole works.

Watch what foods may aggravate the condition and remove that from the diet until other treatments bring relief

It would be useful to know what sort of diagnostic work-ups she has had. If only symptomatic treatment with doctors and/or pharmacist giving medication without investigating what is causing this, it is high time she saw a good specialist and had a proper workup.

I agree. Especially when PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) like Omeprazol doesnt work, it calls for investigation.

If you dont mind me asking, how old is she? Does she have any abdominal pain or is it just the acidic reflux symtom alone? Is she on some other medication, like painkillers?

I had acid reflux for years, and it coincided with booze, so I gave it up in the end. There are many things that can cause simple acid reflux, eg, fatty food, coffee, and spicy food, even anxiety. Obviously, avoidance is the answer.

But I agree, this may be something a little more serious such as helicobacter pylori infection, and a trip to the doctor might be best.

more pillows will not help, you have to raise the bed (with phonebooks)

and doctors, no help,as they give you meds, to shut down acid production

you know what? GERD is caused by a lack of acid in the stomac, so food does not digest well and you get a bile reflux

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR ... 2 table spoons, before every meal, 30 min before each meal

send me a PM when she is cured ....

had gerd, went to doctor, took the pills, only got worse...

than I started to do research for many weeks

so no blabla of this or that, i had it myself, and cured it !

She should also be checked for gall stones too.