For Those Suffering From Reflux...

...Cucumbers are your friend.

Since my surgery, I have had horrible reflux at night causing me to choke on stomach acid. It was only about three weeks ago that I things finally changed. Each change I have had since surgery has been an overnight change - nothing gradual. One day it is bad and the next it is good.

What I have learned about reflux, for those who suffer as I do, is that it is the dense proteins that cause it the worst at night. So I have been eating my biggest meal at lunch with dense protein (which is healthier anyway) and then I have a light dinner. Here is the important part - I have learned that if I eat a cucumber after dinner, as the last thing I eat, my acid reflux mellows and I am able to sleep through the night. Weird, eh? But I figured since it works for me, I would share in case it can give others relief. I now eat about a half a cucumber after dinner (with a bit of salt or with ranch dressing) as a regular routine. I have not had a bad night in over three weeks. Before that, I could not go more than one night without having acid travel into my mouth as soon as I fell asleep.

Hopefully this helps someone else.

Lori H.

I will try it. I can't stand the reflux.

I forgot to mention that I eat the cucumber without the peal. I don't know if it makes a difference, but thought I should be clear. I hope it works for you. The reflux is the worst thing I have ever experienced, especially when I breathe it in before waking and wake choking. Such fun!

Lori H.

Is the head of your bed elevated?  Reflux when supine requires the head of your bed to be elevated 2-4".  You cannot achieve this with pillows by the way.  Put some blocks under the legs at the head of the bed.  You won't believe the difference.. My pulmonologist reccommended this to me after a bout of reflux causing pneumonia, I was hospitalized for over a week.  The reflux went into my lungs while I was sleeping...

That is one of my fears with the reflux - that I will aspirate it into my lungs. Hopefully, things are getting better now and I will see the reflux resolve.

Otherwise, I have tried everything they say to try for reflux. The head of my bed is elevated on 6" blocks and I take two prescription meds three times a day. I have read studies about this after surgery and most of the time it resolves within the first year. I am still hopeful.

Lori H.

I was put on prilosec for the first 3 months.  I refilled my last RX and didnt go pick it up until a week later.  I had really bad reflux after everything I ate.  Im back on it again and havent had any problems.  Im concerned this is going to be an ongoing thing now because I didnt have any problems with it before surgery.  I suppose if I do ill try the cucumbers =)

I read some studies after surgery when I first started having reflux. There aren't a lot of them out there because the surgery is so new, but most said that the reflux typically resolves. My surgeon puts all patients on a PPI after surgery to help heal the stomach. So staying on prilosec would probably be best for you. I know that mine is an extreme case, but it does seem to be improving.

Lori H.

I had bad reflux before sx and now its even worse.

I too had reflux before surgery and it has become even worse since surgery especially in the last few weeks.