The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Maggie (Brick, New Jersey) on 08/13/2008
★★★★★
I have suffered with GERD with a year. I could not eat tomato sauce, choclate, soda or fried foods (basically 90% of my diet :). I also could not lie flat in bed. The pain was constant, no matter what I ate, how I ate, when etc. I was put on the typial meds which either did nothing or made the pain worse. I was eating antacids like tic tacs. I asked the MD why I developed GERD as I have no risk factors for it and was unsatisifed with the answer of "it just happens". As a nurse, I need to know the reason why. The pain had to stop. I was not going to go through this the rest of my life. I came across your web-site and thank you and Thank God!! I used the regular ACV and it worked a little. My sister in law talked me into trying the organic ACV with the enzymes and I have used it for two weeks AND HAVE HAD NO PAIN!! I am back to eating whatever I want. I realized I felt better when I had raviloi for lunch followed by pizza for dinner and NOTHING HAPPENED! Previously, I would have been in pain for hours and eating meds and not able to lie down. I still get pain in my stomach if I'm stressed out, combined with bad food, and I rely on an OTC med that works, now one pill is all I need. But I have gone to eating meds to taking nothing!! I checked with my MD first who could neither recommend or dissuade me from using it, but he had no problems with me using it and basically said "knock yourself out". Thank you for being there for us who suffer and I wish someone would do a study on this so that others could be pain free as well.I can also sleep flat again, and on my back, with no pain. I take a tblsp in the morning in 12-16 oz water (be sure to shake the bottle) and again at night before bed. I feel great otherwise as well. It's like my stomach is happy!! Thank you thank you thank you
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Carri (Lake Forest, California) on 08/11/2008
★★★★★
My husband was on proton pumb inhibitors for GERD, Prilosec being one of them. From my reading of nutrition books and alternative medicine I know how dangerous it is to have your stomuch and bowels out of whack and how it effects the rest of your health. So I zealously urged my husband to get off his medicine and that I would find some way that would work. I googled natural cures for GERD and gathered info from different sites(without having to buy their products) and we tried all the different things we found. Plus I also put him on a low carb high protein diet. It took a few months but he no longer has stomuch pain and the GERD is gone!
From what I can remember here's what he took.
DGL (deglycerized licorice)
Lemonene (or something like that)
Digestive enzymes
probiotics
NO coffee (until GERD is completely gone!)
Acid defense by garden of life and a few other things we found in health food stores.
In Protein Power (the book) they claim that the diet cures GERD, so we also did that and my husband lost 35 lbs too.
I'm not sure exactly what cured him because we threw everything at him and it worked! Don't blindly believe everything doctors or even well meaning friends and family say.There are cures for many things if we learn to work with our body instead of trying to suppress it's natural functions through the many pharmaceuticals the docs are throwing at us.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Elizabeth (Carrollton, VA) on 08/02/2008
★★★★★
I have had GERD for so many years and relied heavily on the meds. After reading the patient insert on Prevacid recently, I was scared into seeking alternative treatment. Well, here I am. After trying the ACV, straight like wiskey :-), I burned worse than ever, then went about my day, and after five hours I realized that my symptoms were gone and that I had not taken my usual calcium anti-acids. I understand the new concept that it is an under-production problem and not over-production. This makes perfect sense that an acid would be the cure. I will keep you all posted on my progress. Thanks to Earthclinic for putting this very helpful information "out there".
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Debbie (McMinnville, Oregon) on 07/14/2008
★★★★★
SUCCESS WITH ACV!
I have been on Nexium for about 3 years. Prior to that, I had been eating Rolaids like candy and taking ranitidine OTC. I had my share of "breakthrough" acid over that period of time, and I had my doubts as to whether or not this was the correct way to treat my heartburn/GERD. It seemed as if we were just treating the symptoms not the underlying issue. Since my insurance company will no longer cover Nexium, I decided that it was time to find another route for relief.
A couple of friends who are studying to be naturopathic healers suggested I check this site. Thank heaven they did! My husband and I tried ACV with the Mother and we found almost immediate relief. We have only been using it for a few days, but I have now been off Nexium and all OTC products for heartburn/GERD, my husband has not awakened with acid problems during the night, and we are very happy with the results thus far. We will continue to use ACV and tell everyone about our wonderful results!
Thank you so much for this site! I will refer to it whenever I am in need of suggestions for other ailments.
Debbie
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Linda (Fairbanks, Alaska ) on 07/05/2008
Dr. Jonathan Wright, M.D. has recently published a book entitled "Why Stomach Acid is Good For You." He has been testing hundreds, maybe thousands of patients for their stomach acidity. He says that 90 % of patients that have been previously diagnosed with high stomach acid are really low in acid!
This explains why apple cider vinegar probably works. He recommends more HCl and pepsin (to help disgest protein). He believes that when the stomach acid is strong enough this may kick in a mechanism for the spincter door to shut and thus keep stomach acid away from the esophagus.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Keith (Nashua, New Hampshire) on 07/03/2008
★★★★★
Yesterday, I wrote concerning my first time using the Apple cider vineger. My condition was pretty severe - Gerd and/or acid into my throat and nose area, extreme pain and/or burning in the lungs. I have been dealing with this oondition for years, but it has worsened up until yesterday.
Today, I feel like I have woken up as a new man. I think my body is still trying to get used to the fact that I have no pain right now. I am totally amazed...
Yesterday morning I started out with two tablespoons of Apple Cider Vineger around 8:30AM or so. It was almost immediate that my body began to react. Withn the first few hours of taking the first dose, my stomach began to feel better.
Through out the day yesterday, I had taken a total of 4 doses at 2 tablespoons each. These doses were not accompanied by water or diluted with anything else. Just straight Apple Cider Vineger.
About halfway through the day, the burning sensation in my lungs went away.
Usually at night time, I have huge amounts acid or when going to bed. Not this time...
I am shocked. My body is literally shocked... I have never felt so relieved of these symptoms for years... This morning after waking I only felt a little acid, but this ws nothing compared to what I had been dealing with for years... I have already taken my first two tablespoons this morning and there is now no gerd...
I will keep using the Apple Cider Viniger! I want to thank all of you who have posted all of these remedies here and your results to which inspired me to make that change to using the Apple Cider Viniger!!!
Apple Cider Viniger works!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Chef Maria Maria (Tempe, AZ) on 06/10/2008
★★★★★
I was doubter, I wasn't sure to believe the hype about using alternative meds, but after being told I have Acid reflux and trying to deal with the pain I truly believe. Last Tuesday, I got really bad heart burn induced by the stress at work, my boyfriend leaving for the summer to work and eating a heavy breakfast. I got home took a couple of tums and tried to go to bed when I had this sudden burst of wonderful acid up my throat. The pain got to point when it was hard to swallow eat and drink food! Now come on I am a chef tasting and eating food is my life and I am not able to work effectly nor sustain myself it was a complete bummer. Long story short I had this 1 ton elephant feeling on my chest and the raw pain in my thort didn't help either. I wen to urgent care. I was prescibed prevacid and instructed by the doctor that it will take time to heal the irriation in my throat and really there is nothing you can do for the pain. I immediately called my mom because my grandma also suffers from GERD as well and she gave me some helpful tips butI wanted result immediately. I first changed my diet and put my self on eating soft foods and whole grains which I am still doing Completely stopped drinking coffee :( tried honey, drinking kombucha tea which worked but got expensive. And ate soft rolaids like taffy. I fried recommended this site and this simple and inexpensive drink 2 TBSP ACV 1 TBSP desert honey and 1/4 tsp baking soda and 8 oz. of water. I can definately say that after drinking the drink it has soothed my raw throat and I an able to eat and drink things a lot bettter now and the heaviness on my chest isn't as bad but it is still there but at least I can starting eating and drinking since it hot out here ( it was a 107 today) being able to drink the fluids is important. Thank you all for your help.
Marshmallow Root Tincture
Posted by KElly (Madison, WI) on 04/10/2008
★★★★★
GERD: Marshmallow Root tincture. Has Eliminated sore throat, sinus issues not too mention other issues that go along with gerd. Instructions varied on web sites I followed the bottle.
Okra
Posted by Marlita (Makati, Philippines) on 04/05/2008
★★★★★
OKRA(lady's finger) cured my acid reflux... i also tried the purple pill like OMEPRON OMEPRAZOLE for more than a month and then other brands.
no medicines cures my reflux then i have complication coming from it ( PHARYNGITIS & LARYNGITIS )
ive been browsing sites to look for remedies or much better CURE and im very much lucky to bump on this site. i read that OKRA (lady's finger ) cures his GERD by eating OKRA for 2 mos.
I TRIED IT... by boiling for a minute, removed the seeds then eating 6 pieces a day... 2 pieces for every meal within 10 DAYS im cured already.
I know it has something to do with OKRA'S natural slimmy characterics that help cures the inflammation of my LOWER ESOPHAGEAL SPHINCTER the major reason of the reflux
the slimmy characteristic coats my LES as it gives time to heal it....i guess that's the most important part HEALING FIRST YOUR LOWER ESOPHAGEAL SPHINCTER before your GERD eradicated.
Now i can eat anything i want... my GERD it's just a nightmare for me and dont want to remember as it cost so much depression on me while sleeping in SITTING POSITON for more than a month.
THANKS TO YOUR SITE i read that information here.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Chrissy (Pittsburgh, PA) on 03/25/2008
★☆☆☆☆
I don't quite understand how Apple Cider Vineger even though a low acid, but an acid, would help anyone. I took 1Tb with 8oz of water and instantly I got heartburn and it all started coming back up. The next morning was even better, I had horrible diarrhea for hours. I have had severe gerd with tachacardia for over a year as a result of hydrocodone es and Robaxin (muscle relaxer). The recipe for ACV with Baking Soda sounds even worse, isn't that what makes the volcano eruptions in the science projects? I don't want my stomach to ingest that!
Almonds
Posted by Sharon (Lockport, IL) on 03/19/2008
★★★★★
Eating a handful of raw almonds stops GERD dead in its tracks. My daughter ate almonds throughout her pregnancy whenever heartburn hit. It worked for her also.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by George (Toronto, Ontario, Can) on 03/18/2008
★★★★★
ACV cured my GERD. I've been suffering from reflux for 3 years. My symptoms include sore throat, gas backing up and excessive amounts of phlegm to the point I was having difficulty talking. Also, I would get these "vomit spasms" from my stomach whenever I eat any solid food. X-ray revealed that I had a loosened esophageal sphincter. The doctor gave me Zantac, Patriot and Nexium all with limited success. Finally I gave up and looked on the net for alternatives beside these expensive drugs. Found this site and decided to try ACV, it was 4$ for a large bottle so I really didn't have much to lose. I mix 2 tablespoon acv with water and honey and take it 2 times a day: One morning and one after dinner.
The result was immediate and amazing. All the symptoms disappeared. The spasms stopped, the sore throat is gone and I can speak clearly now. ACV is trully a miracle cure. Thank you so much for this site.
George
Carb-Restricted Diet
Posted by Norm Robillard (Thousand Oaks CA)
★★★★★
Hi, until now, tums, and PPI / H2 blocker meds were the main way to treat heartburn. With all the side effects and health risks (double the chance of pneumonia, for instance) many people are looking for alternatives. The meds reduce acid but don't stop the reflux that contains other stomach and intestinal enzymes that can damage the esophagus. I recently completed a book called "Heartburn Cured The Low Carb Miracle" on the root cause of GERD. My theory (I am a microbiologist) is that reflux is caused by gas pressure in the intestines caused by microbes that produce gas from carbs. The gas creates pressure pushing the LES open thus causing reflux. Consuming excess carbs provides the fuel for your own gut microbes. These same microbes (mostly bacteria) produce little or now gas from fats and proteins. Controlling carbs stops reflux so you are treating the root cause of GERD thus completely stopping reflux and heartburn symptoms. I have found much evidence supporting this theory and talked to many people who found complete relief after trying my approach. Give this approach a try.
Pain Medication and GERD
Posted by Heather (Portland, OR) on 01/09/2007
★★★★★
Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs: Remarkable decrease in symptoms, but I still have not been able to get off my prescribed prevacid. I've been on it for 5 years. I started reading your site for helpful information, but came away somewhat confused and frustrated. There are just so many testimonials with a dizzying amount of yay's & ney's... it actually left me feeling less hopeful than when I arrived. I've been using acupuncture & chinese herbs to help curb my GERD. I've reduced my Prevacid from 30mg once a day, to 15mg every other day. Acupuncture is a great stress reliever, so that's probably one of the reasons I find relief. The Chinese herbs I take is a formula Coptis & Evodia which you can research on the internet. One piece of information I did find helpful, was the link between pain medication and GERD. My GERD developed shortly after a 15-day hospital stay in which I was on a morphine pump that delivered a dose of morphine every 3 minutes. (I had a complication to a gallbladder removal surgery.) My theory has been that large doses of antibiotics & the lack of gallbladder & the bile it produced left my stomach vulnerable to H. pylori & unable to digest food properly. However, now reading about the pain medication theory - that would make sense too.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Nancy (Agoura Hills, CA)
★☆☆☆☆
I have never taken much ibuprofen, but I have been a rather regular user of Excedrin in the past (aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine). I don't take it anymore. My GERD started after I had been on a lo-carb diet for about 5 months. I had never had trouble before. I think the high fat/high protein diet wasn't the best thing for GERD. I went off the diet immediately, but the GERD never left (it's been two years now). Just for your information. I am not overweight and I exercise daily.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Sherry (Orlando, FL)
★★★★★
I'had acid reflux for 2 yrs. and when I went on the Atkins Diet, I never even expected such a sudden cure! I then went to the Atkins Online forum and did a search about acid reflux to see if others had the same experience on this diet. AMAZING! I found other people on the forum saying their acid reflux is gone too as a result of this low carb diet. I realized that the HIGH CARBS were the CAUSE of the GERD ALL ALONG!! As I type this, I know I will sleep just fine again tonight as a result of this discovery!!! I can only hope that this helps others who are suffering.
