Ugh, heartburn!

[Brandy456]

At least 4-5 times in the past week I've had really bad heartburn.
I use Gaviscon(sp?) but it just seems to numb it a bit, because I can still feel it in the background.
Tums and rolaids don't help, they're just chalky candies.
Btw, i'm just turning 16 next month.

Anyone have some natural remedies, or tips.. or share my pain?

 

[LV426]

Well your problem is that you might not have enough acid in your stomach which is what is causing the feeling of heartburn. This is caused by the lower esophageal sphincter opening from lack of acid and allowing the existing acid to enter the esophagus. Taking an antacid is just going to make that worse. Since the antacids aren't working then try adding acid to your stomach by either

A. drinking a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar. You can mix it in water but I like to just get it over quickly and drink the vinegar straight.

B. Drink a glass of buttermilk.

C. Drink pineapple juice or eat some pineapple.

Other remedies are:

Eat a gala apple or some celery.

Peppermint oil/Peppermint tea

Ginger, raw is a bit harsh but they make candied ginger in the spice aisle and that works too.

Chewing gum



If that makes it worse then try prilosec, I have silent reflux disease and taking one prilosec a day has worked for me.

 

[BethM]

Oh, peppermint tea is NOT a heartburn remedy!!!!

Peppermint is a muscle relaxer, and since your lower esophageal sphincter is a muscle, drinking peppermint tea will relax it, allowing acid to flow up into your esophagus, making everything worse.

I know this from personal experience. I LOVE peppermint tea, but I get heartburn a lot, as well. I have to be very careful when I drink the tea, because if I have the slightest bit of heartburn, as soon as I drink the tea it gets about 10x worse. I also have to be careful that I'm not reclining at all when I drink mint tea, that will also bring on the heartburn. No good.

 

[kirbyultra]

Has this been diagnosed? There's a drastic difference between too much and too little acid... :?

 

[pamnock]

A little baking soda and water can work miracles in bad cases. (This remedy should be used sparingly).As already posted, you should consult a doctor for proper diagnosis.

 

[Brandy456]

kirbyultra wrote:

Has this been diagnosed? There's a drastic difference between too much and too little acid... :?

Yeah,
i'd rather stick with HeartBurn since the Gaviscon do work (kinda)
I am not drinking vinegar, that would like, honestly make me cry.
I woke up with it again this morning.
I read online it can be caused by stress?
I don't know, but seems to me like I have to pick and choose food to avoid it.

The 'aftertaste' of the milk in my tea sets it off even.
Aaaagh, i'm going to plop over and pray it wont get worse as i get older

 

[LV426]

Milk can actually cause heartburn because the fats in the milk stimulate the stomach to produce more acid.

None of the above remedies I gave you will harm you but prolonged heartburn can really harm you by causing erosion of your esophageal tissues and can lead to esophageal cancer so if you continue to have heartburn no matter what then you need to see a doctor.

 

[Jessyka]

Baking soda works like a charm. Just make sure it's totally dissolved.