| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| gronesy |
Posted - 04/19/2012 : 08:38:32
Hello,
I am a 51 year old married male who has used Dr. Sarno's technique for ridding myself of a neck and shoulder problem I thought only my chiropractor could fix. So, I believe in the TMS methodology.
I was prescribed prilosec(evil)by a general practitioner that had no business doing so. Recently, when I tried to get off of it I had a major acid rebound incident which I believe may have screwed up my lower esophageal sphincter. The GI doc says it is now partially open and may always have been but I know I've never had symptoms like I have now.
My question is: has anybody had any luck re-training their lower esophageal sphincter using Dr. Sarno's method? I've had some amount of success but it's very hard to get it to last.
Anybody that's had success using Dr. Sarno's method on GERD I would love to hear from.
Thank you,
Jeff
Whether you believe you can or you can't you're correct. |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Lily Rose |
Posted - 11/03/2013 : 07:55:36
Gaviscon is my friend, but it is now the kind of friend that doesn't need to visit very often, which makes it a good friend, indeed.
Organic apple cider vinegar (watch out for the non-organic!) is also my friend, not just for stomach, but for menopause symptoms.
Coconut oil is another great friend.
And ... WATER. Very much water.
Apples, too. I eat at least two a day.
The down side is that my food choices have become extremely limited due to GERD and IBS. As a vegetarian (exception of fish on occasion), I obviously consume vegetables and fruits and grains and beans ... right? Not. My favorite Mexican foods are now off the table. The only fruits are apples, sometimes blackberries, blueberries. Rarely grapes. Bananas and mangos and all citrus are out. Etc etc.
But curry, I can eat and eat with happy pleasure.
Breads ... only if made the same day. Seems whatever preservative is used causes pain. Let me add that I LOVE bread. Pasta is also out. Yeah, I love pasta, too!
I can drink coffee with no problem.
TMS can account for a large portion of my pain .. but the food intolerance? Why? How? I love food.
My emotional issue with food, however, is very real. I must be in a warm, safe place, so that my emotions don't trigger a backlash.
Also, my distrust over restaurants has grown as I discover they are not vegetarian friendly. My last experience with a 'vegetarian' rice-vegetable burrito caused a severe nausea. I 'casually' asked the man if the rice was cooked in chicken broth. He nodded enthusiastically. Just as mildly, I pointed out that I had ordered a vegie burrito. His face went blank and he rapidly reverted to a non-English standard, claiming "No lard, no lard!".
My husband worries about my weight loss. My med exam three days ago provoked a comment about my weight. I'm not worried about that aspect. I would just like to eat without nausea or acid backlash or the agonizing IBS.
The latter, I can wrap my head around it being TMS. But GERDS and food intolerances? I don't understand why that would be a response to emotions. Then again, there are alot of things I don't understand. Working on it, though!
^_^
My heart swells with the thought of the dove
caught and mangled; so severely burnt and wrought.
Like a Phoenix of its ashes, the little dove,
so bold yet humble, rises up in fantastic fashion.
(The Dove - by Jeremy P. Magee)
|
| chickenbone |
Posted - 03/14/2013 : 09:34:45
Balto, No I don't believe that. I think there is a tendency to go overboard and think that just about everything can be TMS (just about anything CAN BE in some people, but I think each individual knows which is and which is not). I was working on and knew about my TMS long before I knew about my parathyroid problem. I didn't make much headway with my TMS before my surgery. However, I had a dramatic improvement after having parathyroid surgery. I was also having a lot of mental issues before having the parathyroid surgery. In fact, I think the parathyroid surgery (I feel better and better every day since the surgery) is probably what is most responsible for my TMS recovery in the sense that it made it possible to actually use a strategy like Ace's Keys. I really think that, had I not had the surgery, I would not have recovered from the TMS. For about 6 years before my surgery, I had a feeling that there was something really wrong with me, but all the doctors told me there was not. I came to regard myself as a hypochondriac (I am to some extent). I had recurrent dreams that time was running out, I need to fix my physical problem. Thankfully, I finally found the problem. I feel confident that this was a real physical problem.
Let's face it, even people with TMS will get sick and die. The human body will fall prey to the 2nd law of thermodynamics (the law of entropy)just like all other matter in the world. I don't believe the theory that all physical illness can be attributed to the mind alone and it's really ridiculous extreme that if we can just get our minds peaceful, we will become immortal. You cannot separate the mental from the physical, there is always the harmonics of both.
My husband (a doctor who dealt with cancer most of his life) and I do not believe that there is a particular personality type that gets cancer. In fact, my personal experience is that most people I know who have died of cancer are more the happy types. The miserable ones seem to press on and on. I think this is because the more negative thinkers are more adaptable to the bad world circumstances and are less easily defeated. In other words, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. When you realize how improbable our existence is here is the Universe, you have to realize that, if our early ancestors were Eckhart Tolle types, the human race may not have lasted more than 100 years. No offence to Eckhart Tolle, it is a nice ideal and would be a great thing if our human race could evolve to the point where everyone could live only in the NOW safely. However, our brains are still mostly wired for survival and that is just a fact. There could come a time, and likely will, when human existence will not be nearly as safe and nice as it is now. Hopefully, that situation will just be a temporary setback. There have been serious setbacks before. |
| balto |
Posted - 03/14/2013 : 08:41:50
Chickenbone, could it be that tms is the cause of your parathyroid tumor? or maybe doctor falsely think your parathyroid tumor as the cause of your GERD, just like they blame herniated disc for backpain?
I've seen tons of people get rid of GERD to MB method alone.
------------------------
No, I don't know everything. I'm just here to share my experience. |
| chickenbone |
Posted - 03/14/2013 : 02:41:03
I guess I might as well offer my 2 cents as well about GERD. I had several years of problems with it. I never took any medications for it, but was able to control it well with apple cider vinegar and often lemon juice and water. However for about 2 years, it kept getting worse. I finally found out why. GERD is a symptom of hyperparathyroidism, which I did not know I had for probably 8 years. It was discovered by an Endocrinologist who ordered 2 blood tests, one for serum calcium and one for PTH (parathyroid hormone. Luckily for me, I had an Endo who knew how to read these tests. My previous doctors would not have known I had a parathyroid tumor because my serum calcium was only in the range of 10.0 to 10.4, which they did not know was too high given that my PTH was in the normal range. In other words, if your serum calcium is high or high/normal, your PTH should be close to zero. Anyway, most of my GERD disappeared once I had the parathyroid tumor removed. There are other things that can cause GERD, but this is one that doctors often miss. Adults should never have serum calcium readings in the 10's, only in the 9's.
I hardly ever get it anymore, but if I do, I can control it with apple cider vinegar. I am a firm believer that usually the problem is TOO LITTLE stomach acid, especially if you are an older person. The symptoms of too little and too much acid are the same. Here is what I do with the ACV. Before a meal, I prepare about a half teaspoon in a glass and add about the same amount of water. 4 or 5 times during the meal, I sip a TINY BIT of the mixture. This will ADD stomach acid during your meal, making your meal easier to digest. If I eat out and can't do this, then I make the mixture when I get home and sip tiny amounts at intervals of about 15 minutes, 4 or 5 times or until I feel better. I know when I will have a problem if I feel that my food is not being actively digested. Like I said, I hardly ever get it anymore, but if I do, this is what I do and it always works. Don't take to much ACV, it will bother your stomach more, just small sips diluted with water. I also eat yogurt almost everyday which I think helps. |
| Ace1 |
Posted - 03/13/2013 : 11:48:31
bumping up this post with drews post in it to repeat the concepts of mental relaxation and affirmations |
| Joy_I_Am |
Posted - 07/30/2012 : 06:23:13
kacyc, sorry, I didn't answer your question - I have been trying to find where I got that 54 day info, and can't find a definitive link, but google 'parietal cells 54 days' and you'll have your pick of massively complicated and impenetrable medical papers! But I do remember it was true of mice! Don't know if it's similar for us, but the basic theory is that it takes a period of time to get back to normal, and this is definitely what I found - it took me several months to feel normal again.
In easy-peasy language, here's a link to the Daily Mail's most recent take on it:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2177911/Heartburn-pills-uncomfortable-questions--They-help-millions--doctors-warn-long-term-effects.html
I was also watching a programme about the British comedy actor Kenneth Williams last night. He was gay and in terrible conflict about it (no wonder, you could have been jailed for it in Britain in the fifties and sixties). He knew what his natural urges were, but sought to repress them. He also had terrible digestive problems and huge, recurring stomach ulcers... Another case of TMS in action, for sure... poor, poor man... |
| gronesy |
Posted - 07/18/2012 : 13:36:59
kacyc and joy_i_am,
Sorry it's been so long since I've been back here. I'm still working on getting off prilosec and have had some good days and bad. I'm not able to see my Weil-trained alternative doctor for almost 2 weeks and I've been a little frustrated with some flare-ups. I still firmly believe I will get off of PPIs.
joy: I was given the ranitidine suggestion too by an alternative medicine doc(not mine)but I know from my first explosive episode, I cannot have PPIs and ranitidine in my system at the same time.
I totally agree how bad it is for people to be put on a drug that can cause them so much pain and suffering for such little positive result.
As far as medicine is concerned, I share the enlightened medical opinion that conventional medicine is great for trauma and urgent conditions but is very poor for chronic problems of any kind.
I still recommend you read The Inside Tract by Gerry Mullin,MD. He is an alternative doctor who was almost killed by conventional medicine and he will open your eyes to a new connection to food and your digestive system.
I too am glad you resisted and succeeded. I'm working on it, I promise.
kacyc: I had only heard patients commenting that it seemed to take 2 or 3 months for the digestive fire to subside. I had not read about the parietal cells but was aware of the gastrin levels as I alluded to earlier. That's the reason most people quit-they can't see an end in sight and the reduction of quality of life is too much for them.
I completely agree and know that my stomach issues will subside once I'm able to reduce those cells(gradually)and quit antagonizing it with PPIs.
Thanks again to both of you for your help. I promise to keep a closer eye on this topic in the future so please continue if you can.
Jeff
Whether you believe you can or you can't you're correct. |
| Joy_I_Am |
Posted - 06/25/2012 : 07:24:57
Gronesy, your point no 2 (about the rebound after PPIs) is EXACTLY how it has been for me! I can now say that I am back to how I was before I took them, i.e. not troubled by GERD, except when there is an obvious reason like stress or curry. It did take about four or five months to get truly back to square 1, and in the meantime it could be pretty tough and I did have to use ranitidine to taper, but now I rarely even think about it. I can't diagnose for anyone else, but there were times I was REALLY tempted to go back on PPIs, and I'm glad now that I resisted.
Looking back, GERD had never been a problem for me, but my doctor was looking round for a reason for my slight anaemia, and hit on this. From her point of view, it was a little experiment to see if I had a gastric bleed, and within the parameters of proper drug usage; from my point of view, it caused months of pointless pain and suffering, and if I hadn't been better informed, could have left me dependent of a drug that I didn't need in the first place, with all its attendant side-effects.
'First do no harm', my ar$e!
This leads me to reflect on how often a doctor has actually, genuinely helped me. I've certainly been very grateful for antibiotics when I've had a stubborn infection - perhaps in the past, we'd have either had a long convalescence from infection, or died of it. The contraceptive pill is convenient too, though also has side effects. Oh, and I had my appendix out at eighteen! Of course there are cases in which modern medicine is helpful and saves lives.
Apart from that, though, I've been misdiagnosed, scarred by unnecessary treatment, and given anti-depressants that made me worse and took ages to get off; I've been offered SSRI's after a one-minute consultation (and got a lot of attitude for turning them down); I've been urged to persevere with a Mirena coil which left me with years of pain even after removal; I've been told I would need a hip replacement by the age of 40 (now 46, hip's doing fine). I've had drugs that give me side-effects, and then been offered further drugs to suppress the side-effects! And now the PPIs. I haven't read Steve O's book yet, but I understand he suffered for years at the hands of bad doctors and poor diagnoses. I'm sure a lot of people here will have similar stories to tell.
So when I'm going through my symptoms, wondering how I can describe them so that, this time, the doctor will 'get me' and find the 'magical' cure (does anyone else do this?!), I remind myself of how much good it's actually done in the past, and recall my grandparents' advice to 'stay away from the white coats' as much as possible!
 |
| kacyc |
Posted - 06/21/2012 : 14:44:32
Hi gronesy, I'm new here. I don't know about TMS, I came across your thread when searching about rebound. I have it too!
I would like to offer my own (non medical) opinion about the lower oesophageal sphincter....
Like you, before taking ppis I had no reflux at all. During the process of trying to get off them I have horrendous debilitating burning and reflux and everything that goes with it. If your LES does not close properly doctors will say it probabaly never did close and whilst you are were taking PPIs you were protected. However, PPIs cause an increase in gastrin and in turn gastrin causes the LES to relax. Therefore, I hypothesize that during a period of increased gastrin (rebound) it is highly probable that your LES may not function properly, but WILL go back to normal functioning when the gastrin level goes down and the acid secretion rebalances, ie once the rebound has resolved so will the sphincter problem.
I very much hope that this is the case, for you, me and everyone else going through this trauma.
By the way, I do believe in the connection between mind and body, but do not believe that the mind can over ride the power of the lethal chemical that is PPIs.
Joy-I-am, I am very interested to know where you read that the parietal cells take 54 days to die. I have been doing a lot of reading about rebound and parietal cells and have been looking for an answer as to their life span. |
| gronesy |
Posted - 06/21/2012 : 12:03:29
Drew whitris joy,
I appreciate hearing from all of you. Let me give you some of my thoughts:
1. Digestion is affected by many things including stress,poor diet,poor physical shape and bad mental outlook. I am working on all these areas at the present time.
2. GERD may be caused more by stress than food but the dependency and rebound effects of PPIs are a biological need and reaction. PPIs build up acid secreting cells to combat its effects. When the antagonist is suddenly removed, they work unhindered which is the reason for the acid wash most people experience when they suddenly stop them. True, it will go away but people have reported it can take months and the toughest part is managing your life and digestion while the cells are being decreased. I do not believe you can just turn off that reaction because you didn't create it in the first place. Chemicals did.
3. Nutriceuticals like melatonin,ginger,marshmallow root and DGL are intended to ease the transition off of PPIs NOT to become another drug to be dependent on. When the goal is accomplished, they can be removed very easily from your routine.
4. I have been meditating at least once/day for almost a month and have already seen noticeable improvement. Sometimes,I can just stop and do 4 part breathing and symptoms will reduce.
Jeff
Whether you believe you can or you can't you're correct. |
| Joy_I_Am |
Posted - 06/11/2012 : 06:06:57
Hello again!
Interesting posts here. I have read often about the association between gluten and GERD; and indeed, every health or weight loss diet you can think of promotes carb-free eating, or at least healthy, 'brown' carbs... I prefer wholemeal bread and pasta to white, love veggies and protein, adore salads and fresh fruit... I would love to follow the Atkins diet, or Jana Klauer; I have a very small appetite anyway and eating light suits me.
HOWEVER...
Alas for me, the very best thing for my IBS-C is: white bread, very little fruit, veggies but cooked (even lightly, they are easier to digest). I know, all the 'villains'! But if my gut is playing up, I know a nice bowl of pasta with a splash of good olive oil, or a bowl of porridge, will have everything back to regular the next day! I happened upon this regime from two sources: the Heather Van Vorous IBS site, and a young GI doc who told me that the 1980's 'eat lots of bran plan' for IBS is outdated, and that I would do better with lots of soluble fibre. He was right!
Given that dietary advice changes so much from one study to the next, I think the best thing is to listen to our bodies and find what's best for us. I'm sure low-carb or paleo works for some people. For me, soluble fibre bulks up my gut without irritating it, and I think the serotonin buzz of those carbs soothes my anxiety, which is, I still believe, the No 1 cause of my TMS symptoms. A little carb also fuels my workouts much better, which are an important part of reducing anxiety for me.
I've been 'talking' to my gut lately - the GERD flares occasionally, and when I tell it to bugger off, replaces itself with nausea! When I tell that to sling its hook, my body tries little flares of pain in my neck, armpit (armpit?!), knee, whatever. I KNOW it's TMS! And I've been doing some journalling, and realise I am currently going through some mental changes regarding aging and physical appearance, particularly important issues for a woman in middle age. But that is another story for another thread...
|
| whitris |
Posted - 06/06/2012 : 18:20:58
A few thoughts on GERD from a long-time sufferer:
It is tricky to treat using Sarno, but not impossible.
To me a tell-tale sign that mine is TMS is that it comes and goes, and usually disappears on vacation or if I have cold or flu.
I have on occasion got rid of it by dropping all drugs and eating/drinking all the forbidden foods and drink, and also at the same time drinking a lot of water and sleeping extra, exercising, yoga. This is the Sarno leap of faith. I think all the "damage" can go away in a few days, if the body is in a healing state.
It is not clear to me whether the acid reflux is caused by too much acid or too little. I suspect that with me it is too little, which causes the valve between the stomach and esophagus to relax. My acupuncturist thought that and gave me HCL. (The pills made me feel weird, so I did not take many.) If TMSers are prone to not go with their gut feelings, it makes sense that our guts don't produce enough acid, rather than too much -- our gut is under-performing. Why is this so little discussed? Is it because the drug companies don't make money with low acid remedies?
It has been said that h pylora may be a factor. Too much and you get an ulcer; too little and you get GERD.
Stress, anxiety and hidden anger can definitely be triggers, more than foods. I wonder about the whole gluten free thing: is it just a placebo effect?
If you are in a job that you hate, a relationship that stresses you out, or have loads of unresolved childhood issues, your body will fight you somehow, and these days GERD seems to be a major way that this happens. Pills won't fix that.
|
| DrewMartin |
Posted - 06/06/2012 : 13:58:00
Hi Jeff,
It's been a while since I visited this forum but I wanted to comment on your thread.
Previous to my attack(s) of sciatica I had terrible GERD. I even considered surgery.
Post getting serious (mentally) about my having TMS I am completely cured of GERD. My take on this is that the esophageal sphincter is under the control of the autonomous nervous system, which is under the control of your subconscious mind. So GERD is a psychological problem.
What worked for me was daily 'skilled relaxation' or meditation. Get in a relaxed (near sleep) state for 20-30 minutes twice a day. You should see results in a matter of weeks or months depending on how much of a mess your mind is. Check out the 'Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook' and find an approach that works for you.
I use Biaural Beat software ('Brainwave Generator') on occasion when I am too stressed to relax on my own. The idea is to get into a 5-8MHZ Theta brainwave state. I repeat affirmations to myself until I drift into a state that is too zoned out to continue. Understanding the sources of your TMS will help you pick affirmations and give you some concepts to think about as you move into a Theta state.
http://www.stollfoundation.org/skilled-relaxation/ has the details on Skilled Relaxation. Check out the forum.
Whenever I get a twinge or GERD starts to reoccur I know I am not doing my relaxation exercises. Based on my conversations with other folks there really does not seem to be any other cure short of major lifestyle changes. Beachcombers do not get GERD (or TMS) :)
Best of luck,
Drew
P.S. Try raw Ginger root juice -just as a temporary palliative - to control the GERD symptoms in the period while you are getting your subconscious out of the flight or fight state. Forget about diet, eating or not eating this or that, etc - this is all a dead end. The problem is in your mind as is the solution. |
| gronesy |
Posted - 05/20/2012 : 08:19:28
Joy,
I'm really glad to hear you're having such success with the GERD. The cycle length you mention is right in line with what I've heard from other sources. I have gotten my prilosec down to one 20 MG from 40 MG in preparation for my early June appointment with the Dr. Weil trained MD. I'm also taking melatonin and DGL per Dr. Mullin's book. I'm doing tons better than when I first posted here even though the melatonin is going to need a couple more weeks to really kick in per Dr. Mullin. The DGL is making an immediate difference right after meals.
Dustin,
Dr. Mullin's book outlines very nearly what you did as one of his 3 diet tracks. Gluten is one of the most underrated digestive demons for some people for a surprising reason. Not because it causes people to have anaphylactic reactions. Just the opposite. It can cause a collection of sneaky little problems that are hard to pin down and make people miserable as a whole.
To both of you I still HIGHLY recommend reading "The Inside Tract" by Gerard Mullin, MD. Even if things are under control he will help you see ways you can make even more improvements and possibly enjoy some foods you now exclude by following his plans which are simple to do using foods that, while some may cost more than others(better food just does cost more)the recipes are easy and purposely not involved.
I'm still very interested to hear feedback on this book from others and I'll keep my eye on this forum.
Finally, I have totally eliminated 15 plus years of neck and shoulder pain using Sarno's method so I am on board with TMS. However, even though I know the mind can be talked into being sensitive to foods, environments, etc., I really believe it's not just a matter of addressing an angry inner-child. Even Mullin gives credence to working on your emotional factors as part of the overall plan.
Jeff
Whether you believe you can or you can't you're correct. |
| drh7900 |
Posted - 05/18/2012 : 08:12:10
Hello, folks! While I understand that this thread is about GERD and TMS, I thought I would pop a couple thoughts in that might or might not help...
While I've never been diagnosed with GERD, I had horrible chronic reflux and heartburn for a long time (but never talked to my doctor about it...don't know why). The possibility that it was a manifestation of TMS occurred to me as I read "Healing Back Pain", but there is something, at least for me, that got rid of it completely...placebo? Maybe. But I wasn't looking to rid myself of the reflux...I was just looking to get healthier.
For me, it started out by dropping gluten from my diet...no wheat, barley, rye (no beer  )...my reflux symptoms reduced dramatically (this was about a year ago...and probably took about 3 weeks or so). I still had reflux from time to time, but was nowhere near as chronic as it had been. In January of this year, I went on a full Primal diet (similar to Paleo). On this diet, I consume NO grains, NO processed sugar (except some very dark chocolate here and there), and very few processed foods all together. I have had reflux maybe twice since then and only when I've wavered off my diet because of being in situations where it wouldn't necessarily be socially acceptable to just avoid the food. For the record, that's been with other grains (like rice or corn) and sugar...I stay away from gluten completely...too much digestional distress!
While I am on board with the TMS theory, I also recognize that, in general, our diets these days are not what they should be and that gut health can also play a significant role in overall health. I kind of believe that the mind-body connection and getting back to feeding our bodies what they are meant to eat should go hand-in-hand. I avoided the diet issues for a long time...thought it was spicy foods, or acidic foods, or every food that gave me heartburn...turns out, if I don't eat grains and keep my processed sugar consumption very low, I no longer have heartburn...which is a relief in it's own right.
Here's to hoping you find your answer!
--
Dustin |
| Joy_I_Am |
Posted - 05/18/2012 : 03:39:10
Thanks Gronesy, I'll go and look for that.
Just to be clear, I don't think alcohol is the 'cure' for my GERD, just a diagnostic tool... release of tension = release of pain = TMS. I do find that, when I stop being hard on myself and try to find a better balance, things fall into place.
I had an ultrasound of my upper abdomen earlier this week, all was well, as I expected it to be. Another thought: I had a flare of acid for about six weeks after coming off the PPI. I thought I'd damaged my gut permanently, but after a further six weeks, things have settled right down. One possibility is that the parietal cells in the stomach, which are knocked out by the PPI, take 54 days to regenerate. But I think they maybe over-react for their first cycle - a sort of rebound hypertrophy or enlargement of the cells. Now I've gone through two of those 54 day cycles, things are back to normal. Just a theory, based on bugger-all medical knowledge whatsoever! But I can see how people fall back into taking them...
Hope everyone's well today! |
| gronesy |
Posted - 05/01/2012 : 13:46:53
Hi Joy,
I think you're on the right track about laying off yourself. I seriously doubt you're going to become an alcoholic. I'm glad you've been able to reconnect with a taste you enjoy without the terror of possible consequences.
I did want to recommend a book I'm reading and have almost finished that I think will help you a great deal. It's called "The Inside Tract" and it's written by Gerard Mullin MD. He is a conventionally-trained GI doc who went through his own hell before he found how to put conventional and integrative medicine together. He's actually an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University.
The book is about your gut and how it comes into play in everything. He has track plans for healing the gut that allows you to heal your whole self starting from your gut. Believe me, you will learn a lot and benefit from it. It's like 9 bucks for the kindle from amazon.
Let me know how you make out and keep up the good work.
Jeff
Whether you believe you can or you can't you're correct. |
| Joy_I_Am |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 04:27:04
Hi Gronesy,
Yes, I can understand wanting to get this family situation out of the way - it sounds like an event that would challenge anybody, so be kind to yourself and don't give yourself the extra pressure of having to 'get better' and off PPIs before it starts. As I said, I pushed myself to taper too fast, and I think it was counter-productive.
I've had a very good couple of days acid-wise, taking a couple of glasses of wine each evening. However, I realise that it is best kept as an occasional 'unwinder' rather than a daily habit. If I overdo it, it becomes an irritant and an anxiety-producer in its own right. I had been beating myself up with the need to live perfectly, and thus 'earn' healing with my 'correct' behaviour. Once I laid off myself, it got a lot better, and immediately! It really is, I am sure, a symptom of anxiety, as my IBS was previously.
We know this, of course. The thing is, how do we deal with it? And different things work for different people. But it really helps just to know, at base, that it IS anxiety, doesn't it?!
Joy |
| gronesy |
Posted - 04/24/2012 : 07:30:17
Joy_I_Am,
I'm really glad to hear you had a good day! When I read what you were able to eat and that you didn't have GERD, I was impressed.
Anxiety is a huge factor in your symptoms as well as mine. I'm trying to reach a balance between things I can do to stabilize now and things that become habits like relaxation techniques for the future.
I've learned to question positively EVERYTHING I am told by anybody wearing a lab coat. Be they naturopaths or conventional GI docs. I try to adopt conservative approaches before stepping anything up. For instance, I don't believe I have any business increasing my stomach acid with HCL supplementation until I talk to somebody who has successfully treated patients this way. There's too much that can go wrong. Especially with TMS/GERD/IBS prone stomach like mine.
Finally, I will add that I too had a much better day due to getting back on probiotics. Signficantly reduced the GERDy throat feeling and gas that has been my constant companion even at 40 mg prilosec.
I'm still hell bent on getting off PPIs but I've got the family thing to get through soon before I risk making myself feel bad before I'm good again. Does that make sense?
Whether you believe you can or you can't you're correct. |
| Joy_I_Am |
Posted - 04/23/2012 : 16:15:09
Hi Gronsey and Susan!
Well I had a GREAT day in terms of acid yesterday! What made the difference? A couple of glasses of wine! I'd been acidy all day, but took the chance, working on a hunch... and ate some cold lamb, potatoes, and a salad with lemon and walnut dressing... without a single pain! Seriously, not a twinge. I had two glasses of wine, spread over the evening, and got tiddly, but not totally blootered.
To me, this confirms what a huge factor anxiety is, and therefore that it is surely TMS. I'd been on a self-imposed alcohol break for weeks, which didn't help my stomach at all - but last night, I really relaxed.
Now, this is obviously a sensitive area - I'm not suggesting that becoming an alcoholic is a fix for TMS! But for me, it worked better than a beta-blocker. Using wine as an occasional 'pressure valve' might be the way for me. Learning to meditate, relax and deal with life generally would be even better.
Funnily enough, Jeff, I was once told by a naturopath that my predilection for pickles meant that I was probably a 'low acid producer'. But I am very careful what any practitioner tells me these days! I wondered about having the gastroscope, will probably go for it just to confirm the TMS; don't know if it's a big procedure, but I had a colonoscopy last year with no problem at all. This time around, I won't go surfing the net for horror stories! |
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