-lose weight if indicated
-eat smaller portions, smaller meals more slowly
-raise the head of the bed 2"-8" if it seems to help...some controversy whether EVERYONE with GERD will benefit
-sleep/lay on the left side of your body when possible
-avoid/limit caffiene in coffee, teas, colas, chocolate, energy drinks....READ LABELS! (caffiene causes unwanted relaxation of the pinch valve in the lower esophagus which is named the lower esophageal sphincter or LES)
-avoid nicotine, same situation, it lowers LES pressure, a bad thing in GERD
-avoid mints (spearmint, peppermint, etc.) since they too cause relaxation of the pinch valve of the lower esophagus (wintergreen is okay)
-reduce consumption of fatty foods; they delay gastric emptying thus exposing the esophagus to gastric regurgitation for a longer period of time
-do not lay down after meals for 2-4 hours
-use "barrier antacids"...(the important ingredient is alginic acid or alginate, which allows for the "floating on top of the stomach juices" effect) after meals and at bedtime and and for symptom control: they are Gaviscon or Gaviscon like…store brand is fine
-the mainstay of therapy is medication to reduce (not eliminate) production of acid by the lining of the stomach: omeprazole, PRILOSEC OTC, Nexium, Prevacid, Aciphex, pantoprazole, Protonix, Zegerid, Kapidex are all forms of proton pump inhibitors….another group of less potent, usually less effective, OLDER, LESS COSTLY drugs are: Tagamet HB, Zantac, ranitidine, Pepcid, famatodine, Axid….all are forms of histamine 2 receptor antagonists
-eat smaller portions, smaller meals more slowly
-raise the head of the bed 2"-8" if it seems to help...some controversy whether EVERYONE with GERD will benefit
-sleep/lay on the left side of your body when possible
-avoid/limit caffiene in coffee, teas, colas, chocolate, energy drinks....READ LABELS! (caffiene causes unwanted relaxation of the pinch valve in the lower esophagus which is named the lower esophageal sphincter or LES)
-avoid nicotine, same situation, it lowers LES pressure, a bad thing in GERD
-avoid mints (spearmint, peppermint, etc.) since they too cause relaxation of the pinch valve of the lower esophagus (wintergreen is okay)
-reduce consumption of fatty foods; they delay gastric emptying thus exposing the esophagus to gastric regurgitation for a longer period of time
-do not lay down after meals for 2-4 hours
-use "barrier antacids"...(the important ingredient is alginic acid or alginate, which allows for the "floating on top of the stomach juices" effect) after meals and at bedtime and and for symptom control: they are Gaviscon or Gaviscon like…store brand is fine
-the mainstay of therapy is medication to reduce (not eliminate) production of acid by the lining of the stomach: omeprazole, PRILOSEC OTC, Nexium, Prevacid, Aciphex, pantoprazole, Protonix, Zegerid, Kapidex are all forms of proton pump inhibitors….another group of less potent, usually less effective, OLDER, LESS COSTLY drugs are: Tagamet HB, Zantac, ranitidine, Pepcid, famatodine, Axid….all are forms of histamine 2 receptor antagonists