Will Gaviscon wreak my Whole30?

[dogmom]

Hi, I am on day 20. I have acid reflux. Nexium did not help me, so I weaned myself off of the medication and went the low carb/sugar diet route. It helped me for a while, but now I am having terrible acid reflux burn in my throat, especially at night. That is why I went on the Whole30. A pharmacist advised me to take Gaviscon liquid. I am not sure if I should start the Gaviscon or tough it out for another 10 days. The ingredients are:  Active--Aluminum hydroxide and magnesium carbonate. Inactive--benzyl alcohol, edetate disodium, flavor, glycerin, sacharin sodium, simethicone emulsion, sodium alginate, sorbitol solution, water, xanthan gum. I don't want to start the Whole30 over again, but don't know if this qualifies as a "doctor's orders" exclusion. I will follow up with my doctor's office on Monday, but nobody is in today. If I cannot take this, does anyone have any compliant alternatives? I tried baking soda in water before I started the Whole30, but it did not work.

[Tina R]

I use digestive enzymes to control my acid reflux. That and avoiding gluten. Mine was completely gone at the end of my whole30. I take them with every meal. Although whole30 recommends some, the formula has changed and they are no longer compliant. I would read labels carefully. Good Luck!

[dogmom]

Thanks, Tina. What brand of digestive enzymes do you take?

[Vian]

Acid reflux is almost always a sign of too little stomach acid, not too much. Try drinking something acidic like a tablespoon or two of lemon or lime juice or vinegar. Kombucha is very acidic as well and it always gets rid of my heartburn on the rare occasion I have it (pretty much never get it anymore).

 

The way it works is that your stomach has too little acid, then you eat a meal and your stomach panics and starts pumping out the acid, but it gets carried away and makes too much. By drinking something acidic, it signals to your stomach that it's got enough acid and it can stop making it.

 

Taking hydrochloric acid tablets, digestive enzymes, and probiotics can also help a lot as well.

[Tom Denham]

I don't know if Gaviscon will impair your Whole30 experience, but I think the suggestions others have given you are pretty good. I would avoid the meds if I could. 

[dogmom]

Thanks for all of the advice. I will try these alternatives before turning to the meds.

[beespajamas]

You can also try elevating the head of your bed just a bit.  I put a brick under each of the legs at the head of my bed.  The elevation is hardly noticeable, but it really does the trick (much better than a slanted pillow, sometimes sold for this purpose).

[praxisproject]

Peppermint oil capsules can help with the burning sensation, as can sips of strong peppermint tea (always check your labels).

Peppermint oil capsules are often sold as breath pills, sometimes mixed with parsley oil. Your local chemist may be able to recommend one with a compliant coating.

 

Some people also find modifying liquid intake before, during and after meals helps with acids levels (not enough - don't drink to avoid acid dilution, too much - drink with meals to dilute stomach acid), giving the stomach a chance to digest meals without additional stress.

 

Some people find nightshades can either trigger or make the impact worse with acid reflux.

 

I would avoid gums and alginates (gel) if you can while your stomach is irritated.

Kombucha may give you some long term relief, but it's not likely to be noticeable in the short term.

 

I highly recommend reading this article from Chris Kresser:

http://chriskresser.com/the-hidden-causes-of-heartburn-and-gerd

[Tina R]

Thanks, Tina. What brand of digestive enzymes do you take?

I take hydro- zyme and beta- tcp to help digest fat. Both are manufactured by biotics research corp Rosenberg, Texas