Post Edited By Moderator (Admin) : 10/22/2005 7:43:02 PM (GMT-6)
Hi Doc and everyone. At last I managed to go a day without carbohydrates. Just one day and what a difference. I never woke up once coughing and choking due to the acid in my tubes. I always wake up and its like I have a head cold. My nose usually runs when I get up and it lasts for about an hour. I know this is because the acid goes to my sinuses in the night. I feel it burning. This morning, nothing. Not one sniffle. It wasn`t easy, everyone on TV was eating toast last night. How I wanted some!!! But I didn`t give in. I am definitely going to carry on with this regime. Thanks doc. Will let you know how I get on. Vanessa
Vanessa,
Great to hear about your success. Continue. When they eat toast on TV try having a meat roll up, cheese and veggies or vegies and sour cream and onion dip, or a few nuts. There are just a few of the many suggestings for replacing high carb bread.
Take Care,
Norm
Great to hear about your success. Continue. When they eat toast on TV try having a meat roll up, cheese and veggies or vegies and sour cream and onion dip, or a few nuts. There are just a few of the many suggestings for replacing high carb bread.
Take Care,
Norm
Thanks doc. I am really going to try to keep it up. I have said before that when my heartburn started in my teens, the only thing that triggered it was pastry and thick bread, so I have always agreed with your research. I am finding it very difficult to restrict my diet so much but maybe once you get your head round it, it will get easier. Will keep you posted.
Well done Vanessa!
I'm so glad this is working for you.It's amazing how quickly you can start to feel well-- but a word of warning-from my experience the better you feel the more likely you are to cheat!
good luck!
Thanks Jocaste, I will try to be good and not cheat. I have felt really well today. Don`t feel as bloated. I notice from your posts you are following the docs advice. No wonder he has been pushing us for so long. It does seem to be a cure. Good luck to you too!!!
So...you ate zero carbs? Please tell me what you did eat. I find it so hard to avoid carbs altogether and would appreciate some ideas.
I'm very happy that you had a day of feeling good Vanessa!! 
I sincerely hope it continues!
I sincerely hope it continues! I'm basically all about what works! However there are many that this may not work for...I for one, eat an extremely low carb diet and it hasn't helped me, I still need medication.
So please keep us posted on how you are doing!! I'd really like to see this work for you!
Hugs, Teri
Always make sure that your Dr. okays this and never stop your med.'s until you've talked to your Dr. first!!
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"I Hope You Dance".............LeeAnn Womack
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Hi Hearty, as I said before it isn`t easy. There are so many foods that have carbs in. most fruits and some veg have a little carb in them. My daughter developed diabetes when she was 5 years old. That`s 16 years ago and it was all about counting carbs religously at that time. There are the obvious things like sugar, wheat, grains, potatoes, pasta and rice. Then there are the not so obvious like the amount in fruit and veg. even milk has carbohydrate in it. I`m sure the doc will correct me if I`m wrong about anything!!!! Anyway for the last two days I have eaten salad, ham, steak, chicken, cheese, egg, tuna, a little carrot, tinned pear, apple, broccoli. I took the docs advice yesterday evening. I was starving so I wrapped a little feta cheese in a slice of ham. Never had that, it was delicious. I think if you stick to it religously for a while til you can get of the PPI`s then gradually perhaps increase the carbs to a safe level. Maybe that is the way forward. Breakfast is the hardest, can`t find anything only fruit. Bought some natural greek yoghurt then noticed it has carbs in it. Forgot it`s made from milk.
Hi Terri, sorry it`s not working for you. I wonder why that is. I think from your previous posts if I remember correctly, you have quite a lot of health problems. Do you think that might have anything to do with it.
Take care, Vanessa
Hi Vanessa
I have Greek yog everyday now as it has only 3carbs per 100g.I have it with a few blueberries as they are low and a tablespoon of pumpkin or sunflower seeds.(3gs)
In Mercola's book (The no grain diet)there's a recipe for no grain bread and muffins using flax seeds (great if your system is sluggish-- so I'm going to try them as a breakfast alternative.
for what it's worth...
Thanks for that Jocaste, my greek yoghurt had a lot more carbs than that. Will try another brand. I will have to buy some cook books. Just had lunch. Lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, cress, egg, ham and feta cheese. Can`t say I enjoyed it with no bread or baked potato though. Nevermind, will plod on!!!
Vanessa
I know, it's hard when your addicted to carbs! I have to say though, that making good dressings to go over my salads with olive oil,vinegar,french mustard and garlic helps me forget about the lack of bread especially as I couldn't be liberal with the oil on a low fat diet.
Today I had a bolognese sauce over courgettes and spinach.I felt light and satisfied after it and I even topped it with some cheese.
I'm hoping to try it with a spaghetti squash next time.
Jocaste, thanks for the advice. I was wondering what I could have on my salad. Mayonnaise has starch and stuff in it and that`s what I usually have. Trying to be very strict at the beginning of this regime, so don`t want to cheat at all at the moment. The bolognese sauce etc sounds good. Will try that. Any advice is appreciated, thankyou.
Yes, I do have other health problems, but GERD, a weak/non functioning LES, along with a hiatal hernia, is generally not completely controlled by just food changes alone. I suppose you would have to know to what degree of damage there is to begin with in some people. I actually by using the PPI's and diet managed to reverse some damage in the esophagus. I went from precancerous mild dysplasia back to Barrett's. I would imagine if someone did not have severe reflux, that this diet alone may help. I don't disagree with that at all. I just want everyone to keep an open mind to the fact that this may not help everyone.
Also, as you can already see it is very difficult to maintain strict dietary regimens that alter the way you've been ingrained to eat your whole life. Many people find that after some time, they are back to eating as they were...so again, just to remind everyone to keep an open mind with regards to this.
Hugs, Teri
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"I Hope You Dance".............LeeAnn Womack
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Vanessa (and Jocaste),
I am so proud of you guys! You are doing great. Teri, I would expect controlled carb to at least help in your case by mimimizing the dramatic gerd-unfriendly effects of starch and sugar.
A few points from above. Milk does not have a few carbs, its loaded with carbs (lactose) and should be avoided completely. Use soy milk. Most of the carbs (lactose) in yogurt are consumed by lactic acid bacteria duing fermentation, so yogort is relatively low carb unless sugar is added for flavor. Get plain or low carb and add non carb sweetner like splenda, etc.
Mayonaise is no carb so use as much as you want. Olive oil and balsamic, like Jocaste says, is great. I use a lot of this on my salads.
Take Care,
Norm
I am so proud of you guys! You are doing great. Teri, I would expect controlled carb to at least help in your case by mimimizing the dramatic gerd-unfriendly effects of starch and sugar.
A few points from above. Milk does not have a few carbs, its loaded with carbs (lactose) and should be avoided completely. Use soy milk. Most of the carbs (lactose) in yogurt are consumed by lactic acid bacteria duing fermentation, so yogort is relatively low carb unless sugar is added for flavor. Get plain or low carb and add non carb sweetner like splenda, etc.
Mayonaise is no carb so use as much as you want. Olive oil and balsamic, like Jocaste says, is great. I use a lot of this on my salads.
Take Care,
Norm
Message for TexasTeri.
Dear Teri,
Your correct in saying that theres no cure or special diet for people who suffer from a weak LES valve.
Can I ask you how old you are?
Why havent you looked at Fundo surgery? Would this not help you?
Thanks for that Doctor Norm, all your advice is appreciated. I never have milk in my diet anyway, so I don`t need an alternative. The yoghurt I bought is very confusing. It says no added ingredients but the carbs say 8g per 100g and sugars are the total 8g. So is there sugar in it or not. Also can you tell me at what point I could try to reduce my meds. I must say this regime has helped my IBS too. I have always thought I might be gluten intolerant, maybe I am. I always feel my stomache is bloated but it has shrunk considerably over the last few days.
Many yogurts (like regular Dannon) add sugar and fruit for flavor. Plain yogurt is better, but low carb (Dannon) yogurt is about 4 grams per container which is about 1/4 or 1/3 cup. That's what I eat.
Most people can stop the meds completely after a couple of days on controlled carbs. If symptoms reoccur, you may want to wean slowly (your doctor can help) over a week or two. I hear there if a rebound effect from cutting these meds because the stomach makes more of those little acid pumps in response to them being shut down by the drugs. So it could take a little time for the pumps to reach an equilibrium. I don't have any factual data on this phemonemon but have just heard this may be occurring.
Norm
Most people can stop the meds completely after a couple of days on controlled carbs. If symptoms reoccur, you may want to wean slowly (your doctor can help) over a week or two. I hear there if a rebound effect from cutting these meds because the stomach makes more of those little acid pumps in response to them being shut down by the drugs. So it could take a little time for the pumps to reach an equilibrium. I don't have any factual data on this phemonemon but have just heard this may be occurring.
Norm
Thank you for replying - that is so very kind of you! At this point in time I'm not sure I would be a good candidate for surgery. I have on going heart problems. BTW, I'm 53.
You take care of yourself!!
Hugs, Teri
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"Because he is he and I am I."......E. V. Lucas
"I Hope You Dance".............LeeAnn Womack
Please allow HealingWell to continue helping others by donating:
Hi Teri, we are almost the same age. I`m 52. I am sorry about all the health problems you have. It must be awful coping with all your ailments. As you say, maybe diet isn`t a big factor for you.
Well, this is my fifth day of no carbs. The biggest thing I have noticed is I have had the most normal week for years regarding my IBS. No pain and completely normal bowels. I am pretty sure that is because of eliminating wheat. I have always suspected a wheat intolerance. Don`t get many symptoms of GERD, apart from a cough and runny nose in the mornings, because the prevacid works well, but if I miss a tablet I know about it. Usually take 30 mgs morning and 15mgs night time. Today I have took one 15 mg instead of 30. My doctor is always encouraging me to cut my dose, so I don`t need medical advice to do this. It is me that will suffer in the long run. I will keep you informed of progress. Vanessa
Well, this is my fifth day of no carbs. The biggest thing I have noticed is I have had the most normal week for years regarding my IBS. No pain and completely normal bowels. I am pretty sure that is because of eliminating wheat. I have always suspected a wheat intolerance. Don`t get many symptoms of GERD, apart from a cough and runny nose in the mornings, because the prevacid works well, but if I miss a tablet I know about it. Usually take 30 mgs morning and 15mgs night time. Today I have took one 15 mg instead of 30. My doctor is always encouraging me to cut my dose, so I don`t need medical advice to do this. It is me that will suffer in the long run. I will keep you informed of progress. Vanessa
I am new to this whole "forum" thing. I think I sent something to Dr Norm earlier, but am not sure! Anyway, I have had the whole heartburn thing for about 2 years and found out by a process of elimination that it is carbs that causes it! My chiropactor suggested no wheat and I went to no carbs. I did eat them again this summer (too many vacations and too much wine) and have been paying for it for several months. Nexium and the like does not seem to even work for me. I have to control it with diet. I am glad to see this website. I have searched for things before but apparently put the right words into Google today!
Sherryl
Sherryl