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GERD, acid reflux and benzo w/d


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This has been driving me CRAZY lately. My main symptom left from valium withdrawal seems to be GI related but how is this possible? How can benzo w/d cause GERD or acid reflux? I know that there is a muscle that separates the stomach from the esophagus so maybe that's how? Not sure.

 

I never had problems with acid reflux before benzos. I have a constant belching feeling every day, almost all day long now. This feeling causes my heart to seem like its pounding sometimes and I feel like it's about to give out if I move around too much. Does anyone else have issues with a belching feeling like this?

 

 

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My stomach took a hit from the benzos.. I thought it was just my stomach.. I think the receptors get messed up in our stomachs or something.. this will surely desolve itself out as time goes.. y'know?

 

Billy.

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It was my most lasting sx.  I have a hiatal hernia.  I don't know if it was there before w/d, but it got really bad afterward.  I think it has to do with the muscle dysfunction caused by benzos.  My diaphragm seemed very week and very tense, and that is the muscle that helps keep your stomach down where it belongs.  Stress and B vitamin deficiency are both factors that play into a hiatal hernia. 

 

Some chiropractors know how to adjust a hernia, but it will keep coming back unless you address the reason why it happened in the first place.  I had mine adjusted (huge relief), but it just went right back up that same night.  I'm now trying to resolve my vitamin B deficiency issue in hopes that it will help heal the hernia.

 

 

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Hi, I have a feeling of tightness in my chest and being unable to take a deep satisfying breathe but along with that comes some GERD and beltching, I have had this on and off for years and it has recently flared up since I c/t off  the Ativan, I used to think it was not related to benzos but I am almost positive now it is either a symptom of anxiety or benzo related , it is my worst symptom, well that and insomnia. Ladygrace
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Hi, I have a feeling of tightness in my chest and being unable to take a deep satisfying breathe but along with that comes some GERD and beltching, I have had this on and off for years and it has recently flared up since I c/t off  the Ativan, I used to think it was not related to benzos but I am almost positive now it is either a symptom of anxiety or benzo related , it is my worst symptom, well that and insomnia. Ladygrace

 

The breathing problem is definitely related to the GERD.  The diaphragm is responsible for being able to take a deep breath as well as keeping your stomach in place. 

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I am feeling a burning pain that is heartburn, I guess.  I feel it from the top part of my stomach, or right where my heart is located.  It has been waking me up.  I had a lot of problem after my c/t....and at different times after I reinstated, and tapered.  I'm also having IBS symptoms.  I noticed a lot of spasms when this bout started, along with bloating and gas in my stomach.

One thing I have noticed is how stressed I feel (really for no reason)....and I know that stress aggravates these symptoms.

Are you taking anything for gerd, or reflux ?

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IMO, the most important thing NOT to do if you have GERD is to take something like Prilosec or Zantac.  This will increase your risk of nutritional problems and stomach cancer because it will decrease stomach acid, and you NEED stomach acid, now more than ever.  The key is to get the stomach down where it belongs and strengthen the diaphragm and cardiac sphincter, which is what is responsible for keeping the stomach closed while it's digesting food. 
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Are you taking anything for gerd, or reflux ?

 

I'm not. I tried some apple cider vinegar and that seemed to help for about a few minutes. I think I'm going to try and avoid certain foods and see if that helps. Fruit juices seem to really bother me.

 

 

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I've been taking little bites of tums, for quite a while.  I got off prilosec, and tagamet...because I thought it was making me worse.  How do you get the stomach down, and strengthen the diaphragm and cardiac sphincter ?  Deep breathing ?  I do some of that....but probably not enough.

 

I think this stressed feeling is causing more acid production, so what in the world do you do about that ?  The burning pain then probably is causing me some anxiety. ::)  I eat a bland diet. :-\

 

I tried apple cider vinegar, but it seems to cause burning.  I think that I read at Mayo clinic, that it causes heartburn for some people.  I tried honey, too....which helped a little.  :-\  Drink plenty of water !  There are so many natural remedies out there.  DGL seems to be reccomended a lot, but I can't find it here where I live.  Chamomile, and Ginger teas.  From what I read, eating more alkaline foods help...and I was already doing a lot of that. 

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I've been taking little bites of tums, for quite a while.  I got off prilosec, and tagamet...because I thought it was making me worse.  How do you get the stomach down, and strengthen the diaphragm and cardiac sphincter ?  Deep breathing ?  I do some of that....but probably not enough.

 

I think this stressed feeling is causing more acid production, so what in the world do you do about that ?  The burning pain then probably is causing me some anxiety. ::)  I eat a bland diet. :-\

 

I tried apple cider vinegar, but it seems to cause burning.  I think that I read at Mayo clinic, that it causes heartburn for some people.  I tried honey, too....which helped a little.  :-\  Drink plenty of water !  There are so many natural remedies out there.  DGL seems to be reccomended a lot, but I can't find it here where I live.  Chamomile, and Ginger teas.  From what I read, eating more alkaline foods help...and I was already doing a lot of that. 

 

Well, I'm no expert.  But I read of one woman who was able to heal her stomach by doing a gall bladder flush and getting regular acupuncture.  There was another one who healed hers by getting the hernia adjusted by a chiropractor on a regular basis while at the same time on a special diet.  I think the gallbladder is sort of a key.  And like a mentioned before, correcting any B12 deficiency would be important too. 

 

I haven't done much to heal mine yet except for the B12.  Maybe when I can afford it I'll try to find someone to help me with it.

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Hi Sunny Girl,

 

I believe cabbage juice cures tummy problems.  A couple of people on the Trap forum  had burning issues and swore by the cabbage juice.  Hope this helps xx

 

Boo  :smitten:

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Get some slipper elm powder from a naturopath and mix it in apple sauce.  Trust me!  I had bad GI issues for about 6 to 8 months from withdrawal.  It really helped. 
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Get some slipper elm powder from a naturopath and mix it in apple sauce.  Trust me!  I had bad GI issues for about 6 to 8 months from withdrawal.  It really helped.

 

Chinook.....I have heard of slippery elm, but never tried it.  Did you have heartburn ?  IBS ?

Have you written about it in other posts you have made ?  If you don't mind me sending you PM's with questions, I would so appreciate it.

 

Thank you so much ! :smitten:

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I used to use Thayers slippery elm lozanges for my GI issues.  They really help, and they're easy to find at most health food stores.  I also did the DGL chewable wafers, but it was hard for me to handle because of the taste.
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Thanks sagemom !  I'll try to find some slippery elm tomorrow.  I've had a problem finding DGL, locally...but I'll check out of town.

How do you feel about antacids....blockers....PPI's ? 

 

Sunny girl :smitten:

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Thanks sagemom !  I'll try to find some slippery elm tomorrow.  I've had a problem finding DGL, locally...but I'll check out of town.

How do you feel about antacids....blockers....PPI's ? 

 

Sunny girl :smitten:

 

I don't like blockers or antacids because they interfere with proper digestion.  If anything, you need more acid, not less. The real problem is not that you're making too much acid, but that your cardiac sphincter is not able to stay closed during the process of digestion, resulting in the stomach contents making their way up the esophagus.  Slippery elm is very soothing, but it doesn't interfere with acid production as far as I know.

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This has all been very interesting and helpful for me. Thank You. Doctors will not say this is caused by Benzo withdrawal. I don't have the heartburn but I have a sore throat. Last May, a scope test showed I indeed had a haital hernia. My throat had been sore off and on since then but I blamed it on everything else, like air conditioning, bad weather, dry air, tense muscles etc. a throat doctor put me on Zantac and I heard it was not a good thing even before GERD became my problem. I had a very dear friend who died from epsophogeal cancer and that scared me enough to do what I was told. Could somebody tell me if I can wean my way off of Zantac if I try the slippery elm? What works the best the powder or lozengers? I'm 9 months off benzos but still have so much anxiety about this, I'm now so tense that I tighten up whenever I eat because I am scared. How do the rest of you relax about this? Please help! My anxiety from the withdrawal never ceased and I getting discouraged.
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  • 2 weeks later...
[90...]

This has been driving me CRAZY lately. My main symptom left from valium withdrawal seems to be GI related but how is this possible? How can benzo w/d cause GERD or acid reflux? I know that there is a muscle that separates the stomach from the esophagus so maybe that's how? Not sure.

 

I never had problems with acid reflux before benzos. I have a constant belching feeling every day, almost all day long now. This feeling causes my heart to seem like its pounding sometimes and I feel like it's about to give out if I move around too much. Does anyone else have issues with a belching feeling like this?

 

I actually went back on Lorazepam for the third time two months ago, and it CAUSED acid reflux problems which are so severe that I can hardly function. It began the night after I started taking the Lorazepam. I think this medicine has destroyed my gut. I am going to stop Lorazepam tonight and see what happens.

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[90...]

This has all been very interesting and helpful for me. Thank You. Doctors will not say this is caused by Benzo withdrawal. I don't have the heartburn but I have a sore throat. Last May, a scope test showed I indeed had a haital hernia. My throat had been sore off and on since then but I blamed it on everything else, like air conditioning, bad weather, dry air, tense muscles etc. a throat doctor put me on Zantac and I heard it was not a good thing even before GERD became my problem. I had a very dear friend who died from epsophogeal cancer and that scared me enough to do what I was told. Could somebody tell me if I can wean my way off of Zantac if I try the slippery elm? What works the best the powder or lozengers? I'm 9 months off benzos but still have so much anxiety about this, I'm now so tense that I tighten up whenever I eat because I am scared. How do the rest of you relax about this? Please help! My anxiety from the withdrawal never ceased and I getting discouraged.

 

My doctors  tell me that Benzos do not cause digestive problems...Gosh, with all of the side effects possible from that medicine and they completely dismiss the possibility! This makes me so angry. I KNOW Lorazepam caused the acid reflux. It did not begin until I started Lorazepam two months ago!

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Klonopin seems to have worsened acid reflux in me as well.  Here is a link to some of the side effects of Klonopin (which could be similar to other benzos):

 

http://www.drugs.com/sfx/klonopin-side-effects.html

 

Gastrointestinal: Anorexia, coated tongue, constipation, diarrhea, dry mouth, encopresis, gastritis, increased appetite, nausea, sore gums

 

fg

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[90...]

Klonopin seems to have worsened acid reflux in me as well.  Here is a link to some of the side effects of Klonopin (which could be similar to other benzos):

 

http://www.drugs.com/sfx/klonopin-side-effects.html

 

Gastrointestinal: Anorexia, coated tongue, constipation, diarrhea, dry mouth, encopresis, gastritis, increased appetite, nausea, sore gums

 

fg

 

More evidence. :) Thank you!

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