Mandylubug Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Dh has been waking up 3ish hours after sleep lately with what I assume acid reflux or heart burn. The first time, pepto eliminated the pain and he fell back asleep. Last night he thought for a minute he was having a heart attack. Severe burning radiating up the center of his chest that didn't get better with pepto. It did finally calm down and he finally fell asleep after I made him prop up on pillows. He is only 32. Healthy as an ox, runs, works out and has a physically demanding job. He never has these issues when awake or active. I will state he has a family history of heart attacks in 30s. These family members were overweight, inactive and ate poorly. He is going for a well check and physical soon and in the mean time, I think we need to adjust his diet to be heartburn friendly. I really think it's reflux or an ulcer. He typically eats at midnight when he gets home, is up for another hour and then goes to bed. We know no tomatoes, citrus heavy foods. Limit coffee amd alcohol. Any other tips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted June 2, 2014 Author Share Posted June 2, 2014 We are slightly paranoid due to family history of his dad and grandfather each having heart issues so young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 My dh, also 32 with acid reflux takes Zantac before dinner and we kept a diary of what foods caused the most issues. Dh also stays up right for at least 3 hrs after eating (most of that time propped up with pillows watching TV in bed). Tomato products doesn't really bother him, it's greasy food that causes the most pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Oh and read the book Acid Drop, lots of good information and recipes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 My mom avoids eating ANYTHING within a couple of hours of going to sleep. And although she hates gum she has found that chewing gum keeps the symptoms at bay. Not something you would be doing in the middle of the night while sleeping, obviously, but I thought I would mention it. I agree with adjusting his diet to be more heartburn friendly. And I wouldn't just eliminate citrus at night. No fruit at all in the evening. I definitely would have the doctor check it out, too, just in case and considering the family history. And my mom found this site helpful: http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/america-asks-9/nighttime-heartburn-sleep-tips Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datgh Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 I used to be woken in the middle of the night with a lot of pain just below my sternum. I did have an ulcer. By the middle of the night your stomach is empty so the acids turn on the stomach and if you have an ulcer you know. it. You often don't feel the ulcer during the day if you have food in your stomach because the acids are busy. I would try a round of Prilosec. That is one of the medications the doctors will use for ulcers. I will also add if the pain continues to occur don't wait to have it checked out. My parents passed my pain off to nerves (I was in high school at the time). My ulcer eventually perforated through my stomach and I needed major emergency surgery to fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted June 2, 2014 Author Share Posted June 2, 2014 His meal last night just doesn't seem like it would have triggered such a bad reaction. He had pb n j on whole wheat bread (the high fiber nutty kind) potato chips amd a sam adams beer. We read it could be an ulcer caused by a bacterial infection? He handles luggage every day so he would come in contact with stuff from all over but he's constantly wearing gloves, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted June 2, 2014 Author Share Posted June 2, 2014 I will be buying prilosec today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datgh Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 They would probably test him for H. Pylori which is often the culprit when it comes to ulcers. It is an easy blood test. Alcohol is one of the big no no's when it comes to acid reflux and ulcers so the beer may have been what triggered things. It will cause the stomach to produce more acid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennay Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 I have been reading that sometimes not enough stomach acid can cause heartburn and acid blockers aren't the solution. Sorry I don't have any specific links for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 We know no tomatoes, citrus heavy foods. Limit coffee amd alcohol. Any other tips? The thing is, this isn't necessarily true, depending on what the problem is. For example, if he has too much acid, then acidic foods will help his stomach acid become less acidic. We know several people with excess stomach acid (mostly due to stress, which is eventually what causes ulcers) who are told to drink lemon juice every day to make their stomach acid more base. If you eat a lot of base foods like milk or cheese, then that will make your stomach acid more acidic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 His meal last night just doesn't seem like it would have triggered such a bad reaction. He had pb n j on whole wheat bread (the high fiber nutty kind) potato chips amd a sam adams beer. We read it could be an ulcer caused by a bacterial infection? He handles luggage every day so he would come in contact with stuff from all over but he's constantly wearing gloves, etc. I had a friend who drank too much beer on a regular basis and killed all of the good bacteria on his stomach, which caused all sorts of problems. You really just need him to go to the doctor. There are too many different things it could be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 The thing is, this isn't necessarily true, depending on what the problem is. For example, if he has too much acid, then acidic foods will help his stomach acid become less acidic. We know several people with excess stomach acid (mostly due to stress, which is eventually what causes ulcers) who are told to drink lemon juice every day to make their stomach acid more base. If you eat a lot of base foods like milk or cheese, then that will make your stomach acid more acidic. The powers that be estimate that 60 percent of ulcers are caused by bacterial infection (h.pylori). Another 20 percent are estimated to be a result of NSAID use. The remaining 20 percent are considered to be of unknown origin, although cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption are thought to be major causes of this last 20 percent. Stress may be a factor in this 20 percent, but the current thinking is it's likely extreme stress, not the more typical every day kind most of us encounter. OP, I'd recommend your DH take a nightly preventative dose of Zantac or Pepcid. IME they work better for prevention and quick relief than Prilosec does. If he tries Prilosec don't be surprised if he still has another episode or two for the next few nights. It seems to take a few days to take effect. Food triggers can be very individual. Mine are raw onions and vinegar. It took two years on a double-the-recommended dose of a prescription acid reducer for me to narrow it down to those. All the usual food suspects can aggravate an already existing flare-up for me, but they don't seem to trigger one. But as I said, it seems that triggers can differ greatly from one person to another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 For me, eating late at night is a killer. It doesn't matter what it is. If I eat within a few hours of going to bed, I will have acid reflux. I drink 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda diluted in a 1/2 cup of water before I go to bed and this usually keeps the symptoms at bay for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 I have severe GERD. The tannins in black tea can be a trigger, like coffee. Alcohol is a huge trigger for me. I try not to eat 2 or 3 hours before bedtime. It's much better to elevate the head of your bed than to prop up with pillows, propping yourself up doesn't angle the body the right way. Drink lots of water. I have to take Omeprazole for mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 His meal last night just doesn't seem like it would have triggered such a bad reaction. He had pb n j on whole wheat bread (the high fiber nutty kind) potato chips amd a sam adams beer. We read it could be an ulcer caused by a bacterial infection? He handles luggage every day so he would come in contact with stuff from all over but he's constantly wearing gloves, etc. That meal would trigger a very painful reaction for me. The alcohol relaxes the esophageal sphincter muscle, and peanut butter and potato chips are high in fat, so they take longer to digest. If I ate that too close to bedtime, it would still be in my stomach and then a lot of acid would come up due to the alcohol relaxing the muscle that's supposed to hold it back. H. Pylori can lead to an ulcer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Definitely avoid greasy. I have had an ulcer and IBS. I feel like a broken record, but the use of ground flax and a daily probiotic every day for years has helped make my gut issues pretty minimal. Eating and then getting right into bed is not a great idea and if he were eating at midnight, I'd ask him to eat light. Regular exercise and stress management are important pieces of gut issues too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 I'm glad he has a doctor appt. to rule out anything. I have very uncomfortable heartburn if I sleep on my right side. On my back and left side, I'm fine. This has been going on for years. Some organ or somethingerother must be pressing into my stomach when I'm on my right side. Nobody can really explain it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 I'm glad he has a doctor appt. to rule out anything. I have very uncomfortable heartburn if I sleep on my right side. On my back and left side, I'm fine. This has been going on for years. Some organ or somethingerother must be pressing into my stomach when I'm on my right side. Nobody can really explain it. Actually, I have read before that it's better to sleep on your left side if you have heartburn, and there's a scientific reason I can't remember. But it does help me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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