Re: Re: Acid Reflux and Hypothyroidism

[Guest guest]

Acid Reflux IS a symptom of hypothyroidism.

I agree with the things Miriam has mentioned to you.

If you are not taking enough Betaine HCL then your symptoms will not be relieved. You should increase your Betaine HCL with each meal until you feel a warm feeling in your stomach. At this point drop back by one tablet. This is the dose you require to maintain UNTIL again you feel that warm feeling. Reduce by one tablet and continue with this dose UNTIL yes you guessed it; you feel that warm feeling and reduce your dose by one more tablet and so on until you stop taking the Betaine all together.

HOWEVER, I would suggest if your symptoms are so bad then perhaps you need to increase you thyroid hormone supplement dose?

The reason you get reflux is due to the effect of hypothyroidism and low gastric acid on the cardiac sphincter of the stomach. This is the 'valve' which, at the base of your oesophagus, allows food into your stomach but should not allow anything out of the stomach. Hypothyroidism causes this to become floppy and limp; just as it does the heart valves too.

When your cardiac sphincter is floppy and limp it obviously doesnt perform as it should and the stomach content is allowed to seep out and back up into the oesophagus. Having good acid levels helps reduce this effect somewhat but primarily having your hypothyroidism well supported and treated will of course get rid of these symptoms all together.

The parietal cells of the stomach are responsible for manufacturing stomach acid or hydrochloric acid. They are also responsible for manufacturing Intrinsic Factor. If there is low HC then there will be low IF.

HC breaks down protein and IF takes the Vitamin B12 from the protein links up with it and enables it to be absorbed by the gut. Without IF we do not absorb B12 and of course we know that low B12 is common with hypothyroidism. So the consequence of low HC is terribly serious and has a knock on effect on the whole of the body due to B12 deficiency if nothing else.

SO I WOULD SUGGEST reducing further your already low levels of HC is inappropriate. I personally would be very cautious about surgery in the first instance, until you have tried all other avenues and surgery should be the last resort unless it is life saving.

I personally would also try all things natural and obvious before resorting to drugs, which always come with side effects and may actually make things worse.

So

Check your thyroid support is adequate.

Adrenal support too

try the HCL supplementation over time as suggested

Take B12 supplementation too. This should be either sublingual or intramuscular injection.

Keep a diary of events and your symptoms during this time.

> Finally because the PPI's don't seem to have worked I've now been prescribed Domperidone which is intended to speed up the general movement of food that I am eating and to try and reduce the chances of it being refluxed back up my oesophagus.> > I'm in two minds whether to continue with the Betaine HCL and raise the dosage or to try the Domperidone and see if that works.

[Guest guest]

One thing I didnt mention is low HC can also allow the infestation of Yeast in the gut. HC is part of immune system as it prevents invaders getting into our system. If you have had low HC for a while then you should also check you dont have a yeast infection. If you have taken antibiotics at any time, as well as low HC then I would suggest its highly likely you do have a yeast infection. If so YOU MUST treat this as well as considering the other stuff suggested by me and others. NOTHING will improve if the yeast infection remains and this will continue to cause many other problems as it invades your body further.

Check your thyroid support is adequate.

Adrenal support too

try the HCL supplementation over time as suggested

Take B12 supplementation too. This should be either sublingual or intramuscular injection.

Keep a diary of events and your symptoms during this time.

[Guest guest]

The blood tests aren't very good at the best of times, the will show celieacs in about 50% of the people who actually have it. Then they may follow up with a biopsy that again may show up celiacs. But if you aren't full blown celieacs you could well suffer a lot of the symptoms but get fobbed off with eat more fibre and have some indigestion tabs, that I have had done to me for 20 years. The best way to find out if you are wheat intolerant is total elimination of wheat for at least 2 weeks and then pig out on a sandwich or a pizza slice. If all the symptoms come back then your wheat intolerant.

-----Original Message-----From: thyroid treatment [mailto:thyroid treatment ] On Behalf Of Sent: 01 November 2011 23:11thyroid treatment Subject: Re: Acid Reflux and Hypothyroidism

Hi As far as I know the blood tests that I've had will include celiac disease so i should find out for certain if that is causing it.

[Guest guest]

They dont normally test for Helicobacter and this can be done by a breath test. If you eat any food it should be freshly prepared with added sea salt; do avoid any processed, smoked or preserved foods such as meats. The chemical additions are not good for any of us. Cooking freshly prepared organic produce is the way to go. Miriam excludes gluten and dairy, I think too, but that is a personal decision. The whole point about food is that it provides us with the nutrients our body needs and NOT chemicals our body most definately doesnt need.

I think I have enough salt in my diet although I don't add much to any meal that I have. I suspect there is plenty of the stuff hidden in all the other food I eat.Would the helicobacter not get picked up in blood tests that I gave yesterday?

[Guest guest]

I personally wasnt too impressed with the Ridha Arem book, although useful to read, I would rather recommend Dr Peatfield's book and Dr Mark Starr's book also good old Brod . All available from Amazon. Anything Dr skinner writes and of course sarah Myhill too. Etc Etc.

I've taken your advice and just ordered one on ebay. It should sit well next to 'the Thyroid Solution' by Ridha Arem.

[Guest guest]

We have all of the books recommended by Sally in the TPA

Library. Check out the books we hold in our FILES SECTION of this forum under

'TPA Library' and you can borrow whatever you wish for the cost of £2.80

postage. Just click on the Email address of whoever has the book you want, and

write to them asking for their name and home address and then send them £2.80

in stamps, giving your name and home address and they will send the book on to

you. Try not to hang on to the book for too long in case others are waiting to

borrow that particular one.

Hope this helps.

Luv - Sheila

I personally wasnt too impressed with the Ridha Arem book,

although useful to read, I would rather recommend Dr Peatfield's book and Dr

Mark Starr's book also good old Brod . All available from

Amazon. Anything Dr skinner writes and of course sarah Myhill too.

Etc Etc.

I've taken your advice and just ordered one on ebay. It should sit well next to

'the Thyroid Solution' by Ridha Arem.